Internet Safety Basics

Overview

Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Duration: 45 Minutes
Subject: Technology
Curriculum Area: Digital Citizenship and Online Safety
Standards Alignment:
ISTE Standards for Students:

• 1.2.c (Digital Citizenship): Students understand the importance of keeping personal information private to protect themselves online.

---

Goals and Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand what "personal information" is.
• Identify examples of information that should never be shared online (e.g., full name, address, phone number).
• Recognize the importance of talking to a trusted adult before sharing information online.

---

Materials

• Smartboard or projector
• Large poster paper
• Markers/crayons
• Pre-cut flashcards with examples of information (both "personal" and "public")
• "Guard Your Info" Activity Sheet (teacher-created worksheet dividing personal vs. public info)

---

Lesson Plan

1. Warm-Up (5 Minutes) – What is Personal Information?

Teacher-Led Discussion:

• Start the lesson by asking a question: What does it mean to tell someone a secret? Let a few students share their thoughts.
  • Example guidance: Just like how we don’t tell our secrets to everyone, there are some things about ourselves that we should keep safe and not share with strangers online.
• Display two images on the board:
  • A picture of a house (Label: "Home/Address")
  • A picture of a smiley face (Label: "How are you feeling?")
    Ask students: Which of these might be ok to share with a stranger? Guide them to the correct answer (“How are you feeling?”).

Key Teaching Phrase: “Personal information is about YOU and your family, like your name, where you live, or your birthday. Some things must stay private to keep us safe!”

---

2. Interactive Mini-Lesson (10 Minutes) – Sorting Fun

Activity:

• Prepare a pocket chart or whiteboard with two columns:
  • Column 1: "Personal Information"
  • Column 2: "Public Information"
• Hand out pre-cut flashcards to students (examples listed below). Ask each student to come up and place the card in the correct column.
  Card Examples:
  • Full Name
  • Favorite Food
  • Phone Number
  • Address
  • Best Friend's Name
  • Color You Like Best
  • Birthday
  • A Joke You Know

Teacher Prompts:
Guide students through each example as they place cards, emphasizing why personal information should not be shared online. Use phrases like:

• “If you give this information to someone you don’t know, they could find out where you live. That's not safe!”
• “Sharing your favorite color is ok because it doesn’t tell anyone about YOU or your family.”

---

3. Storytime and Discussion (10 Minutes)

Read-Aloud Story:
Create or use a simple fictional story like Tommy and the Mystery Friend Online.

• In the story, Tommy chats with someone online who asks for his name and where he lives. Tommy almost gives the information but remembers to check with his mom first.
• Pause the story during the critical moment and ask students, What should Tommy do? Why?

Guided Questions After the Story:

1. Was Tommy’s “mystery friend” someone he knew in real life? Why does that matter?
2. What should Tommy do if someone he doesn’t know keeps asking about him?

---

4. Group Activity (15 Minutes) – Design Your Privacy Shield

Objective:
Each student will design a “Privacy Shield” poster to reinforce what they learned.

Instructions:

1. On large sheets of paper, instruct students to draw and color a shield.
2. Inside the shield, students will write or draw symbols representing the types of information they should keep private online (e.g., a picture of a house, a phone, their birthday).
3. Students can decorate their shields with crayons, stickers, or markers.

Check-in with Students:
As students work, walk around and ask why they chose the items on their shield. Use this time to reinforce concepts.

---

5. Wrap-Up (5 Minutes) – Keep It Private Reminder

Class Discussion:

• Review the main concept: “We keep our personal information private online to stay safe. If you’re ever not sure if it’s ok to share, always ask a trusted adult first!”
• Ask students to share one thing they learned today with the class.

---

Assessment/Evaluation

• Observe each student’s participation during sorting and storytelling activities.
• Check the "Privacy Shields" to see if students correctly identify personal information.

---

Extensions and Differentiation

1. For Early Finishers:

   • Provide an additional challenge: Draw three items that are ok to share with friends (e.g., favorite animal).

2. For Students Needing Extra Help:

   • Work with these students during small-group time to reinforce sorting personal vs. public information.

---

Teacher Notes

• Reinforce this lesson with repetition. Consider regularly revisiting online safety discussions throughout the year.
• Keep the Privacy Shields displayed in the classroom as a visual reminder of internet safety.