Protective Behaviours Online

Year Level:

Year 6

Duration:

60 Minutes

Unit Title:

Staying Safe Online (Lesson 3 of 10)

Curriculum Area:

Health and Physical Education – Personal, Social and Community Health
Australian Curriculum links (Version 9.0):
ACPPS054 - Investigate practices that help promote health, safety and wellbeing
ACPPS056 - Practise skills to establish and manage relationships

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Lesson Title:

Protective Behaviours Online

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WALT (We Are Learning To):

Understand and recognise protective behaviours that keep us safe in online spaces.

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WILF (What I'm Looking For):

• Able to describe at least three protective behaviours
• Engage successfully in a group role-play scenario
• Use correct terminology such as ‘reporting’, ‘blocking’, and ‘privacy settings’

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TIB (This Is Because):

Knowing how to protect ourselves is essential – it helps us feel safe, in control, and confident when using digital tools and online platforms.

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Lesson Overview:

This interactive lesson engages Year 6 students in exploring protective online behaviours through brainstorming, group collaboration, and drama-based role-playing. By mapping real-world online scenarios, students will be better equipped to act wisely and safely. A brief formative assessment allows students to demonstrate their learning in a meaningful, active way.

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Lesson Preparation

Resources Required:

• A3 paper and markers for group brainstorming
• Printed role-play scenario cards (see below)
• Safety Behaviour Checklist (differentiated version for support)
• Badge design templates for early finishers
• Large sticky notes or whiteboards
• Access to a whiteboard/screen for visual anchor charts
• Timer or clock

Key Vocabulary:

• Protective behaviours
• Reporting
• Blocking
• Privacy settings
• Online safety
• Suspicious content
• Trusted adult

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Lesson Sequence

1. Acknowledgement of Country – (2 minutes)

Invite a student, or teacher leads a 20–30 second respectful Acknowledgement of Country to begin the day.

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2. Tuning In – Discussion Starter (5 minutes)

Pose the following question:

“What would you do if someone made you feel uncomfortable or scared while you were online?”

• Display this question on the board.
• Allow students to Think-Pair-Share their quick responses.
• Record a few responses on the whiteboard.
• Highlight if any students naturally mention key terms (reporting, blocking, privacy settings).

Transition line:
“Today we'll explore some smart ways we can stay strong and stay safe when something just doesn't feel right online.”

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3. Explicit Teaching – What are Protective Behaviours? (10 minutes)

Use the whiteboard or screen to model the core idea of protective behaviours with these three core actions:

1. Report – Tell a trusted adult or use the report function if something or someone makes you feel uncomfortable.
2. Block – Remove the ability for them to contact you.
3. Privacy Settings – Use built-in tools to control who sees your information.

Demonstration:
Create a visual triangle on the board representing these three key protective behaviours as “Online Safety Superpowers.” Use colour coding and small student-friendly icons.

Ask discussion questions like:

• "Who has used a block feature before?"
• "Where would you find the privacy settings in a game or app?"
• "Why might someone not want to report something? How could we help them?"

Encourage short contributions from a range of students.

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4. Active Learning – Group Brainstorm (Mini-Challenge) (10 minutes)

Task Instructions:

• In mixed-ability groups of four (approx. 7 groups), students brainstorm “What online risks might students our age face?”
• Provide a structured brainstorm sheet with two columns:
  • "Unsafe Situations"
  • "Protective Behaviours I Could Use"

For example:

Unsafe Situation	Protective Behaviour
Random person sends me messages	Block them, tell my parent
Pop-up asks for personal info	Close it, don’t fill it in

Float around the class, supporting students to extend their ideas and use the appropriate terms.

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5. Collaborative Role-Playing – Scenario Cards (20 minutes)

Set-Up: Provide each group of 4 with a scenario card. Each card presents a relevant and age-appropriate online situation. (Examples provided below.)

Scenario	Title	Example
1	What’s Behind That Link?	You receive a strange link from someone you met in a game.
2	Who Are You Really?	Someone adds you on social media claiming to be a "friend of a friend"
3	Unkind Comments	A group chat starts joking about another classmate.
4	Secret Sharing	A friend asks you to keep a secret about something unsafe.

Instructions:

• Decide who will play each role
• Create a 1-minute skit showing:
  • What the unsafe situation is
  • Which protective behaviour(s) they used
  • A safe outcome or positive resolution
• Emphasise respectful language and safe boundaries

Teacher Tips:

• Remind students: this is not meant to be silly – we are practising real skills.
• Allow 5 minutes preparation and 1-minute performance for each group.

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6. Formative Assessment – Group Share Out (10 minutes)

Groups share their 1-minute replay skits.

Teacher assesses:

• Did students use at least one effective protective behaviour?
• Did they use the correct terminology?
• Did they present a safe solution or idea?

Use a class checklist or anecdotal notes sheet to track participation and understanding.

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Differentiation

Support – Struggling Students:

• Provide a Protective Behaviours Checklist with symbols to guide their brainstorms and role-plays.
• Pre-teach vocabulary with visuals where possible.
• Pair with more confident peers during role-play.

Extension – Early Finishers:

Safety Badge Design Challenge: Invite students to design a digital safety badge or shield using paper or tablets (if available). Prompts:

• “What symbols show protection?”
• “What words or phrases empower others to stay safe?”

Encourage them to write a small paragraph:

“What message is my badge sending to others about staying safe online?”

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Plenary & Reflection (3–5 minutes)

Conduct a ‘Popcorn Reflection’, asking:

• “What’s one protective behaviour you learned today?”
• “Why is it important to know what to do online?”

Write responses on sticky notes and place them on the designated ‘Digital Citizens Wall’ as exit slips.

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Assessment & Success Criteria

Success Criteria:

By the end of this lesson, all students should be able to: ✅ Describe at least three protective behaviours used to stay safe online
✅ Share or act out an appropriate response to an online scenario
✅ Identify when and how to use reporting, blocking, and privacy settings

Formative assessment evidence includes:

• Group brainstorm sheets
• Group performance
• Teacher observation and anecdotal notes
• Exit slip responses

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Reflection for Future Planning

After the lesson, reflect on:

• Which protective behaviours were confidently used or misunderstood?
• Did students feel safe to share or ask questions?
• Which groups needed more scaffolding – for vocabulary or social skills?

These reflections will help guide upcoming lessons in the “Staying Safe Online” unit, especially those focused on help-seeking and recognising online risks.

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Thank you for continuing to teach responsible digital citizens, one button-click at a time!