Keeping Our Information Safe Online

Young students learn best by doing, especially when topics involve abstract risks like online privacy. Active role-plays and sorting games make invisible dangers visible, while pledges and discussions give children tools to articulate their understanding. These methods turn cautionary advice into memorable, child-led learning.

• 3rd Year
• Active Citizenship and Democratic Action
• 4 activities
• 20 min–35 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify at least five types of personal information that should be kept private online.
2. Explain the potential risks associated with sharing personal information online, such as identity theft or unwanted contact.
3. Analyze online scenarios to determine when it is appropriate to share information and when to seek adult guidance.
4. Formulate a personal online safety plan that includes steps for responding to uncomfortable online situations.
5. Evaluate the credibility of online sources regarding personal safety advice.

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Role-Play: Online Scenarios

Prepare cards with scenarios like 'A chat friend asks for your address' or 'A game requests your photo.' In pairs, students act out the situation, decide safe responses, and share with the class. Debrief on why choices matter.

Prepare & details

What kind of information should we keep private online?

Facilitation Tip: During the Role-Play: Online Scenarios, assign clear roles like 'trusted adult', 'stranger', or 'child unsure what to share' to keep scenarios focused and relatable.

⏱ 25 min·Small Groups

Sorting Game: Share or Not?

Print images and statements of info types (e.g., favorite color vs. home address). Students sort into 'safe to share' and 'keep private' piles in small groups, then justify choices. Display sorts for class vote.

Prepare & details

Why is it important to ask an adult before sharing things online?

Facilitation Tip: For the Sorting Game: Share or Not?, use real examples from your class’s daily online lives to make the activity immediately relevant.

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Safety Pledge Posters

Students draw or write personal online safety rules, like 'Ask an adult first.' In small groups, combine into a class poster and present pledges. Hang posters as ongoing reminders.

Prepare & details

What should we do if something online makes us feel uncomfortable?

Facilitation Tip: When creating Safety Pledge Posters, let students work in small groups to draft one rule that feels most important to them, then combine ideas into a class pledge.

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Discussion Circles: Uncomfortable Moments

Pose key questions in a whole-class circle. Students share what makes them uncomfortable online and brainstorm actions like 'tell a trusted adult.' Record ideas on chart paper.

Prepare & details

What kind of information should we keep private online?

Facilitation Tip: In Discussion Circles: Uncomfortable Moments, normalize mistakes by modeling how to respond if someone says something unsafe, such as 'I’m not sure, let’s ask the teacher together.'

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should avoid lecturing about risks and instead guide students to discover protections through guided discovery. Children need repeated practice responding to scenarios, so short, frequent activities work better than one long lesson. Research shows that peer feedback strengthens understanding, so build in time for students to explain their choices to each other.

What to Expect

Students will confidently identify sensitive information, explain why sharing certain details is unsafe, and demonstrate how to respond to uncomfortable online situations. Success looks like clear reasoning during discussions and thoughtful choices in sorting games and role-plays.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Role-Play: Online Scenarios, watch for students who assume someone is safe because they seem friendly.

What to Teach Instead

Use the role-play to pause and ask, 'What if this person is pretending? What clues tell us this might be risky?' Guide students to look for inconsistencies in the scenario details.

Common Misconception

During Sorting Game: Share or Not?, watch for students who think popular apps or games must be safe.

What to Teach Instead

After the game, ask students to share examples of data that trusted sites still collect. Have them add these examples to their 'unsafe to share' list.

Common Misconception

During Discussion Circles: Uncomfortable Moments, watch for students who say 'just ignore it.'

What to Teach Instead

Use the circle to practice specific phrases like 'I need to tell an adult' or 'I don’t feel comfortable.' Model these responses first, then ask students to try them in pairs.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Role-Play: Online Scenarios, provide each student with a half-sheet listing two scenarios: one safe request and one unsafe request. Ask them to circle the unsafe one and explain why in one sentence.

Quick Check

During Sorting Game: Share or Not?, circulate with a checklist of expected responses for each card. Note which students hesitate or change their minds after group discussion.

Discussion Prompt

After Safety Pledge Posters, ask students to share one rule they included and why it matters. Listen for explanations that mention adult help, consent, or consequences of sharing.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to write a short 'digital safety tip' for a younger child, using examples from today’s activities.
• For students who struggle, provide visual cards with simple icons (house for address, phone for number) to help them categorize information in the sorting game.
• Allow extra time for students to research one child-friendly privacy policy from a site they use at home and compare it to class rules.

Key Vocabulary

Personal Information	Details about yourself that, if shared widely, could identify you or compromise your safety. This includes your full name, address, phone number, and school name.
Privacy Settings	Controls on social media platforms and apps that allow you to limit who can see your posts, photos, and personal details.
Digital Footprint	The trail of data you leave behind when you use the internet, including websites you visit, emails you send, and information you post.
Cyberbullying	Harassment or bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets, often through social media, SMS, or gaming platforms.
Phishing	A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.