We can be safe, respectful, and responsible online.
MMES Digital Citizenship curriculum is obtained from Common Sense Media.
Embedded Files
5.1 Challenging Stereotypes
5.1 Challenging Stereotypes
How do stereotypes shape how we view others online?
When students encounter stereotypes in games, videos, and social media, these oversimplified representations powerfully shape how they view themselves and others online. Help students apply practical questioning strategies to recognize and challenge harmful stereotypes in digital spaces.
Objectives
Objectives
Recognize common stereotypes we see online and how they might not tell the whole story
Apply critical questioning techniques to challenge stereotypical representations
Create avatars that authentically represent themselves beyond stereotypical constraints
5.2 Understanding Design Tricks
5.2 Understanding Design Tricks
How do apps and devices try to keep my attention longer than I had planned?
Help students recognize common "design tricks": special features that apps and games use to hold their attention longer than planned. Students will learn to identify how technology is designed to capture and hold their focus. By developing awareness of these intentional design strategies, students prepare for the Tricky Tech card game, where they'll learn specific strategies to stay in control of their tech time and make conscious choices about their tech habits.
Objectives
Objectives
Understand how technology is designed to keep our attention
Identify common design tricks used in apps and games
5.2 Tricky Tech Game
5.2 Tricky Tech Game
How can healthy tech habits help us battle design tricks?
Students play Tricky Tech, an engaging card game that brings design tricks and healthy digital habits to life. Through gameplay, students recognize common design strategies used by apps and websites, while practicing protective habits that support their digital well-being. This hands-on experience helps students connect classroom learning to their real-world tech use.
Objectives
Objectives
Recognize design tricks when playing the card game Tricky Tech
Practice using healthy habits to make good choices about how we use tech
5.3 Remix responsibly
5.3 Remix responsibly
How can we be creative while respecting the creative rights of others?
In this hands-on lesson, students discover that creativity isn't about starting from scratch, but responsibly building upon others' ideas through the remix process of copy, transform, and combine. As students create shape and poetry remixes, they learn to balance creative expression with respecting others' work—essential skills for today's digital creators.
Objectives
Objectives
Define plagiarism and explain why giving credit matters
Learn about the remix method: copying, transforming, and/or combining
Practice creating "original" content that builds upon others' ideas legally
5.4 Media frames: looking beyond headlines
5.4 Media frames: looking beyond headlines
How does media framing influence our understanding of events and the world around us?
Why might the same event get completely different coverage across news outlets? In this lesson, students discover how media institutions frame information to highlight certain perspectives, which minimizes others. By comparing headlines and analyzing what gets included or left out, students develop the critical thinking skills to recognize when they're only seeing part of a bigger story.
Objectives
Objectives
Understand how media framing shapes what information is shared
Analyze how different media institutions might present the same event differently
Develop strategies to seek multiple perspectives when consuming media
5.5 Invisible audiences
5.5 Invisible audiences
How can invisible audiences change the impact of what we share online?
A single post can transform someone's reputation overnight. In this lesson, students will grapple with real ethical questions about digital responsibility as they explore how algorithms can expose content to unexpected viewers. Through a thought-provoking digital dilemma and guided reflection, students will discover the delicate balance between sharing authentic experiences and considering the potential consequences of going viral.
Objectives
Objectives
Understand what an invisible audience is
Reflect on how online posts can reach invisible audiences
Consider the potential impacts of going viral online
5.6 Navigating Online friendships
5.6 Navigating Online friendships
How can we keep online friendships safe?
Nearly half of today's preteens have reported friendships with people they've only met online—digital relationships have become a normal part of growing up. This lesson explores the delicate balance between enjoying these meaningful online connections and maintaining safety and personal boundaries. Help students develop practical strategies to recognize pressure tactics, respond confidently to inappropriate requests, and cultivate safe, positive relationships in their increasingly digital social lives.
Objectives
Objectives
Identify warning signs ("red flags") in online conversations
Understand why it's important to avoid sharing personally identifiable information (PII) when talking online
Practice setting healthy boundaries with online friends
5.6 M.E.N.D. to Rebuild trust
5.6 M.E.N.D. to Rebuild trust
How can we take responsibility and rebuild trust when online harm occurs?
When online actions damage friendships, students need tools to rebuild what's broken. Help students explore the challenging journey of rebuilding trust through accountability, rather than excuses. Introduce students to the MEND framework, helping them discover that genuine repair requires not just words, but consistent actions that demonstrate trustworthiness over time—an essential skill for maintaining healthy relationships.
Objectives
Objectives
Understand the importance of accountability when trust is broken online
Apply the MEND framework to repair friendships and rebuild trust
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