Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 5th Year · Safety and Protection · Summer Term

Online Safety

Explore how to stay safe online by protecting personal information, identifying online risks, and dealing with cyberbullying.

TL;DR:This topic equips pupils with essential life skills for navigating their digital world safely and with confidence. We will explore how to be smart about sharing information and how to be a kind and responsible digital citizen.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SPHE Curriculum: Myself - Safety and protection

About This Topic

This topic on Online Safety is a crucial component of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum for 5th Class, aligning directly with the 'Myself and the wider world' strand. In an era where pupils are engaging with the digital world at an increasingly young age, it is vital to equip them with the knowledge and skills to navigate it safely and responsibly. The lessons within this topic focus on fostering a sense of digital citizenship, helping pupils understand the permanence of their digital footprint and the importance of protecting their personal information.

The content moves beyond simple rules, encouraging critical thinking and resilience. Pupils will learn to analyse situations, recognise potential risks in online environments like social media and gaming platforms, and develop strategies for dealing with negative experiences such as cyberbullying. The emphasis is on empowerment, teaching pupils how to make informed choices, where to seek help from trusted adults, and how to contribute positively to online communities. This foundation is essential for their personal safety and wellbeing as they prepare for the transition to post-primary school, where their online presence is likely to expand significantly.

Key Questions

1. Explain the importance of keeping passwords private.
2. Analyse a social media profile to identify potential safety risks.
3. Compare safe online communication with unsafe online communication.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least three types of personal information that should be kept private online.
• Create a strong, secure password using a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Distinguish between safe and unsafe online communication in given scenarios.
• Describe the 'Stop, Block, Tell' strategy for dealing with cyberbullying.
• Analyse a social media profile to identify potential safety risks.

Key Vocabulary

Cyberbullying	Using digital technology like phones or the internet to deliberately and repeatedly upset someone.
Personal Information	Details that can be used to identify you, such as your full name, address, school, or phone number.
Digital Footprint	The trail of data and information you leave behind when you use the internet.
Privacy Settings	Controls on websites and apps that let you decide who can see your information and posts.
Trusted Adult	A grown-up in your life you can rely on to help you if you have a problem, like a parent, guardian, or teacher.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

If my social media account is set to 'private', no one else can ever see my posts.

What to Teach Instead

Even on private accounts, friends can screenshot your posts and share them with others. Information can spread in ways you don't expect, so it's best to only post things you would be comfortable with anyone seeing.

Common Misconception

It's not really bullying if you're just joking or being sarcastic online.

What to Teach Instead

Cyberbullying is about the impact on the other person, not just the intention. If a comment or post is hurtful or makes someone feel bad, it can be considered bullying, even if you thought it was a joke.

Common Misconception

Sharing my password with my best friend is okay because I trust them.

What to Teach Instead

Passwords are like the keys to your house, they should never be shared with anyone. Even if you trust your friend, they might lose it, or you might have a falling out, putting your private information at risk.

Common Misconception

Strangers online who are friendly are safe to talk to.

What to Teach Instead

It's very easy for people to pretend to be someone they are not online. You should never talk to or accept friend requests from people you don't know in real life, no matter how friendly they seem.

Active Learning Ideas

Case Study Analysis

Profile Detectives

In small groups, pupils examine a series of mock social media profiles printed on worksheets. Their task is to identify and circle any personal information or posts that could pose a safety risk, such as a school uniform in a photo, a home address, or a public phone number.

30 min·Small Groups

Case Study Analysis

Password Power-Up

Pupils learn the criteria for a strong password (length, mix of characters, not personal). They then work in pairs to create three strong, memorable, but fake passwords for different scenarios, explaining why each one is secure.

20 min·Pairs

Case Study Analysis

Trusted Adult Network

Pupils individually draw or write a 'spider diagram' with themselves in the middle. On the connecting lines, they name at least five 'trusted adults' in their life (e.g., parent, teacher, auntie, coach) whom they could talk to if something online made them feel worried or unsafe.

15 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Setting up a new gaming account and choosing a safe username and a strong password.
• Deciding whether to accept a friend request on a social media app from someone you don't know well.
• Recognising a mean comment on a YouTube video and knowing not to engage with it.
• Helping a friend who is upset by messages they received online by encouraging them to tell a trusted adult.
• Checking with a parent or guardian before filling out an online form that asks for personal details.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Use a 'Think-Pair-Share' activity where pupils discuss a scenario about an online dilemma and decide on the safest course of action.

Peer Assessment

Pupils create a poster or a short comic strip illustrating one key rule for staying safe online, such as protecting passwords or dealing with cyberbullies.

Quick Check

Provide pupils with a simple checklist to review their own (or a mock) online profile, ticking boxes for safety features like 'My full name is not visible' or 'I have not shared my school name'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if someone is being mean to me in an online game?

The best thing to do is to not reply to them. You should block the player, report their behaviour using the game's reporting tool, and tell a trusted adult straight away.

Is it safe to use my real name as my username?

It's much safer to use a nickname or a creative username that doesn't include your full name, age, or where you live. This helps protect your personal information from strangers.

What counts as 'personal information'?

Personal information is any detail that could be used to identify you. This includes your full name, address, phone number, school name, date of birth, and even photos of you in your school uniform or outside your house.