Digital Friendship Rules

Collaborative Brainstorming Activity

Goal

To create a set of shared class rules for being kind and responsible digital friends. This activity encourages students to reflect on their own experiences and commit to positive online behaviors.

1

Reflect and Brainstorm (5 Minutes)

Think about the video "Friend or Fake?" and the book "The Technology Tail." What did they teach us about online interactions?
Consider different online spaces: group chats, online games, and social media.
Task: Jot down at least two ideas for a digital friendship rule on a scratch piece of paper.

2

Share Your Ideas (5-7 Minutes)

The teacher will ask for volunteers to share their rule ideas with the class.
As ideas are shared, the teacher will write them on a large piece of chart paper or a whiteboard.
Listen respectfully to your classmates' ideas. You might hear a great rule you hadn't thought of!

3

Refine and Group (5-7 Minutes)

Look at all the suggested rules. Are there any similar rules we can combine?
Try to make the rules clear, positive, and easy to understand (e.g., instead of "Don't be mean," try "Use kind words").

4

Create Our Class Poster

Once we have our final list of 5-7 rules, we will finalize our poster. This will serve as our "Digital Citizenship Contract" for the year.

My Idea Box

Rule Examples to Get You Started:

Think before you post.

Include everyone in chats.

Ask before sharing a photo.

Tell an adult if you feel unsafe.