Online Life and Social Media — Year 5 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: PSHE/RSE — Online safety and harms: the risks associated with online communication including the risk of encountering bullying, exploitation and harmful content; how to report concerns (KS2 statutory guidance).
Overview
Pupils take a sophisticated and honest look at their digital lives, examining how social media platforms are designed, what risks they carry and how they can affect mental health, relationships and self-image. They develop practical strategies for managing their online life and build the critical media literacy skills needed to navigate social media safely and confidently.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how social media algorithms are designed and how they shape what users see.
- Recognise the potential impact of social media on mental health, body image and self-esteem.
- Identify online risks including cyberbullying and know how to respond and seek help.
- Develop a personal strategy for using social media and digital technology in a healthy, safe way.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Ask pupils to estimate: how much time do you think you spend on screens each day? Share estimates. Reveal the average UK screen time for 8-12 year olds (approximately 4-6 hours per day). Discuss: is all screen time the same? Compare active screen time (creating, communicating, learning) with passive consumption (scrolling). Introduce the session focus.
Explain how social media algorithms work in simple terms: platforms track what you click on, watch and like, and then show you more of the same — the goal is to keep you engaged as long as possible. This can create echo chambers where you only see a narrow view of the world. Discuss how algorithms can amplify feelings of comparison and inadequacy. Introduce research on the connection between heavy social media use and reduced wellbeing in young people, presented accessibly.
Present two case studies of cyberbullying — one involving direct hurtful messages and one involving exclusion from a group chat. For each: identify what is happening, how each person might feel, what the target could do, what bystanders could do, and what trusted adults or platforms could be contacted. Reinforce: if it happens to them, they should not respond, they should save evidence, and they should tell a trusted adult immediately.
Pupils create a personal digital wellbeing agreement with five specific commitments. Suggested areas: screen-free times, types of content to avoid, how to respond if they see something upsetting, how often to have offline social time, and what to do if they feel worse after using a platform. Pupils take their agreement home to discuss with a parent or carer.
Discuss: what would you do if you saw a friend being cyberbullied? Establish the steps: tell the friend you have seen it, help them report it, encourage them to tell a trusted adult. Reinforce the reporting options: platform report functions, talking to a trusted adult, and CEOP (ceop.police.uk) for serious concerns. Close with the key message: social media is designed to be addictive — knowing how it works helps us use it on our terms.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often believe that images and profiles they see on social media are an accurate representation of real life. Discuss filtering, editing and the highly curated nature of social media posts to help pupils develop a more realistic perspective.
- Some pupils think cyberbullying is less serious than face-to-face bullying. Help them understand that online unkindness can follow a person everywhere, can be witnessed by a large audience and can have a severe impact on mental health.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Understanding of online safety principles and digital footprints from Year 3.
- Awareness of mental health and wellbeing strategies.
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