Free Lesson Plans for Teachers: Ideas from the Web

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Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage

Ideas From the Web
June 18, 2007

The Washington Post is running an article entitled, "T-Shirt Maker's
Style, Drawn From Web Users."

The article states, "The (T-Shirt) company, which now employs 30
people, receives about 150 design submissions a day. Each one
remains posted on the Web site for a week and those winning the
most votes from more than a half-million registered users are chosen.
Winning designers get $1,500 in cash and $500 worth of
merchandise."

According to the article, "From quirky Internet start-ups to industrial
titans, companies are increasingly outsourcing segments of their
business to sources in cyberspace -- much as they began shifting
production overseas a generation earlier. This process, known as
crowdsourcing, means that work once done in-house, from design
and research to information-related services and customer support,
can now be farmed out, tapping new expertise, cutting costs and
freeing company employees to do what they do best."

Read the A rticle!!

Discussion Starters for Younger Children

If your students could ask one question to as many people as
possible what question would they ask? Why?

Consider asking students to write this question down
and then interview a number of people to find their
answers.

If your students could put any picture/design on a t-shirt of
theirs, what picture/design would they want to use? Why?

Ask students to draw this picture/design.

If your students wanted to tell something to as many people as
possible, what would they do to achieve this goal? Why would
they do it this way?

Challenge students to come up with ways to spread a
message around, in groups of two or three. Then make
a list of these ideas on the board.

Do your students think that they could make money by being
creative? Why/why not?

Challenge your students to think of a creative business
that they might have as an adult, or even as a child.

Discussion Starters for Older Students

Vocabulary terms to discuss: Solicit; Thorniest; Quirky; and,
Royalty.

If your students could start any business that would take
advantage of communication possible on the Internet, what
type of a business would they start? Why would they start this
type of a business?

Challenge students to develop business plans in groups
of two or three.

Do your students think that it is as safe to meet somebody
online as it is to meet somebody in person? Is it safer? less
safe? Why do they think this way? What do you think?

These questions might prompt an interesting class
discussion.

Some people say that tall office buildings will soon become
artifacts from history. They attribute this fact to the Internet.
What connections can your students think of that might exist
between the Internet and tall office buildings? Do your
students think that tall office buildings might become artifacts
of history? Why/why not?

In groups of two or three, students could develop
answers to these questions. Then consider them as a
class. Alternatively, students could write persuasive
essays on the future of tall office buildings.

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