Digital Footprint Scenario Cards

Instructions for Students:
Read each scenario carefully in your group. Discuss the questions below for each scenario, and be prepared to share your thoughts with the class.

Discussion Questions for Each Scenario:

• What part of the digital footprint is involved (active or passive)?
• What are the potential positive or negative impacts of this digital footprint?
• What advice would you give to the person in the scenario to manage their digital footprint responsibly?

Scenario 1: The Embarrassing Photo

Mariah attended a party last weekend. Someone took a silly photo of her and posted it on social media, tagging Mariah. Mariah thinks the photo is a bit embarrassing and doesn't want it to be online, but her friend says it's just a joke.

Scenario 2: The Gaming Rant

Liam was playing an online video game and got very frustrated. He typed a long, angry message in the game's public chat, criticizing other players and using some inappropriate language. He deleted it an hour later, thinking no one would see it.

Scenario 3: The College Application

During a college application interview, Sarah was asked about her online presence. She suddenly remembered a profile she made in middle school with a silly username and some posts she now finds childish and irrelevant to her current goals. She hasn't logged in for years.

Scenario 4: The Shared Study Notes

David found some old study notes for a difficult test from a previous year online. He downloaded them and shared them with his classmates, thinking it would help everyone. He didn't realize the notes were from a different teacher and included some specific examples that weren't covered in their class.

Scenario 5: The App Permissions

Fatima downloaded a new photo-editing app. When it asked for permission to access her location and contacts, she quickly clicked "Allow All" without reading the details, excited to try out the filters.

Scenario 6: The Positive Review

Sam had a fantastic experience volunteering at a local animal shelter. He decided to write a glowing review on the shelter's website and shared his positive experience on his social media, encouraging his friends to get involved in community service.

My Digital Footprint Worksheet

Name: ____________________________

Instructions: Reflect on your own online activity and answer the questions below. Be honest with yourself!

Part 1: My Online Habits

1. List three common online activities you do (e.g., social media, gaming, watching videos, searching for information).

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2. Think about your active digital footprint. What is one thing you have posted, shared, or commented on online in the last month?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Think about your passive digital footprint. What is one piece of information that might be collected about you without you directly posting it (e.g., from websites you visit, apps you use)?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 2: Impact and Reflection

4. Consider the information you shared in question 2. Could that post or share potentially affect your reputation or future opportunities (positively or negatively)? Explain why.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. How might your online actions affect others (friends, family, classmates)? Provide an example.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 3: My Digital Footprint Pledge

6. Based on what you learned today, what is ONE specific action you will take to be a more responsible digital citizen?

   • (e.g., "I will always ask permission before posting photos of friends.")
   • (e.g., "I will think twice before commenting when I'm feeling angry.")
   • (e.g., "I will review privacy settings on my favorite apps.")

   My Pledge:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. Why is this pledge important to you?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Digital Footprint Detectives Script

Warm-Up: What's Your Online Shadow? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to become detectives, but instead of solving mysteries about crimes, we're going to solve mysteries about ourselves online. I want you to think for a moment: When you go online, do you leave a trail? What kind of information do you think stays behind? Turn and chat with a partner for 30 seconds about what you think an 'online trail' might be."

(Allow students to discuss. After 30 seconds, bring them back.)

Teacher: "Alright, let's hear some of your ideas. What did you and your partner discuss? What kind of information do you think stays behind when you're online?"

(Call on 2-3 students to share. Validate their responses and connect them to the idea of a digital record.)

Teacher: "Excellent thoughts! Many of you are already thinking like digital detectives. That 'trail' you're talking about is what we call your digital footprint. Let's dive deeper into what that means."

(Transition to Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 1)

Introduction to Digital Footprint (10 minutes)

Teacher: "So, what exactly is a digital footprint? Take a look at this slide."

(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 2)

Teacher: "Your digital footprint is basically every single piece of data you leave behind when you use the internet. Think of it like walking on a sandy beach – every step leaves an imprint. Online, every click, every post, every search leaves an imprint too. It includes things like your social media posts, comments you make, your search history, the websites you visit, and even photos or videos you share.

Now, there are two main types of digital footprints: active and passive. Let's look at the difference."

(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "An active digital footprint is information you intentionally share. For example, if you post a photo on Instagram, write a comment on a YouTube video, or send an email, you are actively creating that part of your footprint. You chose to put that information out there.

But then there's the passive digital footprint. This is information collected without your direct action. This might sound a little sneaky, but it happens all the time. When you visit a website, it might track your browsing history. Apps on your phone might collect your location data, or online stores might remember what you've looked at or purchased. You're not actively typing this information, but it's being gathered in the background.

Can anyone think of an example of something they did online recently that would be part of their active digital footprint? And what about a passive one?"

(Allow a few students to share examples.)

Teacher: "Great examples! Now, you might be thinking, 'So what? Who cares about my online trail?' Well, your digital footprint matters a lot, and it lasts longer than you might think."

(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Teacher: "Your digital footprint can impact your future in many ways. Colleges and employers often look at applicants' online presence. What you post can affect your reputation – how others see you. It's also about your security, protecting your personal information, and even how your posts might affect your friends and family. It's a powerful tool, and you have control over the story it tells."

Scenario Exploration: Detective Work (15 minutes)

Teacher: "Now it's time to put on your detective hats! We're going to work in small groups to investigate some real-life digital footprint scenarios."

(Divide students into small groups of 3-4. Distribute the Digital Footprint Scenario Cards to each group.)

Teacher: "Each group will receive a set of Digital Footprint Scenario Cards. Your task is to read each scenario and discuss three things:

1. What part of the digital footprint is involved – is it active or passive?
2. What are the potential positive or negative impacts of this digital footprint?
3. What advice would you give to the person in the scenario to manage their digital footprint responsibly?"

(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 5 and then Slide 6 for an example, then Slide 7 for key questions)

Teacher: "Let's look at an example together. If Mia shared a photo of her friend without asking, that would be an active footprint. A potential negative impact is that her friend might feel upset. My advice would be to always ask for permission. Got it?

You'll have about 10 minutes for this activity. I'll be walking around to listen in and help if you get stuck. Remember to discuss all three questions for each card. Go!"

(Circulate among groups, providing guidance, listening to discussions, and prompting deeper thinking. Use slides 5-7 to reinforce instructions and key ideas as needed.)

Class Share and Discussion (8 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright, detectives, bring it back together! Let's hear what your teams discovered. Who would like to share one of the scenarios they discussed and the advice your group came up with?"

*(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 8)

(Call on each group to share one scenario and their conclusions. Encourage other students to add to the discussion or offer different perspectives. Guide the discussion toward common themes like privacy, respect, consequences, and control.)

Teacher: "Fantastic discussions, everyone. It's clear that understanding our digital footprint requires careful thought and responsibility. What are some of the biggest takeaways or 'aha!' moments you had from these scenarios? How can we apply these lessons to our own lives?"

(Facilitate a brief whole-class discussion, summarizing key insights.)

Cool-Down: My Digital Footprint Pledge (7 minutes)

Teacher: "To wrap up our detective work today, I want each of you to think personally about your own digital footprint. I'm going to hand out the My Digital Footprint Worksheet."

(Distribute My Digital Footprint Worksheet to each student.)

Teacher: "On this worksheet, you'll have a chance to reflect on your online habits and, most importantly, commit to one action you can take to be a more responsible digital citizen. This is your personal pledge to yourself."

*(Display Digital Footprint Detectives Slide Deck - Slide 9)

Teacher: "Take the next few minutes to complete the worksheet. When you're done, please hand it to me as you leave. Remember, your digital footprint is a story that you are writing every day. Make it a good one, and make it one you'll be proud of!"

(Collect worksheets as students finish or as an exit ticket.)

My Digital Footprint Worksheet Answer Key

Note to Teacher: The answers to this worksheet will largely be reflective and personal to each student. The key below provides guidance on what to look for in student responses and potential discussion points. Focus on thoughtful reflection and understanding rather than a single "correct" answer.

Part 1: My Online Habits

1. List three common online activities you do.

   • Guidance: Look for common online activities relevant to middle school students, such as: social media (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat), online gaming (Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft), streaming videos/music (YouTube, Spotify), searching for information for school or personal interest, online shopping, communicating with friends/family.
   • Expected: Varied responses reflecting individual student interests.

2. Think about your active digital footprint. What is one thing you have posted, shared, or commented on online in the last month?

   • Guidance: Students should provide a specific example of something they intentionally put online. This could be a picture, a comment, a video, a status update, a message in a group chat, etc.
   • Expected: Personal examples of active digital footprint components.

3. Think about your passive digital footprint. What is one piece of information that might be collected about you without you directly posting it?

   • Guidance: Students should identify data collected in the background. Examples include: location data from an app, browsing history from websites, ads they see based on online searches, activity within a game, information gathered by cookies.
   • Expected: Examples of passive digital footprint components.

Part 2: Impact and Reflection

4. Consider the information you shared in question 2. Could that post or share potentially affect your reputation or future opportunities (positively or negatively)? Explain why.

   • Guidance: Students should demonstrate critical thinking about the consequences of their active online actions. Encourage them to consider both positive (e.g., sharing a project, showing talent) and negative (e.g., inappropriate language, embarrassing content, showing poor judgment) impacts.
   • Expected: A reasoned explanation connecting their specific post to potential future outcomes.

5. How might your online actions affect others (friends, family, classmates)? Provide an example.

   • Guidance: Look for examples that show an understanding of empathy and the ripple effect of online behavior. Examples include: posting a photo of a friend without permission (negative), spreading rumors (negative), sharing positive encouragement (positive), tagging someone in an inappropriate post (negative).
   • Expected: An example illustrating how their online actions can impact others, with an explanation.

Part 3: My Digital Footprint Pledge

6. Based on what you learned today, what is ONE specific action you will take to be a more responsible digital citizen?

   • Guidance: Students should make a concrete, actionable pledge. Examples of strong pledges include:
     • "I will always ask permission before posting photos of friends."
     • "I will think twice before commenting when I'm feeling angry."
     • "I will review privacy settings on my favorite apps every few months."
     • "I will double-check links before I click on them to avoid suspicious websites."
     • "I will be mindful of the information I share publicly on social media."
   • Expected: A clear, personal commitment to responsible digital citizenship.

7. Why is this pledge important to you?

   • Guidance: Students should articulate the personal value or motivation behind their pledge. Their reasoning should align with the lesson's themes (e.g., protecting their future, maintaining a good reputation, respecting others, staying safe online).
   • Expected: A personal justification for their chosen pledge, reflecting an understanding of the importance of managing their digital footprint.

Transitional Word Sort Activity

Instructions: Work with your group to sort the transitional words below into categories that make sense. Some words might fit into more than one category! Be ready to explain your choices.

Categories (You can create your own! Here are some ideas):

• Time Order (When things happen)
• Adding Ideas (Putting more information together)
• Contrast (Showing differences or opposites)
• Cause and Effect (Why something happened and what happened next)
• Concluding (Wrapping things up)

Cut-out Words: