Lesson 1: Exploring Web Pages
Overview
Question of the Day: Why do people create web pages?
Every website has a purpose, a reason someone created it and others use it. In this lesson, students will start to consider the purposes a website might serve, both for the users and the creators. Students will explore some sample websites and discuss the purpose they serve for their creators. They are then asked to reflect on reasons that someone might want to create websites.
Purpose
This unit is all about the World Wide Web, with a focus on creating websites for self expression. To start students thinking about why they might want to create a website, they must begin to consider how websites are useful tools for both users and creators. The lesson opens with popular websites because students are familiar with them, but students are asked to narrow their vision to simpler sites that are within the scope of what they will be able to make in this course.
Assessment Opportunities
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Identify the reasons someone might visit a given website
On the activity guide, check that students have reasons that a user might visit each website, such as learning more about a topic or entertaining themselves.
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Identify the reasons someone might create a given website
On the activity guide, check students' reasons for why the creators would make their respective sites. Student explanations may include pragmatic reasons, such as getting feedback and advice from others, or more social reasons such as personal expression.
Agenda
Lesson Modifications
Warm Up (5 minutes)
Activity (20 minutes)
Wrap Up (10 min)
View on Code Studio
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify the reasons someone might visit a given website
- Identify the reasons someone might create a given website
Preparation
- Print a copy of the activity guide for each student.
Links
Heads Up! Please make a copy of any documents you plan to share with students.
For the Teachers
- Exploring Web Pages - Exemplar
- Exploring Web Pages - Slides
For the Students
- Exploring Web Pages - Activity Guide
Teaching Guide
Lesson Modifications
Attention, teachers! If you are teaching virtually or in a socially-distanced classroom, please see these modifications for Unit 2.
Warm Up (5 minutes)
Journal and Discussion
Discussion Goal
The goal of the discussion is to help students see web development as a form of self-expression and communication, and to set an expectation that they have something valuable to contribute. While some students may want to share something silly, encourage students to consider that they have something valuable to say and that others can benefit from it. This discussion should set a positive atmosphere that respects the diversity of perspectives that the group can bring.
Prompt: If you could say something important to the whole world, what would it be? Why is it important to you?
Allow students to share out their contributions to the group.
Remarks
There are lots of ways that people share with the world. Today, we're going to look at how people use web pages to share what they have to say.
Question of the Day: Why do people create web pages?
Activity (20 minutes)
Personal Web Pages
Remarks
Most of the web pages that we visit are created by large organizations that have a lot of people working on them. But anyone can create their own personal web page and publish it to the Internet. Today, we're going to look at some personal web pages. These pages were created by a single person who had something that they wanted to share with the world.
Group: Put students in pairs.
Distribute: Pass out a copy of the activity guide to each student.
Direct students to the "Sample Web Pages" level on Code Studio.
Exploring Websites
Teaching Tip
Students don't need to get it "right" for each site, but they should demonstrate that they have considered the reasons someone might make a web page. If students struggle to identify the purpose a site serves its creator, consider asking the following prompts:
- Does the website creator want the user to do something?
- Does the website try to convince the user of something in particular?
- Does the website serve as a form of personal expression for the creator?
The sites are intentionally simple, to help set expectations about the websites that students will be creating over the course of the unit.
Sample Websites
This activity guide asks students to consider why people make personal web pages and what sorts of interests can be expressed on them.
- What is this person sharing with the world?
- Why is it important to them?
Encourage students to be as detailed as possible when brainstorming the purposes of these sites.
Discussion Goal
The goal of this discussion is to prepare students to think of themselves as potential website creators. As students discuss the prompt, encourage them to imagine why they might create a site similar to those in the examples, and what their motivations might be. Remind them that they will have an opportunity in this unit to create a website that will be shared with the entire world.
Share: Once everyone has had a chance to brainstorm about their sites, give students a chance to share out their thoughts.
Discuss: Give students an opportunity to ask questions about these example sites. Make sure they understand how a small site that is primarily a tool for individual self-expression can also be a useful site for other people.
Wrap Up (10 min)
Web Development Goals
Question of the Day: Why do people create web pages?
Journal 3-2-1:
3 - What are three topics you might be interested in creating a website about?
2 - What are two reasons you think someone might visit a website that you create?
1 - What's one thing you're most interested in learning about creating websites?
- Lesson Overview
- 1
Teaching Tip
- Exploring Web Pages (2020) - Exemplar - Activity Guide (PDF | DOCX)
Student Instructions
Hello
- Sample Personal Web Pages
- 2
Student Instructions
Sample Personal Web Pages
Standards Alignment
View full course alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
IC - Impacts of Computing
- 2-IC-20 - Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people's everyday activities and career options.