Write Your Safety Story
In the following activity, you will use the structure from the activity sheet you filled out in the previous slide to guide your writing of an online safety children’s story.
As you are writing the story, make sure you pitch your story to the younger audience by considering the following things:
Know your audience. Keep in mind what grade level you are writing for. Don't use words they won't understand. Keep sentences short and simple.
Explain things. Don't expect everyone at younger grade levels to understand the cyber community. Some may have never even been on the Internet before. Break things down so anyone could understand.
Make it interesting. Write a good story. Have a plot. Use different characters. What do you think would appeal to your audience?
Plan what you will say. Before you write, have an idea of where the story is going, who the characters are, and what you want to teach. That way you have a road map for writing the story.
Write a simple rough draft. Use this to make sure you include everything you want. That way you haven't wasted time illustrating a story only to find out you forgot to mention viruses. Also, this way you can proofread and perfect your story.
Once upon a time, in the magical land of Internetville, there lived a group of friends who loved to explore the cyber world. There was Sam the Squirrel, Bella the Bunny, Oliver the Owl, and Penny the Puppy. They had heard many exciting stories about the Internet and were eager to join in on the fun.
One sunny day, they all gathered around the computer in Sam's treehouse to go on their first online adventure. Their parents had taught them about the importance of online safety, so they were ready to explore while staying safe.
As they clicked on the "Internet Explorer" icon, a colorful homepage appeared on the screen. It was full of fascinating websites and games to play. But before they could start exploring, a friendly pop-up appeared. It was a digital wizard named Webby, who wanted to teach them about the dos and don'ts of the cyber world.
Webby explained that just like in the real world, there were some things they needed to be careful about. He told them, "Never share personal information like your name, address, or phone number with anyone you meet online. Only talk to people you know and trust, just like you would in person."
The friends nodded in agreement and thanked Webby for his advice. They continued their online journey, hopping from one website to another, playing games, and learning new things. They came across a website with lots of colorful ads and pop-ups. It all seemed so exciting! But something felt off.
Oliver, the wise owl, reminded everyone about the importance of being cautious. He said, "Remember, friends, not everything on the Internet is safe. Be careful what you click on and don't download anything without asking an adult first. Some things can harm our computer with viruses or scams."
With Oliver's guidance, they quickly closed the website and moved on to a safer one that had fun educational games and activities. They learned about online predators and cyberbullying, and how to report any suspicious activity to their parents or a trusted adult.
As their adventure came to an end, the friends thanked Webby for teaching them how to stay safe in the cyber world. They realized that exploring the Internet could be both fun and educational, as long as they followed the rules of online safety.
They made a pact to always remind each other of what they had learned and to share their online experiences with their families. This way, they could all enjoy the wonders of the Internet while staying safe and protected.
And so, the friends continued their online journey, equipped with the knowledge and wisdom of staying safe in the cyber world. They knew that as long as they stayed vigilant and followed the rules of online safety, their adventures would always be filled with joy and excitement.
The end.