Introduction - Secret Superhero

Online tools are empowering for kids, and they also come with big responsibilities. But do kids always know what to do when they encounter cyberbullying? Show your students appropriate ways to take action and resolve conflicts, from being upstanders to helping others in need.

Before the lesson: As an optional activity before the lesson, have students play the E-volve game in Digital Passport™ by Common Sense Education. This will help introduce key concepts of this lesson. To see more, check out the Digital Passport Educator Guide.

 

Ask: Do you have a favourite superhero? If so, who is it and why? If not, why not? Take turns sharing with your partner. (Slide 4)

Invite students to share. Follow up by asking students to name specific super powers from their favourite superhero. Point out that one thing that all superheroes have in common is that they use their powers to help other people.

Say: Today we're going to talk about how we can all be superheroes and help others. We're going to watch a video about being super digital citizens. As we watch, think about the question, "What does a super digital citizen do?"

Show the video Super Digital Citizen on Slide 5.

Invite students to share their responses. Their answers should be based on what the Super Digital Citizen helps Guts do:

• Changes his password to be secure.
• Protects his tablet with a case and carries it in his backpack so that it won't break.
• Asks permission from Heart first before sharing a photo of her online.

 

Ask: You might have noticed that Guts became a superhero too. How did he do that?

Invite students to respond. Explain that Guts became a superhero because he took steps to help himself and others be responsible online. Define digital citizen as someone who uses technology responsibly to learn, create, and participate. (Slide 6)

 

Learn - Being an Upstander

Say: One situation a super digital citizen might see online is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is when someone uses digital devices, sites, or apps to intimidate, harm, or upset someone. (Slide 7)

Explain that cyberbullying can take many forms, including:

• Someone making fun of or pressuring someone else repeatedly
• Comments, memes, private messages, or chatting
• The person being bullied not knowing everyone who's doing the bullying (as people can hide their identity online)
• A group of people ganging up on someone

 

Ask: So if you saw someone being cyberbullied, what's something you could do to stop it? Take turns sharing with your partner.

Invite students to respond. Point out three ways that cyberbullying can be addressed:

• Defending or supporting the person being bullied
• Telling a trusted adult
• Addressing it directly with the bully

 

Explain to students that doing any of these things makes you an upstander. An upstander is a person who supports and stands up for someone else. (Slide 8)

Distribute the What Would a Super Digital Citizen Do? Student Handout to each student and have a student read the directions for Part 1 aloud. Allow students five minutes to complete the activity. (Slide 9)

 

Create - Your Digital Citizen Superhero

Distribute coloured pencils or markers and tell students: You're going to create your own digital citizen superhero, who will help people like Guts to become super digital citizens.

Distribute the Digital Citizen Superhero Student Handout and read the directions aloud. (Slide 10)

Optional: Have students use Marvel's Create Your Own Superhero, save the image, and paste the image into the handout.

Allow students 10 minutes to work on their superheroes. If time permits, have students share their superheroes with the class, or have them on display for a gallery walk.

 

Plenary - Save the Day! Comic Strip

Have students go back to their What Would a Super Digital Citizen Do? Student Handout and go to Part 2. Have a student read the directions aloud before students create their comic strip stories. (Slide 11)

 

Optional: Have students use a digital comic creation tool. See our recommendations: Classroom-Friendly Websites and Apps for Making Comics.

Have students complete the Lesson Quiz. Send home the Family Activity and Family Tips.

 

Extension Activity:

Have students brainstorm and write an opinion piece on what the quote "with great power comes great responsibility" means in the digital world. How is having access to the internet a "great power"? What responsibilities do we have to ourselves and others? Students can post their work to a blog or your class page.