BCPS Internet Safety Curriculum

Teaching Students to be Safe and Responsible Digital Citizens
Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology. They provide a FREE, pioneering curriculum that is designed to empower students to think critically and make informed choices about how they create, communicate, and treat others in our ever-evolving, 24/7 digital world. Currently the curriculum provides lesson plans and resources for grades K-8, soon they will also be adding content for grades 9-12.

Use the links below to access the resources and lesson plans for teaching students how to be safe and good digital citizens. You will need to create a free account with Common Sense Media to download and use these resources.

Unit: Safety

SafetyStudents learn that the Internet offers great ways to visit new places, learn new things, and collaborate with others worldwide. They learn to follow rules about safety online, such as not revealing private information without a parent or guardian's permission.

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Unit: Security

Safety

Students learn several ways to keep their information secure online. They learn how to: create and keep secure passwords, handle spam or unwanted messages, be cautious about the enticing offers they see on websites, and recognize privacy policies and seals of approval on children's websites.

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Unit: Digital Life

Safety

The lessons in this unit are designed to harness students' enthusiasm, encouraging them to talk about the impact of digital media on their lives, their communities, and our culture. Students discuss the positive and negative aspects of digital life and are introduced to the concept of digital citizenship.

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Unit: Privacy and Digital Footprints

Safety

In a world in which everyone is connected and anything created can be copied, pasted, and sent to millions of people, it is important that students bring a sense of ethical responsibility to the online spaces where they consume, create, and share information. In this unit's lessons, students learn to manage their own privacy and respect the privacy of others.

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Unit: Connected Culture

Safety

Students explore the ethics of participating in and building positive online communities, as well as how communities are upset because of cyberbullying and other damaging behaviors. The lessons explore the impact of students' individual actions – both negative and positive – on their friends and on the broader communities in which they participate.

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Unit: Respecting Creative Work

Safety

The lessons in this unit address students' rights and responsibilities about respecting creative work, as well as explore topics ranging from copyright to fair use. Students reflect on the ethics of using creative work from others, and they are encouraged to celebrate their role as 21st-century creative artists.

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Unit: Searching

Safety

Students learn how to select subject categories in a directory. They also learn that keyword searching is an effective way to find information online, and they practice selecting keywords to produce the best results.

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Unit: Research and Evaluation

Safety

Students learn what to look for when evaluating the quality and usefulness of children's information websites, and understand that not all websites are equally good sources of information.

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