#4 Digital Citizenship Lesson for Freshman :
Risky Online Relationships
(Adapted from Commonsense Media)
Learning Targets: Students will be able to :
- compare/contrast stereotypes and realities > Internet “stranger danger.”
- learn guidelines for determining safe online relationships, especially with strangers or casual acquaintances.
- brainstorm ways to help teens avoid risky online behavior
1. DEFINE the Key Vocabulary RISKY.
2. ASK: What are some common stereotypes of online predators?
3. SHARE the following facts that debunk the online predator stereotype:
- Teens are more likely to receive requests to talk about sexual things online from other teens or from young adults (ages 18 to 25) than they are from older adults.
- The small percentage of adults that seek out relationships with teens online are usually up-front about their age, and about their sexual interests.
- Teens who develop an ongoing online connection with someone they don’t know, or who are willing to talk about sexual things online, are more likely to find themselves in a risky online relationship.
- Risky online relationships don’t always involve total strangers; sometimes they involve people teens have initially met offline.
4. ASK students if any of these facts surprise them, given what they have heard about online predators. ENCOURAGE students to discuss how focusing on the online predator stereotype might make it harder to recognize other forms of risky online relationships. It is important for teens to know that people closer to their age are more likely to coax them into uncomfortable situations online, or ask them to talk about inappropriate things.)
II. PAIR SHARE OR GROUP WORK-SHEYNA’S SITUATION (20 minutes)
1. ASK students what the word “manipulate” means to them.
2. ASK:Why might it be tricky for people to recognize when they are being manipulated, especially online?
3. DIVIDE students into pairs or groups of three. DISTRIBUTE the Sheyna’s Situation Student Handout, one for each student.
4. ANALYZE- EXPLAIN to students they will analyze a story about a teen’s risky online relationship. This story will challenge you to think beyond online predator stereotypes. You should pay attention to how the relationship develops, and be on the lookout for anything that seems like manipulation. You have10 minutes to read the story and answer the questions on the handout in their groups.5. SHARE - Groups share their answers to the questions on the handout. (Refer to the Sheyna’s Situation Student Handout – Teacher Version for sample answers.)
HAVE students expand their advice to Sheyna into a general set of principles: You may want to write these tips on the board, or project them for students to see. Be sure to include the following points: (FIND OUT IF ENGLISH CLASS COVERED THIS)
- ‡Change it up. If something feels like it might be getting risky, it probably is. But if you’re not sure, try changing the subject, making a joke, or saying you want to talk about something else.
- ‡Log off or quit. You need to remember that at any time you can just stop typing and log off if a conversation gets uncomfortable online.
- You can also take action to block or report another user, or create a new account – whether for email, IM, or a virtual world – to avoid contact with that person again.
- ‡Know that it’s okay to feel embarrassed or confused. It’s not always easy to make sense of situations that make you uncomfortable online. Nor is it easy to ask for help if you feel embarrassed about what you’ve experienced. These feelings are normal, and it’s okay to talk about them.
- ‡Talk to a friend or trusted adult. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Even if you feel you can handle a tricky situation alone, it’s always a good idea to turn to friends, parents, teachers, coaches, and counselors for support.
III. REVIEW-- ASK:
1. Why is the term “online predator” misleading? What is the reality when it comes to risky online relationships?
2. How can you avoid getting involved in risky online relationships? .
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