5.4 Digital Friendships

Open Ended

Have you ever chatted with someone online? Who was it? How often?

Directions

1. Quietly read or listen to Sita's Online Friendships: Scenario 1 & 2

2. Be prepared to compare and contrast the t​wo scenarios

Grade 5: Digital Friendships

Sita's Online Friendships

Sita is a middle-school student who is a little shy about meeting new people. Her science class has a project where each student gets to video-chat with a student from their "sister" school in Jaipur, India, which is 7,770 miles away. 

Sita is assigned to video-chat with a girl named Kaia. Sita is nervous about meeting her and wonders if they will have anything in common. When they meet, however, Sita quickly sees that Kaia is very nice and that they have lots in common. For example, they're both on Instagram.

Sita is also excited to meet Kaia because Sita's parents are from India, and Sita has always wanted to know more about what it's like there. At the end of their chat, Kaia asks Sita if she can follow her on Instagram. Sita smiles and says, "Of course!"

​

Be prepared to compare this with Scenario 2.

Sita's Online Friendships

Scenario 1​

Sita gets a message on her phone from her friend CJcool11. She doesn't know CJcool11's real name and age, but they've been online friends for a couple of months. 

They "met" when he posted a comment on one of her Instagram photos, a photo of her dog, Pepper. She replied, and they shared some funny stories about their dogs. 

Now, they talk a lot online. When she shares a problem she has at school, CJcool11 always has good ideas for handling the problem. 

Today, CJcool11's message reads, "My annoying neighbor never cleans up after his dog." Sita responds: "That's rude. Everyone on my street always does." After a moment, CJcool11 answers back, "Rly? What street do you live on?" 

Sita pauses. This question makes her feel uncomfortable.

​

Be prepared to compare this with Scenario 1.

Sita's Online Friendships

Scenario 2

Open Ended

What happens to Sita in these two scenarios? How do her feelings change?

Open Ended

What are some of the benefits and risks to these relationships for Sita?

Let's make a list:

​

Ways to Respond to an Uncomfortable Question

Open Ended

If you were Sita, how would you respond to each of the scenarios? In your response, think about the best way to keep the benefit of the friendship while staying safe.

Scenario 1: What message would you send to Kaia?

Scenario 2: How would you respond to CJcool11's question at the end of the scenario? What would you do?

Multiple Choice

Which is a possible risk when you have an online-only friendship?

• They might give you honest advice.

• They may not be who they say they are.

• They may not believe what you say because you didn't tell them in person.

Multiple Choice

Sally is talking with Steven62, her online friend. Steven62 asks, "Is Sally your real name? What's your last name?" Sally feels uncomfortable. What should she do?

• She should tell Steven62 the truth.

• She should not tell her name, and should tell him she prefers not to share that information.

• She should tell Steven62 her real name only if he tells her his real name.

Multiple Choice

Read the scenario and the choose the best answer, true or false. Lila has an online only friend named Clara. Clara asks what Lila's favorite animal is. She also asks what her favorite color is. Lila shouldn't answer Clara because this is private information.

• true

• false