TeachersFirst's Digital Citizenship Resources
Explore this Editor's Choice of the best tools to teach digital citizenship found on TeachersFirst. Modeling and helping students to learn about digital citizenship is the responsibility of every adult in our students' lives, including teachers in all subject areas and parents at home. As adults learn more about digital citizenship, including wise online behavior and awareness of our own digital footprints, we must continue to share and openly discuss these issues with the young people in our classrooms and homes. Stay up to date on current issues, stay aware. Be sure also to visit the TeachersFirst Edge for teacher-friendly tips on using today's web tools safely and within school policies.
Click here to view all of TeachersFirst's resources for Digital Citizenship.

29 Results | sort by:
Cyber Academy - Trend Micro
Grades
3 to 5tag(s): cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110)
In the Classroom
Include these lessons as part of your internet safety activities by adding them as a computer center activity or a flipped or blended learning activity. Consider adding a new lesson weekly or monthly as part of your year-long discussions on becoming a safe digital citizen. Enhance the video information using an interactive tool such as Timelinely, reviewed here, to add comments, insert supporting media, or links to additional information. Ask students to create short videos sharing their learning, then add them to a class book made with Book Creator, reviewed here. As you complete each lesson, add new videos to create a reference book that includes all the material learned.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Filter Bubble Trouble - Common Sense Education
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110), social and emotional learning (73), social media (51)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this lesson with other social media and digital citizenship lessons. Engage students in this lesson by assigning a Threadit activity, reviewed here, as a conversation starter. A day or two before your lesson, share a link to a Threadit with a conversation prompt using one of the provided prompts that ask students to discuss the concept of living in a bubble. As students continue their discussion on filter bubbles and view the linked video, enhance learning through using Escape Rooms that challenge students to use their knowledge to complete tasks within the Escape Room. Use Room Escape Maker, reviewed here, to create and share your Escape Room activity. Extend student learning by asking students to share Internet safety and digital citizenship tips school-wide. For example, ask students to create a monthly podcast using Acast, reviewed here, sharing advice on using social media responsibly.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
My Social Media Life - Common Sense Education
Grades
6 to 9tag(s): digital citizenship (81), social and emotional learning (73), social media (51)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this lesson plan for use with lessons on media literacy, social media, or social-emotional learning. Engage students by creating visual mindmaps or flow charts using Coggle, reviewed here. For example, create a mind map with different social platforms and ask students to share the pros and cons of using each tool. Use a flow chart to share suggestions on how to address common issues that occur through the use of social media and relationships. As a final activity, ask students to create interesting video presentations using Typito, reviewed here. Typito's drag and drop interface includes free templates, drag and drop features, and the ability to personalize and share content easily.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
My Media Choices - Common Sense Education
Grades
3 to 5tag(s): digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110), media literacy (96)
In the Classroom
Although created for fourth grade, this lesson works well for grades three through five, with possible adaptations for additional grade levels. First, engage students by conducting a poll or survey of the different types of media your students regularly consume. For example, use a simple polling tool such as Kahoot reviewed here, or take a more in-depth survey using Microsoft Forms, reviewed here. Instead of completing worksheets as a paper and pencil activity, convert the worksheets into an interactive document using Google Docs, reviewed here, and assign within Google Classroom. Add questions or comments to the included video using EdPuzzle, reviewed here, to enhance learning. As an extension activity, ask students to share tips for safe media use by creating short videos to share on your class and school's websites. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create engaging videos from scratch or by using the templates provided.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Digital Citizenship: Technological Literacy - PBS Learning Media
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110), journalism (69), social media (51)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many videos and resources found on this site to include with your digital citizenship lessons. Engage students in learning about digital citizenship using playposit, reviewed here, to add notes, questions, and student-teacher interactions to any video. Enhance the learning experience by including these videos and your other resources into a digital lesson using Curipod, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to share their learning using different technology tools. For example, have some students create a podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here, while others create and share video presentations made with Animoto, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
OK2Ask: Social Media Literacy: Purposeful Practice in Every Classroom - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12As educators, we...more
As educators, we can prepare every child to be influential by helping them understand how to leverage the power of social media. While students intuitively understand the mechanics of social media platforms, using them in a responsible, purposeful way to build influence is not instinctual and must be taught and practiced. Learn to develop your students' social media savvy by using practice spaces focused on digital citizenship, critical thinking, persuasion, and communication skills. Explore online and offline strategies and tools to create safe, authentic learning experiences for students in grades 2-12 in any content area. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Learn the importance of responsible social media use by students; 2. Understand the purpose of using social media practice spaces as part of regular instruction; and 3. Explore both paper-based and digital practice spaces that can be used with students. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
tag(s): digital citizenship (81), professional development (352), social media (51), student-centered (4)
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Twitter Chat: Digital Citizenship: How to teach it and Resource Round-Up - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), twitterchatarchive (163)
In the Classroom
Find resources and information about teaching digital citizenship and resources. Share this chat with your colleagues looking for tools and resources on digital citizenship strategies and resources.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Healthy Digital Citizens: Helping Kids Stay Active & Safe in the Internet Age - Tennis Department
Grades
K to 12tag(s): cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110)
In the Classroom
Include this resource with your other information for use when teaching online safety and digital citizenship. Share the information with parents on your class website or through email. Use the format of this resource to your advantage by sharing the different topics bi-weekly. Embed activities found on this site on ClassTools, reviewed here. Encourage student communication with parents as you share the topics. For example, the first topic is Open Communication. Use the Drag and Drop Quiz Generator to create a quiz for parents and students to take together based upon the communication suggestions found in the article. Upon completion of the quiz, use ClassTools to create a certificate to acknowledge the achievement.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Social Media Test Drive - Cornell University and the Cornell Research Foundation, Inc
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): character education (74), cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (81), social media (51)
In the Classroom
Share these modules for students to complete during any lessons on Internet safety. Ask students to contribute to a collaborative document sharing examples they have seen of cyberbullying or deceptive news practice. Replace pencil and paper notetaking by sharing an online tool such as Webnote, reviewed here, for students to use to take notes on any website. When finished, have them share their notes using the URL created for use in classroom discussions. Reinforce online safety concepts through gameplay using Baamboozle, reviewed here. Enhance student learning by asking students to create a game in Baamboozle for their peers to play to identify best practices in creating a safe online presence. After completing your digital safety unit, modify classroom technology use and extend learning by asking students to create explainer videos using FlexClip, reviewed here, with suggestions on how to identify fake news, how to create a positive digital footprint or ways to support peers when faced with cyberbullying. Share student videos on your class website and with younger students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
DigCitCommit - ISTE
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use as a resource as you teach about digital citizenship. Learn about the five competencies, then use them as a basis for instruction. Encourage students to become engaged in the conversation by sharing their understanding of different topics. For example, as you teach about the concept of being aware, use a concept mapping resource like mindmaps, reviewed here, for students to visualize and share ideas related to being aware of online actions. As you continue in your lessons of awareness, enhance student learning by incorporating teaching strategies to encourage students to personalize learning experiences through the use of journals or blogs. edublogs, reviewed here, is an excellent blogging tool that provides a safe resource for student writing in addition to providing you the ability to moderate content and privacy settings. As students develop an understanding of each competency, encourage them to continue learning and applying the lessons to their everyday use of online resources. Have groups of students become experts in different competencies and share their knowledge with younger students through the creation of explainer videos using simpleshow video maker, reviewed here, podcasts using PodcastGenerator, reviewed here, or digital books created with Book Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Digital Civics Toolkit - MacArthur Research Network
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): communities (34), cross cultural understanding (149), digital citizenship (81), journalism (69)
In the Classroom
Save yourself some time, and use these excellent free modules on this site during online safety lessons. Share this site with your school's counselor for use during digital awareness activities. Instead of using paper and pencil to record ideas during brainstorming sessions, use an online bulletin board like Padlet, reviewed here, to organize and record student responses. Padlet offers tools for participants to share links and add comments to posts. As students develop responses to prompts, replace paper and pencil and ask them to create simple web pages to share their ideas and include support for their position using a simple webpage creation tool like Jimdo, reviewed here. Add a link to each student or group's web pages onto your class website to share the variety of ideas and resources shared by the class. Enhance learning and use Acast, reviewed here, to create podcasts featuring student's sharing tips for being digitally aware and share with your school community.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Adventures of Kara, Winston and the SMART Crew - Childnet International
Grades
2 to 6tag(s): character education (74), digital citizenship (81), internet safety (110)
In the Classroom
Any teacher will benefit from the free materials and activities on this site to teach online safety to students either directly through these materials, or as additional resources to your current online safety materials. As a substitute for links on paper or in a word processing tool, use a bookmarking tool like Symbaloo, reviewed here, to share online resources with students on classroom computers and your class website. Enhance student understanding by challenging students to create digital books teaching online safety using Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator includes tools for adding videos, images, and more into books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Citizenship in the Digital Age (Infographic) - Diana Fingal
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (81), infographics (51), internet safety (110)
In the Classroom
Share this infographic on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector with students as part of ongoing discussions on becoming good digital citizens. Ask students to create their own infographics using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to share different components of online safety and responsibility. Consider having groups of students create weekly podcasts sharing tips and information on digital citizenship. Podcast Generator, reviewed here, is a free tool for creating and sharing podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Fair Dealing Decision Tool - Council of Ministers of Education, Canada
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): copyright (40), digital citizenship (81), ethics (22), plagiarism (33)
In the Classroom
Include this site as part of your digital citizenship lessons. Explore together what is the acceptable use, and what is not. Enhance classroom technology use by having students create online posters individually or together as a class using a tool such as PicLits, reviewed here, or transform class tech use with a multimedia poster using Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, to demonstrate the acceptable use of published work. Be sure to include a link to this tool on your class web page for student use at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Seven Digital Deadly Sins - Guardian Weekend Magazine
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), professional development (352), social media (51)
In the Classroom
Be very careful if using this in a classroom as there are discussions of items not appropriate for general consumption, and may be more appropriate as inspiration for discussing the main "sins" in your classroom. At a minimum, be sure to view and screen portions of the site for appropriateness before sharing with students. Have students create an online graph using ChartGizmo, reviewed here, to analyze their digital usage. Share ideas and reflections comparing the positives of digital media versus the negative impacts. Exchange information from the site with your colleagues and school counselors as part of any professional development or discussions about the use of social media and digital tools. Share with parents who have concerns about their student's digital usage.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Toolkit for Digitally-Literate Teachers - University of Southern California Rossier School of Education
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (81), media literacy (96)
In the Classroom
Although geared toward teacher professional development, use the list of skills and tools to create formative or summative assessments. Have individuals or groups of students research the topic of digital literacy using the site and then create presentations using some of the online tools suggested. Share with your administrators and other staff members.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Resource Guides - Learning Commons - The University of British Columbia - Vancouver Campus
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): citations (34), copyright (40), creative commons (28), digital citizenship (81), plagiarism (33), Research (79)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard as you share individual topics with students, then create a link on your class website for students to access information at any time. Divide topics among groups of students and enhance or transform classroom technology use and student learning by having each group create a simple or multimedia infographic (depending on teacher requirements or student ability) and share their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Create a class wiki with resources for using and crediting online tools. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
R4S: Research for Success - INFOhio
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): citations (34), classroom management (128), digital citizenship (81), evaluating sources (13), inquiry (25), media literacy (96), note taking (34), organizational skills (89), plagiarism (33), Research (79), search strategies (23)
In the Classroom
R4S would be perfect for use as a blended-learning or the flipped classroom experience for upper high school into the first year of college. You can have students work online, or you can download into your course management system. Have students work through all the steps as part of a research assignment, or use only the parts relevant to them. Teachers need to register to receive the text copy of the helpful teacher's guide. Use the site in any subject or curriculum area.Comments
Will be integrating this unit into freshman comp at the community college where I teach researched argument, the first English class students are required to complete.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
21things4students - Regional Educational Media Center Association of Michigan.
Grades
6 to 9tag(s): careers (135), computers (97), consumers (14), cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (81), digital storytelling (140), game based learning (172), internet safety (110), media literacy (96), organizational skills (89), social media (51), social networking (70), thinking skills (13), webquests (20)
In the Classroom
Use the complete curriculum or selected Quests. Assign students individual Things to complete in school or at home as part of blended learning or flipped classrooms. Have students begin with the Basics and progress through selected skills. Use parts of the site to teach a particular skill to the whole class. Have students complete their work through an electronic portfolio Pathbrite, reviewed here, but not included on the site. There are links to some ideas and samples on the Student Showcase page. Extensive teacher resources and support provided.Comments
Tons of resources for all grades, love it!Ladisha, VA, Grades: 9 - 12
Lots of other links for using technology resources in the classroom.Ruth, AB, Grades: 0 - 12
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Go! Ask, Act, Achieve - INFOhio
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): citations (34), digital citizenship (81), evaluating sources (13), inquiry (25), media literacy (96), organizational skills (89), Research (79), search strategies (23)
In the Classroom
Go! Ask, Act, Achieve is an easy-to-use introduction which demystifies and simplifies teaching the research process. Use this to meet the Common Core standards for research in a content area. Have students work through the site in sequence or pull out areas to teach skills, as needed.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form