Learning Activity

How Plugged In Are You?-- Part 1 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan

Subject Area

Career and Technical Education
Digital Literacy and Computer Science
Health Education

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Students will identify their current daily usage of digital devices through a personal log or estimation. Then, students will read an article and watch the corresponding video which describes a recent report that found the average American spends more than 12 hours a day on a digital device, not including time spent on school work. Students will discuss their opinions with a classmate. The teacher will lead students in a discussion regarding the impact of this digital consumption. Finally, students will brainstorm and discuss other activities they could do in a day if they spent less time on their devices.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

DLCS18.6.R1

Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.6.R1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • classify data as private or public.
  • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
  • life consequences.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

DLCS18.6.16

Communicate and/or publish collaboratively to inform others from a variety of backgrounds and cultures about issues and problems.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.6.16

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to use a platform to share and inform others of a variety of backgrounds about issues or problems important to them.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • publish and communicate as creators of content and information, instead of only consumers of the same.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • being able to communicate effectively and disseminate that information to reach a broader audience is an important part of being a global collaborator.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

DLCS18.7.R1

Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.7.R1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • classify data as private or public.
  • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
  • life consequences.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 7

DLCS18.7.14

Discuss current events related to emerging technologies in computing and the effects such events have on individuals and the global society.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.7.14

Knowledge

Students know:
  • all technologies impact society in some way.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify impacts of emerging technologies.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • emerging technologies can have both positive and negative impacts to societies (Ex: a technology can improve efficiency but reduce the number of jobs available).
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.R1

Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.8.R1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that some data is considered personal and should be protected.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • classify data as private or public.
  • operate technology devices without sharing personal data.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • sharing personal data in public forums, even with share settings turned off, can result in dangerous real
  • life consequences.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.14

Analyze current events related to computing and their effects on education, the workplace, individuals, communities, and global society.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.8.14

Knowledge

Students know:
  • technology will always have positive and negative effects on others; it is important to examine the benefits and costs associated with implementing new technology.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • analyze current events related to computing.
  • analyze the effects of current events related to computing on education, the workplace, individuals, communities, and global society.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • it is important to examine the benefits and costs associated with implementing new technology.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.R1

Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.R1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to safely use digital devices.
  • that failure to use digital devices safely can have an impact on access at school as well as the protection of personal data.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify personal safe use of digital devices.
  • demonstrate personal safe use of digital devices.
  • apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • it is important to protect personal data when sharing information on the internet.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.11

Model and demonstrate behaviors that are safe, legal, and ethical while living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.11

Vocabulary

  • ethics
  • digital world
a.
    cookies
  • virus
  • malware
  • packet sniffing
  • spyware
  • phishing
b.
  • browser history
c.
  • personal data
d.
    data mining
  • digital marketing
  • online wallets
  • personal information
  • data accessibility
  • passwords.
e.
  • cyberbullying
  • harassment
  • sexual communication
f.
  • online safety

Knowledge

Students know:
  • safe, legal, and ethical behaviors for online behavior.
a.
  • tracking methods are often used to improve digital tools and advertising.
  • hazards exist when unknown entities have access to a user's digital habits.
b.
  • methods to counteract the use of tracking.
c.
  • that often, end-user licensing agreements (EULA) are often written to protect the entity that created the digital tool, rather than the user of the digital tool.
  • that EULAs and terms of service agreements can grant access to the user's personal data.
  • that personal data can include images, posts, personal information (phone number, address, birth date, access to friends), and browsing data.
d.
  • often there exists an inverse relationship between online privacy/personal security and convenience.
e.
  • that inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
f.
  • that negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • that some behaviors are illegal.
  • strategies to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors and assess when to apply them.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • interact digitally while exercising safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • identify tracking methods used to gather data.
  • identify hazards that exist when tracking methods are used.
b.
  • list techniques to avoid tracking.
  • apply techniques to avoid tracking.
c.
  • interpret the terms of EULAs and terms of service agreements.
  • make an educated decision to agree to EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • weigh the risks of using a digital tool to one's personal security.
  • identify potential risks to using various digital tools.
  • evaluate a digital tool's security.
e.
  • identify inappropriate digital behaviors.
  • identify consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors.
f.
  • identify negative digital behaviors.
  • share strategies to to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • because the Internet can be such a persisting environment, it is vital to interact with safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • entities use tracking methods to make products more appealing to their users.
  • hazards exists when tracking data can be tied to individual users.
b.
  • privacy can be violated when tracking is used.
  • techniques exist to mitigate the effects of tracking methods.
c.
  • nothing is free—you often give up data to use digital resources for no charge.
  • it is important to educate yourself on EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • free digital tools can compromise one's privacy and security.
  • it is important to be aware of what one is trading for use of a service.
e.
  • inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
  • consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors can have life-altering consequences.
f.
  • digital identity is tied to online digital behavior.
  • negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • some digital activity is illegal.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 6

HE19.6.1.1

Describe the interrelationship between social and emotional health in adolescence.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 7

HE19.7.1.1

Summarize the interrelationship of emotional, social, and physical health.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 8

HE19.8.1.1

Explain how emotional, intellectual, physical, spiritual, mental, and social health affect each other.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 8

HE19.8.2.3

Analyze the influences of technology on personal and family health.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 10 - Health Education

HE19.HE.1.2

Describe the interrelationships of emotional, mental, physical, social, spiritual, and environmental health.
Health Education (2019) Grade(s): 10 - Health Education

HE19.HE.2.2

Describe the pros and cons of the use of technology as it affects personal, family, and community health.
Career and Technical Education (2021) Grade(s): 09-12 - Marketing

CTE21.BMA.FBL.FS.4

Advocate and practice safe, legal, responsible, and ethical use of information and technology tools specific to the industry pathway.
Career and Technical Education (2021) Grade(s): 07-08 - Business Management and Administration

CTE21.BMA.BS.14

Demonstrate personal traits associated with teamwork and good leadership.
Career and Technical Education (2020) Grade(s): 06-08 - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

CTE20.ST1.6

Identify positive and negative ways the use of technology affects humans.
Career and Technical Education (2020) Grade(s): 06-08 - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

CTE20.ST1.21

Engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behaviors when using technology, including during social interactions online and when using networked devices.

Phase

Before/Engage
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will identify the safe personal use of digital devices.

Students will discuss current events and issues related to technology/computing with their peers.

Students will describe how physical, mental, emotional, and social health are related.

Students will describe how technology can impact personal health.

Students will analyze and evaluate positive and negative impacts that technology can have on all aspects of health.

Students will analyze a text related to current events in computing/digitization and evaluate how these events impact individual health and society at large.

Activity Details

  1. Students will identify the approximate amount of time they spend on digital devices each day (any waking hours, including during school hours). The teacher will need to define a digital device as anything we use to consume media, entertainment, and/or information such as television, cell phone, gaming console/device, laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet, etc.

    Option 1: Ask students to estimate the time they spend on digital devices each day by writing down the times they usually access a digital device beginning as soon as they open their eyes in the morning. 

    Option 2: Present the task, then have students keep track of every time they access a digital device over the next 24 hours. (For example, from the beginning of your class today to the beginning of your class tomorrow).

  2. After students record their personal amount of digital device usage, show the video linked within this article: "How Much Time Americans Spend In Front Of Screens Will Terrify You." As students are watching the video, direct them to think about their position on the topic of digital device usage. 

  3. After viewing the video clip, give students a printed copy of this article: "How Much Time Americans Spend In Front Of Screens Will Terrify You." Ask students to annotate the text in the following method.

      • Highlight any data points/scientific research.
      • Put an exclamation point beside anything that surprised them.
      • Put a question mark next to anything that they have a question about or would like more information on.

  4. Next, students will pair with a classmate to reread the text together and discuss their annotations. (For example: Did both students highlight the same data points/research? Did similar statements surprise them? Did they have different questions?)

  5. The teacher will lead a whole-class discussion on the article using these discussion prompts:

      • Does your personal use of digital devices positively or negatively affect your personal, mental, emotional, and/or social health? Give a personal example to support your answer.
      • If we decreased our use of digital devices, what could/would change in our lives?
      • If we increased our use of digital devices, what could/would change in our lives?
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Students will answer the questions on this Google Doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jc5fzNxPK7aYmSWLRCS-mkQo_UE_LkpcK-iWtBAA1g4/copy

The teacher will assess students' mastery of the standards during the peer and group discussion and by reviewing each student's responses to the assessment activity.

Variation Tips

Rather than beginning the activity with a log of digital device usage, students could complete one of the following tests online:

Virtual Addiction Test

Digital Distraction Test

Child Technology Test

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

31 to 45 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

How Plugged In Are You?-- Part 1 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan

Learning Activity (During)

The Consequences of Being Too Plugged In-- Part 2 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan

Learning Activity (After)

My Pledge to Unplug-- Part 3 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

  • Review the options for Step 1. If Option 2 is chosen, the students should be introduced to the activity the day before the teacher plans to teach the activity in class.
  • Each student will need a pencil and highlighter.
  • The teacher will need the ability to play a movie with sound for students to view, or the teacher can allow students to view the video on their own devices.
  • The teacher will need a copy of the article for each student. Alternatively, the teacher could post the link for students to view online.
  • The teacher will need to copy the assessment for each student or post the link to allow students to respond online: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jc5fzNxPK7aYmSWLRCS-mkQo_UE_LkpcK-iWtBAA1g4/copy.

Digital Tools / Resources

How Much Time Americans Spend In Front Of Screens Will Terrify You from Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2019/01/24/how-much-time-americans-sp…

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

habradley
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