Internet Research Poster
The World Wide Web is a valuable source of information for a wide range of topics. However, students need to learn how to use the web efficiently and responsibly. This activity is successful of it is first modeled in the classroom, from beginning to end.
Begin by bringing students to the computer in small groups. Adaptive hardware is available for connecting a computer to a large screen television, or to a movie screen, which allows for easy viewing by the entire classroom. Students work alone or in pairs to research a "mini-topic" on the World Wide Web. This mini-topic should be related to the long-range goal of science fiction writing. The students will then make use of the various Internet sources available, such as commercial online services, Usenet newsgroups, Web sites, and online magazines and journals. At this point emphasis should be placed on information seeking, narrowing a topic and excluding irrelevant information. As students begin to search, they will find some sites more valuable than others. Help students to develop and apply criteria for conducting their search, and evaluating the information they find.