Digital citizenship lesson ideas

Objective Explain why long passphrases resist guessing and why passwords are never shared, even with friends.

You need Board, sticky notes.

Steps

1. Compare a password to a house key: who should have a copy?
2. Show three invented passwords and rank them by how easy they are to guess.
3. Model a passphrase made of four unrelated words.
4. Pairs create a practice passphrase, then destroy the note.

Check for understanding Students name two people it is fine to tell a password to (a parent or carer, a teacher for school accounts) and why.

Objective Use three quick checks (who made it, what other sources say, when it was published) before sharing a claim.

You need Three printed or projected invented headlines.

Steps

1. Show an eye-catching invented headline and ask who would share it.
2. Teach the three checks and write them on the board.
3. Groups apply the checks to two more invented headlines.
4. Discuss: what would make you trust a source more next time?

Check for understanding Exit ticket: write the three checks from memory.

Objective Recognise that posts, likes and photos can last and be seen by people they were not meant for.

You need Footprint-shaped paper cut-outs.

Steps

1. Ask: what could someone learn about a person from their public posts?
2. Read a short invented profile and list what it reveals.
3. Students write one thing they would and would not post on separate footprints.
4. Sort the footprints on the wall and discuss the grey areas.

Check for understanding Students write one privacy setting or habit they will check this week.

Objective Notice how tone can be misread in messages and practise kind, clear replies.

Steps

1. Read the same short message aloud in a friendly and an angry voice.
2. Discuss why text messages are easy to misread.
3. Pairs rewrite three blunt invented messages so they are kind and clear.
4. Agree a class rule for what to do if a message upsets you: tell a trusted adult.

Check for understanding Students hold up thumbs for kind or unkind on four example messages.

Objective Identify sponsored posts, in-app offers and product placement, and explain why they exist.

You need Invented screenshots or sketches of a feed with hidden adverts.

Steps

1. Ask how free apps and videos make money.
2. Show the invented feed and hunt for adverts in pairs.
3. Highlight labels such as "sponsored" and "ad".
4. Discuss how adverts in games try to encourage spending.

Check for understanding Students circle every advert in a fresh example sheet.

Objective Understand that AI chatbots can be wrong and practise checking an answer against a reliable source.

You need A pre-prepared AI answer on a topic the class has studied, printed.

Steps

1. Read the printed AI answer together; it should contain at least one error you planted or found.
2. Groups check each claim against their textbook or class notes.
3. List the errors and discuss why they sounded convincing.
4. Agree class rules for when AI use is allowed, linking to your school policy.

Check for understanding Students explain in one sentence why an AI answer still needs checking.