Computer Skills Curriculum
Telecomputing Lesson Plan

Title: International Telecomputing

Other Curriculum Objectives that can be addressed by this lesson plan English Language Arts 2.1, 2.2, 4.1; Social Studies: (Gr. 6) 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 9.3, 10.2, 10.3; Computer Skills: (Gr. 6) 1.1

Grade: 6
Competency 1.1: Identify ways that telecomputing promotes a global community.

Measure 1.1.1: Use the World Almanac to compare the number of telephones per capita in a variety of countries. List ways that telecomputing could affect life in these countries.

Materials Needed: One copy of the your most recent World Almanac.

Time: One class session

Terms: Telecomputing, Modem, Upload, Download, Bulletin Board Service, E-mail, Log on, Log off, Internet, Information Highway

Glossary of Telecomputing Terms
Grade 6 Glossary

Activities

Pre-Activities:
With the Students

  • 1. Assign a student to use the World Almanac to find the number of telephones per capita, the literacy rate, and the life expectancy for each of the following countries:
    		France    Germany         Sri Lanka      Somalia
		Iraq      United States   Japan          Bolivia
  • 2. Remind students that a computer can be used to access information from other computers, usually through the telephone lines.

Activity:

  • 1. Write the names of the countries listed in the Pre-Activities on the board.
  • 2. Ask the student who conducted the research to report the information. Record this information on the board forming columns for the name, number of telephones, literacy rate, and life expectancy for each country.
  • 3. When all of the information has been recorded on the board, ask the class to study it and see if they can discover any relationships between the number of telephones and the other two items. They should say that countries with a high number of telephones per capita also have high literacy rates and life expectancies.
  • 4. Next, ask the class if this means that having lots of telephones causes people to be smarter and healthier. The answer should be "no," rather that countries that can afford lots of telephones can also afford schools and hospitals.
  • 5. Divide the class into groups of four. Have each group discuss how telephone lines, computers, and modems could help the four countries with the lowest number of phones, literacy rate, and life expectancy to improve their education and health. Ask them to make a list of types of information the people in these countries might access from the other four countries, using telecomputing, to improve their standards. Explain to the class that they have fifteen minutes to complete this task.
  • 6. After 15 or 20 minutes, have a representative from each group read their list to the rest of the class explaining how each type of information would improve education and health in those countries.

Measure

Have students list types of information that people in underprivileged countries might use telecomputing to access in order to improve life in those countries.