Lesson Plan: Love bytes

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Objectives

• Students will explain the process by which the Love Letter virus spread, as well as how the source of the virus was traced
• Students will create a law for the Philippines by which to prosecute Internet crimes.

Standards

National Science Education Standards

• Technological solutions may create new problems. Science, by its nature, answers questions that may or may not directly influence humans. Sometimes scientific advances challenge people's beliefs and practical explanations concerning various aspects of the world.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy

• In deciding on proposals to introduce new technologies or to curtail existing ones, some key questions arise concerning alternatives, risks, costs, and benefits.
• What are the risks associated with using (or not using) the new technology, how serious are they, and who is in jeopardy? What human, material, and energy resources will be needed to build, install, operate, maintain, and replace the new technology, and where will they come from? How will the new technology and its waste products be disposed of and at what costs?

Materials
CNNfyi article: "Philippine authorities detain suspected 'love bug' author" Computer with Internet access Paper and pen

Procedures

1. Discuss the developments on the "I Love You" virus since it first appeared on May 11th. Ask if any of your students received one of the emails on a home computer. Also discuss procedures your school has taken if its systems are susceptible to the virus.

2. Have students read the CNNfyi article "Philippine authorities detain suspected 'love bug' author".

3. Ask students:

• Who have authorities detained in connection with the Love Letter virus?
• How did they find the source of the virus?
• What can be done to prevent it from continuing to spread?
• How does the virus work?
• How do you think the person responsible for the virus should be sentenced? Explain.

  4. Discuss the problem with arresting and charging the culprit of Internet crimes in the Philippines. Ask: What did the country have to resort to in order to charge the responsible party? Why?

  5. Allow students to work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Their challenge is to construct a law for the Philippines to enact in order to prosecute Internet crimes. Have them research laws of the United States or other countries to see what kinds of crimes need to be addressed and what kinds of sentences the current laws impose. The Cyber Space Laws website listed below is a very comprehensive site where students will find links to Internet laws. Direct them to justify the contents of their law.

  Evaluation
  

  Discuss each proposal in class, and have the class choose which law, or which portions of various law proposals, make the most sense to them. Ask each individual or group to submit their work to you on paper for evaluation and comments.