Childhood Dangers

Ben Amato | Educational consultant

Cautionary Essay ELA Standards 1, 3 and 4

Being a kid is never easy but it seems that with our modern technology and a global economy, things got more dangerous. Today's lesson looks at some "new" boogiemen that lurk in the dark corners of our digital world.

TV Component
The CW 11 News at Ten carried three stories detailing some situations parents should help their kids avoid. View the video clip twice and then take the Multiple-Choice Quiz.

Newspaper Component
The article in today's Newsday titled "Senator tackles cyberbullying in classrooms" explains how the Internet can become the new stomping ground for young bullies. Read the article and using the facts and details within, complete the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle.

Language Arts Component

"My childhood was safe and sane. No abuse and no traumas. I was surrounded by a large and loving family who taught me the importance of hard work and a meaningful education."
Ronnie James Dio rock singer

The events and issues we face as children, remain with us throughout our lives. The formative early years can propel kids towards a wonderful life, or doom them to relive and suffer from past misfortunes.

Situation
Write a CAUTIONARY ESSAY about the dangers parents must look out for while raising their young children.

The Nature and Structure of a CAUTIONARY ESSAY
A CAUTIONARY ESSAY seeks to warn readers of some threat or situation that may affect them. It uses facts and details to present the situation and advises the precautions to take to lessen the risk and danger. A CAUTIONARY ESSAY is usually written in three sections.

INTRODUCTION
This paragraph begins the essay with a STATEMENT OF TOPIC. In the opening sentence, DESCRIBE the multitude of dangers that face young children and their parents. Present details about the SETTING, where these situations lurk, and the CAST - the people or things which might scar young minds. End this section with your OPINION about childhood in our Digital Age.

BODY
This section of the essay offers SPECIFIC DETAILS about some of the dangers presented in the article and video clip. Organize this section in ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, with the most pressing issues coming first and the less important ones later in the paragraph. The point of this style of essay is to WARN and INFORM people about a situation, so be very clear on what people can and should do to remain healthy. Only at the end of the entire essay should your opinions and feelings be revealed.

This section may be longer than just one paragraph, depending on how many facts and details you gather from the article and television news story. Use the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle and the answers to the Multiple-Choice Quiz as a RUBRIC so you can see if all the important facts have been included and described.

CONCLUSION
The final section of the CAUTIONARY ESSAY is where you TELL your readers how you feel about childhood and the care parents must take in raising their kids. End this section with a look to the future. How will "you" protect your offspring from the dangers of the Digital World?