Helping our students become smart, kind, and responsible digital citizens is one of the most important things we do. With Digital Citizenship Week right around the corner, it’s a perfect opportunity to bring these crucial conversations to the forefront of our classrooms.
In our packed school days, it’s easy to wonder where to fit it all in—but these lessons are more than a tech add-on; they’re foundational life skills. Just as we teach students to be safe and kind on the playground, we must also guide them in the digital world. At its heart, digital citizenship is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) for the 21st century. When we teach students to pause before they post or consider the person behind the screen, we’re nurturing empathy and self-management. This work directly shapes our school culture, helping to create safer, more connected learning environments for everyone.
To help you get started, we’ve gathered a collection of fantastic resources we think you’ll love. In this post, you’ll find powerful tools from eMediaVA and other trusted sources—all designed to help you foster positive, healthy relationships between your students and technology. Let’s dive in together!
Be Internet Awesome (Google 2-6)
Help your students learn to be safe, smart, and kind online with Google’s Be Internet Awesome. Interactive games and lessons teach key digital citizenship skills like privacy, online safety, and recognizing scams—all through fun, age-appropriate challenges.
Be MediaWise—Lessons to Teach Media Literacy (eMediaVA 6-12)
Empower teens to think critically about what they see online. These engaging lessons from the MediaWise program help students evaluate sources, spot misinformation, and become savvy digital consumers.
Communication Kickoff (eMediaVA 6-8)
Introduce students to the basics of digital communication and online etiquette. This interactive lesson helps middle schoolers reflect on how their digital behavior affects others and builds positive communication habits.
Cosmic Quest (eMediaVA 6-8)
In this fun, game-based experience (available in single or multiplayer mode), students explore digital citizenship concepts through space-themed missions that challenge them to make smart, ethical choices online.
Digital Citizenship | Things Explained (eMediaVA 3-8)
A clear, accessible video that breaks down what it means to be a digital citizen. Perfect for sparking class discussions about responsibility, respect, and safety in the digital world.
Digital Wellness (eMediaVA 6-8)
Guide students in balancing their screen time, managing emotions, and maintaining healthy relationships online. This resource focuses on digital well-being and mindfulness in the connected world.
Digital Literacy and Well-being (Common Sense Media K-12)
Guide students in balancing their screen time, managing emotions, and maintaining healthy relationships online. This resource focuses on digital well-being and mindfulness in the connected world.
Net Safe Utah (eMediaVA K-12)
A trusted set of videos and activities that teach students how to stay safe online, handle cyberbullying, and protect personal information in age-appropriate ways.
NetSmartz (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children K-12)
Engaging videos and activities that promote online safety, digital ethics, and responsible decision-making. Created by experts to help students navigate the internet safely and confidently.
Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius (eMediaVA K-5)
Join PBS’s beloved canine host Ruff Ruffman as he helps younger learners explore media literacy concepts with humor and curiosity—covering topics like photo sharing, online privacy, and screen time.
Sandra Wilfong is an ITRT in Chesapeake Public Schools and an eMediaVA Ambassador.