Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Grade:

K-2

Topic:

Digital Literacy

Unit:

Teaching for Tomorrow

Overview

In this lesson mini, students will develop foundational digital citizenship skills. They will identify digital tools and their purposes; learn basic online safety rules, including how to distinguish between public and private information; practice kind online communication; create simple stories using an age-appropriate digital tool; and provide constructive feedback to their peers.

Ideas for Implementation

Digital literacy

Library media

Learning centers

Intervention or enrichment

Interdisciplinary collaboration

STEM

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

cell phone (noun): a common device for communicating instantly with people all over the world

computer (noun): a machine for working with information (numbers, words, pictures, movies, or sounds)

database (noun): a place on the Internet where large collections of facts and information are kept

digital tools (noun): computers, tablets, and other devices and the programs and apps used on them to learn, create, and explore

Internet (noun): a network, or system, that connects millions of computers worldwide; a place where people can talk to each other and share things such as information, videos, movies, and photographs

tablet (noun): a small, flat computer that is operated by touching a screen

video (noun): a recording of moving pictures, such as a movie or show

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for studying digital tools involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand fundamental concepts meaningfully. Here are some examples:

Community Connections: Invite family members, school staff, or community helpers to share how they use digital tools in their jobs or daily lives. Students can ask questions and learn about real-world applications of technology. This helps students understand how digital tools are used in different contexts and careers.

Digital Storytelling Library: Create a digital library where students can share their stories with families, other classes, or community members. Consider hosting a virtual or in-person “author celebration” where students can showcase their digital stories to a wider audience. This allows students to share their work beyond the classroom and experience being real authors.

Show and Tell: Have students take pictures of digital tools their families use at home. Invite students to observe and share what they notice about how their families use digital tools in their daily lives. This helps students connect learning between home and school.

Technology Museums: Schedule a virtual tour or a field trip to a local technology museum where students can explore different types of digital tools and devices. Encourage students to observe, ask questions, and discover how technology has changed over time. This experiential learning helps young students make connections between past and present technology.

Tutorials: Invite students to watch simple, age-appropriate tutorials in a guided setting to learn how to use collaborative digital tools.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Activity

1 :

Introduction to Digital Tools

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify digital tools in their environment, name them accurately, and describe basic ways these tools help people learn, create, and communicate.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Coloring supplies

School- or district-approved digital tools

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: For the Digital Tools Discovery activity, set up digital tools (e.g., computers, tablets, cell phones, robots, interactive whiteboards) around the classroom and display familiar apps and programs on them. Print and cut out enough sets of Digital Tools Match-Up Cards so that each pair of students has one set. Print an additional set to use as an answer key.

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about different digital tools. Explain that digital tools are computers, tablets, and other devices and the programs or apps used on them to help us learn, create, and explore. Start by asking them what devices they are familiar with and see day-to-day around them at home and in the classroom.

Following this brief share-out, display the Digital Tools image. Invite students to observe the image carefully. Then ask the following questions:

What do you notice in this picture?

What questions do you have about these items?

Where have you seen tools like these before?

Display the How We Use Digital Tools article, and distribute one printed copy to each student. Read the article aloud as students follow along. During or after reading, ask the following questions to encourage students to share their observations and thinking:

What are examples of digital tools?

How do people use digital tools to communicate with others who are far away?

What types of things can people learn by watching a video?

What is a database, and how is it used?

What have you noticed about how digital tools are used at home or at school?

Divide the class into pairs, and give each pair a set of Digital Tools Match-Up Cards. Tell students that they will work with a partner to identify digital tools through a Digital Tools Match-Up game. Instruct the pairs to match the image of the digital tool to the corresponding word. Allot a few minutes for students to complete the task, and then bring the class back together and review the answers.

Invite students to walk around their classroom and identify different digital tools with their match-up activity partner. Distribute one Digital Tools Discovery handout to each student, and have them record their observations. Encourage students to look carefully and think about what makes something a digital tool.

After a set time, gather the whole class and call on student pairs to share the digital tools they identified. Facilitate a class discussion by asking open-ended questions that invite students to share their discoveries:

What did you discover about this tool?

What do you think this tool does?

How might someone use this tool for learning?

What did you notice about how different digital tools are similar or different?

Wrap up by distributing one Brain Burst exit ticket to each student. Model how to complete a brain burst using a familiar topic. Then instruct students to write or draw everything they remember about digital tools in 2 minutes. Afterward, invite students to pair-share their work.

Differentiation and Variations

Language Support: Pre-teach key vocabulary supported by visual aids to help students understand important vocabulary (e.g., digital tools, apps, devices, database) and key concepts (digital tools in the environment; that is, at home or in school). In addition, pair students with supportive peers for the article reading, match–up game, and gallery walk.

Vocabulary Practice: Offer student pairs a handout instead of a match-up card for repeated practice opportunities. This promotes students’ learning because it offers them the chance to review key vocabulary in a different modality.

Reading Comprehension: For an added challenge, have students complete a simple reading comprehension question handout about the article. This provides young learners the opportunity to practice their emerging writing skills.

School Discovery: Consider having students walk through other classrooms and common spaces within their school that provide opportunities to explore digital tools for their Digital Tools Discovery task. This benefits students’ learning because it widens their exploration space and broadens the learning experience.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Observing: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Observing strategy. In this model, one teacher provides direct instruction to the entire class while the other observes student behavior and engagement to gather evidence of learning. This approach allows for detailed observation and assessment, helping identify students who need additional support or intervention. By focusing on student responses and participation, the observing teacher can ensure that the learning needs of all students are addressed and met in the activity. Research shows that targeted observation can lead to more effective intervention strategies, improving student performance.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A introduces digital tools and leads an image exploration while inviting students to share their observations about digital tools. Teacher B focuses on student responses.

Article Reading: Teacher A leads a guided reading on the How We Use Digital Tools article and then asks questions to facilitate discussion. Teacher B records students’ answers.

Match-Up: Teacher A explains the Digital Tools Match-Up game while Teacher B distributes one set of match-up cards per student pair and observes how each group completes the task. Teacher A brings the class back together and reviews the answers.

Digital Tools Discovery: Teacher A invites students to walk around their classroom and identify different digital tools. Teacher B distributes one Digital Tools Discovery handout to each student so that they can record their observations. Both teachers observe and offer support as needed as students complete this task.

Exit Ticket: Teacher A distributes one Brain Burst exit ticket per student and then invites students to pair-share their work. Teacher B circulates the room and observes students as they recall the key ideas from the lesson.

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Activity

2:

Online Safety Basics

By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify what information is safe to share online, categorize information as public or private, and explain when they should ask a trusted adult for help.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Coloring supplies

Glue sticks

Scissors

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about how to use the Internet safely. Explain that they will read an article about online safety and then work in groups to sort what is okay and not okay to share online.

Begin the activity by showing the Fun on the Internet image and inviting students to observe and describe what they notice. Then write the word Internet on the board and explain that the Internet is “a network, or system, that connects millions of computers worldwide. It is a place where people can talk to each other and share things such as information, videos, movies, and photographs.” Ask students, “What are some ways people use the Internet at home or school?” Record their ideas on the board either in writing or represented by drawings, depending on the students’ levels.

Display the Being Safe on the Internet article, and distribute one printed copy to each student. Explain that this article will help students learn about staying safe when they use the Internet. During or after the reading, ask students the following questions to encourage them to share their thinking:

How do children use the Internet?

What are Internet passwords?

What can you share on the Internet?

What should you not share?

Record students’ ideas on the board or on chart paper. Depending on your students’ levels, draw, label, and/or write on the board.

Facilitate a discussion focused on how and when students should ask a trusted adult for help. Ask:

What happens if somebody asks you for personal information online? What should you do?

What happens if you find something online that makes you feel uncomfortable? Who should you tell?

Point out to students that it is okay to share personal information online if they are asked for it during a school or classroom activity (e.g., during online testing). But reiterate that they should always ask a teacher if they are unsure.

Explain to students that they will work in small groups of three or four students to practice thinking about the things they can share online and things they should not share online. Then divide students into their assigned groups and have them sit together. Display a T-Chart graphic organizer, and distribute one printed copy of the graphic organizer to each group. Write “Public” and “Private” on each column of the displayed organizer, emphasizing the following:

Public means things we can share (e.g., “I like cake!”).

Private means things we should not share (e.g. “My password is a secret.”).

Have each student group copy the column headings onto their graphic organizers.

Distribute one set of Internet Safety Cards, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick to each student group. Read aloud the text on each safety card and point out the visual on the card; ensure students understand the meaning of each card.

Display the T-Chart graphic organizer, and model the activity for students. For example, say, “A phone number should not be shared with strangers, so it’s private.” Then demonstrate sticking the phone number card in the “Private” column.

Allot time for students to cut out, sort, and glue the cards in the appropriate columns. If time allows, provide coloring utensils and have students color the cards.

Gather the class, and review the answers, asking them to reflect on why it’s important to stay safe online.

To review, play a review game: Call out statements that are okay to share on the Internet versus those that are not okay to share. Have students give you a thumbs-up 👍 if they think it’s okay to share online, and a thumbs-down 👎if it’s not okay to share.

“My favorite color is blue.” (Answer: 👍)

“My internet password is lion25.” (Answer: 👎)

“I love the Chicago Bears.” (Answer: 👍)

“My school’s name is Hogwarts School of Magic.” (Answer: 👎)

“I like playing baseball.” (Answer: 👍)

“My number is 773-555-1788.” (Answer: 👎)

“My favorite food is cheese pizza.” (Answer: 👍)

“My home address is 31 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602.” (Answer: 👎)

“I like going to the park.” (Answer: 👍)

“I like learning about how to be safe online.” (Answer: 👍)

Wrap up by inviting students to take turns calling out different public-versus-private statements and having the class identify whether they are okay to share or not.

Differentiation and Variations

Language Support: Review the meaning of each word on the Internet Safety Cards. Provide sentence starters to help students reflect on why it’s important to stay safe online and make observations (e.g., “It’s important to stay safe online because ___.” / “The difference between public and private is ___.”).

Sorting Cards: Print and cut out the sorting cards ahead of time to support students who need more time and guidance with using scissors independently. This allows students to focus on the lesson objective and sorting task.

Internet Safety Tips: Challenge students to create an Internet safety poster outlining the key learnings from the activity. This supports students’ learning because it provides them the opportunity to summarize and apply the main ideas from the activity.

Internet Safety Guide: Conclude the lesson by writing a collaborative Internet safety guide. Assign each student to draw a picture that represents a safe Internet behavior. Then collect students’ work and bind them together to create a classroom safety guide.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Assisting: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Assisting strategy. In this model, one teacher leads the activity while the other circulates, assisting individual students as needed. This ensures that when students encounter difficulties, they receive immediate help in the form of personalized support and answers to their questions. By addressing students’ unique needs and keeping them on track, this approach enhances individual learning experiences and fosters a supportive classroom environment. Studies indicate that immediate feedback and individualized attention can significantly enhance student understanding and retention of material.

Activity Introduction: The lead teacher leads the warm-up task by having students describe an image and share their observations about the Internet. The assisting teacher circulates the room and offers support as needed.

Article Reading: The lead teacher displays the Being Safe on the Internet article while the assisting teacher distributes one printed copy to each student. The lead teacher reads the article and asks discussion questions. The assisting teacher supports students’ with the reading task.

Group Work: The lead teacher explains the sorting activity and divides students into small groups. The assisting teacher distributes the T-Chart graphic organizer and the Internet Safety Cards to each group. Both teachers circulate and offer support. The lead teacher gathers the class and facilitates a discussion in which students share their sorting decisions.

Activity Wrap-Up: To review, the lead teacher calls out statements that are okay to share on the Internet versus not okay to share on the Internet, and has students do a thumbs-up 👍 if they think it’s okay to share online or a thumbs-down 👎 if it’s not okay. The assisting teacher circulates the room to ensure students understand the activity and participate actively.

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Activity

3:

Kind Online Communication

By the end of the activity, students will be able to distinguish between kind and unkind digital messages and practice creating positive communications.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Blank paper (one sheet per student)

Coloring supplies

Craft sticks (one per student)

Glue sticks

Green and red note cards (one card of each color per student)

Scissors

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Print and cut out the puppet template, and set up the materials needed to assemble the puppet (e.g., glue sticks, craft sticks, coloring supplies).

Tell students that during today’s activity they will learn about kind online communication by reading an article, playing a game, and making a puppet. Highlight that being kind online is just as important as being kind in person.

Begin the activity by writing the word kind on the board and asking these questions:

What does the word “kind” mean to you?

What are ways we can be kind to each other at school?

What do you think it means to be kind to each other online?

As students share their thoughts, record them on the board.

Invite students to draw a visual representation of what it means to be kind on a blank sheet of paper. Encourage students to color and label their drawings. As students finish, invite them to share their drawings with a classmate sitting next to them.

Display the Responsible Behaviors Online article, and distribute a printed copy to each student. Explain that this article will help students learn about using the Internet safely, smartly, and kindly. During or after the reading, ask students the following questions to invite them to share their observations:

How can you use the Internet safely?

What should you do when you are done using a computer?

What are examples of kind words people can use online?

Facilitate a discussion about kind and unkind messages. Explain that you will read some messages, and students will decide whether each message is kind or unkind. Distribute one green and one red note card to each student. Read aloud the Kind Online Communication messages. After each message, have students raise the green note card if they think the message is kind or the red note card if they think the message is unkind. Invite students to share their thoughts about why they chose their answer. Invite students to create Kind Online Puppets. Distribute craft sticks, glue, scissors, and the Kind Online Puppet Template, and ask students to color the puppet template, cut it out, and glue it to the craft stick. Then ask students to name their puppets.

Instruct students to work with a partner and practice role-playing kind online conversation. Explain that they will use their puppets to practice speaking to each other in a kind way. Model this task with a student volunteer.

Bring the class back together, and invite students to share something their kind puppet said. Close the activity by asking every student to write one kind word their puppet would like to say on their green note card. Collect the note cards, and use them to create a class collage.

Differentiation and Variations

Language Support: As a class, brainstorm examples of kind words and write them on the board. Then model a conversation with a Kind Online Puppet, providing sample sentences and sentence starters students can use in conversation.

Prompts: Provide a variety of visual prompts to help students practice speaking with their Kind Online Puppets. This activates students’ thinking and enriches the partner speaking task.

Kind Messages: Challenge students to write one to three sentences explaining the meaning of their drawings. This supports students’ learning because it promotes independent writing skills.

Telephone Game: Prepare a set of cards with kind messages. Ask students to sit in a circle. Have students take turns drawing a card and whispering the message to their peers one by one. The game finishes when the kind message is received by the initial player. This further promotes positive online communication and builds classroom community.

Collaborative Teaching

Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching,” both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly. This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.

Activity Introduction: Teacher A begins by writing the word kind on the board and leading a class discussion on kindness. Teacher B helps facilitate the discussion, ensuring all students are actively engaged and have the opportunity to share their ideas.

Drawing: Teacher B asks students to draw a visual representation of what it means to be kind on a blank sheet of paper. As students finish, both teachers circulate the room and invite students to share their drawings with a classmate sitting next to them.

Article Reading: Teacher A displays the Responsible Behaviors Online article while Teacher B distributes the printed copies. Teacher A leads the read-aloud and asks follow-up questions.

Kind and Unkind Messages: Teacher B facilitates a class discussion about kind and unkind messages by reading aloud the hypothetical messages and having students identify which ones are kind and which are unkind. Teacher A provides necessary materials and circulates the room to help students as needed.

Kind Online Puppets: Teacher A invites students to create Kind Online Puppets, and explains how they will do so, while Teacher B distributes craft sticks, puppet templates, glue, scissors, and coloring supplies. As students finish, Teacher A instructs them to work with a partner and practice role-playing kind online conversation. Both teachers circulate the room and offer support.

Activity Wrap-Up: Teacher B brings the class back together and has students share something their Kind Online Puppet said. Teacher A closes the activity by having students write a kind word their puppet would like to say on their green note cards. Both teachers collect the cards for later display.

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Activity

4:

Digital Storytelling Basics

By the end of the activity, students will be able to create a simple story with a beginning, a middle, and an end using an age-appropriate digital tool.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student)

School- or district-approved digital storytelling tool

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that during today’s activity they will use a digital tool to create a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Highlight that they will work with a peer and practice being creative online.

Begin the lesson by explaining to students that stories have three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Then briefly review or read aloud a short familiar story with three distinct parts and discuss its beginning, middle, and ending.

Display the Elements of a Story, and explain the following:

Setting is where the story takes place (e.g., a classroom, a house, the forest).

Characters are the people or animals in a story (e.g., the gingerbread man, the fox).

The problem is something that goes wrong in the story (e.g., the fox eats the gingerbread man).

The solution is how the characters solve the problem (e.g., the old woman bakes a new gingerbread man).

Explain to students that first they will plan the beginning, middle, and end of the story together as a class. The story will be about being safe, smart, and kind online.

Display and distribute the Parts of a Story graphic organizer. As a class, come up with a story together. Begin by writing the title “Safe, Smart, and Kind Online Choices” on the board.

Brainstorm the storyline together and ask the following questions:

What characters would you like to include in our story? (e.g., a boy, a girl, an animal)

Where could this story take place? (e.g., a classroom, inside a computer, at the library)

What problem might the characters face, and how could they solve it?

What are the three main parts of the story? (e.g., the beginning, the middle, and the end)

As students share ideas for the story, record their suggestions on the board, and ask them to copy them down in their Parts of a Story graphic organizer.

Afterward, invite students to use a digital storytelling tool and their Parts of a Story graphic organizer to create a story with an assigned partner. For this task, ensure students are familiar with the storytelling tool and know how to use it independently. Consider modeling the tool’s basic functions (e.g., writing a title page, adding slides, inserting a video) and showing students a finished sample story.

Encourage students to type out the text from the graphic organizer and add creative twists to their stories to make them unique. Model an example. Then invite students to use photographs, clip art, emojis, and GIFs to make their stories interesting. If the tool allows, have students draw parts of the story and record themselves narrating the story.

Wrap up by bringing the class back together and asking students to share what they worked on with another pair. After students have shared, congratulate them for their hard work. Celebrate that they are now authors, people who write stories!

Differentiation and Variations

Language Support: Offer students the choice to create a story by drawing and labeling, making voice recordings, or curating images. In addition, assign student pairs strategically to ensure multilingual learners are best supported.

Class Story: Work together on a collaborative digital storytelling app, and guide students to complete the digital story as a class. This approach helps students familiarize themselves with this type of technology in a more guided setting.

Unique Stories: Challenge each student pair to come up with an additional story that is uniquely their own. Ensure students include characters, setting, a problem, and a solution. Emphasize that the unique digital story should have three parts; a beginning, a middle, and an end. This approach challenges students to develop their creative writing skills.

Collaborative Teaching

Parallel Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Parallel Teaching strategy. In this model, the class is divided into two groups, and each teacher delivers the same activity simultaneously to their group. This reduces the student-teacher ratio, allowing for more interaction and individualized attention. With smaller groups, students are more likely to participate actively and receive immediate feedback, which fosters a deeper understanding of the content and promotes a more engaging learning experience. Evidence suggests that small-group instruction leads to increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.

Digital Explorers: Learning with Technology

Activity

5:

Sharing Our Digital Stories

By the end of the activity, students will be able to share their digital stories with classmates and provide kind, helpful feedback using the “glow and grow” format.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Digital devices for each station (one per group)

Mailboxes (e.g., a decorated shoebox or manila envelope) (one per group)

Scissors (one pair per group)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Set up different “story stations” using tablets or computers for students to read from during their gallery walk. Set up one feedback mailbox per station (consider using a decorated shoebox or a large manila envelope), and leave one pair of scissors at each station so that students can cut apart individual feedback forms.

Tell students that during today’s activity they will share their digital stories with their peers and receive constructive and kind feedback.

Begin the lesson by explaining that each student pair will have an assigned station where their story will be displayed on a digital device. All students will have the opportunity to participate in a story gallery walk around the classroom, during which they will read and review three to five stories.

Let students know that as they read the stories, they will take on the role of editors—people who read writing and offer suggestions to help authors improve their work.

Distribute a One Glow and One Grow Feedback Form to each student. Review the form and explain that a “glow” is something done well and a “grow” is something that could change. Ask students to share examples of what might be a glow or a grow. Record their ideas on the board. Then provide additional examples if needed:

Glow: I like the pictures you used for your setting on page 3.

Grow: Next time, you might check your spelling. I saw that the story title was misspelled.

Read aloud the different sentence starters on the feedback form, and invite students to share their ideas for possible glows and grows. Record their ideas on the board.

Invite students to walk around the classroom with their assigned digital story partner and choose three to five stories to read and review using the One Glow and One Grow Feedback Form. Remind students to write their own name, book station number, and authors’ names on each story feedback form. Make additional copies of the form available to students throughout the activity. Have students separate an individual form for the story at each station and leave the form inside the feedback mailbox at the station.

Model how to conduct the gallery walks, and highlight that students will have a set time limit to review the digital stories and provide feedback (e.g., 10 minutes). Share with students that you will tell them when their time is up and they have to move on to the next station.

Remind students to be safe, smart, and kind when using digital devices, reading the digital stories, and giving feedback to each other. As students discover each other’s stories, circulate the room and offer support as needed.

Wrap up the activity by inviting students to go to their own story stations with their partners and review the feedback left inside their mailboxes.

Bring the class back together, and ask volunteers to share one “glow” and one “grow” they received. Afterward, collect their feedback forms. Close by congratulating students on their hard work and creativity!

Differentiation and Variations

Language Support: Provide a word bank of sample glows and grows feedback sentences as well as sentence starters supported with visual aids. In addition, provide scaffolded rubrics to guide the review process.

Feedback Form: If students are not yet writing independently, consider using an adapted feedback form. Either call on students to share their feedback orally using a sentence starter for guidance, or have students draw one glow and one grow. This benefits students’ learning because it encourages self-expression that is adapted to meet students where they are at.

Little Editors: Challenge students to revisit their digital stories and revise them using the feedback received from their peers. This approach benefits students’ learning because it teaches them the writing process.

Whole-Class Sharing: Depending on your classroom’s needs and available resources, consider having students share their digital stories to the whole class and provide a more structured alternative to the digital story presentations.

Collaborative Teaching

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