Think Before You Share

Lesson Overview

This 45-minute PSHE lesson for Year 6 students focuses on understanding the importance of thinking critically about what is appropriate to post online. It aligns with the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education curriculum and the UKS2 Objectives for Internet Safety and Harms, as outlined in the Department for Education’s Education for a Connected World framework.

By the end of the lesson, students will know:

• What is appropriate to share online and why.
• The rules and regulations in place to prevent harmful online content from spreading.
• Practical steps to take if they come across something online that makes them feel uncomfortable or upset.

This lesson incorporates interactive activities, group discussions, and reflection to ensure active engagement and comprehension.

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Learning Objectives

• Knowledge: Understand what makes content appropriate or inappropriate for online sharing.
• Understanding: Recognise how online platforms enforce rules to manage inappropriate behaviour or content.
• Skills: Develop safe and responsible responses when encountering upsetting content online.

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Resources Needed

• Interactive whiteboard (or a large display screen).
• “Appropriate or Not?” sorting activity (printed or physical cards).
• Sheets of A3 paper and markers for group work.
• Post-it notes for reflection.
• Examples of anonymised scenarios for discussion.

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Lesson Plan

1. Starter Activity (5 Minutes)

Activity: Warm-Up Discussion – “What’s Out There?”

• Begin by asking:
  • “What kinds of things do we share online?”
  • “How do we decide what we should or shouldn’t post?”
• Take answers from a range of students to gauge prior knowledge.
• Write their responses on the board under two headings: “Safe to Share” and “Think Again.”

Purpose: Set the tone for thinking critically about online sharing and identify any gaps in understanding.

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2. Main Teaching Input (10 Minutes)

Mini-Lecture: Understanding Online Boundaries
Using the whiteboard, teach the following key points:

1. Appropriate Sharing:

   • Things we can share include hobbies, things that make us happy, or achievements like certificates.
   • Things to avoid: private details (full name, address, school name, phone numbers), photos of others without permission, or anything disrespectful.

2. Rules and Safeguards Online:

   • Explain that social media platforms have rules (often called community guidelines) to prevent harmful or offensive posts.
   • Highlight tools like reporting posts, blocking users, and automatic filters for offensive language or images.

3. What To Do If You See Something Upsetting:

   • Stop engaging with the content immediately.
   • Speak to a trusted adult.
   • Use reporting tools on the platform.

Emphasise the importance of talking to a teacher, parent, or carer and reassure them that any concerns will always be listened to carefully and taken seriously.

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3. Main Activity (20 Minutes)

Activity 1: Sorting Game – “Appropriate or Not?” (10 Minutes)

• Split the students into small groups of 4-5.
• Hand each group a set of flashcards with different examples of online posts. These should be a mix of appropriate (e.g., "I love my new puppy!") and inappropriate posts (e.g., "Here’s my full home address!").
• Groups discuss and sort the cards into two piles: "Safe to Share" and "Think Again."
• Circulate the room, challenging groups to justify their choices, and address any misconceptions.

Activity 2: Scenario Role Play – “What Should You Do?” (10 Minutes)

• Share anonymised examples of online situations (e.g., "You see a nasty comment under your friend's photo" or "A stranger asks for your phone number in a game chat").
• In pairs, students discuss what they would do in each situation using the STOP principle (Stop, Think, Options, Protect).
• Invite a few pairs to summarise their discussions with the whole class.

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4. Plenary (10 Minutes)

Activity: Post-it Reflection – “My Golden Rule”

• Ask each student to think of one golden rule for online sharing and write it on a post-it note (e.g., “Don’t share anything you wouldn’t say out loud in class” or “Ask an adult if you’re unsure about a post”).
• Students come to the front and attach their post-its to a “Safe Sharing Wall” on the whiteboard.

Class Discussion: Review some examples together and reiterate that these golden rules will help keep them safe online.

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Differentiation

• For lower ability learners: Offer sentence starters for the activities, such as “I don’t think this post is okay because…” or “If I see something scary online, I will…”
• For higher ability learners: Challenge them to add their own examples of online posts during the sorting activity or consider how they might explain these rules to younger children.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Through group discussions and sorting activity, evaluate their ability to distinguish appropriate content from inappropriate content.
• Use the scenario role-play activity to assess their understanding of online safety strategies.
• Post-it notes provide qualitative feedback about their takeaways from the lesson.

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Key Vocabulary

• Appropriate
• Inappropriate
• Community guidelines
• Reporting
• Trusted adult

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Reflection for Teacher

To assess the success of the lesson:

• Observe whether students demonstrate critical thinking when completing activities.
• Reflect on the kinds of rules students create during the plenary for signs of understanding.
• Use their engagement and feedback as a basis for planning follow-up lessons on online safety, such as understanding cyberbullying or privacy settings.

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