Brief Description Objectives Materials and Resources Activity Description Internet Resources

• Grade level: Junior High, Middle School

• Subject Area: Language Arts

Brief Description

    Students use Internet search engines to investigate the topic "Media Violence and How It Affects Teenagers." Students work in groups to compile their information into survey questions, noting recurring facts or themes that might be relevant.
Objectives

    Students will:

• Use Internet search engines to conduct research.
• Work cooperatively in groups to formulate survey questions into a media violence survey and note trends in their findings.

Materials and Resources

    In developing our lessons and activities, we made some assumptions about the hardware and software that would be available in the classroom for teachers who visit the LETSNet Website. We assume that teachers using our Internet-based lessons or activities have a computer (PC or Macintosh) with the necessary hardware components (mouse, keyboard, and monitor) as well as software (operating system, TCP/IP software, networking or dial-up software, e-mail and a World Wide Web client program, preferably Netscape, but perhaps Mosaic or Lynx). In the section below, we specify any "special" hardware or software requirements for a lesson or activity (in addition to those described above) and the level of Internet access required to do the activity.

1. Special hardware requirements: QuickTake or other digital camera (optional).
2. Special software requirements: None.
3. Internet access: High-speed (greater than 1 MBPS via network).

Activity Description

• Have students use Internet search engines (see Internet Resources below) to research the topic "Violence in the Media and How it Affects Teenagers." Teachers can refer to module two in the Teacher Professional Development area of LETSNet for tips on searching the Internet for information.

• Have students print out articles from their searches that give them pertinent information about their topic.

• Have students break into discussion groups and compile facts or list recurring themes from their printed research.

• Have students develop and compose survey questions that will be directed toward 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Questions should deal with research themes and personal feelings on the topic. Examples include: "Do you think there is more violence on television today than there was five or 10 years ago?" or "How do you define violence?"

• While students are working, take pictures of them with the QuickTake camera (optional).

Internet Resources

• Lycos
  [http://www.lycos.com]
  Internet search engine. Users enter key words and receive a series of "hits," or Internet sites that have something to do with the key words entered. Other search engines can be accessed by clicking the "Internet Search" button at the top of the page.

• Infoseek
  [http://www.infoseek.com]
  Internet search engine. Users enter key words and receive a series of "hits," or Internet sites that have something to do with the key words entered. Other search engines can be accessed by clicking the "Internet Search" button at the top of the page.

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