April 2014
SanTan
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Bright Beginnings integrates social media into curriculum
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By Alison Stanton
At Bright Beginnings, a K-8 charter school in Chandler, the students spend their days learning about much more than traditional subjects like reading, writing and arithmetic. The fifth through eighth graders also learn about a topic that has exploded in popularity in recent years: social media. Jay Nelson teaches technology at the charter school. He says Bright Beginnings has integrated social media into its middle school curriculum since it opened its doors in August 2012. “In general, we cover what social media is, how it came to be, how to be a respectful user, and how to keep safe when using it,” he says. He adds that he also talks about how social media is impacting the way people interact with each other. While the sixth-grade students research some of the key players in social media, Nelson says the seventh and eighth graders learn about the his-
Although the students do not use social media sites while they are at school, Nelson says they do work on a schoolwide Wiki website that is designed to enhance collaboration and communication between students, teachers and parents. “The students post about things that are going on in their classrooms, and there are discussion threads about projects,” he says. Nelson says the students all seem to enjoy the unit on social media. One of the most eye-opening parts of the lesson is when the students create what they believe to be anonymous profiles of themselves and then have their classmates guess who made them. In most cases, Nelson says the students can easily guess the identity of the creator. FROM NAPSTER TO FACEBOOK: The fifth through eighth graders “They are always amazed to at Bright Beginnings in Chandler spend time learning about the realize that even when they have history of social media. Submitted photo a profile with no name on it, and they might think they are sharing torical background of the topic. information anonymously, it may not “We cover things like how social media came to be, including the Napster be that way.” Jeanne Loop, whose daughter, Emma, site, which was in a lot of ways the is in fifth grade at Bright Beginnings, pioneer of the industry before Mark says she “loves” that the school is teachZuckerberg even started Facebook,” ing the students about social media. Nelson says. “Emma has shared a lot of her new “They learn about how the social knowledge about what she has learned interaction that started with a small about social media,” says Loop, a isolated program like Napster, evolved Chandler resident. into a billion user application such “I feel that this information will help as Facebook.” her make responsible choices, and to be Seventh graders use the historical better informed, when she uses social background to create a PowerPoint media. It is a big part of life for our presentation that they show to the fifth children and it is important that they graders. Using the Windows Movie are educated about it.” Maker program, they make a movie Bright Beginnings Middle School is about the historical timeline of social media that starts with the founder of the located at 2716 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler. For more information, worldwide web and moves on to call (480) 634-8867 or visit websites like Facebook, Instagram http://bbschl.com. and Vine.
SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY: As part of the unit about social media, students from Bright Beginnings create what they believe to be anonymous profiles and then guess who made each one; in most cases, they are successful at figuring out who made them.
Resources Websites:
• http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/ teaching-children-rules-respectfulsocial-media-2583.html • www.aap.org/en-us/aboutthe-aap/aap-press-room/news-featuresand-safety-tips/pages/Talking-to-Kids-andTeens-About-Social-Media-and-Sexting.aspx https://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/ social-media-1969-2012_b45869 Books:
• “The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media,” by Jose van Dijck • “Writing on the Wall: Social Media—The First 2,000 Years,” by Tom Standage • “The Parent's Handbook for Talking with Your Teens About Social Media: The Right Words and Effective Techniques to Get Your Kids Safely On Board (Raising Cyber-Sensible Kids) (Vol. 1),” by Ellen Mossman-Glazer M.S.Ed • “The Parent’s Guide to Texting, Facebook and Social Media: Understanding the Benefits and Dangers of Parenting in a Digital World,” by Shawn Marie Edgington