Atwitterover

Home , Candorville, Jim Cramer, Joel Cheatwood, Kathleen Parker, Ruth Marcus (journalist), Tom Toles

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Volume 8, Issue 8

Atwitter Over Social Networking ITS USES AND ABUSES

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program About Atwitter Over Social Networking: Its Uses and Abuses Lessons: There are ethical, legal, business, cultural and societal issues related to Social networks, citizen journalists and enterprising individuals using social networking technology. The Web and social networking have have seen the potential of the Internet and cell phones. As advantages for teachers in all disciplines. thousands of new users are added daily, the global community is expressing itself. Through law and ethics, business and culture, Level: Low to High society is responding to the complexity of these diverse means of Subjects: Computer Technology, English, communication. Social Studies, Journalism Related Activity: Health, Art, Economics It is in this context, we share recent Post articles and commentary on being a cybercitizen, developing connections and remaining safe. Articles and suggested activities in this guide cover a variety of social networking — blogs and micro-blogs, digital gaming and netiquette, benefactors and imposters, texting and sexting, personal and business communication.

Internet safety and test-taking practice are combined in “You and Gaming” for younger students. Student activities cover business and marketing applications of social networking by educators and students, cartoonists and technology firms.

The Washington Post takes its responsibilities seriously and is engaged in this community in print, on the Web and in e-Replica. It NIE Online Guide uses Twitter (http://twitter.com/washingtonpost). When KidsPost Editor — Carol Lange gives Web URLs, they add the note: “Be sure to ask an adult before Art Editor — Carol Porter going to any Web site.” Contributing to This Guide: Aaron Manfull, adviser of the newspaper, A reminder to Post INSIDE program teachers: If you plan to use yearbook, podcast and Web (FHNtoday. articles in this guide in the e-Replica format more than three months com) staffs at Francis Howell North H.S. after their publication date, remember to bookmark them. “News in St. Charles, Mo., is the Journalism Hound Scavenger Hunt” in this guide gives students Education Association’s Digital Media e- practice in using the Search and Contents features of the Committee Chair (jeaDigitalMedia.org). Replica Manfull wrote the student activity, e-Replica Post. ■ “Using the Web to Market Your Class- room Activities.” Paul Sathrum, NEA Health Information Network Senior Project Coordinator, provided resources and the “You and Gaming” passage.

Send comments about this guide to: Margaret Kaplow, Educational Services Manager, [email protected]

Cover Design: Carol Porter

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Atwitter Over Social Networking: Its Uses and Abuses In the Know

The world has gone digital. Netizens need to know the language emoticon A typographical cartoon or symbol and netiquette, consequences and benefits, potential and limits of generally used to indicate mood or appearance engaging in the growing array of social networking. The following as :-) and often looked at sideways. suggested activities may be used with the Washington Post articles in — The Associated Press Stylebook this guide as well as today’s Post. The Language Learn the Language as the number one misuse of the Discover emoticons and more in the following With speed of communication Internet. sources. being a hallmark of digital communication, an Internet Blog a Class www.netlingo.com/dictionary/all.php language has emerged. Provide KidsPost reports on District The Dictionary student groups with markers and teacher Simone Welch who won the Definitions of acronyms and text three large sheets of paper. Ask opportunity to be one of 12 teachers messaging lingo students to compile their lists to research glaciers in the Bering of abbreviations, acronyms and Sea. Read the article to learn more www.fun-with-words.com/net_lingua. emoticons that comprise this net about her PolarTREC, funded by html vocabulary. Review their lists the National Science Foundation. Net Lingua to determine their top ten, the Welch will not be isolated from Internet acronyms, initials, abbreviations essentials to fast communication. her students — or yours. She is and emoticons Post the lists and discuss them. keeping a Web log during her North • In what ways has use of these Pole experience. The benefits of The Etiquette influenced standard spelling? blogging can be seen by following Cyberspace has guidelines for civil behavior. • Have they influenced sentence her online and sending in questions structure when writing essays for to www.polartrec.com/user/181. www.kidsdomain.com/brain/ school? Discuss with your students the computer/surfing/netiquette_kids.html • Do these help to convey tone of possibilities of keeping a class blog Safe Surfing! voice so the writer will not be of your experiments and projects. A kid’s guide to netiquette explains the misunderstood? basics of being a responsible netizen This activity may be used to Take a Brief Look discuss the use of “net lingua” “News In Brief” articles give http://internet.suite101.com/article. in school assignments or as an glimpses of social, legal and cultural cfm/netiquette_guidelines introduction to “6,473 Texts a aspects of social networking. In Top 10 Netiquette Guidelines Month, But at What Cost?” that is what ways do they illustrate the In addition to providing guidelines, the included in this guide. influence of new media? Students author addresses cyberbullying and gives might be asked to read The Post advice to parents on keeping children Mind Your Manners for a week and compile their own safe online Netiquette is a term derived collection of briefs about social from the words “network” and networking in the news. “etiquette” which describes the use of proper manners and behavior Practice Taking Tests online. Discuss the use of Internet The passage, “You and Gaming” etiquette in all areas of electronic is aimed at a younger student. communication including e-mail, The text, provided for your use by chats, blogs, forums and tweets. bNetS@vvy, includes guidelines for This discussion might profitably gaming safely. Give the passage to lead to cyberbullying. Many Internet safety experts list this continued on page 4

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 3 purpose and profitable use of the Online strengths of social networking students to read. Before discussing options. www.bnetsavvy.org the passage, give students “You and bNetS@vvy Gaming | Questions” which are set Beware of Faux Friends Tips, activity cards, lessons and strategies up to provide test-taking practice. How do digital communicators for schools and parents. This clearinghouse Students should be able to know who is truthful and what for Internet safety is provided by NEA’s eliminate one to two of the choices is real? The Style section article Health Information Network, Sprint immediately. One of the choices “When Famed Twitter Friend and the National Center for Missing & may have some truth, but not apply Proves Faux” focuses on the Exploited Children. to the whole passage or be not potential for lies and “tweet as true as the remaining choice. nothings.” After discussing www.nsteens.org Answers are found at the end of homophones and word play in NSTeens these suggested activities. the headline and subhead of the A lively site featuring comics, videos, Discuss the answers and content article, discuss some of the serious lesson plans and real-life stories for use of the passage. Sidebars of this ramifications of reading blogs and with teens. The lesson plans include guide provide additional resources tweets without some skepticism. activity cards and related news articles for teachers and parents. Note Some vocabulary to cover before — certain to start discussion — and that some of the sites are aimed reading: “virtual,” “doppelganger,” guidelines for safety. for student use to discover and “celebrity,” “fraud,” “bogus,” re-enforce Internet safety concepts. “copyright,” “impersonator,” www.netsmartz.org As an extension of this activity, “tastemaker,” “non-malicious,” NetSmartz Workshop students could be asked to read “niche” and “dismissive.” Kids area provides games, Club UYN, more about gaming and/or Internet Discussion could include: e-cards and adventures for elementary safety then to write an article for • Why is it necessary to have a school age. posting on the classroom’s bulletin business such as Valebrity.com? board or publishing in the school • Why would readership increase www.ikeepsafe.org newspaper. Students may record after a Twitter feed was identified I Keep Safe their Internet Safety Tips to create as fake? Parent Resource Center and Kids (Faux a podcast for posting on the school’s • What harm can come from Paw’s Fun Zone games, characters, videos, Web site. imposters? downloads) and Educators materials The case of Megan Meier, a for use with elementary to high school Market Your Ideas fourteen-year-old who committed students. Aaron Manfull, who chairs the suicide after receiving negative Journalism Education Association’s messages (“This world would be a www.pluggedinparent.com new Digital Media Committee, better place without you.”) from her Plugged in Parent provides a lesson for teachers MySpace crush, may be introduced Participate in Frontline’s Digital Nation across disciplines. Whether you are at this time. Washington Post staff collaboration with Columbia School of a journalism teacher who wants writer Tamara Jones covered this Journalism by contributing a short video to increase hits on your online story. “A Deadly Web of Deceit: A report on your life in the digital age. news site, a drama coach wanting Teen’s Online ‘Friend’ Proved False, to draw an audience to your show and Cyber-vigilantes Are Avenging www.csriu.org or a biology teacher conducting Her” (not in this guide) covers this Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use an online survey, this lesson can case in depth. Research and outreach services for parents, be used to get your students to educators, librarians and others involved in think of productive and educational Go on a Scavenger Hunt Internet safety. applications of current social “News Hound Scavenger networking opportunities. Hunt” is designed for use with “Using the Web to Market Your The Washington Post e-Replica Classroom Activities” incorporates an understanding of target market, continued on page 5

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 4 social networking used? Look for Online | continued examples of cell phones, computers, edition. It may also be used with TVs. Are these part of the setting or www.commonsense.com/internet-safety- the print edition. Students are part of the message? guide given a scavenger hunt in order to What do cartoons and Twitter The Internet Survival Guide for Parents become familiar with reading the have in common? Brevity is key Topics include Communicating, Social e-Replica using the Search feature to the message. Twitter tweets Networking and Gaming or the Contents feature to locate are limited to 140 characters. information. Cartoonists in one image or a panel www.commonsensemedia.org Question 5 relates to cartoons communicate a point of view. In Common Sense Media and use of technology. See Connect essence, a visual tweet. For parents, reviews of books, games, Web Cartoons & Tweets below for Give students “Cartooning’s sites, movies and music an article that may be read or a Webcrawler: The Micro-Blogs of specific blog (Comic Riffs) that may Twitter” to read. It is one of four http://www.connectsafely.org/index. be located in a three-week search articles on cartooning and social php?option=com_content&task=view&id window. networking written by The Post’s =1581&Itemid=118/ comic blogger Michael Cavna Tips to Prevent Sexting Connect Cartoons & Tweets (washingtonpost.com/comicriffs). Concise guidelines for parents and students If they hadn’t heard about Twitter To what extent does a social before, the American public became network blog have the potential to http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/ aware of it when members of promote a business? internet_safety.html Congress were caught tweeting “What Do Cartoons and Twitter Safe Cyberspace Surfing as the president addressed them. Have in Common?” is provided KidsHealth talks to elementary students Twitter (twitter.com) is a free to use with the article. Students about using the Internet, in English and micro-blog that basically answers should be encouraged to go to Spanish the question: What are you doing? Cavna’s Web site to read the three Ask students about their use other articles and interviews in www.connectsafely.org/ of Twitter. Why do they like/not the series. These may be of special Connect Safely like it? If someone is being a twit, interest to art and economics Forum for parents, teens, experts; safety should it be shared with all in a students. tips to prevent sexting, stop cyberbullying group? Visit The Post’s editorial and to use cellphones and social Webs Give students a message to cartoonist Tom Toles online at convey in 140 characters. Have www.washingtonpost.com in the www.safekids.com/ students share their “tweets.” Opinion section. Toles provides a SafeKids • Who do they think did the best Web-only sketch. Would students Tools, tips and blogs focus on Internet job of keeping the main idea? rather see this sketch or receive safety and civility • What types of words are a tweet from Toles about what he eliminated in order to meet the is considering drawing? Is seeing character count? the rough sketch more informative • Instant messaging uses about the creative process than standardized abbreviations, reading about it? acronyms and emoticons. To what extent are they used on Twitter? See Social Satire • Can Twitter help students to Use the cartoons that illustrate clarify ideas by reducing the the article “Cartooning’s message to a few words? Webcrawler: The Micro-Blogs of Twitter” to discuss satire. How are Go to the comics pages in The the first two panels of the Trudeau Washington Post (print, online comic strip a set-up for the satire? or e-Replica). Do any of the comics include technology? Show continued on page 6

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 5 • To what extent is texting a way Media Training to connect socially? Do they text It what way do the last two panels people they may not see in a http://jeadigitalmedia.org play off of each other? What is week? A month? Digital Media Resources Trudeau’s point of view? • Have they or someone they know Journalism Education Association’s What aspect of Twitter messages experienced cyberbullying? resources for media teachers and students are satirized by Mike Thompson in • What do they think of Block’s — Web, Broadcast, Law & Ethics, H.S. his political cartoon? suggestion that “addiction to the Media Online and Training. Internet and text messaging be Tap Into Texting included in the diagnostic manual www.newseu.org Conduct an informal survey of for mental illnesses”? News University your class. Which of the social • Professor Baron presents the NewsU, Poynter Institute online courses networking options (i.e., blog, Web idea that “hard-core texters find include reporting across platforms, site, Twitter, texting) do they use it difficult to be ‘in the moment’ multimedia reporting, “Online Media Law: and how often do they use them? with other people because they The Basics for Bloggers and Other Online What would they think of are constantly being summoned Publishers” and “Whose Rules?” that someone who taps out more than a by someone else in another focuses on the ethics of blogging. thousand texts in a month? place.” Is it easier to relate to After getting a sense of the class’s people in a text message than in www.hsbj.org practice and point of view, have face-to-face meetings? High School Broadcast Journalism them text friends and family to A project of the Radio and Television News get their average number of texts Byte into Parenting Directors Foundation, hsbj.org provides per month. How many cellphones Give students “Keeping Kids training for broadcast journalism teachers, start buzzing within five minutes From One Byte Too Many” to read. online forums, contest information and links with replies? Now that you have The margins are wide enough to to resources and summer workshops. more data, chart texting use by age ask students to annotate the essay group. as they read it. www.studenttelevision.com/ How do these results compare Parents are the audience for Student Television Network to the national average? “Teens this commentary by Washington Convention and Camp STN offer training with cellphones average 2,272 Post editorial writer Ruth Marcus. and opportunities to showcase student work text messages a month, compared Discuss the ideas that she presents with 203 calls, according to the from both a parent’s and a student’s www.washingtonpost.com/technology/ Nielsen Co.” Although your survey point of view. Technology is unscientific, it will give enough • Are students familiar with the The Post’s latest technology news, columns information to put national data — practice of sexting (formed from and blogs — “Faster Forward,” “Security and Julie Zingeser’s texts — into “sex” and “texting”)? If the data Fix,” “Post I.T.” perspective. is correct, nearly one in five of Give students “6,473 Texts a your students could have been www.readwriteweb.com/ Month, But at What Cost?” to read. involved. ReadWriteWeb Discussion might begin with Mrs. • Why does sexting fall within A blog that provides Web technology news Zingeser’s question: What will this the legal definition of child generation learn and what will pornography? If found guilty, they lose in the relentless stream of a sexting teen would have to sentence fragments, abbreviations register as a sex offender and may and emoticons? be sentenced to time in jail. • Why do students text? Try to • What is Marcus’s point of view categorize their texts (share on sexting and charges made for experience, get homework help, sexting? Why does she take this contact parents, arrange dates, stand? resolve conflicts, etc.) continued on page 7

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 6 Hart characterizes the Washington Past Post Guide culture as “buttoned-up.” What • Why does Marcus differentiate does she mean? In what ways does A bully is a bully whether a schoolyard Facebook postings from sending each of these support her claim? bully or a cyberbully. If during discussion text or instant messages? • Washington contrasted with of students’ use of social networking, you • How might semi-nude, beer- “traditional providers” of IT discover that students have been bullied, drinking, obscenity-laced services please download Bullies. This March Facebook postings influence • Quoting Patricia Crew, a career 29, 2005, Post relationships with peers, family, counselor INSIDE program college admissions officials and • Quoting Anna Post, great- online guide has future employees? To what extent granddaughter of Emily Post resources and do postings or those linked to • Examples of real dilemmas activities that “friends” reflect on character and may be of help. potential job performance? Deliver the News The guide • Is it right that forwarding images Kathleen Parker in her Sunday includes reprints makes a person as responsible as Outlook piece offers a different from KidsPost the original sender? look at the challenges facing (“Bullies: Yes, • Do ethics implore netizens to America’s struggling newspaper They’re a Pain. report any nude pictures that they industry. Do students agree or So What Are receive on their cell phones? disagree with her premise? Include You Going to Do Have students write a response in your discussion of her essay, About It?” and “Dealing With a You-Know- to Ruth Marcus or write their own the role that the Internet — What”) and The Post (“Once the Loser, commentary on one of her topics. newspapers’ Web sites, bloggers Always the Loser” and “Father Says Va. Perhaps this is a topic that deserves and other providers of information Students Bullied Son”). a podcast or guest commentary in — plays in this financial situation. Books for elementary and older students your student media. • What part do journalists play are annotated in sidebars. Many online in a democracy? What is the resources are also compiled. Add Bytes to Business relationship of a free press to a Activities include a survey and a You and “Teaching the Facebook free society? Your Rights look at “The Supreme Court Generation the Ways of Washington” • Why does Parker make a and Sexual Harassment.” The activity is one of Kim Hart’s Monday distinction between reporters and applies Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent columns on the Washington “elite media”? School District to three school scenarios. technology front. In the article • What are the answers to the “School Policies in Metropolitan she covers the possibilities questions posed: How does the D.C.” might be reviewed and updated, for technology firms to access newspaper industry survive in if necessary. Does your school have a stimulus funding and addresses the a climate in which the public definition and policy about bullying? Is netiquette and expectation of the doesn’t know what it doesn’t cyberbullying included? D.C. culture. know? Or what it needs? Hart begins with examples of local • What is Alex S. Jones suggesting businesses. What does this establish in his view of the future? with her readers? Who are her What are its implications for a readers? democratic society? ■

ANSWERS. You and Gaming 1. C, the second person is used to 6. D, All the advice is important, talk directly to students; but if they were ranked, this 2. A, wearing a helmet and limiting should be first; time spent on outdoor activities 7. A; 8. B; is analogous to gaming safety; 9. Answers will vary. 3. D; 4.B; 5.C; 10. Answers will vary.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program — Valerie Strauss “explaining stuff.” “explaining to do what his teacher is doing? he like Would ofchance a there’s and cold really really, it’s if mean “I want might I but interest, my lowers that ice, in sinking said. he go!” to - - away. by questions in send and along follow can Everybody to http://www.polartrec.com/user/181. going trip! her about information posting already is She at is great 10, said Welch Fadul, David Fifth-grader but there is a salad bar! but there but has been seasick, In the past, Welch she does not expect that to happen this time because the ship is so as if she is at sea. feel might not even sturdy, she Mustang a wears she deck on is she When Survival suit, which is orange and “puffs out” so that if she were to fall overboard, she would float. Steel-toed rubber boots complete the deck outfit. glacial the onto trips daily almost the For suits white wear will others the and she ice, they so snow the with in blend to boots and startle the animals. don’t though, clothes, regular can wear Welch when she is helping the scientists in the laboratories, which is what she will be do ing most of the time and which most ex cites her. houses room science Welch’s At Oyster, tanks with about 15 animals, including a ball python, a an salamander, African - pyg my hedgehog, a and leopard gecko hissing cockroaches. Welch has students engaged grade in through-fifth the project, all of her and glaciers pre-K- icebergs, about them teaching inventive of series a through ecology Arctic experiments. One of the most fun experiments, said 9-year-old Emilia Majersik, involved mash - ing marshmallows together to show that heat, things. can melt like pressure, “She gets the kids so excited about it,” said Emilia, a third-grader. To keep connected, Welch is writing a questions log be and will to able take Web from kids and answer them while she is t o n p os s hingt a — th e wa t r s e canni y k at y m a r m ap b Originally Published April 8, 2009 2009 8, April Published Originally • oing scientific experiments all day and most of most and day all experiments scientific oing below-zero in vessel Guard Coast a on night the time fantastic a like sounds temperatures Arctic If you were high enough above the Earth in space, could look down from your spaceship and see the Bering Sea the North Pole — and Washington D.C. D to Simone Welch. a just good thing, what because this That’s that’s sci - Bilingual Oyster-Adams District’s the from teacher ence about six weeks! School is doing. For about of team a join to opportunity the won 32, Welch, things other and glaciers research they as scientists 40 in the Bering Sea, near the North Pole. drop I’ll and Santa to letters me give to kids my told “I she joked. them off early,” She was one of 12 teachers chosen in States, and to the the area, partici - only in the Washington United by and funded PolarTREC called in pate the program, the National Science Foundation. Since the of beginning has this been month, Welch not luxurious. living in conditions that certainly are shares she Healy, Cutter Guard Coast U.S. the Aboard other scientists. a small sleeping space with two boys,” 18-year-old to “geared said,she meals, The are Fortunately, She Thinks Ice Is Nice Is Ice She Thinks Fortunately, Team Exploration on an Arctic Six Weeks for Is Studying Glaciers Teacher Science D.C.

You and Gaming

If you’re like many kids, you like playing games. And if you’re like most kids, you love playing ➊ digital games. Whether you’re on a computer or cell phone, the Wii or the Web, you could spend hours “gaming.”

Wanting to play for hours is understandable. The best digital games are fun, challenging, and ➋ even educational. They teach you strategy, take you on adventures, and allow you to connect with interesting people and ideas. The worst digital games, however, are dull, repetitive, and sometimes harmful. They teach you boredom, take you to the same places, and allow you to connect with some not-so-nice people and ideas.

And even good digital games have you sitting and staring at a screen instead of moving ➌ around and being active (except for Wii games). That’s why many adults, like your parents and teachers, want to be sure that you understand how to limit your gaming time and how to game safely.

Think of it this way: You don’t ride your bike from sunup to sundown, and you don’t play ➍ soccer for hours on end. You ride, you play, and then you do something else. You wear a helmet when biking and shin guards on the soccer field. It’s the same with digital gaming: Learn to play smart and stay safe.

So what do you need to know about gaming safety? First of all, DO respect the Internet safety ➎ rules that your parents or guardians set up for you. They make the rules because they care about you and your health and safety. DON’T try to play for longer periods of time than are allowed and DON’T try to play games that you know are off-limits. DO choose screen names that are appropriate. DON’T give out information about your age, address, or anything else personal, even if you want to sign up for a contest or prize. (Often contests are just excuses to gather your information for advertising and other purposes.) DON’T respond to bullies or rude players online and DO know how to block communication from people you do not want to interact with online.

And most important, DO talk with a trusted adult if you feel uneasy about anything that ➏ happens while you’re playing a game online. Here is some good advice from the Microsoft- sponsored Web site GetGameSmart:

Even if you follow all of your parents’ rules about going on the Internet, you might ➐ still see pictures or read messages that make you uncomfortable. Maybe a certain Web site upset you. Maybe you were playing a video game online and another player bullied you. Maybe someone online wants to meet you, but you’re not sure. Whatever it is, if it bothers you, if it doesn’t feel right, turn off the screen and tell an adult you trust. It could be your parents, a teacher, a family friend, even a police officer. Just don’t keep it to yourself. It’s not your fault.

Source: bNetS@vvy

Name ______Date ______

You and Gaming Questions

Select the best answer based upon information in “You and Gaming.”

_____ 1. The author of this selection is addressing (A) Teachers (B) Parents (C) Students (D) Principals

_____ 2. The author makes an analogy between playing video games and (A) Playing outside. (B) Riding a training bike. (C) Handling a bully. (D) Going on an adventure.

_____ 3. The author gives examples of everyday experiences to (A) Persuade readers that they are wrong to play digital games. (B) Support the ideas that gaming is unhealthy. (C) Elevate gaming above these experiences. (D) Relate a concept to the reader’s other experiences.

_____ 4. The author quotes the GetGameSmart Web site to (A) Tell when it is right to reveal personal information. (B) Share good advice from an Internet authority. (C) Help readers deal with cyberbullies. (D) Give Microsoft free advertising.

_____ 5. How many DO’s are given by the author in paragraph 5? (A) One (B) Two (C) Three (D) Four

_____ 6. The use of “most important” in the fourth paragraph (A) Concludes the list of actions. (B) Contrasts with the least important action. (C) Suggests the other actions are unimportant. (D) Emphasizes an action to take.

_____ 7. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the whole article? (A) Limit your gaming time and play safely. (B) You can meet your friends online. (C) Parents make rules because they care about you. (D) Digital games are dangerous. Name ______Date ______

You and Gaming Questions | continued

_____ 8. What is the best synonym for the word “uneasy” as it is used in paragraph 6? (A) Delighted (B) Disturbed (C) Identified (D) Unsuccessful

9. Read the sentence from paragraph 7 in the box below.

Even if you follow all of your parents’ rules about going on the Internet, you might still see pictures or read passages that make you uncomfortable.

What does this sentence mean?

10. In a short answer, share what you would tell a friend about online gaming. Name ______Date ______e- News Hound Scavenger Hunt Replica See if you can find the following items using The Washington Post e-Replica.

1. Locate the “Letters to The Editor” in today’s e-Replica edition. Select one letter and answer the following questions:

• Who wrote the letter? Include title if given. ______

• Where does this person live? ______

• What is the letter about? ______

2. Find an article about a foreign country in today’s e-Replica.

• On what page and in what section is the article? ______

• What is the name of the country? ______

• Who wrote this article? ______

• What is the main idea of the article? ______

3. Locate the KidsPost page in today’s e-Replica.

• What section of the newspaper contains KidsPost?______

• Write the headline of one KidsPost article from today on the line below:

______

• What news did KidsPost editors highlight? ______

4. Locate the Sports section in today’s e-Replica.

• Write the headline of one article from the front of Sports on the line below:

______

• Select a game story. What was the score? ______

• What is the name of the winning team or player? ______

5. Find the Comics section in today’s e-Replica.

• Select your favorite comic strip. Tell what is happening. ______

______

• Do any of the comics include technology (i.e., computer, cell phone, TV)? Tell about it. Is it part of the setting? Part of the cartoon’s message?

______

______Name ______Date ______

News Hound Scavenger Hunt | continued

6. Use the Search feature of e-Replica to find articles in today’s Washington Post about the following topics. At the end of the chart, add two topics of your choice. • For each topic, select one of the articles that was found by the search engine. In what section of the newspaper did your selected article appear? • Summarize the article in a sentence.

TOPIC SECTION OF THE POST SUMMARY

Blogs

Employment

Food or product safety

Science news

World news

Your county

(Your topic)

Name ______Date ______

Using the Web to Market Your Classroom Activities

The Web can be a powerful tool to reach your audience quickly, effectively and cheaply. Students, faculty, grandparents and community members are on the Internet on a daily basis. Their combined use make the Web a powerful tool for you to communicate your events and activities with those who may be interested. Here’s your shot to show how your students would utilize the potential the Web and social networking offer.

The Activity: Create a blog for your classroom or market an activity on the Web or use a Web site to post an activity your class is doing for which you are looking for out-of-class participation.

The Objective: Use the Web to find as many ways as you can to get people to be aware of what you are doing.

For this lesson divide your class into small groups. Either give each group a different activity to market or give each group the same idea to see how each markets it differently. For example, if you wanted to create a blog for your school and you wanted to get students to participate in it, what would you do to get them to go to the blog and to interact with it? Maybe your class is putting on an event and inviting the public, how would you use the Internet to get people to attend?

Once groups get their topic, they should establish who their target audience is and then set a specific goal of what they are trying to accomplish. A goal like “Get people to attend” is a bit too broad, work to have specific goals so they can be measurable and evaluated at the end of the process.

Once the audience and goals have been established, groups must figure out how to use the wide variety of tools at their disposal. Groups are not limited to these options, but it’s safe to assume the following items will enter their discussion:

MySpace and Facebook: What would be the benefit of utilizing these social networking sites? How could they be used to help reach the goals set?

Twitter: What does Twitter offer that MySpace and Facebook don’t? Also, what do MySpace and Facebook offer that Twitter doesn’t? What could Twitter do very well?

Blogging: If a blog is what you’re trying to drive people to, talking about your blog will obviously be necessary. However, if what you’re driving people to is an event at school, what kind of role could a blog play in promoting that event?

YouTube, Vimeo, SchoolTube, etc: Don’t forget about video sharing sites. How can they be used to promote the event – or, like any of these things, how could video sites be useful after the event?

There are a variety of other sites that students could utilize for this lesson. Discuss the ones your students use.

Groups will develop a plan that they would use, justify the benefit of each and talk about how they would utilize the technology. Teachers could choose to execute these plans or just use them in the classroom as hypotheticals. Name ______Date ______

What Do Cartoons and Twitter Have in Common?

Brevity is key to the message. Twitter tweets are limited to 140 characters. Cartoonists in one image or a panel communicate a point of view. In essence, a visual tweet.

The Washington Post’s comic blogger Michael Cavna, left, (washingtonpost.com/comicriffs) wrote a four-part series to look at cartoonists and social networking in April 2009. You are asked to read one of his articles, “Cartooning’s Webcrawler: The Micro- Blogs of Twitter.”

After reading the article, answer the following questions.

1. Cavna begins the article with an anecdote. What does Bryan Brinkman’s story illustrate?

2. What is happening to cartoonists and their work in this economy? A. B. C.

3. How might Brinkman’s experience be used as a business model?

4. Why would cartoonists be interested in Twitter? Theirs is a visual product. Cartoons are their income.

5. How have cartoonists such as Scott Adams, Daryl Cagle and Darrin Bell used social networking?

6. What does Darrin Bell mean when he says “Twitter has become a muse”?

7. Scott Kurtz contrasts “casual readers” with “invested readers.” What is the difference?

8. What does the phrase “evolve or die” mean? Mean to professionals?

9. Why do some cartoonists not use Twitter?

10. On your own paper, draw a cartoon that presents a comment on social networking. Volume 8, Issue 8

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Cartooning’s Webcrawler: The Micro-Blogs of Twitter By Michael Cavna Washington Post Staff Writer

• •Originally Published April 1, 2009

Sitting expectantly at the taping of a late-night talk show, Bryan Brinkman was a near-anonymous New Yorker — literally just another face in the crowd. The 24-year-old cartoonist had a Web site and a day job, but he could count on two ink-stained hands how many people officially followed his work. By the next morning, as he checked his Twitter account, he no longer had seven followers. He had more than 10,000. And within 24 hours of the show, even that doubled. This sudden explosion was tallied by Twitter’s metrics — and rallied by Jimmy Fallon, who on his new NBC “Late Night” show last month conducted a stunt: He urged viewers to sign up as “followers” of Brinkman’s Twitter account. As a result, Brinkman also saw his professional animation Web social networking looms large as a way Hedley, his comic strip’s fictional Fox site draw thousands of page views in the to reach fans during this dauntingly News reporter tweets Trudeau’s cutting days that followed, he says. The Bryan uncertain time for cartooning. “Dilbert’s” witticisms. Brinkman Experiment had tapped the creator Scott Adams led the way for For Daryl Cagle, who runs the power of Twitter for professionals. mainstream cartoonists to use e-mail; cartooning Web site/syndicate Cagle. As Twitter, the social micro- many comic artists use Facebook — but com, Twitter helps build his business blogging service that lets people share are cartoonists atwitter over Twitter? and alert his readers to industry news. 140-character posts, passes its third Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” comic With more than 25,000 followers, Cagle anniversary — and as many cartoonists strip recently satirized journalists such is consistently among the “Top 300” are hit by the tough economic times as NBC’s David Gregory who famously most popular micro-bloggers in the in print publishing — the Brinkman tweet about the play-by-play minutiae Twitterverse, according to measurement Experiment spotlights a cartooning- of their day. Trudeau, like Jon Stewart’s site Twitterholic.com. (By comparison, career question that grows ever louder: Daily Show, has characterized Twitter sometime graphic novelist Neil Gaiman To tweet or not to tweet? as mere gimmick. is in the rarefied air well north of 100,000 For some cartoonists in need of new Twitter is “usefully applied in some followers.) readers, that is the connection. hands, pointlessly so in others,” says “I don’t do a lot of ‘What are you doing?’ As newspaper comics sections shrink Trudeau, who won a Pulitzer for trivial personal posts,” says the Southern or vanish, as alt-weekly papers slash “Doonesbury.” His use for it? He employs California-based Cagle. “I mostly link their cartoons, as political cartoonists Twitter itself to satirize Twitter. And see their ranks reduced almost weekly, so on the site’s account for Roland continued ON page 17

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

continued from page 16 — including graphic novelists, comic- look into it,” Luckovich says. “But I book artists and cartoonists who draw really don’t know why it would be of cartoons and things I see on the Web that avatars for online accounts. “The benefit benefit.” interest me. My followers know who I am of social networking is in converting Some cartoonists cite its growth. and what to expect from me. your existing casual readers into more MySpace and Facebook continue to be “People who think Twitter is trivial invested readers,” says the Dallas-based the social networks with the widest aren’t using it productively,” says Cagle, Kurtz. “Having 100,000 casual readers reach in the United States, according whose site features the work of about isn’t as important as 10,000 invested to Nielsen Online, with 59 million and 200 editorial cartoonists. Cagle says he readers. When you get to know a person 39 million users, respectively. Twitter, also uses Twitter for creative purposes, intimately, you can’t help but get invested however, is catching up — and fast: In sometimes bouncing ideas off his in their life.” the year since February 2008, the site’s followers. A political-cartooning colleague of membership has grown more than 1,300 Darrin Bell, who draws the strip Cagle’s — Mike Thompson of the Detroit percent, to more than 7 million users. “Candorville,” likewise finds that Twitter Free Press — recently drew a cartoon Most big-name comic-strip creators, helps him at the drawing board. “For some that mocked obsessively self-involved though, are not flocking to Twitter. reason, Twitter has become a muse,” Twitterers. Posting the cartoon on his Lisa Klem Wilson, senior vice president he says. “ … I can’t tell you how many blog for the newspaper, Thompson wrote: at United Media, says that of her tweets I’ve posted and then immediately “Twitter is a blessing … and a curse.” So syndicate’s nearly 150 comic artists deleted because I realized they’d make does that mean Thompson, a veteran of (print and online), only two use good cartoons.” the “old media,” has been seduced by the Twitter for professional purposes: Dan Bell, whose strip this week spoofs power of Twitter? “My attitude is: Evolve Thompson (“Rip Haywire”) and John Twitter, notes: “We cartoonists already or die,” says Thompson, acknowledging Zakour (“Working Daze”). “Relatively spend most of our time creating brief the popularity of the site. few are doing it — and the ones who tweetlike musings about our day; Thompson notes that relatively few do are mostly younger,” Wilson says of only instead of ‘tweets,’ we call them newspaper political cartoonists maximize syndicated cartoonists. “I do think it ‘cartoons.’ ” Twitter. Mike Luckovich, for example — works nicely to communicate and it’s Scott Kurtz of the popular webcomic the Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist hot as a trend, but it could quickly be “PvP” has a Twitter “readership” of for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution overused. It will probably burn out.” more than 11,000, placing him among — doesn’t tweet. “If one of my editors the more popular cartoonists on Twitter thought it would be a good idea, I would continued ON page 18

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continued from page 17 Trudeau, meanwhile, suggests tweeting Several weeks into his social is a fad. “After we get through the experiment, Bryan Brinkman is feeling One of the big names at Wilson’s pet-rock stage, I think you’ll see a lot of the power of tweeting, fad or not. His syndicate, “Dilbert’s” Scott Adams, is people abandoning it.” follower total has been hovering at such an avid blogger that he says he has more than 30,000, putting him in the little use for micro-blogging. “I don’t use Top 300 in the Twitterverse. Twitter,” Adams says. “My life is enough “I’ve been able to use this opportunity of an open book.” to not only expose myself to a mass Jen Sorenson, a Charlottesville crowd, but promote other artists and cartoonist who draws the alt-political things that I enjoy,” Brinkman says. cartoon “Slowpoke Comics,” has “Now I have a vast audience for my supplemented Facebook by adding opinions, and that is really all I could Twitter. Says Sorenson: “The answer hope for …. It’s the kind of promotion that I gave my Facebook fans who an independent artist dreams of.” ■ were shocked that I joined Twitter: I embody the paradox of scoffing at silly NOTE TO READERS: This article is part forms of technology while actually of a four-day look at cartoonists succumbing to them. I don’t expect it and social networking. Visit www. to perform any miracles, but in these washingtonpost.com/comicriffs for tough economic times, a cartoonist the other articles and interviews needs to try everything.” conducted by Michael Cavna.

Cartoons & Twitter

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs Comic Riffs Washington Post’s blogger Michael Cavna takes on all things comics. Visit his site to read the other articles in this series on cartoons and social networking and read his interviews.

www.cagle.com/ Daryl Cagle’s Political Cartoonists Index Cartoons are grouped by topic, including Twitter. See diverse points of view.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

NEWS IN BRIEF On his blog, Morral advised those who of pieces of spam, all of it commercial. feel they are addicted to social networking In 2004, Jaynes became the first person Status Update: Logged to try to quit Facebook for Lent. But he in the U.S. to be convicted of a felony for Out for Lent Technophiles also advised the opposite for “voyeurs,” sending unsolicited bulk e-mail. He was Increasingly Abstaining the Facebook users who log on regularly sentenced to nine years but is currently From Facebook, Other Sites to see what their friends have posted serving time in federal prison on an while never updating their own accounts. unrelated conviction for securities fraud. ost days you can find college Those users should commit to opening The case is Virginia v. Jaynes, 08-765. sophomore Adan Farrah on up and sharing more on Facebook during M his laptop, checking in with Lent, he said. — The Associated Press his classmates, looking at photos and “Facebook is a great tool for building March 30, 2009; 11:07 a.m. updating his personal page on Facebook. community, but part of being in a For the 19-year-old and many of his community is participating,” he said. Fox Ferreting Out Fans friends, the social networking site is As for Morral, he is devoting his Lenten something close to an obsession. season to cutting down on his Internet ox Nation, an opinionated site “I’m on there a total of three hours a day use. Instead of monitoring his e-mail that launches this morning — and … four hours on weekends,” said Farrah, inbox all day long and signing on to F really, what other network would a native of Monroe, N.J., and a student at Facebook three or four times a day, the name a country after itself? — is based Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. pastor said he will limit himself to one on a gut-level appeal: “It’s Time to Say But on Ash Wednesday, Farrah decided look a day. NO to Biased Media and Say YES to Fair to quit Facebook cold turkey. No more “I think I can do it,” Morral said. Play and Free Speech.” status updates. No more commenting on “Check in with me in 40 days.” Biased media are in the eye of the photos posted by classmates. No more beholder, and with a site built around connecting with high school friends. — Kelly Heyboer, Religion News such high-decibel stars as Sean Hannity In a new twist on an old religious Service, March 7, 2009 and Glenn Beck, Fox is hoping to leverage tradition, a growing number of Christian its brand online, especially among technophiles are swearing off Facebook, Supreme Court Won't Revive conservative true believers. “We felt that MySpace, Twitter and other technology Va. Anti-Spam Law giving people a real destination to go and for Lent. Thousands of Facebook users express themselves would give them a have joined “Giving up Facebook for WASHINGTON — feeling of belonging,” says Senior Vice Lent” groups on the site, replacing the he Supreme Court will not President Joel Cheatwood. “People feel photos on their profiles with boxes consider reinstating Virginia's they’re dictated to a lot by the media.” announcing that they will be gone for the T anti-spam law, among the nation's … next six weeks. toughest in banning unsolicited e-mails. Religious leaders and scholars across The court on Monday said it will leave The Web site will attempt to emulate the country are encouraging the faithful in place a ruling by the Virginia Supreme the social aspects of Facebook — as well to unplug from such sites in a virtual Court that the law was unconstitutional as MySpace, which, like Fox, is owned Lenten fast. because it prohibited political, religious by Rupert Murdoch — by encouraging … and other messages in addition to readers to post comments and argue commercial solicitations. with one another. And the hook will be Pastor Tim Morral of New Covenant Virginia was the only state to ban columns, blogs and videos from the likes Church in Rochester, N.Y., said many noncommerical spam e-mail. of Bill O’Reilly, Greta Van Susteren and of his parishioners have asked him The decision also cements the reversal Hannity, which will likely draw their about giving up technology for Lent. He of the conviction of Jeremy Jaynes, strongest followers. … estimates that about one-third to one-half who once was considered one of the — Howard Kurtz of his 300-member nondenominational world’s most prolific spammers. Jaynes Washington Post Staff Writer Christian church are on Facebook. bombarded Internet users with millions March 30, 2009

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program When Famed Twitter Friend Proves Faux Behind Some Celeb Feeds Lie Only Tweet Nothings

By Mike Musgrove the point. A few weeks ago, a Twitter political consultant Frank Luntz scored Washington Post Staff Writer feed supposedly belonging to “30 Rock” 2,000 followers before the joke, or star Tina Fey was identified as fake. whatever it was, was revealed earlier this • Originally Published March 28, 2009 At the time, the faux Fey’s feed had month. That feed, which was written by “I spoke to a lovely reporter today,” 50,000 readers. Today, it has more than one of Luntz’s former employees, has wrote cwalken on his (or her) Twitter 200,000. since been taken down. account this week. “I don’t know if she Typically, social networking sites pull Washington Post art critic Blake was really who she said she was but that’s down fake accounts if there are complaints Gopnik recently attracted a Twitter fine. I secretly used an ironic tone.” or if the site suspects fraud. But sometimes impostor of his own. As with the fake Sounds about right. But does anybody that can backfire: Facebook temporarily Luntz feed, the impostor generally know who anybody really is anymore? deleted actress Lindsay Lohan’s page in posted non-malicious comments that The popular cwalken Twitter feed, December, under the impression that it likely seemed plausible to the casual stocked with oddball observations that was bogus. The move became news after observer. But after the fake Gopnik seem as if they could’ve popped out of the the actress complained posted a dismissive mouth of actor Christopher Walken, is in a letter posted to her comment about a museum, read by more than 90,000 users. It is not, MySpace page. the real Gopnik received reportedly, written by Walken — though Ronald R. Snider, some snarky remarks on his picture is parked atop the page. (Late an Alexandria lawyer an art blog at the Seattle yesterday afternoon, the page appeared who sometimes handles Post-Intelligencer. The with a notice that the account has been copyright issues, said that fake Twitter feed has been “suspended due to strange activity.”) the matter is “uncharted removed. Things have gotten a little confusing for territory” from a legal Not surprising, said fans. Thanks to the democratizing powers standpoint. “As far as Livingstone. “When it of the Web and the rapid rise in popularity whether it’s legal or not, comes to the more niche of Twitter, the very famous and the only that’s a big issue,” he markets, you’d think, ‘Why slightly famous are finding themselves said. would anybody bother?’ with virtual doppelgangers. But Snider said he would But if you have 1,500 people Already, a Web site has been launched to be disinclined to pursue a following you and you’re GETTY IMAGES try and resolve such important questions case against such Internet Christopher Walken in a niche market, those of online celebrity identity. The U.K.- impostors. “People like people are all focused on based Valebrity.com seeks to verify that this are assured to be what you’re going to say. the famous folks you’re following online judgment-proof,” he said. “They don’t The people who are in it are much more really are who they say they are. have any money.” likely to do something if you tell them to. “Nobody knows who’s who on these You don’t even have to be all that They’ll act on your every word.” social networking sites,” said Valebrity’s famous to attract an impersonator, it What does Twitter make of this identity founder, Steven Livingstone. “Even the seems. Livingstone said most people confusion? celebrities themselves are coming to us assume — wrongly — that people “Doesn’t happen too often,” Twitter now and saying, ‘Is this one real?’” want to impersonate globally famous co-founder Biz Stone wrote in an e-mail Livingstone’s site identifies celebrities. But he spends just as much that was short enough to be a Twitter personalities like Ashton Kutcher and time trying to verify the online identities post. “Impersonation is against our Ryan Seacrest on its list of real Twitter of tastemakers who are experts in their terms.” users, but for many Twitter users, field but aren’t household names. Christopher Walken, the real one, could authenticity may be beside A Twitter feed supposedly run by not be reached for comment. ■

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program 6,473 Texts a Month, But at What Cost? Constant Cellphone Messaging Keeps Kids Connected, Parents Concerned

By Donna St. George sleep. “I would die without it,” Julie, 15, of so much messaging. Pam wonders: Washington Post Staff Writer says of her text life. What will this generation learn and what This does not surprise her mother, will they lose in the relentless stream of • Originally Published February 22, 2009 Pam, who on one recent afternoon sentence fragments, abbreviations and scans the phone bill for the eye-popping emoticons? “Life’s issues are not always Julie Zingeser texts at home, at school, number that puts an exclamation point settled in sound bites,” Pam says. in the car while her mother is driving. on how growing up has changed in the Parents, educators and researchers She texts during homework, after digital age. In one busy month, Pam are grappling with similar concerns as pompom practice and as she walks the finds, her younger daughter sent and text messaging has exploded across the family dog. She takes her cellphone with received 6,473 text messages. formative years of the nation’s youngest her to bed. For Pam Zingeser, the big issue is not generation. Teens now do more texting on Every so often, the hum of a new cost — it’s $30 a month for the family’s message rouses the Rockville teen from unlimited texting plan — but the effects continued ON page 22

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued FROM page 21 processing capacity.” Not everyone sees the change in the their cellphones than calling. And although same way. it’s too early for conclusive data on the Al Filreis, a professor at the University effects of prolific texting — on attention of Pennsylvania, says he has seen the span, social life, writing ability, family quality of student writing improve, connections — questions abound, even first in the mid-1990s with the growing as many experts point to clear benefits. popularity of e-mail and again as an “It’s a huge cultural phenomenon with increasing number of cellphones have huge down-the-road consequences,” included keyboards. contends David E. Meyer, a psychology “In writing, quantity tends to lead professor at the University of Michigan. to quality,” he said, “and we’re doing Nationally, more than 75 billion text quantity right now.” Through texting messages are sent a month, and the most and other instant communication, avid texters are 13 to 17, say researchers. Filreis says, his students have learned Teens with cellphones average 2,272 text hard-to-teach lessons about audience, messages a month, compared with 203 succinctness and syntax. “My students calls, according to the Nielsen Co. Julie’s phone displays a text message from are better writers than they were 10 years The tap, tap, tap of connectivity can Pam, a.k.a. “momma zing with the bling.” ago, 20 years ago, 25 years ago.” For the benefit teenagers at a time in life when youngest generation, this profound shift they cannot always get together in an arrives just as they come of age. unscheduled way. Texters are “sharing a no one knows how prevalent digital “The mode of communication among sense of co-presence,” said Mimi Ito of addictions might be. Overall, he said, young people is changing so rapidly the University of California at Irvine. “It “our use of technology today amounts that I can’t help but surmise that it can be a very socially affirming thing.” to a large social experiment. We still will change the way they think,” said For families, the text world can bring don’t know how it helps us or how it John Palfrey, a Harvard University law convenience as never before in arranging hurts us.” professor and co-author of Born Digital: rides, doing errands, letting parents Addicted or not, hard-core texters find Understanding the First Generation know of changing plans. it difficult to be “in the moment” with of Digital Natives. The big question is But some experts say there are other people because they are constantly how. downsides, starting with declines being summoned by someone else in At George Mason University, professor in spelling, word choice and writing another place, said Naomi S. Baron, Peter Pober advised faculty members at a complexity. Some suggest too much professor of linguistics at American recent brown-bag to limit their sentences texting is related to an inability to focus. University. to eight words or fewer during lectures, There also are concerns about texting “It is part of a larger phenomenon of especially in introductory classes. while driving, text-bullying and “sexting,” where is your mind, and if your mind is “We used to be fine with 12- to 14-word or the term for adolescents messaging always on your phone, it’s not on other sentences,” he said. No more, he said. naked photos of themselves or others. things,” she said. With the advent of texting and other What might have been intended for a There is a cost when people multitask rapid communication, student focus has friend can be widely distributed, and the — “a kind of a mental brownout,” said diminished. “I definitely think there is texting of lewd photographs of minors Meyer, the professor at the University some relation,” he said. “We’re still at can lead to criminal charges. of Michigan. If a teenager is reading the groundwork of trying to figure out The American Journal of Psychiatry Shakespeare when a text message what that is.” published an editorial last year by interrupts, “Hamlet’s going to fade in Still, Pober praises text technology psychiatrist Jerald J. Block, suggesting and out in a ghostly fog.” for its role in family life, confirming that addiction to the Internet and text The problem, he said, is “you’re not a teenager’s well-being or location, messaging be included in the diagnostic truly time-sharing. You’re flitting back manual for mental illnesses. Block said and forth, and the flitting itself is taking continued ON page 23

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

continued FROM page 22 Texting might affect the separation But the way she sees it, sometimes process between parents and children, texts allow time to think about what the connecting during emergencies and she said. There used to be moments other person has said before replying. sometimes allowing dialogues about when teenagers knew they were on With texting, Julie says, she’s “always subjects that did not happen before. their own — riding a subway alone, for in four conversations at once.” She Others point out that family time at example — but now “their parents are considers herself addicted. Then again, home takes a hit. Parents and teens always there.” she points out, she does not text while might be in the same room, but often In Rockville, mother of two Pam she brushes her teeth or showers. She a texter’s attention is elsewhere. Most Zingeser has given it all a lot of thought. does not text when she is performing parents know little about who their Her older daughter, a student at the with her pom squad or playing on her children text or what is being said. University of Maryland, texts, but not lacrosse team. And she is text-free at Sometimes children text their parents as much as her high-schooler, Julie. dinnertime because her parents firmly inside their homes — from one room “I’m concerned that in the long object. to another. run they will be addicted to instant But lately, she has thought more Sherry Turkle, a professor at the communication and gratification,” about the effects from so much Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Zingeser said, questioning how Julie texting: in one month, more than 200 wonders whether texting and similar and her friends will come across in the messages a day. “If I really look into it, technologies might affect the ability to business world, how they will hone I think it is affecting my focus and my be alone and whether feelings are no skills of persuasion. closeness with my family,” she said. longer feelings unless they are shared. She said she worries that the text Sometimes, she said, “I’m not 100 “It’s so seductive,” she said. “It meets generation does not appreciate the benefits percent present.” some very deep need to always be of face-to-face conversation and that Still, she doubts she will change her connected, but then it turns out that m a y b e “ t h e y a r e u n c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h i t . ” text life anytime soon. “When I don’t always being trivially connected has a Julie says she and a boyfriend once argued, have my phone with me,” she said, “I lot of problems that come with it.” then broke up, all by text massage. feel out of the loop.” ■

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

RUTH MARCUS Keeping Kids From One Byte Too Many

My subjects today are sexting teens, found that 22 percent of teen girls and 18 Facebooking parents and child-rearing tips percent of boys had sent or posted online from Bill Gates. Trust me: This is all going nude or semi-nude photos. Among younger to connect up. teens, 13 to 16, 11 percent reported engaging Sexting is the growing practice among in such behavior. If you’ve ever been, or teens of sending messages containing photos known, a teenage boy, you can guess what of themselves nude or partially clothed. If happens next: One-third said they had seen you don’t think teenagers are dumb enough nude or revealing photos meant for someone to do this — think about all the dumb else. things you did as a teenager, then add the And this being America, you can guess mischievous possibilities created by digital what else happens: The law gets involved. broadband. Nude photos of minors — even if the A recent study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy continued ON page 25

by dan kitwood — getty images

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

continued FROM page 24 But Facebook is essentially a public venue, captured in bytes for eternity. My daughter minor is you — are child pornography. is, knock on a plasma screen, too sensible Receiving a nude photo of a minor — even to sext. But if the notion of a lurking parent if the minor is your girlfriend, and even if makes her or her friends think twice before you are a minor — constitutes possession of posting something — well, that’s all to the child pornography. good. This week, a federal judge blocked a One parent I know tried to friend his Pennsylvania prosecutor from filing child son’s elementary school teacher a few years pornography charges against three high ago and received a polite rejection — but school girls who had posed topless or in enough access, under Facebook rules, to let their bras. A 14-year-old New Jersey girl him see the pictures of her bending over was arrested last month for possessing and backward while a friend poured beer into distributing child pornography after posting her mouth. Like I said, captured in bytes nearly 30 nude photographs of herself on for eternity. MySpace. As it happened, Bill Gates visited The In 2007, a Florida appeals court upheld Post last week, and I asked how the Gates child pornography charges against a household navigates the terrain of children 16-year-old girl and her 17-year-old boyfriend and technology. It turns out that the Gateses, for taking pictures of themselves “naked and like the rest of us, muddle through with engaged in sexual behavior,” then e-mailing sensible, if ad hoc, rules posed against the the photos — to each other. The court said inevitable clamor of children to bend them. the prosecution served the “compelling state Their children were addicted to the Xbox interest in protecting children from sexual 360 game “Viva Piñata“; the Gateses imposed exploitation.” an hour-a-day screen time limit. They don’t This is, of course, a ridiculous use of law restrict what sites the children can visit, but, enforcement resources. Teenagers need to as Gates noted with evident satisfaction, be protected from their own stupidity, not “I know how to review a history log of a prosecuted for it — which brings me to browser quite effectively.” the parents-on-Facebook part. My older When their tween daughter wanted a daughter gets to sign up for Facebook next cellphone, “We said, ‘No, we’re happy for year, when she starts high school, and we’ve you to be the only one who doesn’t have a been pre-skirmishing over whether she will phone.’” They held out for a year. On movies, have to “friend” me. he said, “We go to those Web sites that say As I learned when I tried to friend the why is it PG-13 — and usually give in.” children of some close friends, this is We didn’t get to sexting, or Facebook; considered a terrible faux pas, somewhere then again, his oldest is 12. But it was oddly between intrusive and creepy. Parents gratifying to think that the man who helped friending their own children is seen as a start it all was struggling with the same particularly unnatural act. As my daughter parental issues as the rest of us who may be explained, perfectly pleasantly, “There are less adept with browser history logs. ■ things that I talk about with my friends that I don’t need you to know.” — Wednesday, April 1, 2009 Fair enough — I was 14 once, and perhaps not as irredeemably nerdy as she thinks. So The writer may be reached at marcusr@ fine: Use the phone. Text or IM. Video chat. washpost.com.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Teaching the Facebook Generation the Ways of Washington The federal government is in spending mode. That means a small, scrappy start-up may be used to communicating with host of new business opportunities for Washington technology bosses through text messages and organizing conferences on firms — even those that have not typically sold services to Facebook, the traditional providers of information technology agencies. Companies that have traditionally focused on creating services tend to conduct business using more formal practices. Web services for consumers and energy-saving technology Introducing the Web 2.0 generation to agency offices means for big corporations in some cases teaching see lucrative chances to newcomers what to bring break into government along and what to leave contracting. behind. For example, Current, a Patricia Crew, career Germantown-based firm counselor for Potomac- that has developed smart- based Comprehensive grid technology, including Career Counseling, said sensors that regulate she spends a great deal of the flow of electricity time working with young throughout every home, has professionals who use social applied for stimulus dollars networks inappropriately to revamp the nation’s aging by posting risque pictures utility systems. PointAbout, or questionable comments. a District-based firm, has “In-person networking is used public city data to always the safest because develop tools for residents you are able to make the to look up local crime best presentation,” she information on an iPhone said. “Don’t put anything or BlackBerry; it may on any social-networking experiment with creating site that can work against similar applications to you.” make federal data more A large number of accessible to citizens. recent college graduates But the expansion of are more interested in government contracting government work, she is not without cultural said, but will listening challenges. to iPods in cubicles and Many of the companies sending Facebook friend vying for federal business requests to colleagues send are new to the buttoned-up inappropriate signals? ways of Washington. While the employees of a continued ON page 27

CIRCA 1894 PHOTO OF EMILY POST COURTESY OF THE EMILY POST INSTITUTE

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued FROM page 26 Post said she thinks it is acceptable “I prefer to ask the manager or to ignore friend requests or delete maitre d’ to address the issue,” she “These questions are coming up more friends without explanation. “Know said, and be as friendly as possible and more as technology fundamentally the software you’re using,” she said. when confronting someone. “Honey changes the way we interact,” said “Facebook doesn’t send a message gets a lot more flies than vinegar.” Anna Post, the great-granddaughter of to your friend to tell them you have Is it all right to listen to an iPod at etiquette queen Emily Post. She was removed them from your list; their work, asked Jaime Lizama of Reston- speaking to Women in Technology, friend count simply goes down by based accounting firm Ryan, Sharkey a networking group of technology one. That is a tacit ‘no thank you’ & Crutchfield. professionals, about the new standards of response.” “Sure, if your company allows it,” social graces. She told the group during And if you’re agonizing over whether Post said. But she advised to always the meeting Tuesday at Maggiano’s in to accept a friend request from a take both earphone buds out of your Tysons Corner that “etiquette is not a colleague whom you’d rather not have ears when someone comes up to talk to static thing to put on a shelf and pull out see those vacation photos of you in a you. “And be aware that you essentially for special occasions.” bikini, ignore their request but respond have a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your Stephanie Wilson, principal at with an invitation to instead connect back if you have headphones in your information technology consulting on LinkedIn, a social network that is ears,” which could signal that you are firm Interactive Technology Solutions, viewed as more business-friendly. unapproachable. ■ questioned Post as to what she should Deborah Raghaven, federal marketing do about a Facebook friend who posts manager for Deloitte & Touche, — March 30, 2009 inappropriate messages and photos on wondered whether it is appropriate her page. Wilson removed the Facebook to confront a stranger who is talking Kim Hart writes abouttheWashington offender from her list of virtual friends, loudly on a cellphone in a public place, technology scene every Monday. but wondered whether she needed to such as a movie theater, restaurant or Contact her at [email protected]. explain her actions. train car.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

KATHLEEN PARKER Frayed Thread in a Free Society

BOSTON — The biggest challenge facing Such grim tidings are familiar to the 80 to break the news gently to the crowd of America’s struggling newspaper industry or so editors and publishers gathered the mostly older men and a few women at may not be the high cost of newsprint or other day for the annual New England the meeting. lost ad revenue, but ignorance stoked by Newspaper Association meeting, where In the not-distant future, says Jones, drive-by punditry. I was a speaker. But what to do about the news may be delivered via a video Yes, Dittoheads, you heard it right. it? How does the newspaper industry game. Forget the Internet. Forget blogs, Drive-by pundits, to spin off of survive in a climate in which the public tweets and tags. Forget Jim Cramer- Rush Limbaugh’s “drive-by media,” doesn’t know what it doesn’t know? Or style infotainment. Millions of people are are non-journalists who have been what it needs? already living in computerized parallel demonizing the media for the past 20 Constant criticism of the “elite media” universes through games such as “The years or so and who blame the current is comical to most reporters, whose Sims” and “World of Warcraft” (WoW). news crisis on bias. paychecks wouldn’t cover Limbaugh’s We may have to toss the newspaper on There is surely room for media annual dry cleaning bill. The truly elite those stoops — in the virtual world of criticism, and a few bad actors in recent media are the people most Americans fake life. years have badly frayed public trust. have never heard of — the daily-grind More brandy, please. And, yes, some newspapers are more reporters who turn out for city council For those who have been busy with real liberal than their readership and do a and school board meetings. Or the life, “The Sims” is apparently popular lousy job of concealing it. investigative teams who chase leads for with women who can create a virtual But the greater truth is that newspaper months to expose abuse or corruption. doppelganger and live happily in the reporters, editors and institutions are These are the champions of the suburbs. For millions of guys, WoW responsible for the boots-on-the-ground industry, not the food-fighters on TV is a role-playing game that combines grub work that produces the news stories or the grenade throwers on radio. Or fantasy with mythology. One can’t help and performs the government watchdog the bloggers (with a few exceptions), noting that males and females acting role so crucial to a democratic republic. who may be excellent critics and fact- out fantasies are drawn to roles frowned Unfortunately, the chorus of media checkers, but who rely on newspapers to upon in real life: suburban homemaking bashing from certain quarters has provide their material. and warrior-hero play. Hmmmm. succeeded in convincing many Americans As others have noted, the Internet can’t While executives ponder the possibly that they don’t need newspapers. The quickly enough fill the void created by strange future of news delivery, the more Pew Research Center for the People & lost newspapers. In time, some markets immediate challenge is how to keep the Press recently found that fewer than simply won’t have a town crier — and institutions in place and profitable so half of Americans — 43 percent — say then who will go to all those meetings that the news can be covered. that losing their local newspaper would where news is made? What will people Whatever business models emerge, hurt civic life in their community “a not know? In such a vacuum, gossip Jones says newspapers have to focus lot.” Only 33 percent say they would rules the mob. on their traditional core of fact-based, miss the local paper if it were no longer That newspapers have to adapt to serious reporting. We might add to that available. a changed world is a given. But just formula the need for a serious populace A younger generation, meanwhile, has how much the world has changed is informed about the fragile thread that little understanding or appreciation of sometimes hard for old-schoolers (like connects a free press to a free future. ■ the relationship between a free press me) to wrap their minds around. and a free society. Pew found that just Alex S. Jones, director of Harvard — March 15, 2009 27 percent of Americans born since 1977 University’s Shorenstein Center on the Kathleen Parker may be reached at read a newspaper the previous day. Press, Politics and Public Policy, tried [email protected].

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Offbeat Name? Then Facebook’s No Friend By Monica Hesse Washington Post Staff Writer last name — and how could they, when because, writes spokeswoman Meredith Facebook denied the existence of not Chin, the number of real Batmans is • Originally Published March 5, 2009 only Super, a Lorton landscape designer, probably “fewer than the number of but her extended family? people who could potentially misuse the What Caitlin wanted did not seem that “I think they think we’re trying to run name on the site.” Applications coming hard. She had signed up for Facebook a breakfast scam or something,” says from official-sounding e-mail addresses after she married, as Caitlin Shaw. Now, Bess Pancake, who, along with her sister ([email protected]) are less likely to make it easier for old friends to find and father (a former Washington Post to be rejected than those from random her, she wanted to add her maiden name. editor) spent days trying to convince ones. Her maiden name is Batman. customer service that she was not a The network is based on “real people Facebook’s name-change procedure waffle shop on the prowl (Relationship making real connections,” according to suddenly required superhuman effort. Status: It’s sticky). a statement from another spokeswoman, Because after Caitlin Batman Shaw, Super, Six and Pancake were all Kathleen Loughlin, and so the company a mental health therapist in Arlington, eventually awarded accounts after has various safeguards to prevent submitted the brief online form, she appealing their rejections with those saboteurs of the online world — received an automated response Facebook, but that doesn’t address the impersonators and trolls. rejecting her. The faceless gatekeepers real indignity. There have been examples of deceit of Facebook had decided her name People like them have endured decades on Facebook. Last year, a university could not possibly be real. Batman Shaw of name-related annoyance (No, clever dean created an account under the name appealed, and was rejected. Appealed, sir. No one else has ever suggested “Pedro Amigo” to spy on students, and rejected. “The process took me three that it would be funny if my first name a Moroccan engineer was arrested for weeks” and several e-mail queries, she were Five. You are a genius.) Perhaps impersonating Prince Moulay Rachid. says, before she was finally able to use they experienced childhood ostracism But really … Pancake? her full legal name. or contemplated name changes. And Often, the rejection can be overturned She can join the Yodas, the Christmases, when they accepted their own quirky with a few e-mails to customer service, the Beers, the Pancakes and all of the identity — to share it with the world and sometimes resulting in a nice explanation other wannabe Facebookers whose connect via Facebook like 175 million and apology: “The name ‘Yoda,’ also online rejections represent the latest in other people — they were prevented being the name of a popular Star Wars a lifetime of name shame. And really, from joining the virtual sandbox. Grade character, is on this list of blocked what’s the point of Facebook if you can’t school all over again. names,” read a helpful e-mail sent to be yourself? “You don’t grow up with a last name author Hiroko Yoda after her name was “Try making a reservation at like Kisser without developing a sense finally accepted. restaurants,” says Tim Six. “I’d like a of humor and an appreciation for the But sometimes the back-and-forth table for Six at 5 for three.” His life absurd,” says Keith Kisser, an Oregon seems too daunting, and Facebook users reads like an extended “Who’s on First?” librarian. Facebook, however, is “clearly resort to evasive tactics: routine, so the Springfield software not in touch with the sometimes eccentric There are several Facebook users developer was hardly surprised when names that people have.” with the pathetic, crippled surname Facebook rejected his application for an Facebook, via e-mails (of course), “Lchristmas,” because “Christmas” account. won’t say how many names are on its is sometimes a blocked name. Jeff The sad, sad stories of the denied. blocked list or how often names are College, a student at Messiah College “I’ve heard every Superman joke rejected. It occasionally happens when it in Pennsylvania, craftily became “Jeff known to exist,” says Becky Super. appears the chances of fraud are greater Collége” in order to join “Facebook “People misspell it. People mispronounce than the chances that someone is really Hates My Name,” a Facebook group it. People say it ‘Supper.’” People say named, say, Seymour Butts. A name they’ve never met anyone else with that like Batman gets flagged by Facebook continued ON page 30

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

continued FROM page 29 says. “Because that’s what they’re trying an ordeal to begin with. For all its safety to” prevent. The only way for Miranda to walls, Facebook appears to be home to containing College and a guy going by overcome accusations of fraud was by … some people with very … interesting “Chris Blue.” committing fraud. … names: Starkiller Unleashed. Dennis After several failed exchanges with The longer that Miranda held onto the Ilovfakemiddlenames Lewis. Mojo customer service, Miranda Batman — no fake-name account, the more ridiculous Martini — more than 30 of them. relation to Caitlin — of Indiana decided it seemed. Her friends — the ones she’d In a tucked-away Facebook forum, her real name wasn’t worth pursuing. joined Facebook to reconnect with — dozens of users complain that they are Facebook had requested she fax a copy knew her as Miranda Batman, and were having trouble altering their names. of her driver’s license, and she worried searching for her under that name. As Many protest that Facebook won’t about security. Miranda Stewart, she couldn’t connect accept their real, legal names. But then Instead, Miranda signed up for an with anyone. Finally, a lawyer friend there are also complaints like this: account as “Miranda Stewart,” using agreed to intercede on her behalf, and “Recently, my friend got into my account her husband’s bachelor surname. (He after a few legalese e-mails, Miranda was and changed my name to Bonquiqui took on Batman when they got married awarded the right to use her own name. Shiquavius,” writes one forlorn user. “I because, well, wouldn’t you?) Facebook It felt like a coup, but anyone who have no idea why Facebook accepted immediately accepted the fake name. has spent much time on the site will this.” “Which is so ironic,” the nursing student wonder how it could have become such Indeed. ■

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Text Is Cheap Do Your Friends a Favor: Put Down the PDA and Talk to Them

By Monica Hesse foreclosed psychic? She was re-possessed. ounce piece of plastic. It’s maddening — Washington Post Staff Writer Ha, ha! Just stop that incessant thumb- or maybe it’s just a simple question of typing, and give this exchange a chance! etiquette: What is the appropriate course • Originally Published April 8, 2009 Too late. The conversation is dead. It of action when you have been abandoned expired the moment the BlackBerry first for a Personal Digital Assistant? Oh, no! He’s fading fast! Eyes drifting vibrated. Now all that you, the former half “It’s a very anxious moment for me,” downward. Responses becoming of two communicating people, can do is says Michael-Levon Warren, a designer monosyllabic. No! No, buddy! Pay awkwardly stand there and deal with the attention! Did you hear the one about the fact that you are less engaging than a five- continued ON page 32

photo illustration by chris meghan — the washington post

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued FROM page 31 that is the Uncomfortable Phase.” After did NOT [explosions of typing]. So, your discomfort comes Irritation, and then, if new cat . . . is . . . is . . . [typing . . . typing in Southwest Washington, who has the texting continues, Outrage. “That’s . . . nothing but typing]. been dropped for many an e-mail or text when you put up your defenses, and your At present, PDA use exists in a message. After a while, “I start to think, facial expressions change. You lean back, pre-etiquette void. We do not yet have maybe I shouldn’t be standing here. But and you just stare. established gestures and rules for behavior. then I have to keep standing there because “It’s happening in business,” Eyring says For offenders: May you respond to an I didn’t walk away to begin with.” gravely. “It’s happening in families.” e-mail from your mother, or just your Should you stay, or should you go? (At least in metropolitan America, it’s boss? For victims: Should you pretend Should you cool it, or should you, happening. In the reporting of this story to suddenly get really engrossed in the perhaps, blow? only one interviewee had never been menu, or whip a craft project out of your Even trained professionals struggle with abandoned for a communication device. purse? this question. Jodi Smith, the founder He was, he apologetically explained, a And can someone please develop a of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting in Canadian tourist. He thought the whole sign? Salem, Mass., describes a recent lunch concept sounded very rude.) “Give me the talk-to-you-later signal!” with one pal who began texting four times The interaction doesn’t have to reach Warren says. “Give me some kind of in a 20-minute span. Stage 4. “There is a forgiving side of signal.” Smith pointedly turned off her own the cycle,” Eyring says. It requires the Without an official rulebook, guidelines cellphone. She explained that she’d offender to acknowledge that he is being are individualized. been looking forward to uninterrupted a jerkface, and to signal that it will all be “Let’s say the person is someone I’ve conversation. “But it was like a Pavlovian over soon. just” started dating, says Matt Rogers, response. It was almost as if she was The signal is where it gets tricky. a real estate agent in Washington. “Less drooling” whenever the phone buzzed. When people speak on the phone, than a minute of texting is okay; after that Finally, Smith got up and moved to another their verbal cues — “Well, it’s been great I’d walk.” table. When the friend came looking for chatting” — signal whether they’re “What I do most often is pull out my her, full of promises and apologies, Smith wrapping up a conversation. There’s own phone,” Jack Shapiro says. was skeptical. “Are you really done?” also the universal raised finger, meaning Ah! The old dueling BlackBerrys move. she asked. “You don’t have to be a pity “Almost done,” or the vague pointing, “Oh, I can retaliate,” says Erin Lamos, friend.” meaning, “I’ll find you later.” who works at a Washington think tank. “I How offended we get. How we question But there are no hand gestures with can be way more engrossed in my iPhone our own self-worth. texting, because there are no free hands. than anyone could be on their BlackBerry. “The first step is Confusion,” says And even though a verbal cue seems ‘Excuse me while I use this iPhone app to Pamela Eyring. As the director of the simple enough (“So sorry; just need to play a song on my flute.’ “ Protocol School of Washington, Eyring text my sister that I have her car”), most And what happens when one party gets has spent some time thinking about what deluded offenders don’t offer one because tired of side-by-side typing and would like she dubs the four stages of BlackBerry they believe they are capable of texting to tell the other person that it is time to abandonment. and smoothly carrying on a conversation. resume conversation? In the Confusion stage, the abandoned They are not: Mallory Grauer has a solution, having conversationalists are simply bewildered, Oh, so you got a new dog? That’s coo — been in this situation more than once. Eyring says: “Why is this happening to Ohmigod, she did NOT [typing begins]. That’s when, she says helpfully, “You just me? Why aren’t they listening? Then after So, what kind of dog is — She seriously send them a text.” ■

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Academic Content Standards

This lesson addresses academic content standards of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Maryland Virginia Washington, D.C.

Technology Education: Develop an Computer Technology: The student will English: Identify what the author is understanding of the cultural, social, demonstrate knowledge of ethical, arguing or trying to persuade the economic, and political effects of cultural, and societal issues related to reader to think or do. (Informational technology (ITEA, STL 4) technology. Text, Grade 4.IT-A.8) • Explain that the use of technology • Identify how technology has affects humans in various ways, changed society in areas such as English: Monitor text for unknown including their safety, comfort, communications, transportation, and words or words with novel meanings, choices, and attitudes about the economy. using word, sentence and paragraph technology’s development and use. • Discuss ethical behaviors when clues to determine meaning. (Grade 6, ITEA, STL 4-D) using information and technology. (Language Development, Grade • Explain that the development and (C/T 3-5.3, Social and Ethical 8.LD.9) use of technology poses ethical Issues, Grades 3-5) issues. (Grade 6, ITEA, STL, 4-F) English: Make distinctions about the • Explain that decisions about the Computer Technology: The student will strengths, limitations and overall use of technology involve trade- practice responsible use of technology quality of resources, including offs between positive and negative systems, information, and software. information gathered from Web sites. effects. (Grades 9-12, ITEA, STL • Understand the need for the school (Research, Grade 9.R.1) 4-I) division’s acceptable use policy. • Discuss the rationale of fair use and English: Write interpretations of copyright regulations. literary or expository reading that • Follow rules for personal safety • Demonstrate a grasp of the theme when using the Internet. (C/T 3-5.4, or purpose of the work; Social and Ethical Issues, Grades • Analyze the language and unique 3-5) aspects of text; • Support key ideas through Computer Technology: The student will accurate and detailed references to demonstrate knowledge of ethical, the text or to other works; cultural, and societal issues related to • Demonstrate awareness of the technology. effects of the author’s stylistic and • Demonstrate knowledge of current rhetorical devices; and changes in information technologies. • Include information on the validity (C/T 6-8.3, Social and Ethical and reliability of all relevant Issues, Grades 6-8) perspectives. (Expository Writing, • Demonstrate knowledge of 11.W-E.2) electronic crimes such as viruses, pirating, and computer hacking (C/T 9-12.3, Social and Ethical Issues, Grades 9-12)

The Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum Standards of Learning currently in effect for Learning Standards for DCPS are found Content Standards can be found online at Virginia Public Schools can be found online at online at www.k12.dc.us/dcps/Standards/ http://mdk12.org/assessments/vsc/index. www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Superintendent/ standardsHome.htm. html. Sols/home.shtml.