Over a decade ago, in 2011, Elk Grove Unified School District launched their Internet Safety Task Force to educate staff and students and to inform parents on the safe, effective, and ethical use of the internet. At that time, much of EGUSD’s focus, as well as the focus of educators and parents worldwide, was the protection of children from online predators and educating kids and adults about the risks of sharing personal and private information online. Over the past decade, the focus has changed within EGUSD and globally to a broader concept of digital citizenship that encompasses topics like cyberbullying, digital well being, digital footprint, responsible use of social media, artificial intelligence, and media literacy.
In 2009, Common Sense Education began collaborating with Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education to develop and support the first comprehensive digital citizenship curriculum for educators and students. Common Sense launched their curriculum in 2010 and since then has been a trusted source and a leading developer of digital citizenship resources for parents, students, and teachers.
As online experiences and digital platforms evolve, Common Sense recognizes that the lessons available to educators need to evolve as well. In response to many of the changes that have occurred with student use of artificial intelligence, the complexities of social interactions and online platforms, and the increased need for media literacy skills, Common Sense has released new lessons to better address the challenges and opportunities that the modern digital experience presents. Below, we have highlighted one new lesson from each grade level. To view all of the newly developed lessons, visit the Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum New Lessons page on Common Sense Education’s website. All Common Sense Education lessons are free for educators but require a user account to view the lessons. EGUSD educators can use the option to sign in with Google using their EGUSD Google account.
New Lesson Highlights:
Kindergarten
What is Media? – This lesson helps young learners identify media in their daily lives through familiar examples like books, movies, and TV shows. Students create an art gallery of their favorite media and learn about the devices we use to enjoy different types of content. By connecting media to their own experiences, students build a foundational understanding of the digital world around them.
1st Grade
Curiosity Tellers – In this lesson, students will use paper fortune tellers filled with questions about media and technology interests to practice being curious about their peers in positive, meaningful ways.
2nd Grade
Including Others When Using Tech – In this lesson, students learn to recognize when friends feel excluded and practice specific ways to include everyone.
3rd Grade
Privacy Doors – This lesson helps students understand when it’s safe to share information and when to keep their privacy door closed.
4th Grade
S.I.F.T. for Sources – In this lesson, students learn the SIFT method: a practical, four-step strategy for separating online “information gold” from “fool’s gold.”
5th Grade
Friends vs. Followers – This lesson helps students distinguish between parasocial relationships—which are one-sided relationships with media personalities—and authentic friendships built on mutual trust and reciprocity.
6th Grade
What Are Online Harms? – In this lesson, students develop a nuanced understanding of digital risks and build critical thinking skills for making safer choices online.
7th Grade
Boundaries & Consent – In this lesson, students learn about consent and reflect on how to respect their peers’ digital boundaries.
8th Grade
What is Critical Ignoring? – In this lesson, students are introduced to the process of critical ignoring, a strategy they can use to manage the information they consume online.
9th-12th Grade
While Common Sense has not released any new 9th-12th grade-specific lessons this school year, they have released a series of AI Literacy lessons over the past two years that can help high school teachers tackle the topic of AI literacy with their students. You can view the series of lessons on their AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 6–12 webpage.
Digital citizenship is arguably one of the most important and relevant topics for kids as their lives become increasingly dominated by emerging technologies and online content. The resources provided by Common Sense Education can be a valuable tool as we assist students in developing their digital citizenship skills and prepare them to successfully navigate their online experiences now and in the future.
