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History of the Internet: Resources for Middle Grade Teachers
From the early days of ARPANET in the 1960s and when the World Wide Web became publicly available in the 1990s — the internet has come a long way to be what it is today.With mobile technologies, high-speed connections and high rates of access, it is something that can be easily taken for granted by many people (like turning on a light switch).
The history of the internet is important to understand how technological advancements, investment, and collaboration and teamwork can impact the world. The internet evolved from a niche government tool into being a nearly universal platform for communications and entertainment.
The resources below will be helpful as you guide your students through this fascinating subject.
TEACHER TIP: Ask your students things like: Did you know that email pre-dates the internet and that librarians were among the first people to have access to the internet (and helped to teach people how to use it)?
Neal Agarwal, a 25-year-old coder known for virtual projects such as The Deep Sea or The Password Game, created the site in 2023, which functions as both a history lesson and a memorial to the internet’s early days.
(From the Internet Society) With a comprehensive collection of information and links, this resource shares different histories of the internet from different people and organizations. It includes historical perspectives from different global regions.
(From Britannica Kids) This brief overview of the internet and its history includes the importance of cybersecurity.
The Smithsonian has created a virtual library of its collections from its many museums, and you can search for a variety of things, including items related to the history of the internet. Students can see fascinating images of things such as the first “internet phone” to CD-ROMs that were used to install early internet browser software.
Free Lesson Plan: Teach Your Students the History of the Internet
(From WebsiteBuilders.com) This resource provides an understanding of why the internet was created, how it has evolved and what lies ahead. This lesson plan includes additional resources and links.
Origins of the Internet
(From the Council on Foreign Relations/CFR) While CFR Education provides educational resources targeted at high school and college students, the resources can still be useful for middle school students. The internet history timeline with visual aids is an excellent example of this.
A Short History of the Internet
(From the National Science Museum of Great Britain) This well-designed website includes videos and other multimedia. Students can learn about the history of the internet, from its 1950s origins to the World Wide Web’s explosion in popularity in the late 1990s and the “dotcom bubble”.
News articles that might also be useful in the classroom when teaching about the history of the internet:
Smithsonian Magazine: The History of the Internet, From MP3s to MySpace Tom by Julia Binswanger
NPR: Meet the woman who helped libraries across the U.S. 'surf the internet' by Diba Mohtasham
Famous 1994 Today Show Segment where they ask, “What is Internet, anyway?”
Related CompTIA Spark articles that might also interest you:
