In today’s digital age, equipping middle schoolers with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world safely is more important than ever. As middle school counselors, you play a crucial role in this educational journey. This blog post outlines a lesson plan, including an interactive sorting activity, “Safe or Unsafe Cyber Skills Practice for Middle School,” designed to engage students in learning about cyber safety effectively.

Lesson Plan Overview

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials: Interactive sorting activity, device with internet access

Objective: To educate middle school students on distinguishing safe from unsafe cyber behaviors, promoting digital literacy and responsibility.

Preparation Steps

1. Prepare the “Safe or Unsafe Cyber Skills Practice for Middle School” activity. If available, use an interactive whiteboard or an individual device.
2. Review key concepts of cyber safety to discuss with students.

Lesson Execution

1. Introduction to Cyber Safety (5 minutes): Begin with a brief discussion on the importance of being safe online. Cover principles of personal information security and digital footprints.
2. Interactive Sorting Activity (10-15 minutes): Introduce the “Safe or Unsafe Cyber Skills Practice for Middle School.” Guide students through scenarios of online behaviors, asking them to categorize each as safe or unsafe. Encourage discussion on why certain behaviors are considered risky.
3. Group Discussion (10 minutes): After completing the activity, facilitate a group discussion. Encourage students to share insights and ask questions about online safety. Highlight strategies for staying safe online.

Conclusion

The Cyber Skills Practice for Middle School offers a practical and interactive way to engage middle school students in critical conversations about online safety. By actively participating in this lesson, students will better understand how to protect themselves online and make informed decisions about their digital behaviors.

Sample Video

Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!

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