Critical Thinking: Social Media Comments- Create a Class Constitution for Online Behaviour

Critical Thinking: Social Media Comments – Create a Class Constitution for Online Behaviour

This dynamic teaching resource is designed to address the timely issue of online etiquette and cyberbullying. It is suited for students in the middle grades (6-10), using social media platforms as a focused topic.

How to Use:

• Start by introducing the goal: Working together, we will design a class constitution about appropriate behavior when using Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Facebook, etc.

• Talk about using positive language when creating rules (DO instead of DON'T).

• Decide if you will allow students to find their own examples on approved social media sites, or look for examples yourself before giving this lesson.

• Go through the 4 scenarios: When someone looks different, When someone goes through a tragedy, When someone disagrees with you, When you disagree with what someone else does.

• For each scenario, students will look for examples of positive and negative comments, and you can use the prompt questions to get students thinking about how people act online in these situations.

• Finally, collectively determine a class rule for each situation. For example, When someone looks different... we will only comment if we have something kind to say!

After the lesson, students can be assigned a reflective journal task so they can cohesively bring their ideas and thoughts from this lesson together.

This lesson goes beyond imparting knowledge pertinent to today's digital landscape—it includes practical exercises that can aid in empathy building too!

What's Included: 10 Pages in PowerPoint- so you can edit as you need to!

Title Page

How to Write Positive Rules

Instructions for This Activity

When Someone Looks Different Than You...

When Someone Goes Through a Tragedy...

When Someone Disagrees with You...

When a Celebrity Does Something You Disagree With...

Rules In Real Life

Class Constitution for Social Media

Reflection

Grades to Use With:

This lesson is designed to be accessible to students in the middle grades (6-10). At the younger end of this range, you may provide social media examples yourself, and with older students, they may be able to look up examples on their own.