Part 3 How to get started...

I took a look at the middle school resources because the first link for the high school section was not working. I took a close look at the  “Ups and Downs of Social Media” module from Social Media TestDrive, which helps students reflect on both the positive and negative effects of social media on their mood, relationships, and self-image. This activity fits naturally into my health curriculum because it connects to emotional wellness and digital balance. The module training would be great for the middle school level, especially with the read aloud feature, but for high schoolers, I would extend it into a deeper exploration of mental health–friendly social media choices. After completing the original module, students could reflect on their own feeds and identify patterns that affect their mood or self-esteem. From there, they could apply a personal “digital wellness checklist” with questions like: Does this account make me smarter, happier, or healthier? and am I comparing myself, or am I genuinely connecting with others?Students could then make small, intentional changes, such as unfollowing accounts that cause negative self-comparison, following content that supports learning or wellbeing, and curating their feed to reflect positive values. As a culminating activity, students would identify a positive role model or influencer on social media that they look up to, and reach out to them with a thoughtful question or message asking for advice. For example, they might ask how that person how they got started with crossfit and what advice they have for someone starting out. Students could then share what they learned with the class or write a reflection on how the exchange changed their perspective on the value of social media.

I explored the Netsmartz digital literacy resources and found them to be a great fit for students in Grades 4-6. There are six interactive episodes that cover key topics like online safety and digital citizenship. I went through the first episode, which focuses on what to do if you or a friend is dealing with cyberbullying. It shares practical tips and realistic scenarios that are perfect for class discussions or independent learning. I could see students working through this in pairs- triads or even independently.  This would be a valuable resource for any tech class or digital literacy unit.

I am really interested in trying the idea of a Photo Journal in Google Docs! I have done similar projects with my students but usually n Goole Sides with my students throughout different units and lessons but never in a digital format. A digital photo journal allows students to essentially always have access to it and to creatively write when they feel like they want to or to even respond to a current event (for example a recent summer vacation). Students are living in a world where photos/videos are such an integral part of the social media community. So to show students that we can also integrate that into our school learning is a really cool way for students to see the integration of technology into school and curriculum in ways that are meaningful to them. The links provided are excellent resources as well. I'm looking forward to trying this out in the fall.

After reviewing my grade level resources, I picked the activity of using the 5 w’s with my students to find if an online article is credible.  The internet is a great tool and resource for students, but we need to teach them how to find and recognize credible sources.  This is a great tool that helps all students learn and grow while reaching for information.

Beginning of the school year I would have the students watch the Safety in My Neighborhood video.  It is a quick video that gives an easy overview of how the internet connects people to different places and people.  It is a great beginning for a discussion on the internet and using iPads.  I also like the lesson from SPLC Learning for Justice.  The students are provided two sources to go to about fixing kids bikes.  One of the sources gives actual information about how to do it while the other one is a place where you can order parts for a bike.  I like how they have the venn diagram as an activity to compare the two.  This activity could either be done whole group or in small groups where the students could write the information on chart paper and then they could present it to the class.  The topic is relatable for the students at this level.  I would definitely be interested in trying this activity with my students this upcoming school year.

1.I really loved the kindergarten material presented for "Safety in my online neighborhood." I love how realistic yet grade level appropriate the video was. It did a good job of comparing the internet to the real world. I myself would have some sort of interaction throughout the video to make sure the students were understanding what was being presented. I would ask questions to gage their understanding of the use of the internet. 


2. I discussed with pre k the idea of stranger danger in the real world and the internet. I believe it went well and helped students understand that online strangers can also negatively impact someone.I might add in more partner work and have students turn to each other to discuss what was presented. I believe the interaction with each other can help more with the understanding of the concept. 

For this activity, I had a class of students track their online time for a week.  After tracking how much time they spent on a device over the course of a week, we had discussions about time limits and why those might be good to set for yourself or work with your parents to set up. We gave examples of things we might miss if we spend all of our time on devices. I had them track video, games, TV, and “other” online activities.  

I think this was a good starting point to at least make kids aware of how much time they spend online. I have these conversations with my kids at home all the time since I use family settings on both their iPhones and on Xbox so I can track how much time they have spent using either or both of those devices in a given day or week. I can set time limits if they can't handle tracking their own amount of time. These would be good things to share with parents throughout a longer period so they can start seeing patterns that their kids are engaging in when it comes to technology use.  Since we can't give parents access to limit their kids ability to use devices via restrictions, we can hopefully share more resources about how they can limit their kids overall use in other ways, such as limiting access to devices and things of that nature.

Part 3- Teaching a Regents style course- USH, it's really difficult to branch away from our content/pacing schedule. However, I could see myself incorporating a monthly or quarterly lesson around digital literacy. Such as, choosing a news story on an Internet safety issue to share and discuss; Sharing Internet safety tips; Planning an Internet safety day, etc.

The activity I picked to do was “My Online Neighborhood” (K-1 Common Sense Learning: Safety in My Online Neighborhood.) I like how this activity compared visiting places on the internet to visiting places in real life. Just like there are rules to keep safe when you visit new places in the world, there are ways to keep yourself safe online. It engages the students and allows them to bring all of their experiences to the discussion. That works well. The lesson is written as a 45-minute lesson. Since the children have a short attention span, I think it's better to break it into many smaller mini-lessons to hold the interest and engagement of the students.

I like the Application of the Digital Skills Project on “Evaluate Credibility of Online Resources”. We have a lesson we discuss tax rates and our current progressive system. This is an EXCELLENT opportunity to put this project into motion. I typically have the students do 3 examples where we look at how much is collected in a fictitious government where all workers pay the same rate in taxes, then a progressive and a regressive example. We then see how much money is collected and also have a discussion on what they believe are the positives and potential drawbacks on each system. Modifying this includes an explanation of the three systems and an illustrated example. From here, the students are told do a search on the three tax systems and their effects created by imposing them. They will be told to copy the article into a Google Doc and Box of the five “w’s. I think this could be combined with the project idea of giving a presentation on an article you found.

I see this as a wonderful opportunity for our SGA to teach their peers about Digital Literacy and Safety. The HS SGA has a Student Safety committee. I did the lesson on cyberbullying with them. It went great. I asked them the following questions: is lying is a problem in your school/community? Why or why not? •How do you think people who are cyberbullied feel? •Have you ever witnessed anyone being cyberbullied? What did you do? •Have you ever made a report about cyberbullying? What happened next? Did you feel like the problem was solved? The conversations were insightful and informative. Next, we brainstormed ways our school/community can fight cyberbullying. We then examined cyberbullying from the perspective of the bully and the victim. We read an article from US News, What to Know about Cyberbullying. It went through the roles of parents, the legality schools face and provided resources.  Something I would do next time is an extension activity. SGA can host a pop up contest where kids create posters, PSAs, poems, short stories, or skits around an Internet safety issue. I would also like to do the lesson on Digital Ethics, Choice and Cheaters with my Academics and Student Life committee. In this age, student mental health and wellness is a priority. Digital Citizenship and literacy go hand in hand with social emotional wellness.

I love the idea of a photo journal in Google Docs! Interestingly enough, I have done this with my students throughout different units and lessons but never in a digital format. A digital photo journal allows students to essentially always have access to it and to creatively write when they feel like they want to or to even respond to a current event (i.e. the Blizzard over the weekend). Students are living in a world where photos/videos are such an integral part of the social media community. So to show students that we can also integrate that into our school learning is a really cool way for students to see the integration of technology into school and curriculum.