Sexting
Topic area
Sexting
Target age group
Lesson duration
Lower Secondary
Lesson Overview
Sexting is the creation and sending of provocative images or videos using digital technology such as
mobile phones and the internet. Once images are out of a student’s possession and posted online, they
are out of their direct control and able to be published in perpetuity. This can create very serious social
and even legal ramifications. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as ‘safe’ sexting behaviour, and as a
result, it’s very important for students to be able to recognise, define and avoid sexting behaviour.
This lesson includes four short activities. Teachers can select a single activity or multiple activities to
make up the recommended 45 minutes, depending on what they feel are appropriate to their class. The
multiple choice activity is recommended for all classes as an introduction to the concept and
consequences of sexting.
Lesson outcomes

Define what sexting is

Acknowledge the legal and social consequences of sexting

Identify ways to avoid creating or receiving sexting images
Australian Curriculum
This lesson plan module supports a number of learning areas in the Australian Curriculum, including
Health and Physical Education, Civics and Citizenship and Technologies.
Activity 1
Page
Subject focus
Multiple Choice
Activity
4
Defining sexting and
its consequences
Activity 2
Page
Subject focus
Drawing/
Writing Activity
6
Demonstrating lack
of control over
images
Activity 3
Page
Subject focus
Drawing
Activity/
7
Identify a sense of
time and lasting
nature of images
online
Discussion
Activity
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 1
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 2
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 3, pen
enquiries@esafety.gov.au
Sexting
2
Activity 4
Page
Subject focus
Visual/Discussi
on Activity
8
Identifying sexting
consequences
Duration
Resources required
Internet access to view the video
Alarmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u
QxJqbdXw9s
External links included in lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQxJqbdXw9s
Technology and Terminology referred to in this lesson
Internet, sexting, post, sites, pics, sexy pics, game consoles, social networking, forwarding, phone, online
This work is based on materials that constitute copyright of the Commonwealth of Australia and is
licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 2.5 Australia Licence.
See https://esafety.gov.au/about-the-office/privacy-and-legal for more information.
3
Sexting
Background
The taking and sending of sexual images amongst pre-teen and teenage peers or between those
in romantic relationships, is an escalating social trend. This is known as sexting. If there haven’t
been incidences in your school that you’re aware of, a cursory search of the internet will reveal
many high-profile media cases illustrating the damaging consequences of sexting.
In Australia and around the world, it is possible to see many cases where people have suffered
the loss of romantic relationships, career prospects and personal reputations due to instances of
sexting and associated cyberbullying behaviour. These outcomes are not restricted to teenagers;
adults suffer similar consequences, as illustrated by many cases focused on by the media.
However, teenagers are often far more vulnerable to the negative fallout from these online
actions.
Why are teenagers more vulnerable? Adolescence and pre-adolescence is a time of curiosity,
experimentation, the testing of boundaries, and the formation of a sense of identity and selfworth. As every important relationship is the ‘first’, best friends or romantic partners are often
trusted completely. Teenagers are natural risk takers. Lasting consequences of any actions could
sometimes be disregarded by teens and pre-teens. This well-known combination of social and
emotional stages is part of what makes teenage life so creative and exhilarating. However,
providing support, guidance and harm prevention is crucial to allowing the natural pathway to
adulthood to progress.
Sexting
4
Activity 1: Sexting multiple choice quiz
Activity 1
Page
Subject focus
Multiple Choice
Activity
4
Defining sexting and
its consequences
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 1
This activity requires students to complete a multiple choice test focussing on the definition and
consequences of sexting.
Instructions
1. Distribute Worksheet 1 directly to all students
2. Allow ten minutes for students to read through the test and record their answers
3. Working through the test as a class, discuss the answers schedule.
Answer key and notes for teachers:
Number Question
Answer
1
Sexting images are:
C. Pictures you take of any body parts
you generally cover with a swimsuit.
2
Sometimes I share sexy pics of myself
with my friends as a joke:
D: It’s never just a joke, the
consequences are too serious.
3
Sexting can involve the police:
D: If anyone in the image is under 18,
even if you created the image of your own
body, it can mean serious trouble for you
under the law. This also applies if you
receive a sexy pic or pass one on. Tell
people not to send them to you and never
forward them on to others.
4
Once a pic leaves your phone or
computer:
D: It’s out in the world and can exist
forever – there is no way to totally remove
it, not even the police have that power or
ability.
5
If I receive a sexy pic, I should:
A: Delete it right away and do report it –
the person who sent it to you could get
both of you into very serious trouble.
Sexting
5
Number Question
Answer
6
If someone asks me to send a sexy pic of
myself, I should:
D: If someone asks you for a sexy pic,
don’t think that saying no is a sign you
don’t trust or like them. You should tell
them that it’s just too much potential
trouble and you don’t feel comfortable.
7
If I forward a sexy pic but didn’t create it
myself:
B: You can be legally responsible for
some serious offences by forwarding on a
sexting image sexy pic– and it’s also not
a joke to the person in the image. It could
really harm your reputation and create a
lot of social trouble for you too.
8
Taking pictures of any part of myself
covered by a swimsuit or underwear is:
C: It’s never safe to take these kinds of
pictures. The chance you will lose your
phone or the device you took it on, or that
someone will find the image if you forget
to delete it is very real. Imagine if your
parents found it!
9
As soon as a sexy pic is sent it can end
up being seen by:
D: As soon as a sexy pic is sent, it can be
published online and seen by countless
people, including everyone you know and
strangers, too.
10
There are lots of ways to interact online
but when it comes to sexting:
D: Unfortunately, there’s no way to safely
create or send sexy images. It’s just really
not worth it, so protect yourself and your
friends.
Sexting
6
Activity 2: Where could your pics end up?
Activity 2
Page
Subject focus
Drawing/
Writing Activity
6
Demonstrating lack
of control over
images
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 2
Instructions
1. Distribute Worksheet 2, and ask students to begin by imagining they are a fictional person,
‘Jen’, about to send a sexy pic.
2. Filling in the first section ‘How was the image shared’, imagine who Jen may have shared the
picture with and how, i.e. ‘to her boyfriend Kai using a text’.
3. Have the students fill in each field until they are very ‘far away’ from the initial, intended
recipient of Jen’s sexy pic.
4. In the final frame, ask students to consider what the overall effect would be to Jen.
Teacher’s Tip: Although the aim is to illustrate how few steps it takes for an image to
reach a wide and unintended audience, also impress upon students that at each step, the
person forwarding those images is as legally responsible as if they had created the image
in the first place and can be in trouble with the police.
Sexting
7
Activity 3: How long images last online
Activity 3
Page
Subject focus
Drawing
Activity/Discussi
on Activity
7
Identify a sense of
time and lasting
nature of images
online
Duration
Resources required
Worksheet 3, pen or coloured pencils
etc., ruler
Instructions
1. Distribute Worksheet 3 and allow students sufficient time (10 minutes) to complete it.
2. Discuss the results with the class.
Develop a basic timeline of your lifetime, demonstrating how long things may last and showing
the different stages in your life. Consider the good relationships that last, the petty issues that
don’t, and the far-reaching implications of what images of you are still online through stages of
adulthood. It is important that you work to scale.
You may colour-code, draw icons, rate for importance (graph), add categories, and other visual
elements. Compare your timeline with other students, noting differences in their experiences and
goals. How do your impressions of the lasting nature of some things compare with your friends?
Were you surprised by any differences? Who is right? How do you know? How do you think
having a sexy image of yourself online might influence some of the other things on your timeline?
Examples of things you might include in your timeline:
• Birth
• Your age now
• Sibling’s birthdays
• Your own important birthdays
• Your time at different schools
• Your time at university, or in your first job
• Duration of important friendships
• Periods of music preference
• Sports played
• Musical instruments played
• Computers/ game consoles / phones owned
• Your first trip overseas (even if it’s in the future!)
• Your career or time of retirement
• Having children
• Effect of bad gossip
• Duration of your digital reputation
• Hurt over losing a friend or other relationship
• Time something stays online
• How long a sexy image stays online
Sexting
8
Activity 4: Exposed
Activity 4
Page
Subject focus
Visual/Discussi
on Activity
8
Identifying sexting
consequences
Duration
Resources required
Internet access to view the short film
Alarmed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u
QxJqbdXw9s
Instructions
1. Screen the short film Alarmed (1 min), where a teenage girl’s dream of coming to school
naked seems close to becoming a real-life nightmare.
2. Lead the students in a brainstorming session about what the consequences of sexting might
be.
3. Extend the discussion into a list of risks versus perceived benefits of sexting.
WORKSHEET 1: SEXTING MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Sexting images, or sexy pics are:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Pictures sent on a mobile phone.
Pictures sent on the internet.
Pictures you take of any body parts you generally cover with a swimsuit.
Pictures you take of your best ‘sexy face’.
2. Sometimes I share sexy pics of myself with my friends as a joke:
a.
b.
c.
d.
This is fine – my friends and I never fight, I trust them with everything.
A joke is a joke, and it’s OK if I take a sexy picture for fun.
Only if we all send one to each other as insurance.
Never, because it’s not funny enough to be worth the potential trouble.
3. Sexting can involve the police:
a.
b.
c.
d.
If anyone in the image is under 18.
Even if you created the image of your own body.
If you received a sexy pic or passed one on but didn’t create it.
All of the above.
4. Once a pic leaves your phone or computer:
a.
b.
c.
d.
It can be brought back again easily.
It can be deleted forever from the internet.
It can be destroyed by a special police unit.
It can exist online forever without a way to remove it.
5. If I receive a sexy pic, I should:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Delete it immediately and report it according to my school’s policy.
Ask my friends about the safest way to deal with it.
Send it on to a few trusted friends.
Send one back.
6. If someone asks me to send a sexy pic of myself, I should:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Stop and think about the consequences.
Tell them that makes me feel uncomfortable.
Explain that I don’t want pictures of myself that I might regret ending up online.
All of the above.
7. If I forward a sexy pic but didn’t create it myself:
a.
b.
c.
d.
It’s not my fault where it ends up.
I can be legally responsible for some serious offences.
No one can trace it back to me.
I’ll be wildly popular at school.
8. Taking pictures of any part of myself usually covered by a swimsuit or underwear is:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Fine, as long as I don’t share them.
Fine, as long as I only share them with someone I really trust.
Never a good idea, no matter what the circumstances are.
Fine, as long as I never send them, never lose my phone, and never forget to delete
them.
9. As soon as a sexy pic is sent it can end up being seen by:
a.
b.
c.
d.
My parents.
My teachers.
My friends.
All of the above and many more!
10. There are lots of ways to interact online but when it comes to sexting:
a.
b.
c.
d.
It’s just not worth it.
It’s just not worth it.
It’s just not worth it.
It’s really just not worth it!
WORKSHEET 2 – WHERE COULD YOUR PICS END UP?
Start
here…
Figure 1 shows a range of devices including mobile phones and laptops. On the screen of
each device there is a space to write who owns the device and how the image was shared.
Trace the path of an image and its effect!
WORKSHEET 3: HOW LONG IMAGES LAST ONLINE
On the following page, develop a basic timeline of your lifetime, demonstrating how long things
may last and showing the different stages in your life. Consider the good relationships that last,
the petty issues that don’t, and the far-reaching implications of what images of you are still online
through stages of adulthood. It is important that you work to scale.
You may colour-code, draw icons, rate for importance (graph), add categories, and other visual
elements. Compare your timeline with other students, noting differences in their experiences and
goals. How do your impressions of the lasting nature of some things compare with your friends?
Were you surprised by any differences? Who is right? How do you know? How do you think
having a sexy image of yourself online might influence some of the other things on your timeline?
Examples of things you might include in your timeline:
• Birth
• Your age now
• Sibling’s birthdays
• Your own important birthdays
• Your time at different schools
• Your time at university, or in your first job
• Duration of important friendships
• Periods of music preference
• Sports played
• Musical instruments played
• Computers/ game consoles / phones owned
• Your first trip overseas (even if it’s in the future!)
• Your career or time of retirement
• Having children
• Effect of bad gossip
• Duration of your digital reputation
• Hurt over losing a friend or other relationship
• Time something stays online
• How long a sexy image stays online