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Your Digital Footprint

Fifth graders learn that everything they do online leaves a digital footprint — a trail that can last a long time. They order the smart habits: think before posting, keep private things private, and share only what they’d be proud of.

Grade 5Digital Footprint45 minutes1 class periodMedia Literacy · CCSSExplicit teaching4 StandardsCCSS / NAMLE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain a digital footprint.
  • ✓Think before posting.
  • ✓Order the habits.
  • ✓Build a good reputation.
Essential Question

Everything you post online leaves a trail called a digital footprint. How do you make yours a good 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
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Digital-Footprint Habits

Project this and have students put the smart digital-footprint habits in order.

👣 Put the digital-footprint habits in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Literacy Flow (Hook · Explore · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

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

1

Hook — The Trail You Leave

5 min

Everything you post leaves a trail — how do you make yours a good one?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask what happens to a post.
  • Ask how long it lasts.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Wonder.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Digital Footprint

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present the habits.
  • Note think before posting.
  • Note it can last.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Order It

12 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Habits.
  • Put it in order.
  • Explain.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Apply — Apply

10 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Judge a sample post.
  • Decide: post or not?
  • Share your choice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Judge.
  • Decide.
  • Share.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Define digital footprint.
  • Name a good habit.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core ELA Standards (informational literacy) & NAMLE media-literacy competencies.

CCSS
W.5.6

Use technology responsibly.

CCSS
SL.5.1

Communicate respectfully.

NAMLE
Act

Practice responsible media use.

CCSS
SL.5.6

Communicate appropriately.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Habit cards.
  • Sentence frame: “Before posting, I ___.”
  • Use scenarios.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “think first” & “keep private.”
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Make a footprint pledge.
  • Audit a sample profile.
  • Design a poster.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 👣Habit cards
  • 💻Order the Digital-Footprint Habits
  • 📋A safety checklist
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

digital footprintyour online trailpostshare onlineprivatekeep to yourselfpublicanyone can seepermanentlasts a long timereputationhow others see youthink firstpause before postingresponsiblecareful online
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 a digital footprint?
The trail of everything you do and post online.
QUESTION 2
What should you ask before you post?
Would I want everyone to see this?
QUESTION 3
Why does a digital footprint matter?
It can last a long time and shape how others see you.

Reflect: digital footprint.

Have students name one habit for keeping a good digital footprint. A printable footprint sheet is in the ELA 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.

🃏 Your Digital FootprintFlip
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.

📝 Your Digital FootprintQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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.

🖨️ Your Digital FootprintPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: digital footprint, permanent, post, private, public, reputation, responsible, think first
  1. how others see you
  2. keep to yourself
  3. lasts a long time
  4. your online trail
  5. pause before posting
  6. share online
  7. anyone can see
  8. careful online

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a digital footprint?
  2. What should you ask before you post?
  3. Why does a digital footprint matter?
Answer key — Part A: 1) reputation · 2) private · 3) permanent · 4) digital footprint · 5) think first · 6) post · 7) public · 8) responsible
Part B: 1) The trail of everything you do and post online. 2) Would I want everyone to see this? 3) It can last a long time and shape how others see you.