|
Fall 2009
Internet
Safety
Thanks to the World Wide Web, children have the world at their fingertips.
But as the Internet continues to grow, so do the risks involved. According
to iKeepSafe.org, the three major online dangers to children who frequent
the web are inappropriate contact, inappropriate content and inappropriate
conduct.
Children need to learn that people on the
Internet are not always who they seem to be. Inappropriate contact can
come in the form of cyber-bullying, online predators, phishers, etc. Teach
your child that the rules for communicating with someone online are the
same as the rules that your child should follow when approached by someone
on the street; i.e., do not give personal information (address, phone
number, etc.) to strangers. If they are not comfortable with a conversation,
they should walk away and get help.
The Internet is a public place. Anything
that is posted on the web is there forever and available for anyone to
see. Children should learn at a young age to be careful about what they
see and say. Many colleges and universities, as well as future employers,
view online social networking sites to gather information about potential
students or employees. Items posted on the web at an early age can become
embarrassing in later years when looking for opportunities for advanced
education or career choices.
Being on the Internet sometimes causes
us to become desensitized to what we are saying or doing. Because there
is no face to face human interaction, we sometimes forget that the people
on the other end of the conversation are real and have feelings, too.
Teach your child to be kind and considerate of others while online and
offline.
What can you do to protect your child against
these online dangers? The first thing you need to do as a parent is to
educate yourself. Do you know where your child goes when they are online?
Check the web browser history to view recently visited web sites. Set
specific guidelines with your child. Let them know specifically what they
are permitted to do online. Locate your computer in a central location
in your home where you can monitor what your child is doing.
Some browsers (Google, Yahoo, etc.) allow
you to adjust search engine settings so that you can block results that
may be inappropriate for your child. To adjust search engine settings
in Google or Yahoo, click on the link which allows you to set search preferences.
Be aware that blocking results is not foolproof and that inappropriate
content can still leak through.
The most effective way to keep your child
safe while they are online is similar to keeping them safe in everyday
life. Keep the communication lines between you and your child open. Know
who they are talking to and where they are spending their time. Let them
know what you consider to be appropriate behavior and what your expectations
are when it comes to online activity.
The world is at your fingertips. Explore
and enjoy it together with your child!
Rhonda Williams, Extension Educator
4-H Youth Development/Community Development
OSU Extension, Darke County, Ohio.
Back to the Top
Using
Technology to Promote & Market Cloverbuds
Facebook,*
Myspace,* YouTube,*
Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis… the list of new technologies goes on
and on. Instead of ignoring the new technology and forms of communication,
use it to your advantage!
Imagine the
excitement of children seeing their pictures printed in the local newspaper.
The children, parents, and grandparents all become excited about the article.
They talk to their friends, neighbors, and co-workers about the picture
in the newspaper. What an excellent form of advertisement for that 4-H
group! Why not transfer that same enthusiasm to forms of marketing and
promoting the program with new technology?
Some ideas for 4-H Cloverbud volunteers:
Create a Facebook* group
for your Cloverbud club
- Allow parents to become members of the group
- Post dates of club meetings and events
- Upload pictures of Cloverbuds participating in fun
activities
Create
a slideshow of pictures and videos from Cloverbud activities
- Showcase
the slideshow in a booth at the county fair
- Post the video on YouTube*
- Use as a promotional tool at school events and PTO
meetings
Create a Blog for your 4-H Cloverbud club
- Post testimonials (written, audio, and video) from Cloverbud
members and parents
- List opportunities, news clips, and pictures
(Be sure to get parental permission to use pictures of children.)
Not technology savvy? No problem! Recruit
the experts – older teen 4-H members. Involving 4-H teens will be
beneficial in more than one way. Older members will feel like they have
a reason to be involved and have the personal connection with younger
members. Young Cloverbuds will have role models to look up to, and the
new technology marketing attempts will be a success. If you do not have
older 4-H members attached to your Cloverbud club, call on the county
Junior Leaders for assistance.
Resources:
“MySpace, YouTube, and Blogs, Oh My!”
http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/Youth-Impact-vol-2.pdf
“Teens and Social Networking Websites”
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/familydevelopment/00144.pdf
* No product endorsement
is intended or implied.
Libby McNeal, Program Coordinator,
4-H Youth Development,
OSU Extension, Highland County, Ohio.
Back to the Top
Technology
and YOU
Explaining
Technology to Cloverbuds
Technology
is a big word that means machines that help us do things. More than half
of American households have at least one computer! Do you have a computer
at your house? If you do, you are lucky. Let’s talk about computers.
A computer is a machine that can help us
do many things. We can write letters – and not have to worry about
erasing our mistakes like we do on paper – and the computer will
even check to be sure we have spelled the words right! We can add up lots
of numbers. We can copy our photos to our computer so they are safe.
If we are able to “hook up”
our computer to either a phone line or a cable, we can go to cyberspace.
That kind of sounds like outer space, doesn’t it? Many, many computers
all around the world are hooked up together to make what we call the Internet.
That’s why it’s called the World Wide Web.
There are so many neat things to do on
the Internet…with the help of a grownup. On the Internet, we can
learn about new things, anything from how to bake a cake to how to feed
your pet. We can have fun playing games, visit faraway places, read funny
stories, listen to music, talk with your friends, and even learn how to
say and spell words in other languages!
We can even find some new jokes, such as:
Q: Why do hummingbirds hum?
A: Because they don’t
know the words!
Q: What is white when it is
dirty and black when it is clean?
A: A blackboard!
Think of your local library. Now just imagine
that the Internet is a huge library that is a million times bigger than
that, it’s amazing! Have fun with your computer!
Have fun with this word search!
Word Search Source: http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/Classes/Intforkids/
Barbara Carder, Former 4-H Educator
OSU Extension, Hocking County, Ohio.
Back to the Top
Campus
Connections
Hello again! It feels good to make another 4-H Cloverbud Connection with
you!
As we all know, we are living in a difficult
time with the economic recession and financial challenges that so many
of us face.
It is never too early to help children
learn about money and we have an excellent curriculum piece in the 4-H
Cloverbud Series I titled “Be Smart With Money”. You can find
it in the content area of “Consumerism/Family Science”.
Here is one of the activities from “Be
Smart With Money”.
“Saving For a Rainy Day”
Materials: A piggy bank (could use a coffee
can with slot in lid), an example of a savings passbook, and a roll of
pennies.
Show the children the piggy bank and passbook.
Explain that these are some of the ways people save. Ask the children
to think of things grown-ups save money for. What kinds of things can
children save for? Talk about the meaning of “a penny saved is a
penny earned.” Give each child a penny and ask them to think about
something they might want to save for. Pass the can around and have each
child share their idea as they “deposit” their penny.
Application: Encourage the children to
think of ways they can help their family save money.
This is one of nine activities in the “Be
Smart With Money” curriculum piece and is so relevant today as we
face financial challenges. If you do not have the 4-H Cloverbud Curriculum
Series I, don’t hesitate to check with your local county Extension
office.
Thanks for all you do as a 4-H Cloverbud
volunteer to improve the lives of children throughout Ohio!
Scott D. Scheer, Ph.D.
State Extension Specialist, Preadolescent
Education
4-H Youth Development,
The Ohio State University.
Back to the Top
Edible
Turkey Table Favors
You
will need the following ingredients for your Turkey Treat.
2 chocolate sandwich cookies
1 large chocolate drop
1/2” piece of string licorice for waddle
5-6 pieces of candy corn
peanut butter
Using sandwich cookies, lay one flat on
your working surface and the other on its edge on top of and to the back
of the flat cookie; affix with peanut butter. (The cookie on its edge
is the tail of the turkey.) Affix the large chocolate drop with
peanut butter in front of the cookie on its edge. (The chocolate
drop is the head of the turkey.) Using peanut butter, affix the
corn on the cookie on its side to represent tail feathers. Affix
the waddle (licorice) on the front of the chocolate drop with peanut butter.
Cindy Shuster,
Extension Educator FCS/County Director,
OSU Extension,
Perry County, Ohio.
Back to the Top
|
