Common Sense Education (Gr 9): My Life is Like a ...

" A Challenge"

It is the first day of summer vacation going into my senior year. I find myself waking around 10 in the morning as usual, but this year’s summer vacation is going to be different. The smell of turkey bacon and buttery pancakes transports me from the comfort of my bed to the stools in my kitchen. My dad asks me about what I have planned for the day, but I completely disregard what he says as my head is buried in my phone. My dad slaps the top of my head which grabs my attention. He says, “Here is a challenge for you Mr. Shang Lee: Why don’t you put down your phone for a couple of days and enjoy life for once?”

I decide to take him up on his offer, and shut down my phone hesitantly, and give the phone to him. And so, the challenge begins. I start off moving around because I have nothing to do, but in reality I do have things to do. I clean my filthy room up, which takes me a good hour to clean. I sit back and admire my cleaning masterpiece. Then I start to read my summer reading, 1984. But I ACTUALLY get interested in the book. I read on for hours in the comfort of my bed. Three o’clock hits and I can hear the pitter pattering of my baby brother’s little feet running towards the front door. I dash down our steps as I meet my baby brother at the front door. I ask him if he wants to play kickball outside. He seems puzzled, but excited to try out this “kickball” game. I take him outside and demonstrate slowly how the game is played. We start to play, and my inner-child bursts out of me as I actually am having fun, bringing back memories of the days of not knowing about cell phones.

Ever since that day, I intentionally take breaks from my phone and spend time either being productive or spending time with my family. Now my goal is to get my own family away from burying their heads in their phones.

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My Digital Life
Is Like ...

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP | GRADE 9

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Essential Question

What is the role of digital media in our lives?

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Explore the role that digital media plays in
your life.

Use the Digital Habits Checkup to reflect on the
positive and negative impacts of digital media.

Create a personal challenge to improve your
digital well-being.

Learning Objectives

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2

3

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KEY VOCABULARY

Media balance

Using media in a way that feels healthy and
in balance with other life activities (family, friends,
school, hobbies, etc.)

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KEY VOCABULARY

Digital media

Content (text, audio, images, video) or devices that
allow people to share information, communicate, and
collaborate over the internet or computer networks

Open Ended

What are your current digital habits? (Habits can be positive, negative, or both.) List as many of your habits as you can.

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KEY VOCABULARY

Simile

A figure of speech in which comparison is made between
two different things using the words "like" or "as"

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Digital life similes:

●

My digital life is like a window on the world, because it allows me
to see all kinds of new things and imagine other possibilities.

●

My digital life is like a roller coaster, because it's exciting and
full of ups and downs.

●

My digital life is like a party where I meet a lot of different people,
because it feels loud, out of control, and yet fun.

ACTIVITY: DIGITAL LIFE SIMILE

Part 2 Examples

Open Ended

Write your own simile, following this format:

My digital life is like a ____ because _____________.

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Open Ended

Choose one digital habit you want to change or try to do differently. Why is it important t

Open Ended

Challenge Yourself

Make a plan for how you would like to change your habit. Consider when you will do something different and what you can do instead. (When we're trying to change a habit, it's not enough just to say what we won't do. We also have to come up with something to do instead!)