Safer Internet Day

Overview

Today’s lesson focuses on helping students understand their digital footprints, the importance of privacy, managing their online reputation, and practicing responsible digital behavior to stay safe and respectful online.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand what a digital footprint is and how it is created
• recognise the importance of privacy settings and managing personal information online
• explain how online actions can affect their reputation
• demonstrate responsible and respectful behavior in digital environments

Success criteria

Students can:

• describe MFA as requiring more than a password (a token or single-use password) to access an account
• point out at least two signs of phishing in a message (e.g. suspicious sender domain, urgent language)
• choose the correct next action (do not click, check source, report, and authenticate safely)
• justify their choices using cyber safety reasoning (not guesses)

Curriculum links

• Digital Technologies — AC9TDI8P13 (multi-factor authentication; phishing and other threats)
• Digital Technologies — AC9TDI8P12 (responsibly sharing/using digital tools and online behaviours)

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (incident scenario). Teacher displays a short “fake login” scenario on the board (teacher reads it aloud). Students quickly write: “What would you do first?” Success criteria check: Students record an initial safety action.

2. 5–15 min · Safer Internet Day input. Teacher leads a guided discussion using Safer Internet Day materials: password-only risk, what MFA is, and why it matters. Students complete a 3-2-1 note: 3 ideas about MFA, 2 signs of phishing, 1 question they still have.

3. 15–25 min · Mini-lesson: MFA in action. Teacher uses an everyday analogy (e.g. bank transfer needs more than a password) and explains:

• password may be stolen
• MFA adds a second factor (token/single-use password) that only the account owner can access Students, in pairs, annotate a simple “Account access flow” diagram: Password step → MFA token step → Access granted/blocked.

4. 25–40 min · Phishing threat detective. Teacher provides 2 short message examples (printed or on screen, no links): one realistic and one with common phishing traits (e.g. mismatched domain, urgent pressure, poor grammar). Students complete a “Detect and decide” table:

• What looks suspicious?
• What is the threat?
• What should the user do? (don’t click, verify source, report, and secure account)

5. 40–50 min · Formative assessment: Decision check. Teacher runs a quick “Show me” activity: students hold up one of three options on cards for each prompt: A) Click link and log in B) Stop, verify, and report C) Ignore message and continue Prompts include: “Forgot password” message, “Refund required now”, and “Strange sign-in notification”. Teacher listens for brief student explanations and records common misconceptions.

6. 50–55 min · Agile reflection (quick). Students write a 4-sentence reflection:

• Today I learned…
• The best reason MFA helps is…
• A phishing sign is…
• Next time I’ll… (Teacher collects for skim/feedback.)

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket (individual). Students answer two questions:

• In one sentence, explain how MFA protects an account if a password is compromised.
• List one phishing technique and one safe action.

Resources

• Safer Internet Day teacher slides/print notes (from esafety.gov.au materials)
• “Account access flow” diagram (print or digital)
• Two phishing message examples (teacher-created based on Safer Internet Day guidance)
• Student “Detect and decide” table worksheet
• Response cards: A / B / C
• Exit ticket slips or digital form
• Markers, pens, device access (optional)

Assessment

• Formative during discussions: teacher listens for understanding of digital footprints and privacy concepts
• Formative during scenario activities: teacher observes students' ability to identify responsible digital behaviors and potential reputation risks
• Exit ticket to confirm understanding of digital footprints, privacy importance, and strategies for maintaining a positive online reputation

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters (“I think this is phishing because…”, “The safest action is… because…”); offer a worked example of the “Detect and decide” table
• Support: give a reduced-choice version for the decision check (only B vs A, then expand)
• Extension (advanced learners): ask students to design a “Safety by design” checklist for a school login system—must include MFA and reporting pathways—and justify how each step reduces risk even if passwords are compromised
• EAL/SEN: allow oral responses or graphic organisers; pre-teach key terms as a class (account, token, phishing, report)

Success criteria for each activity

• Hook: identifies an initial safety action when suspicious activity is noticed
• Notes: includes accurate ideas about MFA and phishing signs
• MFA diagram: correctly shows why access is blocked without the second factor
• Detective table: names phishing traits and selects safe responses
• Decision check: selects correct option and gives a reason
• Exit ticket: accurately explains MFA and identifies one phishing technique plus a safe action