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INTERNET SAFETY YOUNG READERS' GUIDE

Victoria Roddel

Chapter One

Cyberspace is where many different computers talk to each other.

There are many places in Cyberspace. One place is the World Wide Web. Many people call it the INTERNET.

People use different tools to do different things. Each tool helps you do something.

Your computer is also a tool. What do you use tools for?

I use a FORK to __________________________________.

Adults use a HAMMER to __________________________________.

I use a RULER to __________________________________.

I use a COMPUTER to __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________.

People use computers to do different things on the internet. They do their homework, play games, shop, or talk with people they like.

Everyone needs to know how to use tools safely. You know how to use a fork properly and safely. Probably your parents taught you. As you learn, you can show and tell your parents, friends, and family how to stay safe on the internet when they use the computer.

ACTIVITY A #1

Draw a picture of you and your friends using a computer to have fun.

ACTIVITY A #2

Draw a picture of yourself using a computer to talk with someone you care about.

ACTIVITY A #3

Write the names of people you know who use the internet.

________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

ACTIVITY A #4

Write the names of the persons whom you will show and tell how to stay safe when they use the internet. ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

Chapter Two

Secrets can be tricky because they depend with whom you are talking. Everyone who lives in your house knows your name, how old you are, when mom or dad are home, who is on a diet, where your family shops, or how much you get for an allowance. These are not secrets to everyone in your house.

But, anyone who does not live with you does not need to know these things. To anyone who does not live with you, these things are secrets unless your parent directly gives you permission to tell or you are asked by your teacher.

ACTIVITY B #1: Can you keep a secret? (Find the Answers on Page 76)

Question 1: Police need everyone's help to find missing children and pets so bad people do not hurt them. A police officer in a chatroom or email asks for your name, address and phone number so they can ask your parents if you can help. Do you tell?

YES NO

Why?

Question 2: You are in a store and can not find your parents. You know someone works in the store because of the clothes they wear. Do you ask this person to help you find your parents and tell your name and phone number?

YES NO

Why?

Question 3: You have a friend online that you do homework with, play games, and just have a good time. Vacation time is coming and their family is traveling. Your online friend asks for your address and phone number so you, your friend, and both families can have fun together. Do you tell?

YES NO

Why?

Question 4: A friend you met online has a bad problem but can not tell anyone but you. They want you to go somewhere right now to help. Do you go?

YES NO

Why?

Question 5: Someone in a chatroom sends you a picture. They are nice. They tell you their age, name and ask you for a picture. Do you send them a picture or tell them about yourself since they were nice enough to tell you?

YES NO

Why?

Question 6: You get an email from an important person of a website you visit often. The email wants you to give information like your name, address, password, or username because they lost it. Do you answer?

YES NO

Why?

ACTIVITY B #2:

Take turns with your friends pretending to be strangers and adults you know like teachers or your friend's parents. Ask each other your names, where you live, your phone number, your ages, and when mom or dad are home. Remember to run away very fast to the nearest adult you know when a stranger asks you face-to-face for information.

Chapter Three

Strangers are people you do not know.

You do not know all the people who use the internet. People you meet on the internet are strangers. You are a stranger to them.

A stranger can be a good person or a bad person.

No one can tell if a stranger is good or bad by how they look, the clothes they wear, the words they use, or what they say.

When someone you do not know, a stranger, asks you for anything, say 'NO!'. Sometimes strangers want to see what you look like, know where you live or how old you are. These are secrets for strangers. Strangers do not need to know about you. Say 'NO!', tell your parent or teacher, and then get off the internet. You can get back on when your parent or teacher says 'OK'.

ACTIVITY C #1

Draw a picture of a stranger. Remember that sometimes nice strangers can look different from people around us and bad strangers can look nice.

ACTIVITY C #2

Go to your list of people you know use the internet (Activity A #3 page 10). Ask your parent or teacher whom on this list you can talk with and email using the internet. Write their names in the left column, their usernames in the middle column, and their email addresses in the right column.

__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

ACTIVITY C #3

Ask your parent or teacher to help you make your email and instant messaging programs (if you are allowed to use them) receive messages ONLY from the persons on the list you just made.

ACTIVITY C #4 (Answers on Page 79)

Question 1: While you are playing on the internet, someone says they want to be your friend then sends you their picture. Do you:

1. tell them your name but not send a picture; 2. tell them your name and give them a picture because they did; 3. tell them you're not allowed to talk with them; or, 4. not answer them?

Question 2: You are playing near your house. An adult asks you if you have seen their friend about your age. They show you a picture. They do not know your neighborhood too well and need someone to show them where their friend would go. It will not take long. Do you:

1. Run fast and tell your parent, teacher, or adult whom you are with;

2. Tell them where their friend may be;

3. Take them to where their friend may be; or,

4. Tell them to get the police?

Chapter Four

People who are not nice look and sound like you and me but they want something from you that you know is wrong or not right.

Not nice people ask you again and again to say or do something that:

You know is wrong, or You know you will get in trouble for, or Makes you feel 'not right' inside.

Not nice people try to tell you again and again that something you know is wrong is really right. Ask a parent or teacher what is right if you are not sure.

Not nice people do not want you to tell your parents or teachers about them. Not nice people know they are bad. They do not want you to know they are bad.

Not nice people say they can not get help from an adult or the police. They say only you can help. They are lying.

Not nice people ask again and again about your secrets like your name, address, age, when mom and dad are home, what school you go to, what grade you are in, where your family went for vacation, what time you go to bed, or any other secret your family has from strangers. Do not tell them.

Sometimes nice people do and say bad things. But, nice people are very sorry when they find out they did something bad because they do not want to hurt anyone. And, nice people do not hide your friendship. They like telling their parents and friends about you because you are a friend. They do not want something bad from you. They do not want you to do something bad. They do not like to get into trouble. And, nice people do not like their friends to get into trouble.

ACTIVITY D: Find your way to Safe Internet!

ACTIVITY D #2:

Draw a picture of you telling a stranger "NO" at a place you like to visit like a mall or park.

Chapter Five

Be nice to other people.

Treat other people like you want them to treat you.

Wash your hands before and after you touch a computer, mouse, or keyboard. Remember other people use the computer.

Ask a teacher, parent or adult to turn the computer on and off for you.

Use the computer only when you have permission. Play only the games and visit only the websites you are allowed.

Let the person using the computer finish what they are doing. Ask your parent or teacher to help you ask them to hurry if they are taking too long.

Don't put things in the openings of the computer that do not belong there like gum or toys, and, especially, your fingers.

Don't use words you would not say to your parents, teachers, or grandparents.

ACTIVITY E #1 (Answers on Page 80)

Question 1: You and a friend from school are in a chatroom. Someone is being very rude and saying nasty things. Do you:

1. Tell them to be nice;

2. Talk nasty to them;

3. Leave; or,

4. Not talk to them at all?

Question 2: There are guests at home. They use the computer a lot. You need to do homework. Do you:

1. Yell and tell them to get away from the computer;

2. Tell them to go home;

3. Tell your parent the problem;

4. Let them finish and not do your homework?

ACTIVITY E #2

Do something nice for someone. Suggestions: Help around the house or classroom by taking out the garbage; put things you use back where they belong; draw a picture for someone; or, talk with someone you already know is too shy to talk to you first.

Chapter Six

Passwords are secrets. They are secrets that only you, your parent or teacher, and the website where you use them know. Passwords tell the website that you are really you and not your sister, brother, friend, or a stranger pretending to be you. Passwords are important secrets. Do not tell your best friend, any friend, or anyone who asks for your passwords except your parents or teachers.

Keep your passwords in a secret hiding place. Do not keep them in or near your computer. Only get them when you need to use them.

Give a copy to your parent or teacher just in case you lose your list or someone finds the list in your secret hiding place. Remember to change their list when you change yours so both lists are always the same.

Use a different password for each website that asks for a password.

Sometimes bad people pretend to be someone they're not. Anyone who sends you an email that asks for your passwords or information is a liar. Do not answer the email. Show the email to your parent or teacher then do what they say.

Passwords are made of letters and numbers. They do not make sense. They should not spell words.

xyz123ab can be a password.

XYZ123AB can also be a password.

They are different passwords. They are not the same.

ACTIVITY F #1

Write the numbers zero to nine.

0 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Write the letters of the alphabet.

A __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Write a capital letter then a number. Do this twice. Example: C3P5W2H8

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

This is a PASSWORD.

Passwords have no meaning. They should not spell words. They do not make sense.

Write your password with small letters. Example: c3p5w2h8

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Are both passwords the same? YES NO

ACTIVITY F #2

Write three numbers then five letters. Example: 679tQbVF

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Be careful you do not use words you know or like. Passwords should be real hard for your friends to guess.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

ACTIVITY F #3

Write your own combinations of letters and numbers that are real hard for your friends to guess.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

ACTIVITY F #4: (Answers on Page 81)

Lisa and her little brother, Roger, have two dogs, Boots and Furry. Lisa has fun on the internet. Lisa shows Roger how she uses the internet. Write "right" or "wrong" after what Lisa says to Roger.

Lisa says, "It's OK to talk with anyone on the internet because they don't know you." __________________________(1)

Lisa says, "I use Boots and Furry's names for passwords because I know how to spell them." ______________(2)

Lisa says, "You can use the same password for every website. Then you do not have to remember too much." _______________________________(3)

Lisa says, "You can't touch the computer until you wash your hands." _______________________________(4)

Lisa says, "It's OK to use bad words on the internet. No one knows you so you can't get in trouble." _____________(5)

Lisa says, "If you are having fun with someone you met on the internet, it's OK to tell them where we live if they tell you where they live first." ________(6)

CH7[ What Is My Username?

Your username is your nickname for the internet. It is a way for other people to know they are talking to you without knowing anything about you.

Superhero is a good username because it does not tell anyone if you are a boy or a girl, the color of your skin, your name, or about how old you are.

If you really like books, your username could be bookend. If you really like dogs, your username could be ruff. You can think of much better internet nicknames or usernames that you like.

ACTIVITY G #1

Make a list of usernames you like.

ACTIVITY G #2

Ask your parent or teacher to look at your list in Activity G #1 (page 52). Write only the usernames they say a stranger can not tell the color of your skin, about how old you are, and, if you are a boy or a girl. ]CH7

CH8[ Can Computers Get Sick?

When people and pets get sick, they do not feel well. Sometimes you can tell if someone does not feel well. They can be sneezing, coughing, talking or walking differently, doing things they would not usually do, or not do things they do all the time.

Computers are not different. People have a body system. Computers have a computer system.

People get sick because their body system accepted an infector. Everyone gets sick sometime. Computers can also get sick.

When computers are infected, they act differently, just like people when they are sick. Computers do things they do not usually do when they have an infector. They may not start. They may not shut down. They may not do things when you tell them. They may take longer to do the things you tell them to do all the time. They may show things that do not belong. They may seem like a whole different computer even though they look the same from the outside.

Like people, computers need to be taken care of. People know that if they go outside in cold weather without coats or shoes, they have more of a chance to get a cold than if they dressed properly for the weather. People can take better care of their computers by doing a few simple things each time they use their computers.

Computers talk with many different computers before you get to where you want to be on the internet. When one computer is sick, even just a little, many other computers can get sick.

People and computers do get sick once in a while. But, we can try not to get sick and try to keep our computers from getting sick.

It is a good idea to have a parent, teacher, or adult with you when you get your email. This way you can be sure that you do not read or answer any email from strangers. Together, you and the adult can use anti-virus software on every email attachment. You can also print a list of the names of email attachments that are infectors at ccmostwanted.com/kids/iviruses.htm.

(Continues...) ]CH8

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Excerpted from INTERNET SAFETY YOUNG READERS' GUIDE by Victoria Roddel Copyright © 2006 by Victoria Roddel. Excerpted by permission.
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