Common Sense Media
www.commonsensemedia.org
Laurie Alexander
Eureka City Schools
1.
Explain why a Digital Literacy and
Citizenship Curriculum is a ‘must’
in education today.
2.
Share with colleagues what
Common Sense Media has to offer
your students and families.

Most students today have
more knowledge about
technology than their
parents and teachers, but
most have not had
instruction on how and
when to use technology
appropriately.

“Too often the focus is on
learning the technology
itself, with little time
given to discussing what is
or isn't appropriate.”
(Rubble, M. and Bailey, G. (2007). Digital
Citizenship in Schools. Eugene, OR: ISTE, p. 21)
Student Created
Wordle >
 “CIPA”
– Children’s Internet
Protection Act of 2001
 CIPA
requires schools seeking federal E-rate
discounts for Internet access and internal
connections to certify they have in place
certain safety policies and technology
protection measures.
 Protecting
Children in the 21st Century Act
….A 2008 amendment to CIPA, added
language requiring that schools must certify
that our policies and practices provide for, at
minimum, the following education for our
students:
1. Appropriate online behavior
2. Interacting with other individuals on social
networking websites and in chat rooms
(safety and privacy)
3. Cyberbullying awareness and response
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It refers to the set of skills and
behaviors that one must learn to
be a safe, responsible and
respectful member of our 21st
century society online.
Common Sense Media defines a
“digital citizen” as: Someone who
is able to think critically about the
ethical opportunities and
challenges of the ‘digital world’
and makes safe, responsible,
respectful choices.
Mantra: With these powerful
technological tools comes great
responsibility.
Digital literacy is when students are able to
engage with multi-media to read and interpret
text, sounds and images.
 Digital literacy is when students can manipulate
and evaluate data to construct their own
meaning.
 Digital literacy also includes a student having
knowledge about how to use technology to
construct meaning, but most importantly in ways
that are appropriate to their needs.
 Students who know how to use technology are
also instructed by parents and teachers on how
to use it effectively and appropriately to
communicate a message.
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Understanding how to use web browsers, search engines, email,
text, wiki, blogs, Photoshop, PowerPoint, video creation/editing
software, etc. to showcase learning.
Evaluating online resources for accuracy/trustworthiness of
information.
Using online classes to enhance learning in the classroom.
Choosing appropriate media to showcase learning - understand
what platforms will best illustrate your message and learning to
peers and educators.
Using an interactive whiteboard in the classroom for lessons and
allowing students to use the interactive whiteboard on a daily
basis.
Encouraging students to use technology to showcase their
learning.
Using the web (web sites video, music) to enhance the learning
of your students.
Students and teachers creating online content to be utilized both
in and out of the classroom.
(Purposeful Technology)
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Learning just how to use multi-media to research and
investigate a specific topic.
Having a computer lab in your school.
Technology as a ‘specials’ class separate from the
daily classroom.
Typing papers (research, opinion or narrative stories)
on a computer or using search engines only to find
information.
Children dropping out of school to independently
learn without guidance.
Using online media without any knowledge or
guidelines on how to judge whether the information
is accurate or trustworthy.
(Purposeful Technology)
*
 Scope
and Sequence
 3 Strands: Safety & Security, Digital
Citizenship, and Research & Information
Literacy
 Units and Lessons (1-5 per unit)

Lesson Plan, Videos, Handouts, Homework
 Parent
Resources to complement the lessons
 Aligned to standards for the International
Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
NETS, ELA Common Core, and the American
Association of School Librarians Standards for
the 21st Century Learner
Held focus groups across the country to
determine issues of online life
 Determined what messages & lessons would be
effective with students and what topics were of
interest to teachers and parents
 Tested in schools with students in Bay Area,
Omaha and Nebraska
 Modified the material based on the systemic
feedback they received through surveys,
interviews, and direct observation
 Rooted in the digital ethics framework
developed by the GoodPlay project at the
Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project
Zero- greatest points of ethical peril and promise
on the Internet

1. Internet Safety: Explore internet collaboration,
safety strategies, distinguishing inappropriate
contact... Foundational skills!
2. Privacy & Security: Strategies for managing
online information and keeping it secure,
passwords, avoiding scams, analyze privacy
policies
3. Relationships & Communication: Skills to build
and strengthen positive online communication
& communities, digital ethics
4. Cyberbullying: What to do, roles people play,
how individual actions impact friends and
community
5. Footprint & Reputation: How to protect their
own privacy and respect others’ privacy,
permanency, self-reflection and impact
6. Self-image & Identity: Explore digital lives,
online identity, benefits and risks of different
personas
7. Information Literacy: Identify, find, evaluate
and use information effectively
8. Creative Credit & Copyright: Responsibility &
rights as creators, plagiarism to piracy, fair use
4 Grade Bands
K-2
/3 units comprised of five lessons
3-5 /3 units comprised of five lessons
6-8 /3 units comprised of five lessons
9-12 /4 units comprised of five lessons
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Each spirals to address a cross-curricular approach
Build on each other by reinforcing developmentally
appropriate topics
Can be taught sequentially by grade or within band
1.
Engaging plans
2.
Handouts
3.
Videos
4.
Assessments
5.
Parent tip sheets
 Offered
online
 Introduces educators to the scope and
sequence
 Outlines the curriculum
 Walks you through a few lessons
 Takes one hour
 Requires a brief survey
 Provide educator a certificate of completion
Cyberbullying Toolkit: Take a Stand!
Two lessons for each grade level &
grade level parent “workshop in a box”
2. Gender and Digital Life Toolkit:
Designed to help students reflect on
gender stereotypes. Three lessons for
grade spans (3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
3. E-Rate Toolkit: Lessons organized by
grade, parent tips, Teacher Verification
Document
1.
 Addresses
CIPA Compliance for E-Rate
 Partnered
with Knowledge Delivery Systems
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Provides online professional development that
empowers teachers to deliver a comprehensive
digital citizenship curriculum
Includes a reporting tool to easily chart
progress, completion and compliance through
automated reporting
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
4 online course options: 1 admin, K-5, 6-8, 9-12
PD builds understanding of the importance of
teaching digital literacy and citizenship
Provides comprehensive research-based,
standards-aligned curriculum that teachers can
use to educate students
Showcases lessons in action for teacher to see
grade specific examples of digital literacy and
best practice
80 to 90 minutes per course
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All students receive
age-appropriate CIPA
aligned lesson every
year to keep pace with
their growing needs
Elementary – one 45
minute lesson per
grade/year
Middle – two 45 minute
lessons per grade/year
High – one 45 minute
lesson per grade/year
YEARLY
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Provide lessons to
students only during
benchmark years –
Grades 2, 5, 6, and 9
Elementary – three 45
minute lessons per
grade/year
Middle – six 45 minute
lessons per grade/year
High – four 45 minute
lessons per grade/year
BENCHMARK YEARS
 PD/
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Videos:
Talking Safely Online; Cyberbullying: What’s
crossing the line?
 Blogs,
Webinars and Events
 Teaching Channel Videos
 Parent Education Program
 Digital Passport: Teach and Test the basics of
online life.
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Web-based games and videos (5 modules)
3rd-5th graders engage in independent learning
Collaborative classroom activities
Teacher reports
 Register
online
 Complete
an overview tutorial (45 min.)
 Determine
 Download
 Print
 Cue
which lessons
lesson material
handouts if needed
up the video lesson
 Teach
the lesson
Locate and explore:
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2.
3.
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5.
6.
One Curriculum Unit of Instruction
One Category – Look for spiraling across
grade levels
One Toolkit
Three videos
Three features, components or tools you
want to share with others
A favorite discovery
 My
1.
 2.
 3.
first three steps are: