The Internet is a worldwide
system of computer networks. These networks allow users at any
computer to get access to information from another computer. The
Internet was started by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA)
of the U.S. government in 1969 and was first known as the ARPANET.
The original aim was to create a network that would allow users of
a research computer at one university to be able to "talk to"
research computers at other universities.
Today, the Internet is a public, and
accessible to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Today many
users of the Internet us electronic mail instead of the Postal
Service to send messages. Using the Web, you have access to
millions of pages of information. Web browsing is done with a Web
browser, the most popular of which are Microsoft Internet Explorer
and Netscape Navigator. The World Wide Web can be a helpful place
to find information on certain topics. Two ways to locate
information are through the Internet Library and using a search
engine.
Objectives
To understand search engines
To become familiar with Web sites addresses
To understand when sites are updated
To understand the meaning of the “World Wide Web”
To learn how to gain valuable facts from the Internet
Materials
Computer with Internet Access,
Internet Research Worksheet
Procedure
Ask students to share what they know about the
Internet and the World Wide Web. Have a discussion about the
sites they have visited and what they have learned form their
visits.
Explain that the Web can be a helpful place to
find information on certain topics and that a Web site is a
place where groups of people share information and resources on
the Internet.
Ask the students how they would go about using
the Web to find information on a topic.
They could ask a teacher or librarian for the
addresses of Web sites that have that information.
Ask students to compile a list of topics
they would like to find out more about. Write the topics on the
chalkboard. The teacher can include topics of her own.
Divide the class into groups. Allow students to
research a topic of their choice.
Encourage the groups to visit at least three
Web sites while researching the topic.
Groups should use the information they have
found on their topic to prepare oral or written presentations to
share with the class. Students are to document the addresses of
the web sites they used.
The teacher can start a class library of URLs,
listed by topic. The library can take the form of a card file.
Activity
Have students launch a search engine.
Have them type a topic of their choice.
Let them see how many sites meet the
search.
Have them read the summary of each site.
Notice when it was last updated.
Have students look at the size of the
document.
Once students have found a site they
like, they can begin researching. Use the Internet Research
worksheet for students to fill out the information.
Evaluation
You can evaluate the students
on their presentations using the following rubric.
3 points: topic thoroughly researched, at least
three URLs, presentation was clear, interesting, and very well
organized.
2 points: topic adequately researched, only two URLs cited,
presentation satisfactorily organized and presented.
1 point: topic inadequately researched, only one URL cited,
presentation poorly organized and presented.
