Home Literacy Lesson: Teach your child to use SuperPages and SuperPages.com
In addition to learning academic skills such as reading and math, kids need to learn life skills. Introducing your children to print and online directories will provide them with a valuable source of information that they will use throughout their lives. Directories such as SuperPages and its online counterpart, www.superpages.com, are full of information. Exploring the yellow pages with your children can be both educational and fun.
- First, sit down with your child and leisurely browse through SuperPages. Show your child the different sections of the book. Explain the differences between the "white" residential pages and the "yellow" business pages.
- In the front of SuperPages there is an emergency section. Explain what constitutes
an emergency and make sure your children know how and when to dial 911. Together
make a list of police, fire, poison control, and non-emergency phone numbers.
Explain how, when, and why those numbers should be used, especially for times when
your child is alone and/or responsible for younger siblings.
- There is a "notes" section in the front of SuperPages. Use that space to write down important phone numbers, such as: your work number and/or cell phone numbers, numbers for older siblings and/or step-siblings, your family's adult emergency contact, grandparents and extended family members, your children's schools, doctors and dentists, your plumber and electrician, your electric and home fuel companies, Verizon customer services, the library, your city services department, and your legislative representatives. Explain to your children the importance of these numbers.
- Show your children how to use SuperPages to find phone numbers and addresses of their friends and classmates. Ask your children if they know what "alphabetical order" means. If they do not, explain that it is easier to find names of people and businesses in SuperPages if they are arranged in order of the letters of the alphabet. Show them how people are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Then look up one of their friends by last name, first name of that friend's parent, and finally by street address.
- Show your children how businesses are organized by category, then listed alphabetically in the "yellow" section of SuperPages. Demonstrate by using categories that will appeal to them, such as Restaurants for pizza delivery, Theaters for current movie listings, and Retail for stores that carry the hottest games and toys. Have them look up their favorite restaurants and stores, then suggest checking the coupon section to see whether or not those businesses offer discount coupons in SuperPages.
- Visit the www.superpages.com site together and explain how to search for businesses by category, business name, or phone number. Click on the various links that appear with a listing to get maps or driving directions, add that listing to your personal directory, or go to the company's Web site. Try looking up friends or relatives in People Pages.
- Introduce your children to the many other resources on SuperPages.com, such as the Consumer Guide with ratings and reviews, SuperTopics, City Pages, and the Business Center.
- Be sure to have them click on the Enlighten Me button along the left border of the home page then go to Super Thinkers, an activity center created just for them!
© 2003 Mary Brigid Barrett
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PTA 
