1. Safe and Secure: Choosing a Safe Screen Name
Lesson 2
Grade 5 Online Personal Safety Unit
E-Rate: Appropriate Online Behavior

2. Lesson 2 Overview
In this lesson, you will learn how to protect your identity online by creating a safe screen name.

3. Join the Nation!
Hello! I am Violet, and this is my buddy Coy. When you create an online account, you will need to choose a screen name.

4. Join the Nation! Key Terms screen name public private
Before we show you how to create a safe screen name, let’s review some key terms.
Key Terms
screen name
public
private
personal information

5. What is a screen name?

6. screen name website multiplayer game social media app virtual world
A screen name is a name that you choose to represent yourself on a
website
multiplayer game
social media app
virtual world
discussion board
Many websites use the word username.

7. Your screen name represents your online identity.

8. Anything that you share on the Internet can be made public.

9. What does public mean?

10. Public means that something is available for other people to see, visit or use.
Public also means “the general population.”

11. public
This is an example of public information posted in a public place.

12. Online Profile Example
An online profile may share too much information about you.

13. Think About It
A public profile shares your private information with the whole world.

14. What type of information should you keep private?

15. information that identifies you.
private information:
information that identifies you.

16. private information Keep this information private. first and last name
address
phone number
date of birth
Social Security number
gender
location

17. Online communities connect you to other people.

18. People join online communities to meet people who have common interests.

19. What is personal information?

20. personal information:
general information that does not directly identify you

21. Personal Information
Personal information does not openly reveal your offline identity.
feelings
opinions
hobbies (what you do for fun)
favorite things (books, movies, music)

22. personal information
Always think carefully about the information that you share online.
You may accidentally share too much information.

23. Too Much Information
One common mistake that some people make is to reveal their private information online.
They feel comfortable chatting with online friends and forget to keep this information private.

24. Too Much Information Do not answer these questions: What is your name?
Are you a boy or a girl?
Where do you live?
How old are you?
Where do you go to school?
Where do your parents work?
What do you do in your free time?
Are you alone right now?

25. Now that you know the types of information that you should keep private…

26. Choosing a Safe Screen Name
Let’s Practice
Choosing a Safe Screen Name

27. How to Choose a Safe Screen Name
A screen name creates an online identity.
A safe screen name does not reveal private information.

28. Step 1: Ask Permission
Always ask your parent or guardian for permission to create an online account.

29. Step 2: Choose a Name
Choose a word that does not reveal your identity. Such as…
a favorite color
a favorite animal
a storybook character
a movie character
an interesting word from the dictionary

30. Step 2: Choose a Name Do not choose words that reveal your identity:
real name
school
hometown
hobby
birthday
gender
sports team name or mascot
address
street name

31. Step 3: Add Numbers Add numbers to your screen name to make it unique.
Do not choose your…
birthdate
phone number
sports team number
age
street number

32. Step 4: Add Symbols
Some online communities let you add symbols to your screen name.
uppercase and lowercase letters: A-Z
numbers: 0-9
symbols:

33. Practice creating a safe screen name.
You try it!
Practice creating a safe screen name.

34. Activity: What’s in a Name?
Examine the screen names on the handout provided.
Rank the screen names from the least informative to the most informative.
Work in groups of 2-3 to create screen names that do not reveal personal information.
Think about your screen names.
What do they say about you?
Why should you protect your personal identifying information?
Write your answers.

35. Wrap it up! Share the safe screen names which you have created.
Name the types of information that you should not include in a screen name.
How does a carefully chosen screen name keep you safe online?

36. Key Terms
screen name – a name that you create in order to do things on a website, multiplayer game, app or online community and forums.
personal information – general information about you, such as your feelings, opinions, hobbies, favorite food or sports teams.
private information – information that you should keep private; information that reveals your identity.
public – available for other people to see, visit and use. (e.g. public library, “open to the public”)

37. Join the Nation!