Grade 4/5 Combination Lesson
Faith Focus: Internet Smart = Safety
Circle of Grace: Lesson 15
Introduction:
Last week we talked about Moses and the Israelites in the desert.
Today we are going to learn more about how much God treasures us and wants us to make good choices for ourselves and others.
He does not want or cause bad things to happen. God is with you and tries to comfort you even when you are hurting and sad.
We can begin with the Sign of the Cross and pray, “Holy Spirit, show us the way. Be with us in all we think, do, and say. Amen.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lesson: Review
We are all made in the image and likeness of God and therefore we are sacred and holy, deserving of great respect.
Jesus told us he would always love us and His Spirit would always be with us. If we are always in His presence, we are always in a special, holy place. We call that place our Circle of Grace.
If we remember that we are in a Circle of Grace, that God is there with us and we are surrounded by His love, we will remember to behave with special respect for ourselves and for others. God is with us because He desires a close relationship with each of us.
Let’s talk about secrets! Some are safe and some are not. Safe secrets do not hurt oneself or others. An unsafe secret is when you think that someone, including yourself, might be hurt or get in trouble if you do not tell.
For example, a surprise like a birthday or Christmas gift is safe. If someone tells you to never tell the secret to a trusted adult, it is not safe.
FYI – a trusted adult is a grown-up who helps you stay safe in your Circle of Grace and respects others within their Circle of Grace.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity:
Today we are going to talk about internet safety.
Let’s make a list of positive and negative uses of the internet.
To better explain positive and negative uses, you can use a hammer as an example. A positive use of a hammer is to build things. A negative use is to destroy things.
Internet Positive suggestions: Communication, Information, Entertainment.
Internet Negative suggestions: Damaging someone’s reputation by texting a lie, stealing someone’s identity, viewing inappropriate sites.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discussion: Children’s Rules and Guidelines for Internet Safety
See handout of the Rules. This is to be used in class and taken home to parents.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Identify and Maintain Appropriate Internet Boundaries:
Boundaries are simply the borders or limits we need to keep ourselves safe within our Circle of Grace.
How do we know if they are violated or crossed?
Feel unsure or unsafe
If someone tells you to keep your communication with them a secret
If you don’t feel comfortable having a trusted adult see what you’re doing or writing on a device or cell phone
If you can’t tell the person face-to-face what you just wrote about them
If you send messages that intentionally harm or embarrass another person. This is cyberbullying and not respecting their Circle of Grace.
If you find yourselves lying on the internet. You may be tempted to lie in real life.
If your Circle of Grace boundaries are crossed.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone Game:
Let’s play a game to see how stories or conversations on the Internet may happen and not be totally accurate or even true.
Seat 6-8 children in a circle with backs to each other, sitting so that the story can be heard by one person at a time. (In our classrooms, maybe turn their backs to the table and space out a bit and have 6-8 kids on one side of the table in a line.)
The catechist makes up a story with 3-4 details (ex. Soccer game, sleepover, school activity)
The catechist has a ball of string that is stretched throughout all the children (each child can touch part of the string).
The catechist tells the story to the first child and surrenders to that child the tail of the string (that child now has the tail and the string that was between the leader and the first child.
That child moves to another child in the circle and hands off the stretched string and retells the story as heard from the catechist.
The story is retold until all the in the circle or line have a turn.
The final person repeats the story as they recall it. That child ow has all the string in a ball or wad.
Discuss if the story is the same as when the story was first told or if details changed as the story was passed on.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Internet Safety Worksheet:
Hand out two Internet Smart Worksheets to the children.
Have the children complete one in class and be ready to discuss. Tell them the worksheet will not be collected. The second worksheet is to be completed with their parents at home.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The catechist reviews each scenario with the class. Please ask the following questions:
How hard was it to know how you would act in each situation?
Do you think some of the scenarios seem to make you choose between your friends and doing the right thing?
Can you think of some other difficult situations?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Action Plan:
Pass out the Parent Information Worksheet.
After reviewing the following information, have the children write both the action plans on the Parent Information Worksheet.
Have the children take the Parent Information Worksheet home.
Scenario A: You are unsure or feel unsafe while viewing something or interacting with someone while using the computer or other device and you know your parents would not approve.
Action Plan:
Do not exit the site.
Find a trusted adult and show them what you are concerned about.
Review how you got to this point on the computer
Have an adult help you exit the site.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Scenario B: You are unsure or feel unsafe when you are asked by someone to view something on the computer or device. It makes you uncomfortable and you know your parents would not approve.
Action Plan:
Walk away from the computer or device.
Tell a trusted adult.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Closing Prayer:
Thank you, God, for always being with me in my Circle of Grace.
Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who helps me know what is good.
Thank you for giving me people who care about me and want me to be safe.
Amen.