As KIDS Report

The KIDS Report was featured in the new Millennium Edition of the Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages, which reached bookstores in October, 1999. Author Jean Armour Polly invited the KIDS Report to submit student reports, along with information about the project. Throughout the book you will find ten reports, featuring curricular-related Web resources selected and reviewed by students.

KIDS Report presentations:

• Internet Society Conference (INET) in Geneva, Switzerland in the summer of 1999
• Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference (GWETC) in the fall of 1999
• National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in June of 2000
• Wisconsin Educational Media Association (WEMA) Conference in the Spring of 2000

As Internet Detectives 2000-2001

Six of eleven middle schools signed up to participate. Meetings were arranged with each school to develop a plan for implementation of Internet Detectives.

• Black Hawk Middle School
• Hamilton Middle School
• Jefferson Middle School
• Sennett Middle School
• Spring Harbor Middle School
• Toki Middle School

Staff development was provided

• On inservice afternoons in January, February and March
• After school

As Internet Detectives 2001-2002

All eleven Madison Middle Schools participated.

• Black Hawk Middle School
• Cherokee Middle School
• Hamilton Middle School
• Jefferson Middle School
• O'Keeffe Middle School
• Sennett Middle School
• Sherman Middle School
• Spring Harbor Middle School
• Toki Middle School
• Whitehorse Middle School
• Wright Middle School

Web site
Redesign of the look, organization and function of the Web site was the result of a collaboration of teachers, librarians and the Webmaster .

The Internet Detectives web site caught the attention of a number of other "webmasters." The following are just a handful of the many sites that link directly to the I.D. site.

• ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology (I.D. is one of 2 sites listed as an example of "Electronic Postings of New Sites for Kids.")
• Wilton Library Association in Connecticut (Uses the I.D. site as one of 10 search tools for kids to use to locate information on the Web.)

Other sites that link to the I.D. site:

• California Dept. of Education
• Pennsylvania Dept. of Education
• Howard County (Maryland) Public School System
• Stetson Middle School in Philadelphia
• Pioneer Middle School in Wenatchee, Washington
• Del Norte County Schools in California
• Earthrenewal.org
• Open Directory Project
• I.D. is one of the sites listed in the "Kids Guides & Directories" (section on the Swedish search tool, Evreka)

Site Statistics were added to the site. They tell an amazing story about users of the site from around the world. They also indicate the how much the site is accessed

Staff Development
It was a busy year for Internet Detectives staff development. Some opportunities that were provided are:

• Week-long Summer Institute in August
• After school course in the fall
• District-wide inservice day in November
• District-wide inservice day in February
• School-wide inservice

Internet Detectives Presentations

• Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference in the fall of 2001
• Wisconsin Council of Social Studies (WCSS) Conference in March of 2001
• Wisconsin Educational Media Association (WEMA) Conference in April of 2002

Miscellaneous

• Interviews, on video, with a Hamilton teacher, librarian and principal
• Introducing ID in the Hamilton classroom, on video
• Introducing inquiry-based learning in a Jefferson classroom, on video
• Meetings with participants in individual schools twice a year.

Comments from participants on the strengths and successes of Internet Detectives

• District support, as collaborative effort with schools is great.
• Effort to reach all students is good.
• Critical approach to Internet sites is important.
• Students feel empowered by the experience.
• Students feel ownership over their work.
• Students discriminate about quality of resources.
• Students feel confident in locating information.
• Students use the Internet more effectively and efficiently
• Collaboration between librarian and teachers is a plus.
• Students are developing life-long learning skills.
• Students sharpen focus of social studies research.
• The Internet is being integrated into the curriculum.
• Reading and writing skills are improving.
• The project is interdisciplinary in nature.
• It is good preparation for research in high school.
• Authentic and useful product for student use
• The focus is on process as well as product.
• It increases student awareness of bias (discerning fact from opinion).
• Students really like it and get involved.
• Unlikely pairs of students work well together.
• There is a transfer of skills and the "spill over effect" to the next subject or year.
• Students are beginning to think about the nature of their research questions.

Welcome! | Goals | Background | Expectations
Web Site | Successes | Materials & Support