[CALIBK12] Unruly 4th graders & fake websites: what to do?

[Larry & Tania Guyer]

I have just finished having an uncomfortable conversation with a 4th grade mother regarding a fake website exercise our library did with 4th graders last week. I used some of the fake websites that was brought up on this listserv. As these 4th graders are moving on to middle school next year (still in this school), and I wanted to start preparing them for more complex work. There were mixed results that day. Half the class was focused (mostly girls), but the unruly and silly ones (mostly boys - sorry guys) made it difficult to finish. Needless to say, I was already rethinking how to continue carrying out this lesson for next Tuesday, when this upset mom came in. Now, her son is not an easy going child, and has a proclivity for mischief and trouble making, and can't focus on any assignment, and makes his weekly visits to the library challenging for us, and annoying for his classmates who are not appreciative of his disruptive behavior. I am also
 sympathetic to his teacher, a great guy who is trying to draw out the best in this difficult child.

My question is, what do you do in a situation like this? This child essentially went home, went to the fake websites, and offended his mother and confused his Kindergarten brother. I don't want to eliminate the review of fake websites, but perhaps these fourth graders haven't reached a level of maturity to handle it well. Does anyone have a solid lesson plan for elementary school children reviewing fake websites?

Thanks in advance,
Tatiana Guyer
Librarian
Mayfield Junior School
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