Dear Families,
We started off the school year jumping into learning and understanding how an iPad can be used as a tool for learning. The term Eye Pollution/Internet Pollution was introduced this week. We discussed how the Internet is an amazing place with many places for us to visit and learn about. However, we have to be careful what we read, see and listen to. Spring Lake Public Schools does have an Internet filter to help filter many of the inappropriate websites, images and videos that are online; however, just like a water filter does not filter all of the gunk from water, sometimes Eye/Internet pollution can squeak by.
As a class, STEM team members brainstormed things that would be considered eye pollution, such as: scary images, gross images, mean images, images of private body parts and bad words. We discussed how our bodies know when we are seeing something we shouldn't and if we are ever on the Internet and something makes us feel uncomfortable, we should immediately get off the device and tell a trusted adult. We also discussed that the only time students should be online is when an adult has given them permission and they are only to go to the places that pertain to the project they are working on. I encourage you as a family to discuss eye pollution with your child and make some family rules about Internet searching at home.
STEM team members also learned how to use Google search by using the microphone function and practiced saving images to the camera roll on the iPad.
Looking Ahead ~ Next week we will discuss how to create and maintain a POSITIVE Digital Footprint.
Parents- I encourage you to visit the website: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators
for more information on how to keep your children safe online.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you,
Betsy Kipling
STEM Teacher
Jeffers Elementary
We started off the school year jumping into learning and understanding how an iPad can be used as a tool for learning. The term Eye Pollution/Internet Pollution was introduced this week. We discussed how the Internet is an amazing place with many places for us to visit and learn about. However, we have to be careful what we read, see and listen to. Spring Lake Public Schools does have an Internet filter to help filter many of the inappropriate websites, images and videos that are online; however, just like a water filter does not filter all of the gunk from water, sometimes Eye/Internet pollution can squeak by.
As a class, STEM team members brainstormed things that would be considered eye pollution, such as: scary images, gross images, mean images, images of private body parts and bad words. We discussed how our bodies know when we are seeing something we shouldn't and if we are ever on the Internet and something makes us feel uncomfortable, we should immediately get off the device and tell a trusted adult. We also discussed that the only time students should be online is when an adult has given them permission and they are only to go to the places that pertain to the project they are working on. I encourage you as a family to discuss eye pollution with your child and make some family rules about Internet searching at home.
STEM team members also learned how to use Google search by using the microphone function and practiced saving images to the camera roll on the iPad.
Looking Ahead ~ Next week we will discuss how to create and maintain a POSITIVE Digital Footprint.
Parents- I encourage you to visit the website: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators
for more information on how to keep your children safe online.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you,
Betsy Kipling
STEM Teacher
Jeffers Elementary