Grades 9-12

Challenge high school students to take perspective on the opportunities and potential pitfalls of the digital world. These age-appropriate, 45-minute lessons use rich discussions and ethical debates to cover the digital literacy and citizenship topics including relationships, identity, respect, and privacy. The lessons highlight how teens can be mindful when curating their digital footprints and how they can take ownership of their digital roles by using today’s technologies to create, publish, and share their own creative work.

8 lessons are highlighted and the full materials are provided below in the suggested lessons section.

Additional Lessons May Be Found on the Common Sense Media Website - Click Here

Each lesson includes:

  • Full lesson plan with alignment to Common Core State State Standards
  • Any required student handouts
  • Referenced parent handouts
  • Extension activity
  • Checking for understanding questions/assessment handouts
  • Any appropriate lesson videos

Suggested Lessons: see below for lesson materials

9th Grade:

  • 01 Copyrights and Wrongs
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: English
  • 02 My Online Code

10th Grade:

  • 03 Rights, Remixes, and Respect
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: English
  • 04 What's the Big Deal about Internet Privacy?
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: English

11th Grade:

  • 05 Private Today, Public Tomorrow
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: English, History
  • 06 Breaking Down Hate Speech
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: History

12th Grade:

  • 07 College Bound
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: English, Econ
  • 08 Does it Matter Who Has Your Data?
    • Suggested content area(s) to cover lesson: Econ

Breaking Down Hate Speech — Digital lesson link. How can you create a community culture in which hate speech is unacceptable, both online and offline? Students learn the definition of hate speech and understand how it affects individuals, groups, and communities.

College Bound — Digital lesson link. How can information you post on the Internet affect your future opportunities? Students learn that everything they or anyone else posts about them online becomes part of a public online presence known as a digital footprint.

College Bound Videos — Link to videos mentioned in lesson. Available in iPad/Android friendly format.

Copyrights and Wrongs — Digital Lesson link. How can I make responsible choices when I use other people’s creative work? Students explore the legal and ethical dimensions of respecting creative work.

Copyrights and Wrongs Videos — Link to video mentioned in lesson. Available in iPad/Android friendly format.

Does It Matter Who Has Your Data? — Digital lesson link. What are the upsides and downsides of companies collecting your data online? Students consider the ways websites and companies collect data online and utilize it to personalize content for their users, as well as consider companies’ motives in doing so.

Does it Matter Who Has Your Data Videos — Link to video mention in lesson. Available in iPad/Android friendly format.

My Online Code — Digital lesson link. What does it mean to do the right thing online? Students discuss their understanding of ethical behavior and are introduced to the concept of online ethics.

Private Today, Public Tomorrow — Digital lesson link. How can you respect the privacy of others online? Students reflect on their responsibility to protect the privacy of others when posting information about them online.

Rights, Remixes, Respect — Digital lesson link. What should you consider when you use other people’s creative work? Students reflect on the differences between taking inspiration from the creative work of others and appropriating that work without permission.

Rights, Remixes, Respect Video — Link to Video mentioned in lesson. Video available in iPad/Android friendly format.

What's The Big Deal About Internet Privacy? — Digital Lesson Link. How do websites collect your personal information, and what can you do about it? Students explore the concept of privacy in their everyday lives, and as it relates to using the Internet.

What's the Big Deal About Internet Privacy Video — Link to video mentioned in lesson. Video available in iPad/Android friendly format