8th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 8 of 12
Safe, smart and respectful online
Staying safe and respectful online, protecting privacy, spotting misinformation and disinformation, understanding how feeds are curated, and thinking about audience and purpose in digital and media texts.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: Writing 2; Writing 1 · judging online information and staying safe online
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
Example: A website asks for your home address to enter a contest. What is the best response? Your address is private information. Check before sharing anything. Answer: ask a trusted adult and check whether the site is legitimate before sharing
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 8 of 12 in 8th grade English Language Arts, after Reading Detective and before Write It Better.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Maine Department of Education
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What kind of information is this post?
Last Tuesday, a photo went around the school group chat: a long line of people outside an electronics store, with the caption “Free phones tomorrow! Share now!” Within an hour it had 400 shares.
Nobody checked the store's website, which said nothing about a giveaway. The photo was actually from a sale three years earlier.
false information that spread quickly
Hint: The giveaway did not exist.
Question 2
Which source is the most credible for information about a health topic?
a hospital or public health agency website
Hint: Look for experts with no reason to mislead you.
Question 3
What should the students have done first?
Last Tuesday, a photo went around the school group chat: a long line of people outside an electronics store, with the caption “Free phones tomorrow! Share now!” Within an hour it had 400 shares.
Nobody checked the store's website, which said nothing about a giveaway. The photo was actually from a sale three years earlier.
checked the store's official website
Hint: Check the source.
Question 4
What is one downside of a curated feed?
Video apps keep track of what you watch, like and skip. Then they use that information to choose what to show you next. If you watch three skateboarding videos, you will probably see more.
This can be helpful, because you find topics you enjoy. But it also means each person sees a different, curated version of the app, and you may rarely see views that differ from your own.
You may rarely see views different from your own.
Hint: Read the last sentence.
Question 5
A video uses fast cuts and loud music. How might this affect the audience?
It can create excitement or make events feel urgent.
Hint: Techniques shape how viewers feel.
Question 6
Why do the apps track what you watch?
Video apps keep track of what you watch, like and skip. Then they use that information to choose what to show you next. If you watch three skateboarding videos, you will probably see more.
This can be helpful, because you find topics you enjoy. But it also means each person sees a different, curated version of the app, and you may rarely see views that differ from your own.
to choose what to show you next
Hint: Look at the second sentence.