Facebook, Farcebook, and Fakebook

So we have a spankin new iMac computer lab in our building and I'm really chuffed! (British for flippin excited!) 30 brilliant new iMacs all lined up & shiny...ready work with my kids to create cool stuff with the kids! (and yes, throughout this post I'll be showing off the pics - your hard-earned tax money at work - please notice the hard to find laminated not mint, Think Different Apple posters stapled to the wall bought in 1999- don't hate!)
Facebook, Farcebook, and Fakebook Templates
Miss Wallen - one of our coolest teachers is using the iMac lab with her kids to do a mock Facebook page for Latin American Historical figures like Pizarro, Cortes, Bolivar, and Hidalgo with her 7th grade Social Studies kids!

Facebook Template

Using the downloadable template I shared from our favourite NerdyTeacher none other than Nick Provenzano the kids are using our databases and links Miss Wallen found to do their research and then become the character filling in the Facebook template.

What's so cool is they can write on their walls as if they or another historic character left a message such as: "I Founded a city...I'm calling it Ciudad de los Reyes, which means "City of the Kings" It's royally AWEsome...I'm a Winner!" Even though in real life Pizarro never learned to read or write... with this template kids can really get a different glimpse into his life, political struggles, adventures, and accomplishments!

My teacher librarian friend, Barbara Randolph, passed along a cool link to a Teacher's Discovery resources Blank Farcebook Poster Set of 30 for $19.99 - which can be laminated & written on with dry erase markers for when the computer lab is being used for month long standardized testing (starting next week!). Taking that idea...I've got it in me heid to create a comic life version - making several changes - I'm gonna call it Fakebook and post it to my Comic Tutorial gallery & ya'll can print em out for free! Stay tuned for that!

But I AM gonna buy from that company a really cool set of NOVEL CHARACTERS FARCEBOOK (TM) POSTERS SET OF 8 for...[gulp!] $39.99! Described as: "Characters from your favorite novels come to life on these Farcebook posters. Learn what book Ponyboy Curtis likes to read and what Frankenstein's monster's favorite song is. Does Scout Finch really belong to the group "the Maycomb Legal Defense Fund"? Is Odysseus really interested in spelunking? Find out these fun facts and more. Your students will recognize this format and will love finding all the hidden information. 11 x 17 inches each, printed on glossy card stock, middle school/high school. "
Check out that cool chick Juliet & her page...has she friended you yet?

When our 7th grade social studies kids finish the unit & we check out all their pages we'll be posting them on our learning wiki! I love the idea of these Fake Facebook pages for historical or fictional characters - it get's the kids excited - creates dynamite disposition to learning with total student engagement and is also relatable!

What do you think? Do you have any other resources or sites like these that use Social Media to tie into student projects? Please comment! Loves me some comments!
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iMac lab photos by Gwyneth Jones

Like Us! The MHMS Facebook Page & Concrete Digital Footprints

We here at MHMS want our families and the community find us everywhere! We want to model savvy social networking practices... So with Dr. D's permission we started this Facebook page for our students, parents, & the community of Murray Hill Middle School! Please like us! But we also love & acknowledge all the alumni pages, group, & fan pages started by our AWESOME kids both past & present!
So please "Like Us" on the Official MHMS Facebook page!

The FB page features our school hours, links to our official school web page, digital photo galleries, wiki's, updates, and more!

Though this Facebook resource page was created for parents, students over 13 are welcome to like it, too. Or under 13 - with parent permission. That's COPA folks! Because please kids, we want you to be web savvy digital citizens. Yeah, yeah...I know, I blog a LOT about digital awareness....'cause it's like HELLO? Really Important! So here's more!

Start Your Positive Digital Footprint - NOW.

I've been teaching/evangelizing Internet safety awareness since 2000...I was first asked to do so by Maryland Public Television and then the Horizon Foundation...and through their patronage I created an early website called Internet Safety for Parents & Teens that covered a lot of common sense information about how to be more AWARE of the pitfalls and dangers on the Interwebs.

There is no safe, there is only AWARE

We have to encourage our kids to be self-aware of their own digital footprint. To be mindful of what they post and how they can cultivate a good positive Internet profile so that when they apply to college, or a job, they already know how they will be perceived by those people who will be digging for information ...and dig they will.

Though I really love the dollie pics above by jessi.bryan it's deceiving. What is posted - even once - can be found. Not likely, but yeah...it can. The tides and time of the Internets don't wash away all the bad mistakes. Now that's not to say it's not a GOOD idea to delete things that you regret posting - you should! I even sleep on something before I post it....I never post in anger or annoyance. I also don't want y'all to get paranoid. Just be aware of that BEFORE posting.

Footprints in Concrete - NOT Sand
As a kid, did you ever press your hand into a drying cement sidewalk?- ignoring all the caution signs and knowing full well that we shouldn't? Ever write your name, date, or sign it? (not me!) The Internet is sorta the same way.

Kids need to know that embarrassing or inappropriate pictures posted are there online and can be found. That texts and pics sent through the phone can be downloaded or passed on willy nilly. Now don't get me wrong...Social networks are NOT inherently bad and they're not going away - hence our new Facebook page ...it's more about using ethical & wise choices than being scared of the Bogey man out there - though they exist - it's more likely that teens will be harassed by other teens that they know than some stranger. Sad but true fact, teens who are at-risk in general will most likely be at-risk on the Internet.

Parents: What you can do

• TALK to your kid, establish expectations, and tell them that you trust them but you also are cautious about what they share online.
  
• Don't make the discussion combative, make it continuing & comfortable!
• Make sure that ANY social network they belong to is set to private
• Guide your kids foot (and hand) prints on the Internet by also not posting things you'll regret on FB or social sites. I've heard more than one sorry story where a parent had an embarrassing pic found by their kid! Eeeep! But - at least it's a teachable moment!
  
• When in doubt, know how to check the history of your family & kids computer

Kids: What you can do

"Hemanshu Nigam, the chief security officer at News Corp. provides advice about the compassionate and kind use of social networking:

• Post with respect: photos are a great way to share wonderful experiences. If you're posting a photo of you and your friends, put yourself in your friends' shoes and ask would your friends want that photo to be public to everyone. If yes, then you're uploading photos with respect.
• Comment with kindness: compliments are like smiles, they're contagious. When you comment on a profile, share a kind word, others will too.
• Update with empathy: sharing updates lets us tell people what we think. When you give an opinion on your status updates, show empathy towards your friends and help them see the world with understanding eyes.

from: Back-to-school advice for safe & ethical social networking - CNET News


Play the Friend Finder Game! Interactive fun game testing your social networking skillz!

Resources:

NetCetera - In Net Cetera: Chatting With Kids About Being Online, OnGuard Online gives adults practical tips to help kids navigate the online world. - created by the FTC -
For Parents, Teacher Librarians, & Technology Educators: AWESOME FREE Bulk Brochures & Bookmarks for home, schools & libraries!

Social Networking Sites: A Parent’s Guide
The Parents' Guide to Social Networking Websites
Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens
Blog Sites, Profile Sites, Diary Sites or Social-Networking Sites
Safe Teens: Texting, Dating, and Safety

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Photos from Flickr Creative Commons: Cool River Blythe dollie photos by By jessi.bryan, Signed foot and hand prints found & photographed By ww_whist Jerry

Internet Awareness and Social Networking

(click here or above for video - i had it embeded before but it was on auto-play and it drove me bonkers!)

I blogged at the beginning of the school year about ethical social networking habits and I want to share a new resource with you so I'm going to re-post it cause it may have gotten lost in the back to school info....I've been saying it for years but it bears repeating - in regards to the Internet:
There is no safe, there is only AWARE

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing"

Helen Keller, The Open Door -1957

I've been teaching/preaching Internet safety awareness since 2000...I was first asked to do so by Maryland Public Television and then the Horizon Foundation...and through their patronage i created a website called Internet Safety for Parents & Teens that covered a lot of common sense information about how to be more AWARE of the pitfalls and dangers on the Intarwebs. Again, the subject i think that is foremost now is not Safety but Awareness. We have to encourage our kids to be aware of their own digital footprint. To be mindful of what they post and how they cultivate a good Internet profile so that when they apply to college, or a job, they know how they will be perceived by those people who will be digging for information ...and dig they will.

Kids need to know that embarrassing or inappropriate pictures posted are there online and can be found forever. Social networks are NOT inherently bad and they're not going away...it's more about using ethical & wise choices than being scared of the Bogey man out there - though they exist - it's more likely that teens will be harassed by other teens that they know than some stranger. Sad but true fact, teens who are at-risk in general will most likely be at-risk on the Internet.

Parents: what you can do at home

• have the Internet connected computer in a main room of your house...like the kitchen or living, or family room
  
• if you have kids who have laptops and a wireless router, keep the router in your bedroom and disconnect the router (unplug & remove) the power cord at bedtime.
  
• late night texting is also a concern - if this is a problem re-charge family cell phones in YOUR rooms overnight
• know what usernames your kids use on facebook, twitter, myspace, etc. ask to see their page...then ask to see their REAL page!
  
• make sure that ANY social network they belong to is set to private
  
• know how to search the history of your kids computer
  

More things to think about:

"Hemanshu Nigam, the chief security officer at News Corp. provides advice about the compassionate and kind use of social networking:

• Post with respect: photos are a great way to share wonderful experiences. If you're posting a photo of you and your friends, put yourself in your friends' shoes and ask would your friends want that photo to be public to everyone. If yes, then you're uploading photos with respect.
• Comment with kindness: compliments are like smiles, they're contagious. When you comment on a profile, share a kind word, others will too.
• Update with empathy: sharing updates lets us tell people what we think. When you give an opinion on your status updates, show empathy towards your friends and help them see the world with understanding eyes.

from: Back-to-school advice for safe & ethical social networking - CNET News


Play the Friend Finder Game! Interactive fun game testing your social networking skillz!

Talk to your kids about the risks.

• Explain that online information and images can live forever. It can be very hard and sometimes impossible to take down information that is posted, and photos and information may already have been copied and posted elsewhere.
• Tell your children not to post any identifying information online. This includes their cell phone number, address, hometown, school name, and anything else that a stranger could use to locate them.
• Explain that anyone in the world can access what they post online. Tell your children that some college admissions boards and employers are checking social networking sites before they admit students or hire people.
• Remind your children never to give out their passwords to anyone but you – not even their friends. Explain that if someone has their password, they could post embarrassing and unsafe information about them on their personal pages and even pose as your children to talk to other people.
• Make sure that children understand that some people they meet online may not be who they say they are. Explain that on the Internet many people are not truthful about their identity and may even pretend to be someone else. It’s important to stress that young people should never meet people face-to-face that they met online.

from the Parents' Guide to Social Networking Websites

The Guidance dept. and i will be holding a parent information night about cyberbullying and Internet awareness later this year....stay tuned!

Other Resources:

NetCetera - In Net Cetera: Chatting With Kids About Being Online, OnGuard Online gives adults practical tips to help kids navigate the online world. - created by the FTC -
For Parents, Teacher Librarians, & Technology Educators: AWESOME FREE Bulk Brochures & Bookmarks for home, schools & libraries!

Social Networking Sites: A Parent’s Guide
Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens
Blog Sites, Profile Sites, Diary Sites or Social-Networking Sites
Safe Teens: Texting, Dating, and Safety

The most effective & reliable Internet safety filter is an
involved, informed & aware parent
and an educated & ethical kid.