Hello, Amazing Teachers!

Below are March’s Digital Citizenship activities by grade.

The goals are to help our MBES students learn to be:

thoughtful about their use of technology,
careful and smart online, and
kind to others online.

You have the rest of this week to complete the activity and place your smiley sticker on your completion chart for a chance to win a fabulous prize! This is the LAST one of the school year, and we want to make sure everyone gets a chance to participate.

We want to be sure everyone who participates gets their name in for the drawing. If you’re in a hurry or can’t quickly find your stickers, grab your expo marker and draw one! 🙂

Thank you for helping to make our MBES students better Digital Citizens!

Kindergarten video: Pause and Think Online (1:46 mins)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/pause-think-online

Discussion Questions (3 simple engagement/reflection questions):

1. Which character do you relate to most when you go online?

Sample responses:

Arms: I can use my arms online to balance my time.
Guts: I can listen to my gut to stay safe online.
Feet: I can use my feet carefully when leaving tracks online.
Legs: I can use my legs to stand up to bullies online.
Heart: I can use my heart to be kind and respectful online.
Head: I can use my head to ask questions about what I see online.

2. Why is it important to be kind online?

Sample responses:

We should be kind and respectful to others.
We should treat others how we want to be treated.
We should remember there is always a person on the other side of the screen.

3. Why shouldn’t you open a message from someone you don’t know?

Sample responses:

We should not talk to people online that we don’t know face-to-face.
We don’t know what’s in the message.
We should always get permission from a trusted adult if we’re unsure.

Thank you for helping to make our MBES students better Digital Citizens!

Want to go more in-depth? Here is the full lesson plan: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/pause-think-online.

Please review the lesson plan before using.

1^st grade video: The Power of Words (2:42 min)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/the-power-of-words

Discussion Questions (simple engagement/reflection questions):

Why do you think the other player made those comments to Guts?

Sample responses:

They were trying to joke around.
They feel badly themselves and are taking it out on Guts.

What did Guts do in response to the mean words?

Sample responses:

Guts talked to someone he trusted (his friend Legs), who was able to empathize with him and give him some good advice.
Define “empathy” as imagining the feelings that someone else is experiencing.

How is getting called names online similar to getting called names in person?

Sample responses:

Mean words and name-calling can hurt other people’s feelings.

What are the rules of S.T.O.P.? What can you do if someone is mean to you online?

Sample responses:

Step away, Tell a trusted adult, OK sites first, Pause and think online.
Highlight that whenever students encounter an online interaction that makes them feel bad, they should step away from their device and ask a trusted adult for help.

Want to go more in-depth? Here’s the full lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/the-power-of-words.

Please review the lesson plan before using.

2^nd Grade video: My Online Neighborhood (3:16 min)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/my-online-neighborhood

Discussion Questions (simple engagement/reflection questions):

What did Arms like about the internet?

Sample responses:

You can visit cool places.
You can talk to family and friends.
You can learn new things.
You can play fun games.

What kinds of things can he do online?

Sample responses:

He visited an online zoo.
He visited Kenya.
He talked to his grandma.
He draws and creates new things, and shares with friends.

What three rules does Arms follow when going places online?

Sample responses:

Always ask your parents first.
Only talk to people you know.
Stick to places that are just right for you.

Want to go more in-depth? Here’s the full lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/safety-in-my-online-neighborhood.

Please review the lesson plan before using.

3^rd Grade video: Private and Personal Information (1:20 mins)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/private-and-personal-information

Discussion Questions (3 simple engagement/reflection questions):

What type of information about you is OK to share?

Sample responses:

It is OK to share personal information. Personal information includes things like: what you like to do, your favorite movie, ideas that you have, or even pictures of your pet.

2. What type of information isn’t?

Sample responses:

It is not OK to share private information. Private information includes things that identify you, such as your full name, home address, phone number, school, or date of birth.

3. Why shouldn’t you share private information?

Sample responses:

You should not share private information because someone could use it to identify you individually. They could try to contact you, or use the information to impersonate you.

Want to go more in-depth? Here is the full lesson plan: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/private-and-personal-information

Please review the lesson plan before using.

4^th grade video: What’s Cyberbullying (1:44 min)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/whats-cyberbullying

Discussion Questions (simple engagement/reflection questions):

What is cyberbullying?

Sample responses:

Cyberbullying is when someone uses digital devices, sites, or apps to intimidate, harm, and upset someone.

What are some things you can do if you see cyberbullying?

Sample responses:

You can support the person that is being bullied. Show them that you care.
You can be an upstander. This might mean standing up for others and saying something to the bully or those involved.
You can report what you see by telling a trusted adult.

Bullying and cyberbullying are both unacceptable, but what makes cyberbullying different?

Sample responses:

Cyberbullying can feel harder to escape because it can happen anywhere and anytime.
It’s easier for cyberbullies to hide who they are behind a screen.
Other people online can see what’s happening online and even gang up on someone.

Want to go more in-depth? Here’s the full lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/is-it-cyberbullying.

Please review the lesson plan before using.

5^th Grade video: Private and Personal Information (1:20 mins)

https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/private-and-personal-information

Discussion Questions (3 simple engagement/reflection questions):

What type of information about you is OK to share?

Sample responses:

It is OK to share personal information. Personal information includes things like: what you like to do, your favorite movie, ideas that you have, or even pictures of your pet.

2.What type of information isn’t?

Sample responses:

It is not OK to share private information. Private information includes things that identify you, such as your full name, home address, phone number, school, or date of birth.

3.Why shouldn’t you share private information?

Sample responses:

You should not share private information because someone could use it to identify you individually. They could try to contact you, or use the information to impersonate you.

Want to go more in-depth? Here is the full lesson plan: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/private-and-personal-information

Please review the lesson plan before using.

Citation: (n.d.). [Miscellaneous pages]. Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/