Digital Citizenship Lesson #3: Sexting

#3 Digital Citizenship Lesson for Freshman :

Overexposed-Sexting & Romantic Relationships   

(Adapted from Commonsense Media)

Learning Targets:  Students will be able to :

• explore the role of digital technologies in romantic relationships.
• understand risky forms of self-disclosure and their possible consequences.
• identify strategies for avoiding sexting while enhancing positive relationships.

Essential Question: What are risks and responsibilities when you share online in a relationship?

Lesson Overview: Students will guess frequency of sexting and look at statistics on sexting as a preview activity. Students will watch short video about sexting and then rank  risk level of situations in order to refine thinking on sexting. Students will write on and share on discussion questions on sexting and then write the ending of a story to think about healthy ways to avoid sexting.

-Lifeboat Slides is due last week! Turn in by this Friday 11/22 for credit - last chance!


Introduce Sexting

ASK-1.  How frequently do you think teens send sexually explicit images?  2.  How frequently do you think teens send sexually explicit verbal messages?  3.   How frequently do you think teens forward sexually explicit images or words?  Share Using LCD or doc camera-- Statistics

DEFINE the Key Vocabulary sexting.  (can just use handout to guide discussion)- the sending of sexually explicit images (and sometimes just words) to another via IM, text, email or other digital media.

Reasons and risks
WATCH Video -Ally’s story-Second thoughts on sexting  (2.5 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKe0w2-8U  

Discuss video:

1. Why did Ally share the picture?
2. Why did Ally’s boyfriend forward the picture?
3. How might Ally have felt when she found out?
4. What did Ally later realize?

Rank and Review--  Use student handout for activity that asks students to rank behaviors for risk. And to guide a discussion.

PAIR SHARE OR GROUP WORK--Give students individual copies of HANDOUT, have them write and talk or talk and write and then share in big group or walk way through questions as part of large group discussion--

1. Rate the following in terms of riskiness (1 most risky - 3 least risky) and explain why:

_____ asks his girlfriend to say sexually explicit things in an IM conversation. She does what he asks.  

_____Monica surprises her crush by taking of some of her clothes during a video chat.

_____Ariel’s boyfriend wants her to send him a naked photo. She texts him:  “Only if you text me one first. “

---

Explain in writing your rating and discuss with group mates or whole class

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The word “sexting” refers to :

• Getting a text that says you look nice and I want to go out with you
• Sending a sexually suggestive word text by IM or phone.
• Sending or receiving sexually explicit photos or videos by text message or other digital media. Sometimes also refers to sending verbal sexually explicit messages.
• Only sexual images and does not include sexual verbal messages so it is okay to write sexually explicit texts or emails or messages.

3. Is it okay to sext or request another to sext if you are in a committed romantic relationship? Explain.

4.. Are the risks & consequences the same or different for boys and girls and sexting?

5.Why do people sext?

6 . Sexting by minors under 18 is illegal in some states:   True  B- False

7. What are healthy ways to  avoid sexting, or to get close without sexting? (responses can include) :Ways to Avoid Sexting

• Use humor: “Ha Ha! Real funny!”
• Stress your discomfort: “I’m way too uncomfortable doing that.”
• Emphasize feelings: “If you really cared for me, you wouldn’t ask me to do that.”
• Change the subject: “Um, let’s do something else, okay?”

Ways to Build a Relationship Online

• Write a text or IM telling the person you are thinking of him or her.
• Plan a special date, then text your partner clues about date
• Spend time online together, but only share really private stuff when together