Digital Wellness Teacher Guide
Teacher Facilitation Plan • 30 Minutes
Digital Wellness & Safety Blueprint
Grades 9–12 • High School Health & Advisory Education
30 Min Total
Plug & Play Delivery
Lesson Purpose & Outcomes
Equip adolescents with proactive strategies to safeguard personal privacy, evaluate algorithmic attention traps, establish sustainable screen boundaries, and transition from passive bystanders to active upstanders against cyber harassment.
Audit digital footprints & privacy
Identify dopamine design loops
Practice 4D Upstander Protocol
Commit to a 48-hr habit reset
MA CHPE Standards
- Standard 4 (Safety): Analyzes strategies for personal data protection, digital footprints, and legal consequences of online harassment (M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O).
- Standard 2 (Mental Health): Evaluates screen time, algorithms, and social comparison on sleep and well-being.
- Standard 1 (Advocacy): Advocates for safe, empathetic, and inclusive digital communities.
Setup Check: 1. Slides loaded on projector • 2. Kahoot game launched (PIN ready) • 3. Printed Student Action Handout
Minute-by-Minute Lesson Pacing (30 Mins Total)
| Time |
Phase & Slide |
Teacher Action & Discussion Prompts |
Student Output |
| 00–04 min |
Hook: Reality Check |
|
|
| Slides 1–2 |
Ask: "What’s the first app you open when you wake up?" Rapid thumb poll on daily screen hours. Frame wellness as agency over tech rather than total restriction. |
Handout Section 1: Screen audit rate |
|
| 04–11 min |
Pillars 1 & 2: Privacy & Balance |
|
|
| Slides 3–4 |
Explain EXIF metadata/geotags, permanent archiving, and algorithm-driven variable reward schedules (the "slot machine effect"). Present 3 quick zero-effort settings. |
Handout Section 2: Privacy checklist ticks |
|
| 11–19 min |
Interactive Kahoot Challenge |
|
|
| Slide 5 (Game PIN) |
Launch 8-question game (Q&A on p. 2). Facilitate snappy 15-second debriefs on common misconceptions (e.g., disappearing messages, screenshot alerts). |
Individual mobile engagement & live debate |
|
| 19–26 min |
Pillar 3: The 4D Upstander Lab |
|
|
| Slides 6–7 |
Introduce Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay. Connect to MA Anti-Bullying Law & school reporting. Have students pair-share which "D" defuses the micro-scenario safely. |
Handout Section 3: Scenario response |
|
| 26–30 min |
Wrap-Up: Reset Contract |
|
|
| Slide 8 |
Challenge students to select one micro-habit (e.g., phone charges outside bedroom, grayscale mode, notification purge) for 48 hours. Collect exit tickets. |
Handout Section 4: Signed Contract |
|
Digital Wellness Blueprint • MA CHPE Framework Aligned Page 1 of 2 • Facilitation & Pacing Guide
Plug & Play Quiz Bank
Kahoot Question Bank & Debrief Points
Ready to enter into Kahoot • Recommended 20s time limit per question
8 Question Key
Q1 • Privacy / Metadata 20s
When posting a photo with location on, what hidden data is shared?
A) Phone battery level only
B) EXIF metadata (exact GPS, device model, timestamp)
C) Social security info
D) None once deleted
Debrief: Home photos can reveal exact bedroom coordinates.
Q2 • Digital Footprint 20s
True or False: "Disappearing" snaps/messages cannot be retrieved.
A) True — they vanish completely from all servers
B) False — screenshots, 2nd devices, & logs remain
Debrief: Secondary phones or screen grabs leave no alert.
Q3 • Tech Balance / Brain 20s
Why do infinite scrolls and notification chimes feel so compulsive?
A) They lower resting heart rate
B) Variable-reward dopamine loops (slot machine effect)
C) They stimulate melatonin
D) They prevent mental fatigue
Debrief: Tech apps engineer variable unpredictability to keep eyes on screen.
Q4 • Sleep & Well-being 20s
How does late-night doomscrolling impair next-day student performance?
A) Lengthens restorative REM sleep
B) Blocks melatonin & keeps brain in hyper-alert stress state
C) Has zero measurable impact
D) Improves memory retention
Debrief: Connect to MA CHPE Std 2: sleep deficits directly spike anxiety.
Q5 • MA Anti-Bullying Law 20s
Under MA Law, cyberbullying leads to school discipline when:
A) Only if done on school Wi-Fi during class
B) It disrupts school climate/safety, even from personal phones
C) It occurs between 8am and 3pm
D) Cyberbullying has no school authority
Debrief: M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O covers off-campus acts impacting school safety.
Q6 • 4D Upstander Protocol 20s
Which is the best example of "DISTRACT" in a toxic group chat?
A) Flaming the bully with insults
B) Abruptly changing subject or dropping a funny meme
C) Silently exiting the group
D) Forwarding the mean text to others
Debrief: Distraction de-escalates without putting yourself directly in crosshairs.
Q7 • Account Hijacking 20s
A friend DMs: "Vote for me in this contest, send me the code you get." What is it?
A) Harmless school contest campaign
B) 2-Factor Authentication hijacking (account takeover)
C) Official Instagram security update
D) Routine device verification test
Debrief: Never forward SMS codes; your friend's account was compromised.
Q8 • Action Commitment 20s
Which free setting cuts compulsive checking by removing dopamine cues?
A) Turning screen brightness to 100%
B) Setting screen display to Grayscale (B&W color filter)
C) Installing 3 new social apps
D) Switching phone case to neon colors
Debrief: Grayscale makes app icons visually unrewarding to our dopamine receptors.
Facilitator Best Practices & The 4D Reference Card
1. DIRECT Call out the behavior respectfully: "That's not cool, delete that post."
2. DISTRACT De-escalate tension: Change the topic, send a meme, or pull target away.
3. DELEGATE Get support: Alert trusted teacher, school counselor, or report to platform.
4. DELAY Check in after: Send private DM: "I saw that comment; you ok? I've got your back."
Digital Wellness Blueprint • MA CHPE Framework Aligned Page 2 of 2 • Kahoot Quiz Bank & Upstander Protocols
Digital Wellness Presentation Slides
MA CHPE Health & Wellness 30-Min Fast Track
Digital Wellness Blueprint
Own your attention, secure your identity, and build an intentional digital reality.
Privacy & Footprint
Tech-Life Balance
Cyberbullying Upstanders
The Reality Check
Quick Temperature Poll
7.2 Hrs
Average daily entertainment screen time for US high schoolers outside of schoolwork.
144x
Average times a phone is unlocked daily, interrupting focus every 8–10 minutes.
88%
Teens who keep their phone within arm's reach while sleeping, disrupting deep REM cycles.
The Core Truth: Technology isn't your enemy — but you should be the customer, not the product.
Pillar 1 • Safety & The Digital Trail
MA CHPE Standard 4
Hidden Metadata
Photos shared online carry EXIF data: GPS coordinates, time stamps, and camera hardware tags unless stripped.
Tip: Disable camera location permissions for everyday casual snapshots.
The Forever Rule
"Disappearing" messages do not exist. Third-party screen recorders, receiver device cameras, and archives remain permanent.
The Billboard Test: If you wouldn't put it on a highway billboard, don't send it.
Zero-Cost Defense: Enable Authenticator App 2FA (Avoid SMS Verification) Audit Privacy Settings Monthly
Pillar 2 • The Attention Economy
MA CHPE Standard 2
Variable Rewards
Pull-to-refresh feeds use the exact same psychology as casino slot machines: unpredictability triggers dopamine spikes that compel constant checking.
Your brain seeks the reward, not the actual content.
Blue Light & Sleep Debt
Nighttime scrolling suppresses melatonin production, delaying deep sleep by up to 90 minutes and multiplying daytime anxiety and brain fog.
Fix: Create a charging dock outside your sleeping area.
Pro Tweak: Turn on Grayscale display — remove color cues and reclaim 40+ minutes daily!
Live Interactive
Digital Wellness Kahoot Challenge
8 Qs • 8 Minutes
Go to kahoot.it
Or open the Kahoot app on your device
Game PIN
[ Enter PIN on Board ]
Rule: Appropriate school-safe nicknames only Speed + Accuracy = High Score!
Pillar 3 • From Bystander to Upstander
MA Law M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O
1. DIRECT
Call out the behavior calmly and firmly in the moment.
"That's crossing the line — take that down."
2. DISTRACT
De-escalate the room by abruptly shifting the focus away.
Drop a funny meme or change the group chat topic.
3. DELEGATE
Notify trusted leaders or report to the platform tools.
Alert counselor, dean, or submit anonymous portal.
4. DELAY
Check in privately with the targeted person immediately after.
"Saw what happened in the chat. You good? I'm here."
Under MA Anti-Bullying Law: Off-campus digital acts that harm school climate are actionable. Silence is read as agreement.
Micro-Lab • Group Chat Flame
60-Second Pair & Share
The Situation:
A classmate posts an unflattering, candid photo of another student in a 40-person grade-level Discord/Snap chat. Peers start commenting cruel laugh emojis and insulting memes. The student hasn't responded yet.
Your Challenge:
Which of the 4 Ds do you use first?
Action Question:
What specific words or steps do you take?
Record your response in Section 3 of your Student Action Plan handout.
The 48-Hour Reset Challenge
Exit Ticket Commitment
Pick ONE micro-habit to test for the next 48 hours:
Grayscale Mode
Turn display black & white to remove dopamine color hooks.
Out-of-Room Dock
Charge your phone outside your bedroom 30 mins before sleep.
Notification Purge
Disable all non-human notifications (turn off badge counts & promo pings).
Sign & submit your Personal Contract on your handout Control your tech — don't let it control you.
Digital Wellness Student Action Plan
Student Wellness Blueprint • MA CHPE Aligned
Digital Wellness Action Plan
Take control of your algorithm, secure your data, and act as an upstander.
Name:
Date:
Period:
1
Digital Vibe Check • Quick Habit Audit
Answer honestly — no judgment
Estimated Daily Screen Time:
< 4 hrs 4–7 hrs 7+ hrs
First App Opened When Waking:
Where Phone Sleeps:
In bed Across room
2
Privacy & Data Defense Checklist
Action Items
Review your current device setup and check the box once reviewed or completed:
EXIF Geotag Shield Turn off camera location tags so casual posts don't leak home GPS coordinates.
App-Based 2FA Enable Authenticator Apps (Google/Apple) for key accounts instead of SMS texts.
Billboard Rule Check Audit tagged photos: Would you be comfortable with this on a public highway billboard?
3
The 4D Upstander Challenge • Group Chat Scenario
M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O
Scenario: An unflattering photo of a classmate is dropped into a 40-person group chat. Several members post laughing emojis and cruel captions. The targeted student hasn't spoken up.
Select the Upstander Strategy ("D") you would deploy first:
DIRECT: Speak up firmly DISTRACT: Shift topic/meme DELEGATE: Alert counselor DELAY: Check in privately
Write your exact message or action plan (What would you specifically type or do?):
4
Personal 48-Hour Reset Contract
Exit Ticket
Select one micro-habit to test for the next 48 hours to regain agency over your attention:
Grayscale Screen Mode Set display to black & white to remove algorithm color dopamine cues.
Out-of-Bedroom Dock Charge phone across the room or outside bedroom 30 mins before sleep.
Notification Purge Turn off all non-human badge counts and promotional app alerts.
"I commit to testing this wellness habit for 48 hours to protect my focus and well-being."
Signature:
Digital Wellness Blueprint • Massachusetts CHPE Standards 1, 2 & 4 Printable Student Action Handout
