Respect in Digital Spaces

---

Curriculum Area

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic Education)
Topic: Building respectful relationships
UK Curriculum Alignment: This lesson supports the UK national PSHE curriculum, specifically focusing on the relationships content under Core Theme 2 (Relationships). It addresses online relationships, respect for others, and managing conflict in group dynamics.

Key Learning Objectives:
By the end of this 40-minute lesson, Year 5 students will:

• Understand appropriate behaviour in online group chats, including managing and addressing "roasting" and racial slurring.
• Recognise how words online can impact people emotionally.
• Develop strategies to foster respect and kindness in digital conversations.

---

Lesson Outline (40 Minutes)

1. Settling & Introduction (5 Minutes)

• Teacher Question: "What makes a good friend online and in person?"
  • Allow 2-3 students to share their points as a quick class brainstorm.
• Framing the Lesson:
  • Explain that this lesson focuses on behaviour in group chats (like WhatsApp or games with chat options) and how we can create a kind digital environment.
  • Introduce the terms "roasting," "racial slurs," and "banter." Clarify these in simple terms:
    • Roasting: Making fun of someone, often as a joke.
    • Racial slurs: Words or comments about someone's race that can hurt or discriminate.
    • Banter: Joking in a friendly way, but it can sometimes go too far.
  • Emphasise the importance of understanding the impact of words, especially online where tone and intention can be misunderstood.

---

2. Main Activity – Group Chat Role-Playing (30 Minutes)

This core activity involves practical role-play where students will simulate a group chat while exploring how to respond to negative behaviours.

Step A: Setting the Scene (5 Minutes)

1. Divide the class into 5 groups of 5 students.
2. Give each group a prepared script for a pretend group chat, where a variety of interactions happen (see examples below). Explain they will role-play reading the script aloud to the group.

Group Chat Scenarios:

• Scenario 1: Someone shares a funny meme, and another person “roasts” their photo.
• Scenario 2: A student makes a joke, but it comes across as hurtful to someone's accent or race.
• Scenario 3: A group member is feeling left out because no one replies to their message.
• Scenario 4: Friendly banter takes a turn and someone is asked something private or uncomfortable.
• Scenario 5: Someone calls another person dramatic for saying they feel upset.

Step B: Discussion and Role Play (15 Minutes)

• In their small groups, students take turns reading their parts in the group chat aloud.
• After reading the scenario, they pause to discuss:
  1. Who in this group chat is not behaving respectfully?
  2. How might the person receiving the "roast" or slur feel?
  3. What could someone in this chat do to stop the situation from escalating?
• Assign one group member to write down their group's answers to the three questions.

Step C: Class Debrief (10 Minutes)

• Bring the class back together. Pick 1 or 2 groups to quickly share their scenario and their answers to the questions.
• Draw out key takeaways for all scenarios:
  • It's okay to stop a conversation if it feels unkind.
  • Simple, respectful responses can make a big difference, e.g., "That's not cool," "Please stop saying that," or "What's going on? Are you okay?"
  • Highlight the importance of considering everyone's feelings in online settings.

---

3. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 Minutes)

• Give students two sticky notes each.
• On the first sticky note, they should write one thing they now understand about respectful behaviour in group chats.
• On the second sticky note, they should write one thing they will personally do to make their online chats kinder.
• Have students anonymously stick their notes to the "Respect Tree" display at the front of the classroom (can be a pre-prepared board or printable tree image on the wall).

Exit Question: Before the bell, ask students to raise their hand and share one thing they learned today OR give an example of a respectful response they might use in a group chat.

---

Additional Notes for Teachers

• Differentiation:

  • For students needing extra support, pair them with confident readers in the role-playing activity.
  • Extend thinking for advanced students by offering them a scenario where two inappropriate responses are given. Ask them to craft a solution that repairs the situation.

• Key Points to Emphasise During Discussions:

  • Online messages can be misunderstood – always think before you send.
  • Some jokes may seem funny to one person but hurt someone else.
  • Standing up for someone online is important, even if you're not directly involved.

• Class Management Tips:

  • Ensure scenarios are age-appropriate and relatable to their current digital habits (gaming chats, WhatsApp group messages).
  • Keep group sizes small to encourage participation from everyone.

---

Resources Needed

• Pre-written scripts for group chat scenarios (one set per group).
• Sticky notes for the reflection activity (two per student).
• A wall display or printed image of a "Respect Tree" to collect their sticky note reflections.

---

Evaluation of Learning:

• Monitor the quality of group discussions during role-playing.
• Assess the suitability of strategies shared in the reflection and whole-class debrief.
• Use the sticky note "Respect Tree" to gauge whether students can identify learnings and actionable strategies for respectful behaviour online.

End Goal: Students leave the lesson feeling confident about their ability to handle negative comments and promote respectful behaviour in group chats.