Trust and Online Safety Lesson Plan and Activity

CASEL STANDARDS

Self-Awareness

Social Awareness

OBJECTIVE(S)

Students will analyze what information is safe to share with different types of online friends, determine whether or not to trust online connections and sources, and identify which factors help trust or not trust.

ASSESSMENT

Teamwork participation Class discussion Decisions in scenarios Reasoning in regard to trust indicators

LESSON KEY POINTS

Emphasizing the importance of trust in online relationships and interactions.

Determining key factors in evaluating trustworthiness

Prioritizing personal safety with strangers online

Addressing the misconception that politeness and niceness equate to trustworthiness

OPENING

Introduce the idea of online safety to your class by asking students, “Who or what do you trust online? Why or why not?” Allow students to share answers. Show students the Safe Online Talk Video.

ACTIVITY

Break students into teams and share the Online Safety Tips for Teens information sheet. Have teams read and review the tips. Answer questions and clarify tips, if necessary.

Introduce the “Do You Trust It?” game. Each team will receive 5 real-life online scenarios (scenarios are listed at the end of the lesson) and must discuss and answer the questions listed with each scenario. Teams should be prepared to explain why they did or did not trust the person or situation and if they used any of the safety tips from the information sheet to help with their decision.

For each scenario, highlight the following items in the classroom discussion:

• The potential risks involved
• Ways to verify the identity or legitimacy of the person/website
• What personal information is safe to share, if any
• Who to ask for advice when unsure of a person/website's trustworthiness
• Safety tips from the information sheet

REFLECTION / Closing

Students will work individually to record an audio/video where they answer the questions: Why is trust important in online situations? How do you determine if someone is trustworthy online? Alternatively, students can use journals to write their responses.

GOING DEEPER

Students can dig deeper into the lesson by visiting the following online games/quizzes to learn more about the difference between legitimate and fraudulent sources.

https://www.internetmatters.org/ https://www.commonsense.org/education https://www.webwisekids.org/parents-teachers-kid-zone.html https://sos.fbi.gov/en/

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"Do You Trust It?" Game Scenarios

Scenario 1 - Social Media Friend Request

You received a friend request on social media from someone claiming to be a student at a nearby school. Their profile shows they have mutual friends with you, but you’ve never met them in person. They send you a message asking to chat.

Do you accept the friend request and chat with them? What information, if any, do you share with them?

Scenario 2 - Online Gaming Chat

While playing an online multiplayer game, an online teammate asks for your real name and the school you attend. They say they want to meet up to practice the game together in person.

Do you share your personal information? How do you respond to their request to meet?

Scenario 3 - Email from School

You receive an email that appears to be from your school. It asks you to click a link and log in with your school account to update your emergency contact information.

Do you click the link and enter your login information? What steps do you take to verify if the email is really from your school?

Scenario 4 - Contest Website

You find a website offering a chance to win the latest smartphone. To enter, you need to provide your full name, address, and phone number.

Do you enter the contest? What information, if any, do you provide? How do you determine if the website is legitimate?

Scenario 5 - Video Chat with a Celebrity

You receive an invitation to a private video chat with someone claiming to be your favorite social media influencer. They say they’re chatting with fans one-on-one and ask you to join.

Do you accept the invitation? How do you verify if it’s really the celebrity? What precautions do you take if you decide to join the chat?

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Access the downloadable Trust and Online Safety Lesson Plan here.

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