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Digital Citizenship & Online Safety

Fifth graders learn to be good digital citizens — keeping personal information private, being kind online, and knowing when to ask an adult for help — so they can stay safe and responsible on the internet.

Grade 5Digital Citizenship40 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain digital citizenship.
  • ✓Keep information private.
  • ✓Be kind online.
  • ✓Know when to ask an adult.
Essential Question

The internet is an amazing place to learn and connect — but it comes with rules to stay safe. What does it mean to be a good digital citizen, and how do you protect yourself online?

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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

Safe & Smart Online?

Project this and sort each action into being safe and smart online or NOT safe online.

🌐 Sort each — safe & smart online, or not?Try it
👍 Safe & Smart
⚠️ Not Safe
Tap an action, then tap a bucket.
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Hook — Amazing but Risky

5 min

The internet is amazing — but how do we stay safe on it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask what they do online.
  • Ask about staying safe.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider it.
  • Think safety.
  • Predict the rules.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

10 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Discuss what’s private.
  • List safe habits.
  • Role-play asking an adult.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List private info.
  • List habits.
  • Role-play it.
3

Use — Safe or Not

10 min

Students use the tool.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Safe & Smart Online?
  • Sort each action.
  • Note the rules.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort them.
  • Note safe.
  • Note not.
4

Modify — Change It

10 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Turn an unsafe choice into a safe one.
  • Explain the fix.
  • Give a safety tip.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Fix it.
  • Explain it.
  • Give a tip.
5

Create — Create

5 min

Students conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Make an online-safety rule.
  • Explain why it helps.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Make one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

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

CSTA
1B-NI-05

Discuss real-world cybersecurity and keeping information secure.

CSTA
1B-IC-18

Discuss responsible and safe technology use.

CSTA
1B-IC-21

Use public domain or Creative Commons media responsibly.

ISTE
2

Digital Citizen — act safely and responsibly online.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Safe/unsafe picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “It is safe to ___.”
  • Discuss real examples.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “keep passwords private.”
  • Sort one at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Make a class safety poster.
  • Explain cyberbullying.
  • Explain a strong password.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🔐Safety cards
  • 💻Safe & Smart Online?
  • 📋A safety-rules chart
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

digital citizena safe, kind, responsible tech userprivatekept to yourselfpassworda secret code to log inpersonal informationdetails like your name or addressonline safetystaying safe on the internetcyberbullyingbeing mean to others onlinetrusted adulta grown-up who helps youresponsiblemaking good 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 is one thing you should keep private online?
Your password, home address, phone number, or full name.
QUESTION 2
What should you do if something online feels wrong or scary?
Tell a trusted adult right away.
QUESTION 3
Name one way to be a good digital citizen.
Keep info private, be kind, and ask an adult before sharing.

Create: a safety rule.

Have students write one online-safety rule for their class and explain why it keeps everyone safe. A printable digital-citizenship sheet 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.

🃏 Digital Citizenship & Online SafetyFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Digital Citizenship & Online SafetyQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

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.

🖨️ Digital Citizenship & Online SafetyPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: cyberbullying, digital citizen, online safety, password, personal information, private, responsible, trusted adult
  1. a safe, kind, responsible tech user
  2. a secret code to log in
  3. making good choices
  4. kept to yourself
  5. a grown-up who helps you
  6. being mean to others online
  7. staying safe on the internet
  8. details like your name or address

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is one thing you should keep private online?
  2. What should you do if something online feels wrong or scary?
  3. Name one way to be a good digital citizen.
Answer key — Part A: 1) digital citizen · 2) password · 3) responsible · 4) private · 5) trusted adult · 6) cyberbullying · 7) online safety · 8) personal information
Part B: 1) Your password, home address, phone number, or full name. 2) Tell a trusted adult right away. 3) Keep info private, be kind, and ask an adult before sharing.