On the Trails

This lesson was developed by one of my undergraduate students, Jennifer Shane, and I believe it should be shared with the world!

Activity:
Grade/Level:  4
  
Time Frame:  90 mins. with 18 children
  
Subject(s):  Technology
  
Topic(s):  Creating Secure Passwords for Classroom Blogs
  
Notes:  Materials:
-9 boxes full of magazine cut outs of letters and symbols with whole for hand cut out of lid
-9 dice
-package of Construction Paper
-Glue
-Markers/Crayons
  
Standards and Key Concepts

Standards:           
NY- New York State Standards
 • Subject: Mathematics, Science, and Technology (1996, 2005 Math update)
 
 • Learning Standard 2 : Information Systems
Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
 
 • Level : Elementary
 
 • Key Idea : Information Systems 3:
Information technology can have positive and negative impacts on society, depending upon how it is used.
 
 Performance Indicator : Describe the uses of information systems in homes and schools.
 
  
Essential Questions:  What makes for a secure password?
Why is it important to have a password that no one could guess?

Performance Task:  -Students will pick a partner to work with, and sit together.
-Teacher will hand out to each group:
1 glue
1 box of letters/symbols
1 dye
2 pieces of construction paper (color by students preference)
- Teacher will instruct students to:
Take turns where 1 partner will randomly select 4 symbols/letters out of the box, and to roll the die 4 times while the other partner records the rolls.
-The teacher will instruct them that after 1 student selects and keeps their letters and has their numbers recorded, the other partner will take their turn.
-While doing this, the teacher will walk around and aid where necessary.
-After all students have completed obtaining their characters the teacher will instruct them to Go back to their regular seats to arrange the characters in any order on the paper, pasting the letters/symbols and drawing numbers in between them.
- After all students are finished, the teacher will instruct them to sit in the sharing circle on the floor mats with their posters.
- the teacher will allow the students time to describe their posters and how they created it by calling on students that would like a turn.
- after that, the teacher will ask essential questions such as:
Why are these examples of secure passwords?
Are these passwords things that someone could guess about you?
Why is it important that no one can guess what your password is?
What are other ways to come up with secure passwords?
    
  
Assessment/Rubrics:  To Assess:
-Teacher will observe if students accurately placed 8 characters that are not in a thoughtful order to see the concept stressing the importance of randomness
-Teacher will record and collect data to see if children know answers to the essential questions
-Next day teacher will quiz students on questions answered in class during activity. Students should be able to accurately answer the questions with 85% accuracy

Sequence of Activities:  After Lesson, next day teacher can show students different password generating websites so that they may create their own secure passwords for classroom blogs

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