John Perry Barlow, "Crime & Puzzlement," 1990.
Late one night, you fell asleep under the covers with the flashlight still in one hand after finishing a story on ocean exploration. During the night you had a vivid dream that you were a marine biologist exploring the ocean floor. The next day at school, during a history lesson, the teacher asks, "Do you believe there are any more frontiers?" You think back to your dream.
"Oceans are the new frontiers!" you exclaim.
"I disagree.Space travel will lead to the next frontiers," argues a second student.
"I think it's rainforests," suggests someone else.
"Has anyone considered cyberspace as a frontier?" asked the teacher.
Due to a high level of student interest, sparked a lively debate, the class suggested this notion be further explored.
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Your class has decided to conduct an investigation to answer the essential question:
Does cyberspace qualify as a frontier?
Your will work in teams to research the history of the Internet, explore some of its uses today and make projections for the Internet's potential in the future. Each team is responsible for answering the following foundation questions as you conduct your research. Teams will be giving a technology presentation in the form of a WebEssay to the local School Board and the Parent Teacher Organization.
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http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/0/0,5716,1460+1+1458,00.html
Brief description ofthe origins of Internet and its uses.
http://www.pbs.org/nerds/timeline/network.html
This site is a must for your research. While on this
site, study the World Internet Connectivity map as of 6/15/95.
http://www.mids.org/mapsale/world/index.html
This site is a must for your research. Study the map
showing Internet growth using data from July 1999.
http://www.pbs.org/internet/timeline/index.html
A timeline of the history of the Internet
from a reputable source.Also
includes stories related to Internet use and related links.
The Geography of Cyberspace - Definitions and Quotations
http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/casa/martin/what_cyberspace.html
Provides definitions of cyberspace
from various perspectives.
24 Hours in Cyberspace, a book review
http://search.britannica.com/frm_redir.jsp?query=cyberspace&redir=http://www.cyber24.com/
This site offers a preview of the two hundred
page book, 24 Hours in Cyberspace, and provides a “glimpse of how cyberspace is changing people's
lives.”
http://www.education-world.com/
An excellent site for students, parents,
and educators on how to use the Internet as a learning and teaching
tool.
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/5/0,5716,136285+1+124209,00.html
1998 – a year of consumerism
on the world wide web.
In teams, you will create a WebEssay developing your perspective on the essential question. It needs to be between 5 to 7 paragraphs in length and include several on-line graphics that support your point of view. Your WebEssay must include a persuasive statement addressing the essential question, demonstrate thorough research, contain multiple sources of information, have between three and five hyperlinks, and be properly cited. Each team will present their WebEssays at a school board meeting and a parent teacher organization (PTO) meeting. These organizations will use this information to determine whether or not to invest more money into technology in your school system, so you need to research carefully and write persuasively. Who knows? If you are persuasive enough, even your parents might finally consent to getting your computer hooked up to the Internet?
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(4 points) |
(3 points) |
(2 points) |
(1 point) |
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Eye Contact |
Excellent eye contact with audience; does not read from notes | Good eye contact with audience; reads from notes, but looks up frequently | Fair eye contact with audience; remembers to look up from notes occasionally | Poor eye contact with audience; reads mostly from notes | No eye contact with audience; totally reads from notes |
Voice Projection |
Speaks loud and clear at all times; excellent rate of speed; words pronounced clearly | Speaks loud and clear most of the time; good rate of speed; most words pronounced clearly | Speaks loud and clear some of the time; speed too fast or slow at times; word pronounciation is unclear at times | Speaks softly; unable to hear at times; speed too fast or slow; words not clearly pronounced | Did not participate in the oral presentation |
Posture |
Stands straight and faces the audience | Sometimes slouches, sways, fidgets, or turns back on the audience | Often slouches, sways, fidgets, or turns back on the audience | Constantly slouches, sways, fidgets, or has back to the audience | Does not stand in front of audience at all |
Organization |
Information presented in a logical, interesting sequence; all foundation questions answered completely; easy to follow |
Most information presented in a logical, interesting sequence;
most foundation questions answered completely; fairly easy to follow |
Some information presented in a logical or interesting sequence;
some foundation questions have not been answered; confusing to follow at times |
Information not presented in a logical, interesting sequence;
many foundation questions were left unanswered; could not follow |
Information presented was not in keeping with the topic at all |
Expressiveness |
Movements appropriate to the presentation; facial / body gestures evident at all times | Most movements appropriate to the presentation; facial / body gestures mostly evident | Some movements appropriate to the presentation; attempt at appropriate facial / body gestures | Movements may not have enhanced presentation; facial / body gestures were distracting to presentation | Little to no expressiveness demonstrated in presentation |
Competency |
Outstanding
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Good Job
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Making Progress
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Keep Working
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No Attempt (0 points) |
Content |
Information is accurate, extremely well developed, clear and focused topic | Information is mostly accurate, reasonably developed, clear and focused topic | Information is fairly accurate, some focus and development of topic | Information is minimal or inaccurate, lack of focus and development of topic | Did not include. |
| Weighting | X 6 | X 6 | X 6 | X 6 | X 6 |
Organization |
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| Introduction, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, conclusion | Information is well-organized, logically presented , effective transitions | Information is reasonably organized, logically presented, some effective transitions | Attempt at organizing information, some logic evident, may or may not have transitions | Information lacks organization of thought, little or no logic, no transitions | Did not include. |
| Topic sentence and supporting details | Found in each paragraph | Found in most paragraphs | Found in some paragraphs | No topic sentence, inadequate details | Did not include. |
| Weighting | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each |
Language and Mechanics |
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| Sentence structure | No errors | Few run-ons, fragments, or awkward sentences | Numerous run-ons, fragments, or awkward sentences | Lack of sentence structure | |
| Spelling | No errors | Few errors | Numerous errors | Excessive errors | |
| Grammar, punctuation & capitalization | Correct use | Few errors | Numerous errors | Excessive errors | |
| Weighting | X 1 each | X 1 each | X 1 each | X 1 each | X 1 each |
Technology Requirements |
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| Graphics | At least four appropriate visual aids | Three appropriate visual aids | Two appropriate visual aids | One or no appropriate visual aids | Did not include. |
| Hyperlinks |
Four to five hyperlinks of interest & support of topic; at
least five web resources consulted and cited |
Three hyperlinks of interest & support of topic; four web resources consulted and cited | Two hyperlinks of interest & support of topic; three web resources consulted and cited | One or no hyperlinks provided; only one or two web resources cited | Did not include. |
| Weighting | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each | X 3 each |