Materials and Preparation

• White board

• A long piece of string or tape

• Red, yellow, and green markers or crayons

• Copy the Website Traffic Light Student Handout, one for each student.

Essential Question

How do you stay safe when you visit websites?

Lesson Overview

Students understand that they should stay safe online by choosing websites that are good for them to visit, and avoid sites that are not appropriate for them.

First, students learn about the similarities between staying safe in the real world and when visiting websites. Next, they learn about the website traffic light and complete an activity where they match statements about websites to the correct safety level of the site. Then they play an interactive game and consider how to determine which websites are just right for them.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to ...

• understand that being safe when they visit websites is similar to

staying safe in real life.

• learn to recognize websites that are good for them to visit.

• recognize if they should ask an adult they trust before they visit a

particular website.

Key Vocabulary

safe: free from danger or harm

caution: to be careful

right: something that’s appropriate and fitting

Warm-up (5 minutes)

ASK

What does it mean to be safe?

When you walk down the street or play in your neighborhood without a trusted adult there, how do you stay safe?

TELL

Tell students that just as they should stay safe in the real world, they should stay safe when they go into the online world (visiting websites). Make parallels between the answers students gave you about their neighborhood and the online world.

EXPLAIN

Explain to students that one way they can keep safe online is by using the website traffic light. A regular traffic light tells people who are driving cars when they need to go, slow down, or stop. In the same way, the website traffic light tells people who are visiting websites whether or not it’s okay to go somewhere.

Introduce the Website Traffic Light (10 minutes)

DRAW

Draw a website traffic light on the white board using the illustration from the Website Traffic Light Student Handout.

DEFINE

Define the Key Vocabulary term right. Explain to students that the website traffic light will help them choose

sites that are just right for them.

EXPLAIN

Explain to students the meaning of the green, yellow, and red traffic lights. Use the talking points below.

Green – GOOD!

Look for sites that are “green” and bookmark them so you can visit your favorites! (You may have to explain and demonstrate how to bookmark a site.)

ASK

What are some “green” websites you visit? How do you know they’re safe and just right for you?

Yellow – CAUTION!

Before you go to a site you think is “yellow,” get permission from an adult you trust.

ASK

Have you ever come across a “yellow” site? How did you take caution?

Red – STOP!

Avoid a site you think is “red.” If you’re unsure, ask a trusted adult.

ASK

Have you ever been to a “red” website you knew was not right for you? How could you tell?

Go, Caution, Stop! Use the Website Traffic Light

(15 minutes)

DISTRIBUTE

Handout the Website Traffic Light Student Handout, one per student.

READ ALOUD

Read the handout instructions. Have students work together in pairs or small groups to complete

the handout.

INVITE

Invite students to share answers to each statement on the handout. The correct answers are:

1. This site is just right for me. (GREEN)

2. I should get permission from an adult I trust. (YELLOW)

3. There are fun things for me to do and see. (GREEN)

4. This site is not right for me. (RED)

5. I’d like to go there, but I should be cautious. (YELLOW)

6. The site has things for older kids or adults, but not for me. (RED)

Play the Website Traffic Light Game (10 minutes)

HAVE

Have students line up in a row on one side of the room. Place a string or piece of tape as a line on the floor on the opposite side of the room where you’ll stand, parallel to the students’ row. You’ll be playing a game similar to the popular “Red Light, Green Light” children’s game.

INTRODUCE

Explain the rules of the game:

For each “green” website, you move forward two steps.

For each “yellow” site, you move forward one step.

For each “red” site, you can’t move.

If you get an answer wrong (i.e., you move the wrong number of steps), you must go back to where you stood before and take one step back.

READ ALOUD

Read each of the following statements about pretend websites students might visit. After each statement, students take the number of steps they think is correct. Reveal the correct answer after each statement, prompting students to explain why something is “red,” “yellow,” or “green.” The students who make it to the line at the front of the room first are the winners.

PLAY

You went to the Games-o-rama website by accident and a stranger asks you your name and age.

RED – no steps

The Wacky Bunny site is funny! Even your grandma would think it’s just right.

GREEN – forward two steps

You are searching for pictures of hearts but come across a site that makes you feel uncomfortable.

RED – no steps

A site for your favorite TV show has fun things for kids your age to do.

GREEN – forward two steps

There’s a kids sports site you visited that allows people to chat with each other.

YELLOW – forward one step

You’re on a game site where a screen pops up and asks for your email address.

YELLOW – forward one step

Your teacher tells you to visit a site where you can learn things about giraffes.

GREEN – forward two steps

REMIND

Remind students after the game that just as they stay safe by following traffic lights, they should aim to stay safe online by choosing sites that are just right for them. They should also ask an adult for permission to visit a site they think is “yellow,” and avoid visiting sites that are “red.”

Wrap-up (5 minutes)

You can use these questions to assess your students’ understanding of the lesson objectives.

ASK

How is staying safe in your neighborhood and staying safe online similar?

What would a “green light” website look like?

What would a “yellow light” or “red light” website look like? What should you do if you come across one of these sites?