This week, as a school, we have been focussing on how to stay safe online - using safer internet day 2024 as a catalyst for class discussions. Each year group completed a different activity - linked to theme 'Together for a better internet'. Each class also read a book which helped us learn about being safe online or how to consider our own conduct online. You can read about what each year group has been up to below. 

 

Year R

During our Safer Internet Day assembly, Reception enjoyed discussing how we use the Internet and which devices we have at home. We particularly liked looking at how devices have changed over time, and what our grown-ups at home might have used when they were our age! We then focused on looking at changes online and how these could make us feel. We thought of changes that may happen when we use the Internet, for example finding new episodes of our favourite programme, and getting an unexpected message while playing a game. Then we explored different emotions, playing moving and matching games to explore how these changes might make us feel.  

 

Year 1

In Year 1 we have been learning all about who we can trust to keep us safe when on the internet. We talked about how we use the internet both at school and at home – watching videos on YouTube, playing games, Purple Mash, downloading apps and chatting with our friends. We then shared the story ‘Mo and Jaz’. The book led us to discuss how we should always be careful when typing our password on websites and how we must only share our passwords with adults that we trust. We then discussed who we would go to if we needed help keeping safe on the internet - our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and teachers were all adults we felt we could trust to help us.

Year 2

In year 2 we read Clicking Chicken by Tony Ross. It is a story about a chick who uses someone else's computer to shop online and then arranges to meet a friend that she has made online. She soon discovers all is not as it seems. We then discussed changes that happen online. Videos pop up, characters change online and settings can change.  The children talked about what they would do if they were worried about something that changed online and who they would speak to. We also looked at how technology has changed over time. The children looked at some photos of past and present technology and they had to sort them into groups. Mrs Starling also brought an old gaming console from the 1980's for us to have a look at!

Year 3

During Safety Internet Day, Year 3 read the story of Webster’s Friend to find out more about how to stay safe online when playing games. The story was about a spider called Webster who was so excited to have a new friend he told his friend online lots of facts about himself that wasn’t true such as giving a different name. He ended up telling so many he couldn’t remember what he had told him. All of this was because Webster didn’t want to lose him as a friend. His new online friend also wanted to impress Webster so told some untruthful facts as well. It turned out that Webster was talking to his brother and the end of the story explained the importance of not pretending to be someone else online.  We then thought about how we use the internet at home and how what we see on the internet can influence us. The children were then given different scenarios where they had to decide if the influence was positive, negative, not sure or it depends. Within the classroom there was a lot of discussion around each scenario and the children had to think very carefully about how it could influence them.

Year 4

n Year 4 we have been looking into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our societies today. We learnt what AI is and how it is used in different technologies, computer systems and gadgets. We were surprised to find out just how often we might come across and use AI in our everyday lives which has made us aware of it’s benefits and also the potential risks or issues. We completed an activity which made us consider considered how AI may changes people’s lives now and in the future. Finally we read a book called ‘#Goldilocks A #Cautionary Tale’ by Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross and discussed what we could learn from the story. Here are some thoughts from a couple of our pupils:

‘AI has no emotion so it could be a negative thing if it doesn’t know if your feelings are hurt or not.’ ‘You might think something is funny, but someone else may not. Don’t send something if you are angry; wait until you have calmed down.’

Year 5

In Year 5, we began by working through the Safer Internet Day assembly. This focused on changes online and how we can manage the feelings these evoke. We also thought about what to do if something changes online that we don't like. Following this, we read the book 'Tek - The Modern Cave Boy' which tells the tale of a young cave boy who is so absorbed by his devices that he didn't notice the world changing around him. Linked to this, our final activity was looking at the evolution of technology through time. We started by looking at how technology began, considering the categories of Gaming, Music, Watches, Phones and Education. The children then got the chance to predict what technology will look like in 20 years. Time will tell if they are right!

Year 6

On Tuesday 6th February, year six learned all about online safety and influencers. we started by making our own model, and while having fun, discovered all the positives and the negatives about the internet. We were taught life lessons and that influencers are not only online but in the real world too. Now we know to be safe and use our skills to realise when something is true or false. We also recapped on past safety days in other years. By Sophia M and Lily S