Digital Citizenship Lesson Health Unit

Internet Addiction
Terry T. Gough

Learner Analysis The week-long unit will be taught to two separate high school health classes made up of students in grades 9-12. Each class period is 55 minutes with an actual instructional time of 45 minutes (5 minutes of review time in the beginning of class and 5 minutes at the end of the instructional period). First period class is made up of 27 students. 11 students are male, 16 female. All 27 students are Caucasian. Of the 27 students, 5 have been learning disabilities that require the modification of extended time on testing and on large written assignments. Second period is made up of 39 students in grades 9-12. Of the 39 students, 21 are male, and 18 are female. 32 students are Caucasian, 3 African-American, 4 Hispanics, and 1 of mixed race. There are no students in this class that require modifications to instruction.

Unit Title:

Health and Digital Citizenship

Internet Addiction

Grades 9-12

HE H.S.2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.. The students will access valid health information as it relates to the use of technology. High school students will critique the validity of health information obtained as it relates to the use of technology. Using critical thinking and analysis skills, high school students will be able to assess the validity of health information obtained on technology addictions, early detections, and treatment of such addictions and other health problems caused by technology use.

Understandings: Technology use can be addictive. Technology addiction is related to the amount of time spent with its use. Technology addiction may affect sleep patterns, cause feelings of separation when not using technology, increase the likelihood of chronic exhaustion. There is a difference between constant use and responsible use of technology. Warning Signs of addiction. They may still use technology but will perhaps never overcome the addiction.

Essential Questions: Does technology affect our health? Is your current rate of use adversely affecting your health? Can technology be healthy? How much is too much? How can I tell if technology is negatively affecting me? Is it possible to become addicted to the internet?

Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): Students will independently examine 3 different internet-use scenarios and identify the degree to which each may contribute to internet addiction. Students will complete an online questionnaire on internet addictive uses. Students will complete an online interactive quiz on internet addiction.

Other Evidence: Students will orally answer internet addiction questions during class discussion. Students will conduct a week-long log of their own internet use and present their findings to the class. Students will produce a reflective essay on healthy and pathological internet use. Students will analyze different scenarios of internet use and be able to report and discuss the subject matter in an educated manner.

Learning Experiences
Day 1
* The lesson will begin with a brief 20 item questionnaire that will evaluate the users addictive uses of the internet. It has been developed by Dr. Kimberly Young of the Center for Internet Addiction. Net Addiction Questionnaire The video The Story of an INTERNET addict! will be shown to the students
upon completion of the 20 item questionnaire.

The Story of an Internet Addict

This video is shown to hook the students and to give them a real-world example of the effects of internet addiction.

Upon completion of the video, a short discussion will take place about the video and to clear up any misconceptions concerning internet addiction. Essential Questions of the lesson will be introduced and discussed. The teacher will reiterate the importance of being able to recognize the early warning signs of internet addiction and give alternative behaviors and activities to take the place of internet usage. A culminating project will be introduced where each student keeps track of his/her internet usage for the period of one week. Each student will present their findings on the final day of the unit. Students will begin keeping track and charting their internet usage.

Day 2
The teacher will lead the students through a brief review of yesterdays lesson. As a class, we will discuss what it means to be addicted to something. An activity will be introduced giving students three different scenarios of individuals with varying degrees of internet use. Students will then analyze each and explain the effects each scenario will have on the given individuals level of health.

(Differentiation of Instruction)

For struggling students, scenarios will be reduced to two. In order to challenge students, the students will describe the long-term effects of one of the individual scenarios over a five-year span. The prediction should include evidence in order to back-up the prediction.

Day 3
The question If using the internet is bad, then why do we use it so much? will be introduced. Today we will focus on various types of internet uses and the many ways we use technology each day. We will briefly revisit the term addiction and how addiction may be possible through its daily use. Students will work to brainstorm the possible ways of internet addiction. With a partner, students will be given five different uses of the internet to review. They will ascertain the healthiness of each based on previous information given yesterday. They will also determine the risks involved in each of the uses. Each student will have to place, in order from the most risky to the least.

(Differentiation of Instruction)
Struggling students may brainstorm in a small cooperative group a reduced number of internet uses (three). Together they will submit the information for three uses from most risky to least. To challenge students, students will research a person that has experienced internet addiction. The student will note if this supports or goes against their original assessment of the degree of risk. The term addiction again, will be re-visited and discussed. This time, the teacher will introduce two scenarios of different individuals and their rates of daily internet/technology use. Students will use this information to make assumptions on the degree to which each may be susceptible to internet addiction.

Day 4
Students will following the link provided and, as a class, discuss its content. Internet and Computer Addiction Students will write a reflective essay on the article and how it pertains to their health.

Day 5
Today will be a wrap-up of the weeks lesson on internet addiction. Students will share the findings of the week-long tracking of their internet use and discuss any questions they may have. Following student presentations; a brief review of what it means to be addicted to the internet will take place followed by a short question and answer session of any details that students feel need to be covered. Upon completion of the lesson, the students will log into the following to take a short assessment on internet addiction. Internet Addiction Quiz

Special Education students will be given extended-time for the quiz and be provided with a small group setting if needed or called for in their IEP.