The cyber-safety lesson, ready for class

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand what makes a password strong, create a long passphrase that's easy to remember, and know why passwords shouldn't be shared or reused.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Board or flipchart
• Small slips of paper with random words (12 per group)
• Dice (optional)
• Printed worksheet

👥 The passphrase factory

Split the class into groups of 4 pupils. Each group gets 12 slips of paper with random words (or rolls dice and picks words from a numbered list on the board).

1. The group creates two passphrases of 3–4 unrelated words and adds a number or symbol.
2. They invent a funny story to help remember them (e.g. “The penguin ate the bicycle on the Moon”).
3. The teacher tests the passphrases on the classroom computer, and the groups compare the results with the short passwords from the starter.
4. Each group reads out only the story to the class, not the passphrase, and the class votes for the most memorable story.

Note: these are practice passphrases; pupils should not use them for their real accounts. Adapting: with ages 6–10, use pictures (animals, colours, food) instead of words and do the activity together as a class; with ages 11–16, add the challenge “how many characters does your passphrase have, and how long would it take to crack?”.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why isn't the password “Prishtina2012” secure, even though it has letters and numbers?
• What happens if you use the same password for a game, your email and Instagram, and one of those sites gets hacked?
• Is it OK to tell your best friend your password? What about a parent?
• How can you remember lots of different passwords without writing them in a notebook in your desk?
• How can you tell that your password might have been leaked, and what do you do then?

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand how two-step verification (2FA) works, know its different types and know why a verification code must never be given to anyone.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Scenario cards for the role-play (6 cards)
• Board
• Printed worksheet

👥 Role-play: “Send me the code”

Prepare 6 scenario cards, e.g.: “Your friend messages you on Instagram: send me the code you got, I sent it to you by mistake”, “Someone says you've won a prize and they need the code to send it to you”, “You get an SMS with a WhatsApp code, but you're not signing in anywhere”.

1. In pairs, one pupil plays the “scammer” trying to persuade the other; the other practises saying no and what to do next.
2. After 2 minutes they swap roles and take a new card.
3. 2–3 pairs act out the scene in front of the class; the class spots the warning signs and the best response.

The right answer every time: don't give away the code, check by calling the real person, and tell an adult. Adapting: for ages 6–10, the teacher plays the “scammer” and the whole class answers together: “NO, I'm not giving you the code!”; for ages 11–16, add more convincing scenarios, e.g. a message from a friend's real but stolen account.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why is a strong password sometimes not enough?
• Why do scammers ask for the 6-digit code you get by SMS?
• What does it mean if you get a verification code you didn't ask for? What do you do?
• Which account is the most important one to protect with 2FA, and why?
• What happens if you lose your phone? How do backup codes help?

🎯 Goal

Pupils learn to recognise scam messages, emails and websites (phishing) from their warning signs, and know what to do when they're suspicious.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Printed examples of scam and genuine messages (3 per group)
• Red markers
• “SCAM” / “GENUINE” cards for each group
• Printed worksheet

👥 Message detectives

Split the class into groups of 3–4 “detectives”. Each group gets 3 printed messages: two scams and one genuine message (e.g. an ordinary notice from the school).

1. Using a red marker, the group circles every warning sign it finds.
2. For each message, it decides: scam or genuine: and writes down one reason.
3. It writes what it would do: delete it, report it, check it on the official website, ask an adult.
4. Each group presents one message for 1 minute.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, use short messages with pictures (e.g. “You've won 1000 diamonds!”) and ask for just one sign per message; with ages 11–16, add links that look like the original (with one letter changed) for the pupils to compare.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why do scammers try to rush you or scare you?
• How can you check whether a message from the “bank” or the “post office” is genuine without clicking the link?
• Can a message from a friend's account be a scam too? How does that happen?
• Why does artificial intelligence make scam messages harder to spot?
• What should you do if you've already clicked a suspicious link?

🎯 Goal

Pupils tell apart information that can be shared from information that must be protected, understand their digital footprint and learn to check privacy settings, permissions and location.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Cards with personal information (name, age, address, password, favourite colour, school, photo, phone number)
• 4–5 printed made-up “posts” for each group
• Stickers in three colours (green, orange, red)
• Printed worksheet

👥 Photo detective

Show on the projector, or hand out, 4–5 made-up “posts” by an invented pupil (e.g. “Lea, 12”): a photo in front of the school with her name on the wall, a photo of the dog with the car's number plate in the background, a post saying “Off on holiday for two weeks tomorrow!” and a photo with location switched on.

1. In groups, pupils list every piece of information a stranger could work out: the school, the neighbourhood, when the house is empty, etc.
2. For each post, the group decides: delete it, change it (e.g. crop the photo) or share it only with close friends.
3. Groups compare their solutions, and the class agrees on 3 shared rules for posting photos.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, use a large drawing of a street or a room and look for “things that show where you live”; with ages 11–16, add a discussion about location data in the camera, friend maps in apps and “live” posts.

💬 Discussion questions

• What could a stranger find out from a simple photo taken in front of the school?
• Why do “free” apps want so much data about us?
• Do you have the right to post a photo of a friend without asking them? And do they have the right to post one of you?
• When does it make sense to share your location, and with whom?
• How can you “clean up” your digital footprint?

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand how social media works (the algorithm, likes, the age limit), learn to keep a safe profile and to respond to unwanted content and contacts.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• An A3 sheet with a “blank profile” for each group
• Coloured pencils
• Printed worksheet

👥 My hero's profile

Each group gets an A3 sheet with a “blank profile” on a made-up social network and chooses a character (real or imaginary) to create the profile for.

1. The group chooses a username that doesn't reveal the full name, age or school.
2. It chooses a profile picture (a drawing, an animal, an avatar) instead of a face.
3. It fills in the settings: private profile, who can comment, who can send messages, location turned off.
4. It writes 3 safe posts and 1 post with a mistake, the other group has to find the mistake.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, do it as “my hero's online ID card” and talk about games and YouTube Kids; with ages 11–16, add a 3-minute debate: “Should social media have an automatic time limit for under-18s?”

💬 Discussion questions

• Why do social media platforms require users to be at least 13?
• Are influencers' photos and videos always real? How can you tell?
• How do likes affect our mood?
• What do you do if a stranger sends you a private message?
• How can you “train” the algorithm to show you less content that makes you feel bad?

🎯 Goal

Pupils recognise online bullying (cyberbullying), understand its impact, know how to help a friend as a bystander and know where to get help.

🧰 Materials

• Projector
• Scenario cards (4)
• Sticky notes
• A large poster for the “Class agreement”
• Printed worksheet

👥 Role-play: The bystander who helps

Prepare 4 short scenarios, e.g.: “In the class group chat, someone posts a funny photo of a classmate and everyone is laughing with emojis”, “A girl is left out of the gaming group every day”, “Someone has set up a fake profile using a pupil's name”.

1. In groups of 4, pupils share out the roles: the person being bullied, the person doing the bullying and two bystanders.
2. The scene is acted out twice: the first time the bystanders stay silent; the second time they help, they don't share it, they message the classmate privately, they report it and they tell an adult.
3. After each version, the “person being bullied” says how they felt.

Note: don't use the names of pupils in the class, and don't ask for personal cases in front of everyone. Adapting: with ages 6–10, use puppets or pictures instead of role-play, and only one scenario, about an online game; with ages 11–16, add the fake profile scenario and discuss how to report it on the platform.

💬 Discussion questions

• Where's the line between a joke and bullying?
• Why do some people say things online that they would never say to someone's face?
• What can a bystander do if they see bullying in the class group chat?
• Why is it important to save evidence before you block someone?
• Who could you tell if you're afraid things will get worse?

🎯 Goal

Pupils learn to play online safely: protecting their account, handling chats with strangers, recognising the tricks behind in-game purchases and keeping a healthy balance with their time.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Cards with made-up in-game “offers” (6 per group)
• Calculators
• Printed worksheet

👥 The game shop

Each group gets 6 cards with made-up “offers” from a game: “Surprise box: 1 in 1000 chance of a legendary skin”, “Offer ends in 5 minutes!”, “Starter pack €0.99”, “Season pass”, “Free skin if you invite 5 friends”, “Free Robux, enter your password”.

1. The group puts the cards in order from “most honest” to “most manipulative”.
2. For each one, it writes which trick it uses: urgency, luck, peer pressure, a currency that hides the real price, or an outright scam.
3. It works out: how many euros would a player spend in a month if they bought “just” one small €0.99 offer every day?
4. The groups compare their rankings and explain the differences.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, use only 3 cards and focus on the rule “no purchases without your parents”; with ages 11–16, add a discussion of why some countries have restricted surprise boxes.

💬 Discussion questions

• How do “free” games make so much money?
• How can you tell whether a player who offers you gifts has good intentions?
• Is a surprise box (loot box) like gambling? Why or why not?
• What do you do if someone insults or bullies you during a game?
• How can you tell you've played too much? What helps you stop?

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand what harmful programs are (viruses, ransomware, spyware, fake apps), how they spread and how devices are protected with updates, downloads from official sources and backups.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• A3 sheets and coloured pencils for the posters
• A made-up “lock screen” prepared as a slide
• Printed worksheet

👥 The “WANTED: Malware” poster

Split the class into 5 groups, and each group “tracks down” one type of harmful program: the virus, the Trojan horse, ransomware, spyware or adware.

1. The group draws a “portrait” of the criminal as a cartoon character.
2. It writes: how it gets onto the device, what damage it does, how to recognise it (the symptoms) and how we protect ourselves.
3. Each group presents its poster for 1 minute as a TV “breaking news” report.
4. The posters are put up in the classroom or in the school corridor.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, choose only two “criminals” (the virus and the fake app) and also draw the device's “shield”; with ages 11–16, ask them to find a real ransomware case in the news and sum it up in three sentences.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why are free game “cheats” and “mods” one of the most common ways to get malware?
• Why do updates matter, even when they seem boring?
• What would you lose if your phone or computer were wiped today?
• Should you pay when ransomware locks your files? Why?
• How can you tell whether an app is asking for permissions it doesn't need?

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand the risks of public and fake Wi-Fi networks, learn to use the internet safely away from home and understand why the home network needs protecting.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• A postcard and an envelope (for a demonstration)
• A printed list of made-up Wi-Fi network names
• Printed worksheet

👥 Find the fake network

Show on the projector, or hand out, a list of made-up networks as they would appear on a phone: Cafe_Dielli, Cafe_Dielli_FREE, Cafe-Dielli-Guest, FREE_WiFi_City, Arta's iPhone, School_Library.

1. In pairs, pupils circle the networks that look suspicious and explain why (a similar name, the word “FREE”, no padlock, an unknown owner).
2. They write how they would find out the real name of the network (ask the staff, look at the official sign on the wall).
3. Pairs join up into groups of 4 and create a warning poster with 3 rules for public Wi-Fi to put up in the classroom.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, turn it into a card game with “safe / ask an adult”; with ages 11–16, add the scenario: “You're at the airport and need to pay for a ticket, what do you do?”

💬 Discussion questions

• Why can a Wi-Fi network without a password be dangerous?
• How can you tell a café's real network apart from a fake one with a similar name?
• What does the padlock in the address bar mean? Does it always mean the website is safe?
• Which things should you never do on public Wi-Fi?
• Why does the home router need a strong password and updates?

🎯 Goal

Pupils understand what generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes are, learn to check suspicious photos, videos and voices, and reflect on using AI responsibly and honestly.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• 4 photos (2 real, 2 created with AI) prepared by the teacher
• “REAL” / “AI” cards for each pupil
• Printed “cases” for the groups
• Printed worksheet

👥 The verification lab

Each group gets a printed “case”: a viral photo with a sensational headline, a post in which “a famous person” advertises an investment, a news story with no source, or a photo of an event that looks strange.

1. The group fills in the checklist: Who published it? When? Are well-known sources reporting it too? Are there strange details (hands, blurry text, shadows, a voice that doesn't match the lips)? What feeling is it trying to stir up, fear, anger, surprise?
2. It decides: trustworthy, suspicious or fake, and what it would do: not share it, report it, look for the source.
3. Each group presents its case for 1 minute.

Stress that visual details are getting harder and harder to spot, so checking the source is the strongest tool. Adapting: with ages 6–10, use fun photos (e.g. a cat in an astronaut suit) and the question “Could this really have happened?”; with ages 11–16, add reverse image search.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why are photos and videos no longer reliable proof that something really happened?
• What would you do if someone phoned you with a family member's voice and urgently asked for money?
• When is it OK to use AI for schoolwork, and when isn't it?
• Why is it serious to create fake photos of a friend, even “as a joke”?
• How can you check whether a viral video is real?

🎯 Goal

Pupils learn to tell trustworthy online shops from scam ones, understand the risks of payments and the tricks that push us to buy, and understand why children should only shop online with their parents.

🧰 Materials

• Projector and computer with internet access
• Printed screenshots of two made-up “shops” (one trustworthy, one a scam)
• Calculators
• Printed worksheet

👥 Shopping detectives

Each group gets screenshots of two made-up shops selling the same product (e.g. wireless headphones): “Shop A”, with a normal price, an address, a returns policy, varied reviews and cash on delivery; and “Shop B”, with 80% off, a three-week-old website, comments turned off and payment by bank transfer only.

1. The group fills in a table with 6 criteria: price, age of the website, contact details and address, reviews, payment method, returns policy.
2. It gives points for each criterion and decides which shop it would buy from.
3. It writes 3 questions it would ask the shop before buying.
4. The groups compare their conclusions, and the class creates a pre-purchase checklist.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, replace the shops with two “game shops” with pictures and look for just 3 differences; with ages 11–16, add working out the full cost including delivery and customs.

💬 Discussion questions

• Why should a very low price make us more careful, not more excited?
• How can you check whether a shop on Instagram or Facebook is genuine?
• Why is paying by transfer to a personal account risky?
• How do “today only” or “only 2 left” messages push us to buy without thinking?
• What should a family do if they've paid and the order doesn't arrive?

🎯 Goal

Pupils reflect on how screens affect their sleep, mood and relationships, recognise design that keeps us hooked, and create a personal plan for digital balance.

🧰 Materials

• Projector
• A4 sheets with a day circle (24 segments)
• Coloured pencils
• A board with a “feelings thermometer”
• Printed worksheet

👥 My day wheel

Each pupil gets a circle divided into 24 segments (the hours of the day) and colours them in different colours: sleep, school, homework, screens, sport and outdoor play, family and friends.

1. Compare in pairs: what surprised you? Where does most of your time go?
2. Everyone draws a second circle: “my ideal day”, with the balance they'd like.
3. They write 3 concrete steps to get closer to it (e.g. “my phone charges outside my room”, “I turn off game notifications”).
4. Volunteers share one step with the class, without judging and without comparing.

Adapting: with ages 6–10, use pictures (bed, book, ball, screen) and a simple circle with 6 segments; with ages 11–16, pupils can look at the real “screen time” data on their phones, but only if they want to. Never turn it into a competition over who has the least or the most screen time.

💬 Discussion questions

• How do you feel when your phone isn't with you?
• Why do apps send so many notifications?
• Have you ever compared yourself with someone on social media? How did you feel?
• What helps you sleep well?
• How could you tell your friends that you won't reply in the group chat after 21:00?
• Which things online really make you happy?