- Test a couple of lessons that deal with digital citizenship.
- Try writing your own lesson, or collaborate with a colleague to do so.
Of course, it’s best to start with your school’s curriculum, mission and student needs, and build customized learning activities accordingly. But it’s also nice to draw upon other people’s expertise. Since state content standards exist, some commonalities can be leveraged. Furthermore, seeing how other grade levels and subject areas are dealing with digital citizenship helps articulate instruction and provides a continuum for student learning.
Each grade level has a sample lesson that melds content standards and digital citizenship. The activities are detailed so the teacher(s) can follow them easily. In each case, the lesson includes a rationale or overview, accommodations, variations, and an assessment that addresses digital literacy and other standards. If you design and implement a successful lesson/learning activity on digital citizenship, you are encouraged to submit it to lfarmer@csulb.edu to be added to the wiki. After all, you are an important member of the community of learners and practitioners.
Discovery Exercises:
1. Choose a grade level, and examine the sample lesson. Although only one subject matter’s contents are listed, do you see how other subject matter is addressed implicitly? You might search other subject matter standards for the grade that might be added to the standards list. How might you adapt it for your local situation? You might want to try it out, or at least share it with relevant colleagues to get their response. Blog your experience.
2. Choose a lesson from one grade above or below the one selected for #1. As you read it, ask yourself how it reflects cognitive developmental differences. The subject matter is likely to differ from the first lesson read; how do the two subjects relate, if at all?
3. Go to the Resource page of the wiki, and locate the list of lesson plans. Find one that might work at your site, and try it out or share with your colleagues.
4. Using the content standards, including the library ones, collaboratively design your own lesson in light of the above examples and the particular needs of your school population. Consider cross-discipline lessons, not only in elementary but higher grades as well. Pilot-test the lesson, and consider submitting it to the wiki.
5. Blog your insights about “consuming”, adapting, and generating your own digital citizenship lessons.
