If you can’t discern a Numbut from a Spamazoid, you’re obviously not a modern fourth-grader.

They are but two of a cast of online avatars, or personae, who arrived Thursday at Waverly Elementary School in Howard — along with Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler — to teach students about the lures of the Internet.

“It’s kind of like Halloween everyday on the Internet,” Gansler told a class of fourth-graders. “It’s fun, but it’s a little bit scary.”

The characters are part of the NetSmartz Workshop, an interactive, educational safety resource developed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

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Gansler delivered the program to Waverly as a layer of his Community Leadership in Cyber Knowledge and Safety campaign, which aims to equip law enforcement and school officials with the resources to teach students and parents about Internet safety.

“The reality is that every student now is using the Internet,” Gansler said. “But there’s an underbelly to it, and it’s just stupid for adults not to teach kids about those dangers.”

For the record, the Numbut is a dazed-looking thing that fritters away the day in front of the computer, instead of playing outside like a good kid.

The Spamazoid is — well, just think “spam” in an animated, slug form.

Then there’s the raspy Follow You Fiona — perhaps the nastiest of the bunch — that wants your personal information.

The Nettie and Webster, two purple but otherwise normal children who dwell online, led students through the program.

Meanwhile, Gansler acted as their emissary in the land of the real.

“Does anyone here know a Numbut?” he asked the class.

“My brother,” one fourth-grade girl said dryly

“Your brother is a Numbut?” Gansler asked.

“No, I’m sure he’s a nice guy.”

What about those Spamazoids, what do they do?

“They can say mean or hurtful things to you that can really hurt your feelings,” 10-year-old Nic Condron said.

And on it went until all of the nasties were described in full, and then Gansler and his two virtual partners asked the children to recite in unison: “I will not meet in person with anyone I meet online.”

The students seemed to soak up the exercise with gusto — which is good, because as Nettie told them, “On the Web, you never know.”

jpalazzolo@baltimoreexaminer.com