Be True to Your Selfie

Students will:

• Be aware of the safety and ethical aspects of posting or sharing photos and comments online.
• Use responsible and respectful behavior when posting or sharing anything online.
• Be able to respect their own privacy and that of others when posting selfies.
• Demonstrate an understanding that when posting photos or comments online it is important to use good judgment.

Vocabulary Words:

1. Cyberbullying: Cyberbullying is using some type of technology to bully a person, such as sending messages that are intimidating or threatening, or posting inappropriate photos of another.

2. Selfie: A selfie is a photo that you take of yourself or with others, usually with a smartphone or webcam, and usually posted online.

3. Privacy: Internet privacy is the privacy and security level of personal data published via the Internet.

4. Digital Identity: Digital Identity is what is shown and shared about you online. This may be represented in photos you are identified in, social media posts or activities you have engaged in or by comments others make about you.

5. Online Respect: Online respect is showing respect by treating others in a positive manner through your actions through messaging and posts.

To prepare for this lesson:

• There are some great FREE resources on BrainPOP on digital citizenship. You need to register for a free account. 

• Download these FREE templates: iPhone, Smartphone , Instagram template. (The templates are free but you will need a free Teachers Pay Teachers account to access them.)  

• You will need post-it notes for this activity and an area in your room to post the selfies created ( bulletin board, wall, door).

• Preview the video, We’re All Wonders.

See the Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4student website in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

A. Depending on time constraints, you may or may not want to have the selfie gallery walk at the beginning.

GALLERY WALK STEPS:

1. Ask all students take a selfie on their device...anyway they want. DO NOT TELL THEM THAT THEY WILL SHARE THEM OUT.
2. Have students do a gallery walk of everyone’s selfies.
3. After they do the gallery walk, ask them, “Did you feel comfortable with everyone looking at your picture?”
4. Sometimes students don’t realize who their audience is that will see the picture.  
5. Talk about parents sharing embarrassing pics. How does that make you feel?

B. CLASS DISCUSSION:

1. Have a class discussion: Why do we take selfies? While selfies are fun and usually make us feel good, we need to be careful of the kind of selfies we take, where we take them, who is in them, and who we share them with.
2. Brainstorm together: Where are places that it may be disrespectful to take a selfie? (memorial sites, funerals, places that prohibit photos) What could happen if you take a picture anyway (trouble at school, banned from visiting)?
3. Discuss appropriate vs inappropriate selfies? Consider age levels when discussing this. Selfies should not show violence or be threatening. Selfies should not poke fun at another. Selfies should show respect for one’s self and each other.
4. Have students help understand the vocabulary and give positive and negative examples to develop the concepts.
5. Discuss comments on texts or sites. Have you ever received a mean comment on a selfie you posted? How did it make you feel? What did you do? What can you do if you receive mean comments in the future (save the evidence, report the website, tell me or another trusted adult)? 
6. Have you ever made mean comments on someone else’s selfie? Why? How do you think that person felt?
7. Talk about being safe online and ways to respect others while taking selfies. 
8. Watch this video on selfie etiquette Safer Kids Online | Sensible Selfies
9. Show the story: Watch the story, We’re All Wonders 

C. ACTIVITY:

1. Have each student take another selfie, (or use a selfie taken) and copy and paste it into the Instagram sheet provided. You can use these free downloads to attach a picture.
   iPhone Smartphone template 
   Instagram template 

D. ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS: 

1. Add a kindness quote to it or type one sentence about how you will be a positive digital citizen
2. Post five selfies each week in your class. Have post-it notes out. Allow time each day for students to write positive comments on each selfie.

Different options for assessing the students:

• Observations
• Check for understanding
• Post five selfies each week in your class. Have post it notes out. Allow time each day for students to write positive comments on each selfie.