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Ethical vs Unethical Tech Use

Tenth graders learn what separates ethical technology use from unethical use, from respecting privacy and crediting work to honesty, and sort real actions into the two groups.

Grade 10Ethical vs Unethical Tech Use50 minutes1 class periodCSTA / ISTEExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Spot ethical use.
  • ✓Spot unethical use.
  • ✓Respect privacy & credit.
  • ✓Sort each action.
Essential Question

Technology makes a lot possible, but possible is not the same as right. What separates an ethical use of tech from an unethical one?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Sort the Actions

Project this and sort each action into ethical or unethical — tap an action, then tap where it belongs.

⚖️ Sort each action: ethical or unethical?Try it
✅ Ethical
❌ Unethical
Tap an action, then tap whether it is a responsible use of technology or not.
The Lesson · Explicit teaching

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Just Because You Can

5 min

Technology makes a lot possible. But possible is not the same as right. What makes a use of tech ethical or not?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a gray-area action.
  • Ask right or wrong.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Sort the Actions

12 min

Students sort ethical and unethical actions.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Sort the Actions.
  • Drop each action.
  • Explain each choice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
3

Modify — Make It Right

13 min

Students fix an unethical action.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick an unethical action.
  • Name the ethical version.
  • Explain the difference.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Name.
  • Explain.
4

Create — Ethics Code

15 min

Students write a tech-ethics code.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List your values with tech.
  • Turn them into rules.
  • Make a code.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List.
  • Turn.
  • Make.
5

Reflect — Can vs Should

5 min

Students reflect on tech ethics.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Why respect others' privacy and work?
  • Name one ethical tech habit.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and the ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
3A-IC-24

Evaluate the ethical impact of computing choices.

CSTA
3A-IC-29

Explain the importance of privacy and consent.

CSTA
2-IC-21

Discuss responsible and ethical use of technology.

ISTE
2

Act ethically and respect others' rights online.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Action cards with icons.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is ethical / unethical.”
  • Sort two actions at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with clear-cut actions.
  • Discuss one example together.
  • Sort ethical fully before the rest.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Debate a genuine gray-area case.
  • Research a real tech-ethics story.
  • Draft a class acceptable-use policy.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🖼️Action cards
  • 💻Sort the Actions
  • ⚖️Case-study prompts
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

ethicsideas about what is right and wrongprivacya person's right to control their own informationconsentpermission freely given to use or share somethingintellectual propertycreative work that belongs to its makerplagiarismusing others' work as your own without creditintegritydoing the right thing even when no one is watchingresponsible useusing technology in ways that do not harm othersaccountabilityowning the results of your choices
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What makes a use of technology ethical?
It respects others' privacy, work, and rights, and is honest, rather than causing harm or deceiving people.
QUESTION 2
Name one ethical and one unethical tech action.
For example, giving credit for work you use (ethical) versus copying it and claiming it as yours (unethical).
QUESTION 3
Why respect other people's privacy and work online?
Because they have a right to control their information and creations, and respecting that is part of using tech responsibly.

Create: an ethics code.

Have students list the values they want to hold when using technology, turn them into a few clear rules, and make a personal tech-ethics code. A printable tech-ethics worksheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Ethical vs Unethical Tech UseFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Ethical vs Unethical Tech UseQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Ethical vs Unethical Tech UsePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: accountability, consent, ethics, integrity, intellectual property, plagiarism, privacy, responsible use
  1. creative work that belongs to its maker
  2. using others' work as your own without credit
  3. using technology in ways that do not harm others
  4. owning the results of your choices
  5. permission freely given to use or share something
  6. doing the right thing even when no one is watching
  7. ideas about what is right and wrong
  8. a person's right to control their own information

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What makes a use of technology ethical?
  2. Name one ethical and one unethical tech action.
  3. Why respect other people's privacy and work online?
Answer key — Part A: 1) intellectual property · 2) plagiarism · 3) responsible use · 4) accountability · 5) consent · 6) integrity · 7) ethics · 8) privacy
Part B: 1) It respects others' privacy, work, and rights, and is honest, rather than causing harm or deceiving people. 2) For example, giving credit for work you use (ethical) versus copying it and claiming it as yours (unethical). 3) Because they have a right to control their information and creations, and respecting that is part of using tech responsibly.