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Lesson

Being Aware of What You Share

How can you protect your privacy when you're online?

Grade

8

Time

50 mins.

Kids share a lot of information whenever they go online -- sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. But do they understand that online privacy isn't just what they say and post? Help your students learn about their digital footprints and the steps they can take to shape what others find and see about them.

Objectives:
  • Reflect on the concept of privacy, including what they feel comfortable sharing and with which people.

  • Analyze different ways that advertisers collect information about users to send them targeted ads.

  • Identify strategies for protecting their privacy, including opting out of specific features and analyzing app or website privacy policies.

Vocabulary Show definitions
cookies · privacy · privacy settings · privacy policy · terms of service · opt out

cookies – small text files stored on a computer that keep track of what a person does on a website
privacy – protection from being observed or tracked by others, including the government, companies, the public, individuals or groups
privacy settings – choices a website or app provides users about what information is collected and visible to others
privacy policy – a legal document that an app or website must provide which describes what user information they collect and how they use it
terms of service – a legal document that an app or website must provide which describes the rules that the company and users must obey when they use the app
opt out – to choose to not participate in something
STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Lesson slides
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Topics 1

STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Sign in or join to unlock this free lesson.

Key Standards Supported

Common Core ELA

L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.2c, L.8.3, L.8.4, L.8.6, RI.8.1, RI.8.10, RI.8.2, RI.8.4, SL.8.1, SL.8.1a, SL.8.1b, SL.8.1c, SL.8.1d, SL.8.2, SL.8.3, SL.8.4, SL.8.6, W.8.10, W.8.4

ISTE

2a, 2b, 2d

CASEL

1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3a, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f

AASL

I.A.1, I.A.2, II.A.1, II.A.2, III.A.1, III.A.2, V.A.2, V.A.3, VI.A.1, VI.A.2, VI.A.3, I.B.1, I.B.2, I.B.3, II.B.1, II.B.2, III.B.1, III.B.2, IV.B.2, IV.B.4, I.C.1, II.C.1, II.C.2, III.C.1, III.C.2, V.C.1, V.C.3, I.D.1, I.D.2, I.D.3, I.D.4, II.D.1, II.D.2, II.D.3, III.D.1, III.D.2, V.D.1, V.D.2, VI.D.1, VI.D.2, VI.D.3, II.B.3

Lesson Plan

50 mins.

Warm Up: Private Minds

10 mins.

Explore: Just for You

10 mins.

Analyze: Protecting Your Privacy

20 mins.

Wrap Up: Take Action

10 mins.

Additional Resources

Extend the Lesson

Common Sense Education has partnered with CYBER.ORG to support cybersecurity education. If you want to build on the themes from this lesson, we recommend the following lesson from the CYBER.ORG content library:

  • Layers of Protection for Your Internet Voyage (Grades 6–8): Students will explore how combining good cybersecurity practices can increase user safety when exploring the internet.

Our collaboration with CYBER.ORG was made possible with the generous support of Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

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Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

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