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Cyber Civics™: Teach Level 1

Turnkey middle school digital literacy program that meets an urgent need to help youth become ethical, safe, and productive digital citizens. Includes lesson plans, slides, videos, parent letters, and full support to teach "digital citizenship." Questions? Contact: support@cybercivics.com.

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About This Course

This is the first level of a three-year series of weekly lessons for middle school. It is packed with learning activities that call on critical thinking, ethical discussion and decision making through hands-on projects, problem solving, and role-play, all surrounding the topic of "digital citizenship" (the norms of appropriate and responsible behavior with regard to technology use). Tested and refined for over ten years in classrooms across 48 US states and internationally, lessons meet educational standards and can be taught in the classroom or at home (in the event of remote learning). Many parents ask for students to get these lessons before they receive their first mobile device.

For more info, please visit our website: www.cybercivics.com Or call (949) 481-4319

Testimonials

"We know that digital-citizenship education works. The Journey School in Aliso Viejo, a small Southern California city, is an example of a digital-citizenship success story. Since instituting a three-year middle school series on digital citizenship, information literacy on evaluation of online sources, and media-literacy courses to teach critical-thinking skills around media texts of all kinds—music videos, film, print advertising—the school has nearly eliminated bullying and behavioral issues and significantly boosted standardized-test scores."

-Education Week, July 2016

"If Cyber Civics or digital literacy class is offered in your school or community, sign the kids up."

-Kelly Wallace, CNN

“Cyber Civics is an amazing resource for teachers and parents.  My students love Cyber Civics almost as much as their parents do.”
 
-Rebekah Hopkinson, Lake Champlain Waldorf School
 
"An intentional deep-dive that teaches emotional intelligence as much as it does digital citizenship."
 
-SmartBrief on EdTech, April 2019 

Our Story

In 2010, Journey School, a Waldorf-inspired public charter school in Aliso Viejo, California, launched a pioneering three-year, middle school digital literacy program—called Cyber Civics™—to address the growing need to equip students to use technology ethically, safely, and wisely. Today this program is taught by public charter and private Waldorf schools, public schools, private schools, community organizations, and in home-school settings across 48 US states and internationally. It has attracted national media attention been honored as an "Innovation in Education" award finalist by Project Tomorrow and the O.C. Tech Alliance, and its founder was awarded the "2017 Media Literacy Teacher Award" from the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). 

Founder

Diana Graber is the author of "Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology"(HarperCollins Leadership, '19), the book that tells the Cyber Civics story. She co-founded CyberWise, a digital literacy and online safety resource for parents. Graber has an extensive background as a media producer and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Media Psychology teaching "Media Psychology for the 21st Century." Her published paper: New Media Literacy Education: A Developmental Approach (JMLE, 2012) provides the foundational research for Cyber Civics. She is a long-time Waldorf school parent, and developed and still teaches Cyber Civics at Journey School where the program was founded. A regular contributor to a number of publications, Graber holds a B.A. in Communications from UCLA, and an M.A. in Media Psychology and Social Change from Fielding Graduate University.

Contact: support@cybercivics.com

Curriculum

  • Introduction
  • Preview
    ESSENTIAL VIEWING: Welcome to Cyber Civics
  • ESSENTIAL READING: Getting Started Guide
  • Teaching at Home Guide
  • Explainer: For Parents/Guardians
  • Syllabus
  • Student Pre- and Post-Assessment
  • Student Assessment
  • Assessment Answer Key
  • UNIT 1: Becoming a De-'Tech'-Tive
  • Unit 1 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 1 Home Activities
  • Lesson 1: De-'Tech'-Tive Work
  • Lesson 2: Investigating Today's Tools
  • Lesson 3: How Much Do You Know?
  • UNIT 2: Citizenship
  • Unit 2 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 2 Home Activities
  • Lesson 4: The Five Principles of Citizenship
  • Lesson 5: How To Be a Good Citizen Online
  • Lesson 6: Designing a Positive Online Community
  • UNIT 3: Your Digital Reputation
  • Unit 3 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 3 Home Activities
  • Lesson 7: Digital Background Check
  • Lesson 8: To Share Or Not To Share?
  • Lesson 9: Your Digital Billboard
  • UNIT 4: Ethical Thinking
  • Unit 4 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 4 Home Activities
  • Lesson 10: Ethical Thinking in Digital Spaces
  • Lesson 11: Email Etiquette
  • Lesson 12: Texting & Video Conferencing Etiquette
  • Lesson 13: Commenting Respectfully
  • Lesson 14: Creating a Code of Conduct
  • UNIT 5: Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
  • Unit 5 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 5 Home Activities
  • Lesson 15: Hiding Behind a Screen
  • Lesson 16: Real People, Real Feelings
  • Lesson 17: What is Cyberbullying? Digital Drama?
  • Lesson 18: Be Upstanding
  • Lesson 19: What if You're The Target?
  • Cyberbullying & Digital Drama Quiz & Key
  • UNIT 6: Identity & Privacy
  • Unit 6 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 6 Home Activities
  • Lesson 20: Who Am I Online?
  • Lesson 21: You Are The Words You Use
  • Lesson 22: My Self, My Selfie
  • Lesson 23: You, In Six Words
  • Lesson 24: A-Okay or No Way
  • Final Project
  • Lesson 25: Digital Citizenship in Review

About This Course

This is the first level of a three-year series of weekly lessons for middle school. It is packed with learning activities that call on critical thinking, ethical discussion and decision making through hands-on projects, problem solving, and role-play, all surrounding the topic of "digital citizenship" (the norms of appropriate and responsible behavior with regard to technology use). Tested and refined for over ten years in classrooms across 48 US states and internationally, lessons meet educational standards and can be taught in the classroom or at home (in the event of remote learning). Many parents ask for students to get these lessons before they receive their first mobile device.

For more info, please visit our website: www.cybercivics.com Or call (949) 481-4319

Testimonials

"We know that digital-citizenship education works. The Journey School in Aliso Viejo, a small Southern California city, is an example of a digital-citizenship success story. Since instituting a three-year middle school series on digital citizenship, information literacy on evaluation of online sources, and media-literacy courses to teach critical-thinking skills around media texts of all kinds—music videos, film, print advertising—the school has nearly eliminated bullying and behavioral issues and significantly boosted standardized-test scores."

-Education Week, July 2016

"If Cyber Civics or digital literacy class is offered in your school or community, sign the kids up."

-Kelly Wallace, CNN

“Cyber Civics is an amazing resource for teachers and parents.  My students love Cyber Civics almost as much as their parents do.”
 
-Rebekah Hopkinson, Lake Champlain Waldorf School
 
"An intentional deep-dive that teaches emotional intelligence as much as it does digital citizenship."
 
-SmartBrief on EdTech, April 2019 

Our Story

In 2010, Journey School, a Waldorf-inspired public charter school in Aliso Viejo, California, launched a pioneering three-year, middle school digital literacy program—called Cyber Civics™—to address the growing need to equip students to use technology ethically, safely, and wisely. Today this program is taught by public charter and private Waldorf schools, public schools, private schools, community organizations, and in home-school settings across 48 US states and internationally. It has attracted national media attention been honored as an "Innovation in Education" award finalist by Project Tomorrow and the O.C. Tech Alliance, and its founder was awarded the "2017 Media Literacy Teacher Award" from the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). 

Founder

Diana Graber is the author of "Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology"(HarperCollins Leadership, '19), the book that tells the Cyber Civics story. She co-founded CyberWise, a digital literacy and online safety resource for parents. Graber has an extensive background as a media producer and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Media Psychology teaching "Media Psychology for the 21st Century." Her published paper: New Media Literacy Education: A Developmental Approach (JMLE, 2012) provides the foundational research for Cyber Civics. She is a long-time Waldorf school parent, and developed and still teaches Cyber Civics at Journey School where the program was founded. A regular contributor to a number of publications, Graber holds a B.A. in Communications from UCLA, and an M.A. in Media Psychology and Social Change from Fielding Graduate University.

Contact: support@cybercivics.com

Curriculum

  • Introduction
  • Preview
    ESSENTIAL VIEWING: Welcome to Cyber Civics
  • ESSENTIAL READING: Getting Started Guide
  • Teaching at Home Guide
  • Explainer: For Parents/Guardians
  • Syllabus
  • Student Pre- and Post-Assessment
  • Student Assessment
  • Assessment Answer Key
  • UNIT 1: Becoming a De-'Tech'-Tive
  • Unit 1 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 1 Home Activities
  • Lesson 1: De-'Tech'-Tive Work
  • Lesson 2: Investigating Today's Tools
  • Lesson 3: How Much Do You Know?
  • UNIT 2: Citizenship
  • Unit 2 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 2 Home Activities
  • Lesson 4: The Five Principles of Citizenship
  • Lesson 5: How To Be a Good Citizen Online
  • Lesson 6: Designing a Positive Online Community
  • UNIT 3: Your Digital Reputation
  • Unit 3 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 3 Home Activities
  • Lesson 7: Digital Background Check
  • Lesson 8: To Share Or Not To Share?
  • Lesson 9: Your Digital Billboard
  • UNIT 4: Ethical Thinking
  • Unit 4 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 4 Home Activities
  • Lesson 10: Ethical Thinking in Digital Spaces
  • Lesson 11: Email Etiquette
  • Lesson 12: Texting & Video Conferencing Etiquette
  • Lesson 13: Commenting Respectfully
  • Lesson 14: Creating a Code of Conduct
  • UNIT 5: Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
  • Unit 5 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 5 Home Activities
  • Lesson 15: Hiding Behind a Screen
  • Lesson 16: Real People, Real Feelings
  • Lesson 17: What is Cyberbullying? Digital Drama?
  • Lesson 18: Be Upstanding
  • Lesson 19: What if You're The Target?
  • Cyberbullying & Digital Drama Quiz & Key
  • UNIT 6: Identity & Privacy
  • Unit 6 Teacher Guide
  • Unit 6 Home Activities
  • Lesson 20: Who Am I Online?
  • Lesson 21: You Are The Words You Use
  • Lesson 22: My Self, My Selfie
  • Lesson 23: You, In Six Words
  • Lesson 24: A-Okay or No Way
  • Final Project
  • Lesson 25: Digital Citizenship in Review