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Being Safe & Kind Online

Third graders learn the basics of good digital citizenship — keeping personal information private, thinking before posting, being kind, not responding to anything that feels wrong, and telling a trusted adult. Safe and kind habits make the online world better for everyone.

Grade 3Safe & Kind Online40 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…

  • ✓Keep info private.
  • ✓Be kind online.
  • ✓Order the safety steps.
  • ✓Be a good digital citizen.
Essential Question

Being online is fun — but it comes with responsibility. How do you stay safe and kind 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
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Safe & Kind Steps

Project this and have students put the steps for being safe and kind online in order.

🛡️ Put the safe & kind steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Literacy Flow (Hook · Explore · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Hook — Online Responsibility

5 min

Being online is fun but comes with responsibility — how do you stay safe and kind?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask about online habits.
  • Ask what to keep private.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share.
  • Think.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Safe & Kind Online

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present the steps.
  • Note keep info private.
  • Note be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Practice — Order It

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

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

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Apply — Apply

9 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Judge an online situation.
  • Decide what to do.
  • Share your choice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Judge.
  • Decide.
  • Share.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a safe habit.
  • Name a kind habit.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Name one.
  • 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
SL.3.1

Collaborate & communicate respectfully.

NAMLE
Act

Practice responsible media use.

CCSS
SL.3.6

Communicate appropriately.

CCSS
W.3.6

Use technology responsibly.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Step picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First ___, then ___.”
  • Use scenarios.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “keep private” and “be kind.”
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Make a kindness pledge.
  • Role-play a situation.
  • Design a safety poster.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🛡️Step cards
  • 💻Order the Safe & Kind Steps
  • 📋A safety checklist
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

onlineon the internetprivatekeep it to yourselfpersonal infoname, address, passwordsthink firstpause before postingkindtreat others welldigital citizenshipbeing good onlinetrusted adultsomeone safe to tellsafeprotected from harm
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 personal info should you keep private online?
Your name, address, and passwords.
QUESTION 2
What should you do before you post or share something?
Think first.
QUESTION 3
If something online feels wrong or mean, what should you do?
Don’t respond, and tell a trusted adult.

Reflect: safe & kind online.

Have students name one way to stay safe and one way to be kind online. A printable online-safety 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.

🃏 Being Safe & Kind OnlineFlip
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.

📝 Being Safe & Kind OnlineQuiz
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.

🖨️ Being Safe & Kind OnlinePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: digital citizenship, kind, online, personal info, private, safe, think first, trusted adult
  1. keep it to yourself
  2. pause before posting
  3. treat others well
  4. being good online
  5. someone safe to tell
  6. protected from harm
  7. on the internet
  8. name, address, passwords

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What personal info should you keep private online?
  2. What should you do before you post or share something?
  3. If something online feels wrong or mean, what should you do?
Answer key — Part A: 1) private · 2) think first · 3) kind · 4) digital citizenship · 5) trusted adult · 6) safe · 7) online · 8) personal info
Part B: 1) Your name, address, and passwords. 2) Think first. 3) Don’t respond, and tell a trusted adult.