A quick introduction to the learning exercises in the Peter Packet game, this lesson is designed for teachers who don’t have the time to fit Peter Packet's more extensive learning activities into the curriculum. Teachers who are looking for more detailed lessons should check out the other lessons offered in the Peter Packet Package.

This lesson features positive uses of computers, an introduction to networking, and important information about problems created by computer viruses and hackers. Activities include a discussion of how technologies can be used to help others throughout the world, the Peter Packet game, a follow-up discussion, and ideas for homework assignments.

This lesson should take one 50-minute class period. Of course, if you add any of the extra activities or look into the additional resources, you'll need to schedule more time for the lesson.

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• To increase understanding of how the Internet can be used to help people around the world.
• To help students gain knowledge of how servers, routers, packets and wireless technologies work.
• To help students realize the dangers viruses and hackers pose to computers, computer networks, and their own information.
• To make learning about how technologies work easy to understand and fun.

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1. Have your students brainstorm why people use computers. We often hear more about the negative effects of technology. Try to steer them to ways computers can be used to help others.
2. Explain that they will be sent to their computers to provide help to students in different parts of the world. They'll be playing the role of packets or tiny pieces of information that travel through the Internet in an attempt to bring data they are carrying safely to its destination.
3. Tell them that their packet mission will be completed using a computer game and that they will be given a "Peter Packet Cheatsheet" to help them successfully complete their mission.
4. Remind your students that after they complete their mission, you will expect them to be able to answer the following questions on the Mission Summary Sheet ( PDF - 43KB):
   • What country did they select and what was the problem to be solved?
   • How did the information travel from the organization back to the people who needed the information?
   • What problems were encountered along the Internet path?
   • How can such problems be avoided on our school and your home computers?
   • What is needed for safe, reliable and fast transfer of information through the Internet?
   • Can you think of ways we in this class could help others with our computers? (This answer will likely come in part from the brainstorm list generated at the beginning of the lesson. Encourage students to add other answers after completing their mission.)
5. Send your packets/students out to take on their mission. They'll go to Peter Packet game. Then they should click on "Funland" or "Play Game". Don't forget to have them enter the site in their Bookmarks (Netscape, Safari) or Favorites (Internet Explorer).
6. When your students have finished the game, bring the class back together to do a debriefing for the missions to Haiti, India, and Zimbabwe. Have students use their Mission Summary sheets to add to the discussion. As they talk about the delivery of the packets, make sure they understand how the knowledge they gained while playing the game relates to their use of computers. Encourage your students to think in terms of their own home and school computers as they come to conclusions as to what is necessary for fast and effective transfer of information through the Internet.
7. You may want to add a home assignment to reinforce the learning in this lesson. Here are a few suggestions for possible assignments:
   • Try Peter Packet again from your home computer or one of the school's library computers. See if you can improve how you deliver the data you are given through the Internet.
   • Consider how our class might interact online with residents of a retirement home or assisted living community. Are there other organizations (humane society, Red Cross, homeless shelters, etc.) we might help with our computer skills and connections? Bring your ideas to class so that we can decide upon a community service project we can tackle with our tech equipment. (For more ideas, see the Community Service links below.)
   • Why do you think networking specialists are in demand today? What would such a person do? Why would a networking job be similar to being a detective and a doctor? What do you think the future will be for careers in this field?
   • Technology often seems to get the blame for everything. Ask your students to create an informal poll about people’s perceptions of technology and then analyze the data. One way to look at it might be by the age or by sex of the respondents. Are younger people more willing to forgive technology for its shortcoming than older people? Who trusts technology more: men or women? What conclusions can they draw?

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In each of our other Peter Packet Lessons, we offer a number of supplemental activities to enhance learning for your students. If you are interested in looking into additional activities, check the other lessons or our Additional Activities in the Peter Packet Package.

Some sites you or your students may want to visit:

• 20 Ways Teenagers to Help Other People by Volunteering
  Interested in helping others? Check out these ideas.
• Connect for Kids Community Service
  Examples of community service carried out by students.
• How Computer Viruses Work
  Gives information and links about types of infection and what they can do to computers.
• Hackers
  Easy to understand hacker info.
• How Encryption Works
  A concise description of what encryption is.
• How Routers Work
  An introduction to routers.
• Internet Diagram
  How the Internet works.
• Internet Movie
  An interesting movie demonstrating the growth of the Internet.
• Jelly Beans and the Internet
  Guide to how the Internet works.
• Mapping the Internet
  An excellent diagram featuring routers and servers.
• What is the Internet?
  A tutorial that includes how the Internet works.
• What is a Packet?
  A detailed, but easy to understand description of packets.
• What is wireless networking?
  Concise description with links.
• Wireless Networking
  An introduction to wireless networking.
• Yahoo! Kids Volunteering
  A directory of sites that features ways kids can help out in their communities.
• Community Service
  Select Activities and Community Service under Planning Activities for links to interesting projects.

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