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Digital Citizenship Gr. 6-8

A digital citizen knows how to harness the power of technology

safely, responsibly, and respectfully. Common Sense Media

2014 - 2015
Mrs. Holly Godson / Ms. Rita Abou Gharib

Rationale:

Children today face so many more challenges than ever before! They live in a
technological world where everything is instantly at their fingertips. Students
carry out their lives in the digital world with each post, search, chat, text message,
download, and profile update. Therefore, it is even more important that our
students master critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity to be
successful in this digital world and ethical citizens as a whole.

Overview:

Digital Citizenship is pre-dominantly a project-based course based on the eight

over-arching themes. The course will consist of:
Themes Lessons;
Project(s) supporting and assessing the learning outcomes;
Collaborative learning projects with other grade levels;
And, a culminating event for Parents and Community Members
o November 19th, 2014
o March 11th, 2015
o June 10th, 2015

Key Learning Outcomes:

Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of

technologies.
Students will critically assess information accessed through the use of a
variety of technologies.
o

Students will understand the role of technology as it applies to self, work,

and society.
o
o

Evaluate the authority and reliability of electronic sources

Describe the impact of communication technologies on past, present, and

future workplaces, lifestyles and environment.
Identify the cultural impact of global communication

Students will demonstrate a moral and ethical approach to the use of

technology.
o
o

Explain the issues involved in balancing the right to access information with
the right to personal privacy.
Understand the need for copyright legislation

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Students will practice safety when using technology

o
o

Students will compose, revise and edit text.

o

Identify risks to health and safety that result from improper use of
technology
Identify and apply safety procedures required for the technology being
used.
Design a document, using style sheets and with attention to page layout,
incorporates word processing techniques.

Students will communicate through multimedia

o

Create multimedia presentations that take into account audiences of diverse

size, age, gender, ethnicity and geographic location.

Over-Arching Themes:

Internet Safety
Privacy and Security
Relationships and Communication
Cyber-bullying
Digital Footprint and Reputation
Self-Image and Identity
Information Literacy
Creative Credit and Copyright

Assessment:

Students learn best within the context of their real world and the application of
technology to meet those needs; therefore, a variety of activities, projects and
problems that replicate real-life situations will be used to assess student
understanding and achievement of learning outcomes.
Five key traits will be taken into consideration when assessing student projects and
their understanding of the concepts being taught:

Ideas and Content

Organization
Effective Expression
Voice/Audience
Technical Competence

Students will be assessed using a series of checklists. These checklists will be

based upon the learning outcomes for each over-arching theme and project(s).

Reference Sites:

Netsmartz.org
Media Awareness Network
Common Sense Media
Padlet.com

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Grade Level Themes and Descriptions:

Reference: Common Sense Media (Scope and Sequence: Gr. 6-8)

Grade Six (Block 5 12:36 1:21)

Digital Life 101

Theme: Self-Image and Identity

Students are introduced to the 24/7, social nature of digital media and technologies and gain basic
vocabulary and knowledge for discussing the media landscape
Term One: September 2nd 11th, 2014

Strategic Searching

Theme: Self- Information Literacy

Students learn that to conduct effective and efficient online searches, they must use a variety of
searching strategies.
Term Two: September 15th 25th, 2014

Scams & Schemes

Theme: Privacy and Security

Students learn strategies for guarding against identity theft and scams that try to access their private
information online.
Term One: September 30th October 9th, 2014

Cyber-bullying: Be Upstanding

Theme: Cyber-bullying, Relationships and Communication

Students learn about the difference between being a passive bystander versus a brave up-stander in
cyber-bullying situations.
Term One: October 14th 23rd, 2014

A Creators Rights

Theme: Information Literacy, Creative Credit and Copyright

Students are introduced to copyright, fair use, and the rights they have as creators.
Term One: October 28th November 6th

Digital Citizenship Information Night

Presentation Night November 19th, 2014
D.A. Ferguson Middle School Gymnasium
7:00pm 8:00pm

Grade Seven (Block 2 9:20 10:03)

My Media

Theme: Self-Image and Identity

Students review their media habits and the array of media they use on a weekly basis and reflect on the
role of digital media in their lives.
Term One: September 2nd 11th, 2014

A Creators Responsibilities

Theme: Information Literacy, Creative Credit and Copyright

Students reflect on their responsibilities as creators and users of creative work
Term Two: September 15th 25th, 2014

Safe On-line Talk

Theme: Internet safety, Relationships and Communication

While acknowledging the benefits of online talk and messaging, students learn how to handle situation or
online behaviour which may make them feel uncomfortable.
Term One: September 30th October 9th, 2014

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Which Me Should I Be?

Theme: Self-Image and Identity

Students learn about the difference between being a passive bystander versus a brave up-stander in
cyber-bullying situations.
Term One: October 14th 23rd, 2014

Gender Stereotypes Online

Theme: Information Literacy, Self-Image and Identity

Students analyze a Dress Up Your Avatar feature of a virtual
world for kids for evidence of stereotypes about boys and girls.
Term One: October 28th November 6th

Digital Citizenship Information Night

Presentation Night November 19th, 2014
D.A. Ferguson Middle School Gymnasium
7:00pm 8:00pm

Grade Eight (Block 7 2:12 2:57)

Trillion Dollar Footprint

Theme: Privacy & Security, Digital Footprint and Reputation

Students learn that they have a digital footprint and that this information can be searched, copied and
passed on, but that they can take some control based on what they post online.
Term One: September 2nd 11th, 2014

Identifying High Quality Sites

Theme: Information Literacy

Students learn that anyone can publish on the Web, so not all sites are equally trustworthy.
Term Two: September 15th 25th, 2014

Reality of Digital Drama

Theme: Cyber-bullying, Self-image & Identity, Relationships and Communication

Students draw connections between young teens perceptions of digital drama and stereotypes of men
and women on reality TV.
Term One: September 30th October 9th, 2014

Cyber-bullying: Crossing the Line

Theme: Cyber-bullying, Relationships and Communication

Students learn about the difference between being a passive bystander versus a brave up-stander in
cyber-bullying situations.
Term One: October 14th 23rd, 2014

Rework, Reuse, Remix

Theme: Information Literacy, Creative Credit & Copyright

Students expand their understanding of fair use, apply it to case studies, and create an original work of
fair use.
Term One: October 28th November 6th

Digital Citizenship Information Night

Presentation Night November 19th, 2014
D.A. Ferguson Middle School Gymnasium
7:00pm 8:00pm