Relationships and Communication
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You can access the entire Common Sense Media digital citizenship curriculum here.
2nd Grade
Who Is in Your Online Community
We are all connected on the internet! By learning the Rings of Responsibility, students explore how the internet connects us to people in our community and throughout the world. Help your students think critically about the different ways they connect with others, both in person and online.
Learning Objectives:
Compare and contrast how they are connected to different people and places, in person and on the internet
Demonstrate an understanding of how people can connect on the internet
3rd Grade
Our Digital Citizenship Pledge
Belonging to various communities is important for kids' development. But some online communities can be healthier than others. Show your students how they can strengthen both online and in-person communities by creating norms that everyone pledges to uphold.
Learning Objectives:
Define what a community is, both in person and online.
Explain how having norms helps people in a community achieve their goals.
Create and pledge to adhere to shared norms for being in an online community.
4th Grade
Keeping Games Fun and Friendly
Social interaction is part of what makes online gaming so popular and engaging for kids. Of course, online communication can come with some risks. Show your students how to keep their gaming experiences fun, healthy, and positive.
Learning Objectives:
Define "social interaction" and give an example.
Describe the positives and negatives of social interaction in online games.
Create an online video game cover that includes guidelines for positive social interaction.
5th Grade
Digital Friendships
Kids make friends everywhere they go -- including online. But are all of these friendships the same? How can kids start online friendships and also learn ways to stay safe? Help your students understand both the benefits and the risks of online-only friendships.
Learning Objectives:
Compare and contrast different kinds of online-only friendships.
Describe the benefits and risks of online-only friendships.
Describe how to respond to an online-only friend if the friend asks something that makes them uncomfortable.
6th Grade
Chatting Safely Online
Games, social media, and other online spaces give kids opportunities to meet and chat with others outside the confines of their real-life communities. But how well do kids actually know the people they're meeting and interacting with? Help students consider whom they're talking to and the types of information they're sharing online.
Learning Objectives:
Analyze how well they know the people they interact with online.
Reflect on what information is safe to share with different types of online friends.
Learn to recognize red flag feelings and use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to respond to them.
7th Grade
My Social Media Life
For most middle schoolers, being on social media can mean connecting with friends, sharing pictures, and keeping up-to-date. But it can also mean big-time distractions, social pressures, and more. Help students navigate the different feelings they may already be experiencing on social media.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the role of social media in their lives.
Reflect on the positive and negative effects social media use has on their relationships.
Recognize "red flag feelings" when using social media and use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to consider ways to handle them.
8th Grade
Sexting and Relationships
It's natural for teens to be curious about their emerging sexuality. But most middle-schoolers aren't prepared for the risks of exploring this in the digital age. Help students think critically about self-disclosure in relationships and practice how they'd respond to a situation where sexting -- or a request for sexting -- might happen.
Learning Objectives:
Compare the risks and benefits of self-disclosure in relationships.
Identify the risks and potential consequences of sexting.
Use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to consider how to respond in situations where sexting could occur.
9th Grade
Chatting Red Flags
Having conversations online, without nonverbal cues or being able to see people, can be awkward and sometimes even risky -- with drawbacks from simple misunderstandings to manipulation or inappropriate messages. Help students navigate and avoid these situations before they go too far.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the types of messages that might cause a red flag feeling for someone.
Use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to analyze and respond to a situation involving a red flag feeling.
10th Grade
Rewarding Relationships
"It's complicated" can describe many of our relationships with others, both romantic and otherwise. Add digital devices and social media to the mix, and things get complicated even further. Help students take the first step toward building healthy and rewarding friendships and romantic relationships, both online and off.
Learning Objectives:
Reflect on how their relationships are affected by devices and the internet.
Identify the qualities of healthy and rewarding relationships.
Use the Feelings & Options thinking routine to brainstorm strategies for navigating challenging relationships
11th Grade
Connecting with Digital Audiences
What you say, and how you say it, often depends on whom you're talking to, both in person and online. The person or people you're chatting with -- and the apps or websites you're using -- affect how we communicate. Remind your students to consider their audience before they post or comment online, and help them build community and communicate effectively in the digital world.
Learning Objectives:
Apply the idea of code-switching to how they use phones and other devices in and outside of school.
Consider different ways that code-switching online can make communication more meaningful and effective.
Write an example post or message that uses code-switching to communicate with an online audience.
12th Grade
We Are Civil Communicators
When we talk about our personal beliefs and politics, passions can run high -- especially when we're online. These intense moments can often lead to tit-for-tat insults, or worse. But, if addressed calmly and coolly, they can be an opportunity to find common ground and deeper understanding. Teach students to keep disagreements civil so their ideas will be heard and so they can advocate for positive change.
Learning Objectives:
Define civil discourse and identify why it can be challenging on the internet.
Analyze resources to identify the causes and effects of uncivil online discourse.
Learn strategies for civil discourse and apply them to a scenario involving uncivil discourse.