Internet Lesson for School Age Children by David Novak of the Spire Project

Information Warfare
- a lesson in information skills delivered in person by internet expert David Novak.

In 2002, war erupted between the World Health Organization and the Sugar Industries. The war was fought over the recommended sugar intake in a healthy human diet.

How much sugar
is in a healthy diet?

Who would you
believe?

WHO said 10%. Sugar industries said 25%. By directing the class to retrieve critical documents from the internet, then re-enacting this war of words, students will:

Expand their understanding of internet information,

See information as tied to who publishes it,

Ponder issues of quality and value,

And, hopefully, think about the sugar they eat.

If we are not careful, students visualize the internet just as a giant encyclopedia. To prepare young minds for the future, we should also depict the internet as a battlefield where conclusions are not given but justified, persuaded and decided in ways that have real consequences. This lesson achieves this.

Open young eyes
to the wonder
of an information world
central to their future.
David volunteers his time but requires...
An invitation to speak,
(tel 0403 055544)
Perhaps an advert in your school newsletter
And a testimonial if deemed worthy.

This invitation is open to any school in a city David visits.

David Novak, Australia's leading internet search theorist, is famous for his pivotal work through the Spire Project (SpireProject.com). He has spoken before several state libraries, the DSTO (Dept of Defence) and though public seminars to hundreds of experienced internet users on how to better use internet information.

They thoroughly enjoyed
both the internet research component
and the class presentation.
- Teacher, Toorak Primary School
read in full
Is this right for your class?

RSVP David feedback form
Questions to tel +61 403 055544.

Brief Synopsis:
Added sugars should be limited to 10 percent
(about a pack of M&Ms or a soda per day.)
-- Joint FAO and WHO report.

In 2002, the FAO and WHO complete a study into our diet. 
CNN pick up the story, 
And the sugar producers dislike the report. 
Fox News runs a story against the report,
Then the US Mission to the UN demands the report be retracted,
This does not happen.
We listen to a Doctor.
And to the Sugar Producers, who quote a competing study,
based on another FAO report from April 1997,
but the Guardian uncovers the rival FAO report was tainted.
In the end, the movie Supersize Me expresses an opinion
And we discuss the notion of quality and decide what's for lunch.

Sample advert
for school
newsletter.