Hello, everyone! Today, we’re going to learn how to become a super digital citizen. My name is Sam Payne, and I teach at Wilson Focus School in Omaha, Nebraska. I teach all subjects like reading, math, science, and social studies.
Let’s talk about using the internet safely. Who is in charge of making sure you use the internet safely? That’s right, you are! Today, we’ll learn how to be a good digital citizen and how to check if the information you find online is true.
Have you ever heard the Spider-Man quote, “With great power comes great responsibility”? The internet gives us a lot of power. Talk with your friends about what kind of power the internet gives us. For example, you can look up information on almost anything!
A digital citizen is someone who acts safely, respectfully, and responsibly online. Can you think of examples when people are not being safe or respectful online? Maybe trying to hack into someone’s computer or sharing personal information without permission.
Now, let’s create a digital citizen superhero! We’ll use a website to build our own superhero character. You can choose from three designs and make it your own. I’ll show you how to do it, and then you’ll have time to create your superhero.
Making comics is a fun way to learn. You can use them to show conversations between characters and tell a story. Think about how your superhero can help others be safe and respectful online.
After creating your superhero, we’ll do a gallery walk. This means you’ll look at what others have created. Sit down, read their comics, and think about whether they show safety, responsibility, or respect. It’s exciting to see what everyone has done and learn from each other.
Let’s have a volunteer share their comic. For example, one comic might show a superhero stopping people from gossiping online.
Remember, being online gives you many opportunities. It’s important to make good choices, and it takes a super digital citizen to do that. Who can be a good digital citizen? Everyone here can make those good choices. Great job, everyone!
Create a Digital Citizen Pledge: Gather your friends or family and create a pledge that outlines how you will be a super digital citizen. Write down rules for being safe, respectful, and responsible online. Decorate your pledge with drawings or stickers and hang it somewhere visible at home or in the classroom.
Internet Safety Scavenger Hunt: With the help of an adult, go on an internet safety scavenger hunt. Look for websites or online games that teach about internet safety. Make a list of three new things you learned about being safe online. Share your findings with your class or family.
Role-Playing Scenarios: In small groups, act out different scenarios where you need to make a decision as a digital citizen. For example, what would you do if someone asked for your personal information online? Discuss the best choices and how to handle each situation responsibly.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Ladies and gentlemen, please give me five and gently close the lid on your laptops. Today, we’re going to focus a little bit on how to become a super digital citizen. My name is Sam Payne, and I’m from Omaha, Nebraska. I teach at Wilson Focus School in the Omaha Public Schools district, and I teach fifth grade across all curriculum subjects: reading, math, science, and social studies.
I can use the internet safely because, really, who is in charge of using the internet safely? Go ahead and point. That’s right, you can! Today’s lesson is going to be about how to be a good digital citizen and how to evaluate the information you find on websites.
To introduce the topic, I’ll bring up a quote from Spider-Man: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Has anyone heard that before? I thought that would be familiar. The question I need to ask you is: what kind of power does the internet give us? Before you answer, have a whisper-level conversation with the people at your table and think about it. You can look up information—be specific about the power it gives us.
We’ll have a little discussion as a class, and then we’ll talk about what it means to be a digital citizen. A digital citizen is someone who chooses to act safely, respectfully, and responsibly whenever they are online. What are some examples of when people are not being safe, responsible, or respectful online?
For example, trying to hack into someone’s computer or giving out personal information. This leads us to our next project: can you build a comic showing safety, responsibility, or respect? Imagine your digital superhero stepping in to save the day. Remember, a superhero always uses their powers to help others.
Today, we are going to create a digital citizen superhero. The website we will use allows you to build your own superhero character. You can choose from three basic designs and customize it however you like. I will model the process for about five minutes, and then you will have time to create your own character.
Building comics is a great way to visually present learning and text. We can use this to teach dialogue, as the visuals and text bubbles help show communication between characters. Students will analyze their situations and the text structure of the comic book to build a complete narrative.
Now, we will do a gallery walk because you are all artists! There are some rules: sit down, read what others have created, and think about whether it was an example of safety, responsibility, or respect. Take a walk and see what you can find. It’s inspiring to see what others have done and how it can help you be smart and safe online.
I’d like to invite a volunteer or two to share their comic. For example, one comic featured a character who could stop people from gossiping online.
Remember, the bottom line is that students will be exposed to many opportunities online. I want you to know that there are choices to make, and it takes a super digital citizen to make those choices. Who does it take to be a good digital citizen? Everyone in here knows how to make those good choices. Great job, everyone!
