Download
Setting our Intentions: Authentic Apologies
Child Safeguarding Statement
Some resources and activities may prompt a child to remember and potentially share an experience of harm. Make sure you’re familiar with your school's safeguarding policies and procedures so you can confidently report safety and well-being concerns.
Prepare students for the session by discussing: their right to be safe and respected; what to do if discussing online safety makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe; and how to seek help if they feel or have felt unsafe. Use this resource available on the website.
Setting our Intentions: Authentic Apologies
Overview
In this arts-based activity, students will explore the elements of sincere apologies and restorative practices in relation to online behaviours. Over two lessons, the activity combines supported discussion and mixed-media collage creation to instil key principles of empathy, reflection, and responsibility in online environments.
This activity is most relevant for:
- Students who are engaged in playing online games and other online activities.
- Introducing the importance of apologising in order to restore both online and offline friendships.
- Demonstrating a variety of ways that apologies can be made meaningful and encourage behaviour change.
- Reinforcing core respectful relationship concepts in both offline and online environments, through the creation of visible art pieces.
This lesson is part of the FREE digital licence program
Learning Intentions
By completing this activity, our class intends to:
- Identify online scenarios where apologies may be required to restore relationships.
- Demonstrate a range of ways that apologies and follow-up conversations can be made meaningfully and respectfully, with regard to the scenarios faced in online environments.
Lesson Instructions
Activity Setup
Download the “Student Activity Pack” from the Resources section. This resource can be pasted into student workbooks, or, it can be distributed via Google Classroom or similar.
Choose between one of the following:
Provide ephemera for creating collages on paper, such as magazines, newspapers, coloured paper, glue, coloured pens and pencils, paints (if appropriate), and scissors. Limiting the type and theme of magazine/newspaper materials can help scaffold the activity for students.
OR
Students can create their collages using a digital platform like Canva. This mode of delivery meets alternative Australian Curriculum standards for Digital Technologies (Years 3 and 4), in particular:
- AC9TDI4P06: use the core features of common digital tools to create, locate and communicate content, following agreed conventions.
- AC9TDI4P07: use the core features of common digital tools to share content, plan tasks, and collaborate, following agreed behaviours, supported by trusted adults.
Discussion
Start the lesson with the “Fake or Real Apology” activity in the "Student Activity Pack". This activity asks students to evaluate apologies that have been given in relation to online scenarios.
Discuss student's responses and feelings about the apologies given. Themes for this discussion might include:
- Inauthentic apologies: When someone says "I'm sorry," but they don't really mean it. They might say "I'm sorry" just to avoid getting in trouble. Or, they might say "I'm sorry, but I don't really think I did anything wrong." Both examples show that they don’t really feel bad about what they have done.
- Lack of empathy: When someone apologises without really understanding or caring about how the other person feels. It might be when they say things like, “I’m sorry, but it’s no big deal”, or “I’m sorry you’re mad, but I don’t know why you are”. These kinds of apologies show a lack of care for other people’s feelings, and do not make the other person feel respected.
- Lack of reflection: When someone says “I’m sorry” without really thinking about what they have done wrong, or why it might have hurt someone. They might say things like, “I’m sorry, can we play now?”, or, “I’m sorry”, but then do the same thing again later. In these cases, the person hasn’t shown understanding of what they have done wrong, and they haven’t shown that they won’t do it again.
Setting Intentions: Mixed Media Collage
Note: Full instructions for students, and a tip sheet, are included in the "Student Activity Pack".
Instruct students to create a collage based on the title "Goals for Good Apologies". Students can create these collages digitally or on paper. Students will pick one (or more) things that they want to work on, for when they might need to say sorry for something that has happened online. The collage will then use words and pictures to show these goals.
At the bottom of the collage, they should include a short reflection of 2-3 sentences that answers the following question: How will your chosen goals help you be a better friend online and at school?
This is an “intention setting” arts activity, which supports students in thinking about and expressing the elements of self-reflection, apology-making, and restorative practices they intend to take forward into online spaces and beyond. These art pieces will also serve as a reminder of appropriate behaviour for when things might go wrong in online and offline friendships.
Once completed, consider displaying the collages in a central classroom area or as a gallery exhibit themed "Goals for Good Apologies".
Exit Pass
Collages should be evaluated using the assessment rubric provided in the "Student Activity Pack". The rubric can be used in various ways:
- Self-Assessment
- Peer Assessment
- Teacher Assessment
- Parent Assessment
To sign off on the activity, the chosen assessors will use the student’s rubric on the worksheet to evaluate the strengths of the media created.
Aligned Curriculum
Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0)
The Australian Curriculum outlines the fundamental knowledge, comprehension, and abilities students are expected to acquire as they advance through the initial 11 years of schooling.
Years 3 and 4: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capabilities
Emotional awareness:
- Level 3: Explain the influence that their own behaviour has on the emotional responses of others.
Emotional regulation:
- Level 3: Manage and moderate emotions in familiar contexts, using provided strategies.
Relational awareness:
- Level 3: Identify how they can contribute to healthy relationships and manage challenging relationships.
Years 3 and 4: Health and Physical Education
- AC9HP4P04: Select, use and refine personal and social skills to establish, manage and strengthen relationships.
- AC9HP4P10: Investigate and apply behaviours that contribute to their own and others’ health, safety, relationships and wellbeing.
Years 3 and 4: Visual Arts
- AC9AVA4D01: Experiment with a range of ways to use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials.
- AC9AVA4C01: Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning.
CASEL Framework
The CASEL Framework creates a foundation for applying evidence-based, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies both at school and in the broader community. Its aim is to support the cultivation of SEL skills and environments that advance students’ learning and development.
- Relationship skills: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.
My Time, Our Place – Framework for School Age Care in Australia
The aim of My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (the Framework) is to assist educators to provide children and young people with opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation for successful lifelong learning. The Framework has been designed for use by approved providers and school age care educators working in partnership with children and young people, their families and the community, including schools.
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation.
This is evident when children:
- Communicate and demonstrate an understanding that they are a part of a world that shares and communicates using digital technologies.
- Demonstrate an ability to share and respect others’ use of digital technologies.
Related Resources
In this activity, students explore problems and decisions faced online. It encourages boundary-setting, respectful interactions, and assertiveness for online safety.
This hands-on activity explores AI-generated images and ethical considerations, teaching students media literacy skills to distinguish between AI and human-created media while creating their own AI images.
This activity is relevant for students engaging in online activities such as gaming, social media, or messaging services, helping them identify when to seek support before sharing personal information, expanding their understanding of hacking and its impacts.