Tricks and traps online (grades 3-5)

What's inside

• Lesson plan: objectives, 5-part sequence with teacher scripts, discussion questions, exit ticket, differentiation (PDF + Word)
• Worksheet 1: Tricky moments
• Worksheet 2: Match the trick to the red flag
• Teacher answer key for every worksheet, card and the exit ticket
• 12 cut-apart scenario cards
• 8-slide outline with speaker notes (PDF + editable PowerPoint)
• Family take-home sheet in English and Spanish (PDF + Word)

Learners will be able to

• Name at least five red flags (too good to be true, hurry, keep it secret, asks for a password or code, asks for personal information, wants to move to another app)
• Explain why a message from a friend's account might not really be from the friend, and how to check
• Explain that a picture or video can be made or changed by a computer, so a picture alone is not proof
• Choose a safe next step for a tricky situation, including telling a trusted adult if they already clicked or shared

Standards alignment

• ISTE Standards for Students 1.2.c
• ISTE Standards for Students 1.2.d
• CSTA PK-12 Computer Science Standards (2026) E3-SYS-SE-13
• CSTA PK-12 Computer Science Standards (2026) E3-SOC-ET-17
• CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017) 1B-NI-05

More pages

Files

Supports these rubric areas

• Awareness & Training
• Data Security
• Identity Management, Authentication, and Access Control
• NIST CSF PR.AT
• NIST CSF PR.DS
• NIST CSF PR.AA

Part of

• Start here: families (English and Spanish)
• Elementary (K-5) classroom kit
• Grades 3-5

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Sources

• FTC Consumer Advice: Kids and video games (keep personal details private; block players who ask personal questions; talk to a trusted adult)
• FTC Consumer Advice: Fake prize, sweepstakes and lottery scams (real prizes are free; act-now pressure)
• CISA Secure Our World: Recognize and report phishing (urgency, too-good-to-be-true offers, impersonation, requests for personal information)
• FTC Consumer Alert: Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes (voice cloning)
• FTC Consumer Advice: Heads Up, Stop. Think. Connect.
• ISTE Standards for Students
• CSTA 2026 PK-12 Computer Science Standards
• CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017), condensed