Lesson Plan
Savvy Schedule Outline
Students will identify healthy screen habits and practice balancing screen time with offline activities through interactive games and discussions.
Building digital wellness skills in 2nd graders promotes balanced technology use, supports mental and physical health, and encourages enriching offline play habits early on.
Audience
2nd Grade Students
Time
20-minute small-group session
Approach
Interactive spinner game followed by guided discussion.
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Print and prepare What’s Too Much? Discussion Cards.
- Review spinner rules and prompts in Screen Time Spinner Game.
- Preview slides in Healthy Screen Habits Slide Deck and note key talking points.
Step 1
Introduction
3 minutes
- Gather the group and introduce the topic of screen habits.
- Show the first slide from Healthy Screen Habits Slide Deck and discuss why balance is important.
- Ask students to share one favorite screen activity and one offline activity.
Step 2
Game Activity
7 minutes
- Explain how to use the Screen Time Spinner Game.
- Students take turns spinning and identifying if the activity is low/moderate/high screen time.
- Encourage students to explain why they chose that category.
Step 3
Guided Discussion
7 minutes
- Distribute What’s Too Much? Discussion Cards to pairs.
- Students discuss each scenario and decide if screen time is healthy.
- Invite pairs to share their decisions and reasoning with the group.
Step 4
Wrap-Up
3 minutes
- Summarize three healthy screen habits from today’s session.
- Ask each student to state one goal for balancing screen time with offline play.
- Reinforce the importance of taking regular screen breaks.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Healthy Screen Habits
Welcome to our session on Healthy Screen Habits!
Today we’ll learn how to balance screen time with offline play and keep our minds and bodies happy.
Welcome everyone! Introduce today’s topic: how to keep our screens fun and healthy. Explain that we’ll learn what balance means and practice setting our own screen-time goals.
Why Balance Matters
• Helps our eyes and bodies rest
• Keeps our brains active and creative
• Makes time for friends, family, and play
Ask: “Why do you think too much screen time might be a problem?” Listen to answers, then highlight the three key reasons below.
Benefits of Healthy Screen Habits
• Better sleep and more energy
• Stronger focus and learning
• More time for hobbies and physical play
Read each benefit aloud and invite a volunteer to share how it helps them. Emphasize that good habits make screens more fun.
Real-Life Examples
Low Screen Use:
- Reading a book
- Playing outside
Moderate Screen Use:
- Educational game
- Video call with family
High Screen Use:
- Watching videos for a long time
- Playing fast-paced video games
Show examples and ask: “Which ones are low, medium, or high screen use?” Encourage kids to explain their thinking.
Tips for Healthy Screen Time
- Take a 5-minute break every 20 minutes
- Set a timer before you start
- Mix in offline activities you love
Review each tip and ask students to share other ideas they have tried at home.
Your Screen Savvy Goals
Think of one healthy screen goal for this week:
• When will you take breaks?
• What offline activity will you try?
Share with the group and let’s cheer each other on!
Invite each student to name one goal they will try this week (e.g., “I’ll turn off screens 30 minutes before bed”). Praise all ideas and close with encouragement.
Game
Screen Time Spinner Game Instructions
Description: A fun spinner activity where students spin to land on a screen-related activity and decide whether it’s a low, moderate, or high amount of screen time. This helps reinforce healthy screen habits through play!
Materials Needed
- Spinner board (print on sturdy paper)
- Spinner arrow with paper fastener or paper clip
- Classification Key Sheet (teacher copy)
- Optional: small tokens or stickers for correct answers
Prep (5 minutes)
- Print the spinner board and cut out the arrow.
- Attach spinner arrow to the center with a paper fastener or paper clip.
- Have the teacher’s classification key ready for quick reference.
Spinner Segments (8 activities)
| Activity | Screen Use Category |
|---|---|
| Reading a book | Low |
| Playing outside | Low |
| Video call with family | Moderate |
| Educational game | Moderate |
| Drawing with a digital art app | Moderate |
| Watching a movie | High |
| Playing video games | High |
| Watching long videos | High |
How to Play (7 minutes)
- Place spinner on the table and gather students around.
- Student A gives the spinner a spin.
- When it stops, read the activity aloud.
- Decide as a group if this is low, moderate, or high screen use.
- Teacher checks the classification key.
- If the group is correct, they earn a token (or sticker).
- If not, discuss why and reveal the right category.
- Student A explains their reasoning: “I think watching a movie is high screen use because it keeps me looking at the screen for a long time.”
- Pass the spinner to the next student and repeat.
Wrap-Up Discussion (3 minutes)
- Count up tokens. Celebrate the student or group with the most correct classifications!
- Ask: “Which activity surprised you the most when you learned its category?”
- Invite a volunteer to share one healthy screen habit they’d like to try this week.
Enjoy spinning and learning together about balancing our screen time!
Discussion
What’s Too Much? Discussion Cards
Instructions: In pairs, read each scenario below. Discuss whether the screen time described is healthy or too much, and explain your thinking. Write your decision and reasons in the space provided.
Card 1
Scenario: Maria watches cartoon videos on her tablet for 15 minutes before doing her homework.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 2
Scenario: Jake plays fast-paced video games for 2 hours straight during his afternoon break.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 3
Scenario: Lily spends 20 minutes using a drawing app to create pictures and practice art skills.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 4
Scenario: David watches TV for 30 minutes while eating dinner with his family.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 5
Scenario: Emma reads an e-book on her tablet for 25 minutes as part of her bedtime routine.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 6
Scenario: Noah plays outside for 30 minutes, then spends 30 minutes on an educational game app.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 7
Scenario: Olivia video calls her grandma for 10 minutes to share a story she drew.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
Card 8
Scenario: Aiden watches videos on his tablet for 45 minutes before bedtime without taking breaks.
Question: Is this amount of screen time healthy or too much? Why?
Your Response:
Decision (Healthy / Too Much): ________
Because:
After discussing all cards, share one scenario that surprised you and explain what healthy screen habit you would recommend in that situation.