Road to Grammar
Techonology
Technology is a hot topic, so why not discuss it with your English language learners? There are three viewpoints from students included on this page, along with vocabulary words and ten tech-related questions to discuss.
Curated Video
Safety Mode
Teach your YouTube users how to protect themselves from offensive content with a mini instructional activity on Safety Mode. The teacher presents information about Safety Mode, and then demonstrates how it can be turned on and off....
Curated OER
Homecoming Quiz
Learners respond to 25 multiple choice questions about the Cynthia Voigt novel, Homecoming. Quizes can be submitted for grading or printed for as a hardcopy for use in classrooms with out computer access.
Curated OER
Feeling for Answers
Students consider the legal issues related to a suicidal or depressed college student by reading and discussing the article, "Laws Limit Options When a Student Is Mentally Ill." They write essays considering how the events at Virginia...
Facebook
Public Wi-Fi
Sometimes free Wi-Fi comes with a hefty price tag! Networking novices examine the components of a Wi-Fi network during a digital citizenship lesson from an extensive series. Groups work together to map out a day's worth of Internet...
Code.org
The Need for Encryption
Scholars investigate the need for encryption as they read a portion of the book Blown to Bits and discuss encryption techniques. They finish by attempting to decode a message written using a Caesar cipher.
Code.org
Cracking the Code
Scholars learn how to crack secret codes as they continue reading from the Blown to Bits and try to crack the random substitution cipher. They also begin learning about the Vigenere cipher.
Curated OER
Getting the Word Out
Discuss and generate blogs in this technology instructional activity. Middle and high schoolers explore examples of blogs and create their own blogs. Use this instructional activity throughout the year to reinforce concepts from your...
Curated OER
On Being Modern Knight
Students, upon completion of the "Knighting Ceremony" and reflection, research the meaning of privacy, plagiarism, pirating, computer viruses, or hacking. Then they design a survey of high school students to find the level of acceptance...
Curated OER
Who's on Trial Here?
Students discuss privacy issues that public personalities encounter when they are accused of committing a crime after reading an article in The New York Times. Students then write essays after researching several trials of public...
Computer Science Unplugged
Sharing Secrets—Information Hiding Protocols
Did you know that you can find the average age of a group of people without anyone having to real their age? This resource provides directions for way to do just that. After the activity, class members read a short passage that provides...
Me and My Shadow
Trace My Shadow
Which creates more digital traces: surfing the Internet in a coffee shop, or using an iPhone to send a text message? The answer may surprise you! An interactive resource prompts users to choose which devices, operating systems, and...
Curated OER
Review of Pointers
In this programming instructional activity, students answer 50 multiple choice and true or false questions on functions and binary numbers.
Curated OER
Private Matters
Students examine the intersection between an individual's right to privacy versus the public's right to know, through the lens of the relationship between public figure Gary Condit and missing intern Chandra Levy.
Curated OER
Part of a Masterpiece, by John W. Healy
Students step into paintings. In this visual arts lesson plan, students imagine themselves walking through a famous piece of art. Students research the artwork and then use computer programs or artistic methods to literally put...
Common Sense Media
ABC Searching
Students explore English by completing an interactive computer activity. In this alphabet lesson, students research the Internet to create a picture dictionary which they share with classmates. Students locate digital images of words...
Curriculum Corner
Passwords to Remember
Do your kids have a hard time keeping track of their passwords? Use a graphic organizer to have them list the names of websites and corresponding passwords.
Curated OER
Buddy Systems
Students explore how companies use instant messaging to sell products and services. They write business plans for marketing companies using instant messaging as a medium for advertising and assess related privacy issues.
Curated OER
Private See Dispute
Pupils use their definition of "reasonable expectations" of privacy with regard to camera cellphones and digital cameras, to draft recommendations to send to Congressional representatives.
Curated OER
Public Defenders
Students research laws related to copyright and privacy for pamphlets educating the public about their rights when publishing original works on the Internet.
Curated OER
Veterans Day Remembered
Sixth graders gather information about Veterans and create a PowerPoint. In this Veterans remembered lesson, 6th graders interview a veteran and research on the computer to create a five slide PowerPoint.
Curated OER
Observing Fall Migrants
Students keep a detailed data collection log of the different types of monarch behavior. They track the weather conditions daily and link it to the migration of the monarchs. They summarize their data using either a graph or a computer...
Curated OER
Observing Fall Migrants
Students answer questions about the fall migration of the monarch butterfly. The data of observations is graphed and displayed using computer technology. This is a good lesson for crossing the curriculum with mathematics.
The New York Times
Big Brother vs. Little Brother: Updating Orwell's 1984
Government surveillance is an enduring conflict that has become increasingly complex with our nation's use of technology. Add to the understanding of Orwell’s 1984 by using the resources here that display the contemporary actions of Big...