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Spooky Content
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.
Spooky Content
Overview
“Spooky Content” is full of pumpkin spice and online content advice! Geared towards ghouls and ghosts, in this activity students will create a collage of ingredients that guard against spooky online content. Download the “Spooky Content Activity Pack” in the Teaching Toolkit, or let students go rogue with arts and crafts to create their special protection brew!
This activity is relevant for:
- Introducing students to core media and digital literacy concepts, such as the variety of online content and curation strategies.
- Defining protective strategies in response to problematic online content.
- Students who enjoy creative activities and would benefit from traditional arts to express themselves.
This lesson is part of the FREE digital licence program
Learning Intentions
By completing this activity, our class intends to:
- Identify a range of physical and emotional responses that may be experienced in relation to online content.
- Explore a range of protective measures that seek to both avoid and find support in relation to problematic online content.
Lesson Instructions
Activity Setup
Download and print the “Spooky Content Activity Pack” from the Resources section. Each student should have access to one pack.
Ensure that students have access to glue sticks, scissors (if age-appropriate), and coloured pens or pencils.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
As a whole class discussion, introduce students to the idea that feelings can be linked to the things that we watch or listen to. Ask students to give a thumbs up (positive) or thumbs down (negative) in terms of how the following scenarios might make them feel.
Use the “Educator Tip Sheet” resource to help provide supporting suggestions and advice in relation to each of the scenarios. Discussion prompts include:
- What emotion they might be feeling in each scenario
- Where they might feel it (i.e. by a smile on their face, laughing until tummy hurts, maybe feeling sick in the tummy if they are anxious).
- What they might do to help calm difficult emotions.
Scenarios:
- Watch a funny cartoon with silly characters who make you laugh.
- Play a game where you can’t make it to the next level.
- Watch a movie where a monster jumps out and makes a loud roar.
- Listen to a story about a lost puppy who can't find his way home.
- Watch a show where superheroes save the day.
- Listen to soft music that makes you feel relaxed and sleepy.
- Watch a video where a person talks for a long time without showing any pictures or doing anything fun.
Cut and Collage
Next, direct students to the “Spooky Content Activity Pack”. Ask students to cut out and colour the potion ingredients that would be helpful in protecting them against online content that might be difficult, or raise negative emotions.
Once students have cut and chosen their answers, hold a class check-in discussion to make sure that the potions are on the right track. A recommended answers key is provided in the “Spooky Content: Educator Tips” in the Resources section.
Then, ask students to glue their potion ingredients onto the cauldron template provided. Note: this activity can be completed as a whole group poster, with each student sticking ingredients for the protection potion onto a large sheet of poster paper.
Show and Tell
Hold a whole class discussion to allow students to present their magic potions. Ask students to explain the ingredients they have chosen for their poster, and how these ingredients might assist in warding off spooky content in the future.
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.
Foundation: General Capabilities
Manage Online Safety:
- Level 1: Use online tools that are safe or only under direct supervision, seeking help from trusted adults when feeling unsafe.
Foundation: Health and Physical Education
- AC9HPFP04: Explore how to seek, give or deny permission respectfully when sharing possessions or personal space.
- AC9AVAFD01: Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas.
- AC9AVAFC01: Create arts works that communicate ideas.
- AC9AVAFP01: Share their arts works with audiences.
Year One: General Capabilities
Manage Online Safety:
- Level 2: Use online tools that are age appropriate or only under supervision, seeking help from trusted adults when feeling unsafe.
Year One: Health and Physical Education
- AC9HP2P04 : Practise strategies they can use when they need to seek, give or deny permission respectfully.
- AC9AVA2D01: Experiment and play with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials.
- AC9AVA2C01: Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks.
- AC9AVA2P01: Share artworks and/or visual arts practice in informal settings.
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.
Responsible decision-making:
- The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behaviour and social interactions across diverse situations.
For example:
- Learning how to make a reasoned judgment after analysing information, data, and facts.
- Recognising how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school.
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 3: Children and young people have a strong sense of wellbeing.
Children and young people are aware of and develop strategies to support their own mental and physical health, and personal safety.
This is exemplified when children can:
- Identify protective strategies in relation to problematic and/or offensive online content.
- Talk about how others’ use of technology impacts on them or makes them feel.
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.