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Day 2: Cybersecurity in Action — Cyber Safety Creator (Day 1)

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Read the H&L "Cybersecurity in Action" scenario; choose a Cyber Safety tool type (Guide, App, or PSA); brainstorm and design the tool
TEKS d(1)(C)
Deliverable Cyber Safety tool design draft (Steps 1-3 of the H&L activity)
Materials H&L Workbook Ch 12 (pp. 193-194), Chromebooks, design tools (Canva, Adobe Express, paper for sketching), projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: Have you ever clicked on something online that turned out to be a scam? Or watched a video that asked for your "free" password? What was your first clue something was wrong?

Quick share. Listen for: weird URL, bad spelling, "too good to be true" offer, asking for personal info. Bridge: "Today YOU become the person who teaches kids how to spot those scams."

Activity 1: Read the H&L "Cybersecurity in Action" Scenario (10 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 12, p. 193, "Cybersecurity in Action" (Career Climb activity)

Open the workbook to page 193. Read the scenario together: the internet is useful and important, but not everyone using it is good. Hackers, cybercriminals, and scammers can take advantage of people who don't know how to protect themselves online. This is especially important for KIDS who may not always recognize the danger.

The workbook includes the statistic: over 90% of children ages 2-17 have watched videos online, and over 55% of children have access to social media accounts. One specific danger: online scams. People think they are buying from a real online store but instead are buying from an unsafe site that takes their money or steals their data.

The student's mission (from workbook, p. 193): "Imagine you work in IT and are given a special project: to become a Cyber Safety Creator! You will design a tool to help kids understand the difference between a safe website and an unsafe website for making purchases."

Activity 2: Step 1 — Choose Your Tool (5 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 12, p. 193, "Step 1: Choose a Tool"

The workbook offers three tool options. Each student picks ONE:

  1. A Kid-Friendly Cyber Security Guide: A colorful, engaging guide that teaches kids how to recognize safe websites for purchases. Can be drawn by hand or made digitally. Should be fun, easy to read, and full of helpful tips.
  2. A Cyber Safety App or System: Invent an app or software that helps parents and kids monitor safe internet use, block harmful sites, or detect cyber threats. Must include a creative name and a brief explanation of how it works.
  3. A Public Service Announcement (PSA): Create a video script, audio script, or poster that explains how to make wise decisions when making online purchases.

Students write their choice in their workbook (p. 193). Tell them: "Pick the format that plays to your strengths. If you love drawing, pick the Guide. If you love technology and inventing things, pick the App. If you love writing or speaking, pick the PSA."

Activity 3: Step 2 — Brainstorm Ideas (10 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 12, p. 194, "Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas"

Students conduct quick research and brainstorm. They need to know:

  • What makes a website unsafe? Examples: misspelled URLs, no HTTPS lock icon, asks for too much personal info, offers that are too good to be true, no contact info, fake reviews, unfamiliar logos, pop-up ads.
  • What makes a website SAFE? Examples: HTTPS lock icon, well-known brand, clear contact info, real customer reviews on independent sites, professional design, secure payment options (PayPal, Apple Pay).

Students brainstorm in their workbook (p. 194):

  • Top 5 things their tool will teach kids about safe websites
  • Top 5 things their tool will teach kids about unsafe websites
  • One real-world example to include (made up or based on real scams)

Walk the room. Help students who are stuck by giving them a starter prompt: "Imagine you want to buy a Roblox gift card from a website. What would you look for to know it's safe?"

Activity 4: Step 3 — Design Your Tool (15 min)

Source: H&L Workbook Ch 12, p. 194, "Step 3: Design Your Tool"

Students begin designing their chosen tool. Working medium depends on the tool:

  • Cyber Security Guide: Sketch in workbook OR start in Canva (pre-built brochure templates work well)
  • Cyber Safety App or System: Sketch app screens (login, dashboard, alerts) and write the app name + tagline
  • Public Service Announcement: Write a 30-60 second script OR sketch a poster layout with headline + image + call-to-action

Walk the room. Stop students who are perfectionizing the design without thinking about content. Push them: "What is the ONE thing you most want kids to remember from your tool?"

Facilitation Tip

Some students will spend 90% of the time on visual design and 10% on actual cybersecurity content. Reset them: "The DESIGN is half the grade. The CONTENT is the other half. If your guide looks pretty but doesn't teach anything, you fail the integrity test."

DOK 3: What conclusions can you draw about why DESIGNING a tool to protect kids is harder than just KNOWING how to be safe yourself? What changes when you have to teach someone else?

Exit Ticket (5 min)

EXIT TICKET (Mini-Case / Scenario Application) · Printable PDF:

Scenario: An Irving after-school program serves 200 kids ages 8-12. Most of them do not read English well. The program director asks you to pick ONE Cyber Safety tool to share with every kid.

  1. Which H&L tool option (Guide / App / PSA) fits this group BEST, and why? Use one detail about the audience (age, reading level, group size) to back your pick.

My pick: _____

Why: ____________

  1. What is the ONE most important safety message your tool will teach these kids? (In 1 sentence.) (d(1)(C))

Differentiation

  • Support: Pre-printed Cyber Safety Guide template with section headers ("Safe Site Checklist," "Warning Signs," "What to Do If Scammed"). Students fill in content rather than design layout.
  • Extension: Students who finish the brainstorm early begin a SECOND tool format (e.g., a guide AND a poster) so their work covers multiple media.
  • ELL: Bilingual cyber safety vocabulary: Estafa = Scam, Sitio web seguro = Safe website, Contraseña = Password, Información personal = Personal information. Allow ELL students to write their tool content in Spanish.