Helpful+Link

On this page you will find an accessment of the website, Cyber Tree House.

//Cyber Tree House// []

1) What is contained in the site? //The site appears to be directed towards kids grades 3rd through 6th. It is a currently updated site with a 2011 copy write date. It is set up by Business Software Alliance Company. The site is very colorful with a thematic unit pertaining to a tree house. The site contains information for kids on how to stay “cyber safe” and how to following copy right laws. This issue is addressed by incorporating videos, games, and short informational pages.// 2) How you would use this resource in a classroom? //First, I would address copyright laws and how to stay safe online. Then, I would assign the students a project where they had to research a topic (varying on the unit) on the internet. In the classroom, I would allow my students to peruse this site before beginning their research. This site would help my students understand this important information on their own and in a fun, interesting way. I would provide each student with a questionnaire page with questions pertaining to the site. Each student would have to fill I the blanks about the site. This would insure the students were attempting to learn about the copyright information instead of simply playing games and watching “cool videos”.// 3) How you would assess student learning based on their use of the site? //As each student was on the site, I would walk around the room and comment on each child’s learning within the site. After the students had time to click through the site, I would do a group game or give the students a quiz on paper concerning copying, internet activities, and researching. The group activity could help me assess how the class as a whole understands the rules; the quiz would help me know individually who knows how to handle internet usage. One of my favorite activities that assess individual knowledge at the same time would be to develop a “Jeopardy”-like game.// // I would advice upper elementary teachers and lower middle school teachers to incorporate this site in their lesson plans. I feel the subject of copy rights and safe internet usage is very important especially for this age of students. These students are at the age that parents allow students to be home alone and most families have computers; students are very knowledge of computers and the internet so internet safety is an important safety tip. //