Pause, Block, Report

Overview

In this third lesson of Āhurutanga Online: Safe Connections, students learn and rehearse a practical response to unsafe, unkind, or worrying online experiences. They build on earlier learning about safe connections by sequencing steps, identifying trusted adults, and practising clear help-seeking without sharing personal experiences.

Learning intentions

• WALT use a safe response strategy when something online feels unsafe, unkind, or worrying.
• WALT identify trusted people and services who can help.
• WALT communicate clearly when asking for support.
• WALT recognise that unsafe online experiences are never a child’s fault.

Success criteria

• I can explain and sequence: pause, save evidence, block or leave, and tell a trusted adult.
• I can identify at least two trusted support people.
• I can practise saying or showing, “I need help” and “Please stop.”
• I can respond to a fictional situation without blaming the person affected.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education — personal safety, relationships, help-seeking, and recognising when support is needed.
• Social Sciences — rights, responsibilities, fairness, and participation in safe communities.
• English — communicating clearly for a purpose and listening respectfully.
• Technology — safe, responsible, and ethical participation in digital environments.

This lesson develops the refreshed curriculum emphasis on manaakitanga, belonging, agency, participation, and making informed decisions that support individual and collective wellbeing.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Safe-space hook. Teacher displays the question, “What could you do if a message or request made your puku feel uncomfortable?” using the opening question slide and reminds students they will use fictional examples only. Students think-pair-share, with the option to pass or write rather than speak; teacher reinforces that adults are responsible for helping and children are never to blame.

2. 5–12 min · Teach the response pathway. Teacher uses the response pathway slides to introduce four steps: Pause—stop replying and take a breath; Save evidence—keep the message or tell an adult what happened; Block or leave—use safety settings or exit; Tell—contact a trusted adult and keep telling until someone helps. Students act out each step with simple hand signals and repeat the pathway in order.

3. 12–17 min · Trusted-support map. Teacher models a help-seeking sentence: “I need help with something that happened online. Can you stay with me?” and discusses possible trusted adults at home, school, or in the wider community. Students complete the trusted-adult section of the safe-response practice sheet, naming two people or roles and one way to contact them; students may draw instead of write.

4. 17–30 min · Paired scenario rehearsal. Teacher places students in pairs and gives each pair one fictional prompt from the decision-making scenario cards. Students discuss “What could you do?” and “What might happen?”, then choose speech, a three-panel comic, or digital-free drama to show the response pathway. Suggested situations include a hurtful message, an unknown contact, or a request for a photo. Teacher circulates, checking that students do not practise sharing personal details or images.

5. 30–39 min · Share and improve. Selected pairs present or display their response. The class uses the practice and discussion slides to check: Did they pause? Did they save evidence safely? Did they block or leave? Did they tell a trusted adult? Students offer one kind, specific improvement, such as “You showed clearly who could help.”

6. 39–45 min · Rehearse and reflect. Teacher leads a whole-class call-and-response using the closing rehearsal slides: “Pause, save, block or leave, tell.” Students complete the final reflection on the safe-response practice sheet by sequencing the steps and writing or recording one help-seeking sentence. Invite students to privately tell the teacher if anything has made them feel unsafe; do not ask for details in front of peers.

Resources

• the Pause, Block, Report slide deck
• the safe-response practice sheet
• the decision-making scenario cards
• Board or display screen
• Pencils, coloured pencils, and blank paper
• Optional role cards or simple classroom props
• School’s safeguarding and digital-safety procedures for teacher reference

Assessment

• Listen during paired discussions for accurate sequencing and language that places responsibility on adults and platforms, not on the child.
• Use the scenario checklist to assess whether students identify a safe action, a trusted adult, and a clear help-seeking phrase.
• Collect the worksheet or photograph comic responses to check sequencing and support needs; follow up privately and immediately according to school safeguarding procedures if a student indicates a real concern.

Differentiation

• Provide picture icons, gesture cues, a four-step word bank, and sentence starters: “I feel ___ because ___”; “Please stop”; “I need help with ___.”
• Allow students to respond orally, draw, act, point, dictate to an adult, or use an approved communication device.
• Pair students thoughtfully and offer a teacher-led rehearsal for students who need reduced social or language demands; never require disclosure or physical contact.
• Extend confident students by explaining why saving evidence and telling an adult both matter, or by creating a second safe response for a different fictional situation.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach pause, evidence, block, leave, trusted, and help with visuals and home-language support where available.