1. Digital Footprint & Identity 1. Inquiry Task & Question
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Digital Footprint & Identity 1. Inquiry Task & Question 1 2 3 4 5 6
Opening exercise: As producers of a new Web TV show, your group has been asked to evaluate two candidates who are applying to host the show. In your Choose a Host file, you will find a personal statement completed by each applicant. The rest of the information you will review was found online by Googling the names of each candidate. Using this information, your group will decide which applicant should be the new Web TV show host.
Share with the class your group’s decision, and explain how the applicants’ online information influenced your decision.
What’s the point? This exercise illustrates an important point about how you present yourself and what you post about yourself online: People may judge you based on what is contained in your digital footprint -- all the information about you online that has been posted by you or others.
Select the image above to view the short video “Digital Footprint” from Common Sense Education.
Screenshot from Digital Literacy
In this Slam Dunk, you will use multiple information sources to help you build an answer to the inquiry question:
How can I control and improve my digital footprint and online identity?

2. Image Source: Digital Citizenship Tagxedo
2. Information Sources
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Choose several of the information sources linked here to complete the Student Activity on Slide 3.
Digital Footprint (website) from Kidsmart.org.uk
What is a Digital Footprint? (website) from netsafe.org
Protecting Your Online Identity and Reputation (website) from kidshealth.org
The Importance of your Digital Reputation (article) from cyberbullying.org
Growing an Online Reputation (interactive video) from Carnegie Cyber Academy
Offline Consequences (video) from Ssteens.org
How to Protect your Digital Footprint from Prying Eyes (website) from Norton
8 Ways to Protect your Digital Footprint (infographic) from SlideShare
Image Source: Digital Citizenship Tagxedo

3. 3. Student Activity
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Use information sources on Slide 2 to gather information that helps you answer these questions about your digital footprint and identity.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of presenting yourself in different ways online?
How does a digital footprint get created?
How does social media affect digital footprints?
How can a digital footprint lead others to draw positive and negative conclusions about a person?
How might your digital footprint affect you in the future?
What are some ways you can control or improve your digital footprint?
Use this Cornell Notes sheet or NoodleTools note cards to organize your research.
Select the image on the right to see a larger version.

4. 4. Assessment Activity
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How can I control and improve my digital footprint and online identity?
Your teacher/librarian will have you take the Digital Citizenship Quiz for this topic in Schoology.
Then, create a class list of ways that students can create a positive digital footprint.
Cut out footprint shapes and on each footprint, write one “step” that students could take to control or improve their digital footprint and present their identity in a positive way online.
Decorate your footprints and use them to create a bulletin board or wall display titled “Pathway to a Positive Digital Footprint” to inform 6th and 7th graders in your school about this issue.
Image Source: Vector Stock

5. 5. Enrichment Activities
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Learn more:
Play the Your Digital Footprint game by making wise choices.
Extend your learning by teaching others:
Teach younger students about digital footprints by creating a comic strip using a digital comic creator tool like Make Beliefs Comix.
Image taken from the Center for Cyber Safety and Education

6. 6. Teacher Resources 1 2 3 4 5 6 Digital Citizenship: Grade 8
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Digital Citizenship: Grade 8
Content Integration: ELA or School Counseling
Objective: Students will synthesize information from multiple information sources in order to explain how they can control and improve their digital footprint and identity.
Time Frame: 1-3 class periods
Differentiation strategies for this lesson:
Have students use learning supports provided in any BCPS-licensed Digital Content included in this lesson. Refer to Digital Content Snapshots & Support resources as needed.
Notes to the teacher:
Collaborate with your school library media specialist to plan and implement this lesson.
See the Teacher version of the Choose a Host activity that students engage in on Slide 1.
ALL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THE DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP QUIZ for this lesson in Schoology.
Consider sending home these Common Sense Education family resources relevant to this topic:
Help Boost Kids’ Safety, Privacy, and Security
5 Myths and Truths About Kids’ Internet Safety
Learning Standards Alignment
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection, and research.
AASL Standards Framework for Learners I. INQUIRE: Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems. Think: Learners display curiosity and initiative by: I.A.2 Recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning. Create: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes: I.B.1 Using evidence to investigate questions. I.B.3 Generating products that illustrate learning. Share: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes: I.C.1 Interacting with content presented by others. Grow: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by: I.D.2 Engaging in sustained inquiry.
ISTE Standards for Students 2. Digital Citizen: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
Last updated: March Report broken links to BCPS Library Media Programs & Digital Resources BCPS Slam Dunk Research Model, Copyright 2019, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. This lesson may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. This lesson is based on Dr. Jamie McKenzie’s Slam Dunk Digital Lesson model.