Curious Computer Messages: Safe Choices for Little Learners

Materials Needed

• Paper and crayons or washable markers
• Three cards labeled Safe, Ask a Grown-Up, and Stop
• A toy computer, tablet, or pretend keyboard
• Simple picture cards showing friendly and confusing messages
• Optional: stuffed animal or puppet

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the child will be able to:

• Tell a trusted grown-up when a computer message looks confusing or surprising.
• Practice three safe steps: stop, do not click, and ask.
• Sort simple examples into “Safe” and “Ask a Grown-Up.”
• Create a picture showing one safe computer choice.

Success Criteria

I can say:

• “I will stop.”
• “I will not click.”
• “I will ask my grown-up.”

I can also point to the correct card when I see a safe or confusing message.

Introduction: Hook and Objectives

Time: 5 minutes

Show the child a toy computer or pretend keyboard. Let a puppet say:

“Oh no! I saw a message I did not understand. What should I do?”

Invite the child to share ideas. Accept all answers, then say:

“Today we will learn how to make safe choices when we see something confusing on a computer or tablet. We will practice three steps: stop, do not click, and ask a grown-up.”

Body of the Lesson

Part 1: I Do—Teacher or Parent Models Safe Choices

Time: 5 minutes

Use the toy device or a pretend screen. Say:

“I see a message, but I do not know what it means. I will not touch it. I will move my hands away and ask my grown-up.”

Model the three steps slowly:

1. Stop: Freeze your hands.
2. Do not click: Move away from the button or message.
3. Ask: Say, “Grown-up, can you help me?”

Explain in simple language:

“Sometimes computer messages are friendly. Sometimes they are confusing. A grown-up can help us decide what to do.”

Quick Check

Ask:

• “What do we do first?” Expected answer: Stop.
• “Do we click a confusing message?” Expected answer: No.
• “Who can help us?” Expected answer: A trusted grown-up.

Part 2: We Do—Practice Together

Time: 8 minutes

Place the three cards where the child can see them: Safe, Ask a Grown-Up, and Stop.

Read or describe one example at a time. Encourage the child to think, point, and explain.

• “A grown-up opens a story for you.”
• “A message has words you do not understand.”
• “A button says, ‘Click now!’ but your grown-up is not there.”
• “You are finished using the tablet, and your grown-up says it is time to put it away.”

For each example, ask:

1. “Does this feel safe or confusing?”
2. “Which card should we choose?”
3. “What could we say to a grown-up?”

Practice this sentence together:

“I found something confusing. I stopped, I did not click, and I asked you.”

Movement Game: Freeze, Hands Away, Ask

Call out the three actions while the child acts them out:

• “Stop!”—The child freezes.
• “Hands away!”—The child places hands in their lap.
• “Ask!”—The child raises a hand and says, “Can you help me?”

Part 3: You Do—Child Practices Independently

Time: 8 minutes

Present two or three pretend situations. Let the child choose what to do without immediate help.

Possible situations:

• A friendly cartoon is already open with a grown-up nearby.
• A strange message appears with words the child cannot read.
• A button asks the child to press it, but the child does not know what it does.

For each situation, ask the child to demonstrate a response. The child should:

1. Stop moving the pretend mouse or tablet.
2. Keep hands away from the button.
3. Ask a trusted grown-up for help.

Give specific feedback:

• “You stopped your hands. That was careful.”
• “You did not click the strange button. That was a safe choice.”
• “You used a clear asking sentence. Well done.”

Part 4: Creative Application—My Safe Choice Picture

Time: 8–10 minutes

Invite the child to draw a picture of a safe computer choice. The child may choose one:

• Asking a grown-up for help
• Putting hands in their lap
• Stopping before clicking
• Using a computer with a trusted grown-up nearby

As the child draws, ask:

• “What is happening in your picture?”
• “What safe choice is the child making?”
• “What could the child say?”

Write the child’s words underneath the drawing, such as:

“I stop and ask for help.”

Assessment

Formative Assessment

• Listen for the child’s understanding during questions.
• Observe whether the child sorts examples correctly.
• Watch whether the child performs the three safety steps in the movement game.
• Ask the child to explain one safe choice in their own words.

Summative Assessment: Safe Choice Demonstration

Show the child one pretend confusing message or button. Ask:

“What will you do?”

Look for the child to demonstrate or say at least two of the following:

• Stops
• Does not click
• Moves hands away
• Asks a trusted grown-up for help

Differentiation and Support

For a Child Who Needs More Support

• Use gestures for each step: a stop hand, hands in lap, and pointing to a grown-up.
• Practice only one step at a time.
• Use picture cards instead of written words.
• Repeat the same simple sentence: “Stop. Do not click. Ask.”
• Allow the child to answer by pointing, acting, or speaking.

For a Child Ready for More Challenge

• Ask the child to invent a pretend computer situation and explain the safe response.
• Have the child teach the puppet the three safety steps.
• Ask the child to explain why asking a grown-up is helpful.
• Invite the child to create a safety sign for the computer area.

Conclusion: Closure and Recap

Time: 3–5 minutes

Review the lesson by saying:

“Today we learned what to do when a computer message is confusing. We stop, we do not click, and we ask a trusted grown-up.”

Invite the child to complete these sentences:

• “When I see something confusing, I ______.”
• “I do not ______.”
• “I ask ______ for help.”

Finish with the child’s choice of a short chant:

“Stop, hands away, ask today!”

Optional Everyday Practice

During future computer or tablet use, pause once and ask:

“What are our three safe steps?”

Encourage the child to answer:

“Stop, do not click, and ask a grown-up.”