Jamaica College
Information Technology
Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan: Computer Ethics and Research
Subject: Information Technology
Grade Level: 9
Teacher: Mr. Seaton
Date: Week of January 20th
Time Allotment: 1hr and 30 minutes (2 Sessions)
Topic: Computer Ethics and Research
Sub-Topic: Computer Ethics
General Objective: By the end of this lesson students will be knowledgeable about computer
ethics.
Specific Objectives: Students will be able to:
● Define terms related to unethical behaviors such as trolling, cyberbullying, cyberstalking,
and software piracy.
● State the effects of unethical practices using online resources.
● Describe the psychological consequences of unethical behavior on the victim.
Materials:
● Computers/Tablets with internet access
● Projector/Interactive Whiteboard
● Online resources (articles, videos) on the effects of unethical online behavior
● Presentation software (e.g., Google Slides, PowerPoint)
● Whiteboard or chart paper
STEAM Integration:
● Science: Understanding the psychology behind online behavior and the impact of
technology on individuals and society.
● Technology: Exploring the various online platforms where unethical behaviors occur and
utilizing digital tools for research and presentation.
● Engineering: Designing solutions to prevent or mitigate unethical online behavior (e.g.,
reporting systems, educational campaigns).
● Art: Creating visual representations (e.g., infographics, digital posters, blog post, social
media post) to communicate the impact of unethical online behavior.
● Mathematics: Analyzing data related to cyberbullying statistics or the prevalence of
software piracy.
5E Lesson Plan:
1. Engage (5 minutes)
● Activity: Begin with a short, engaging video or a real-life news story about a case of
cyberbullying or online harassment.
● Discussion: Ask students open-ended questions like: "What are your initial reactions to
this story?" "Have you or anyone you know experienced something similar online?"
“What are the possible short-term and long-term consequences of such actions?”
● Differentiation: For visual learners, show images/video related to the topic. For auditory
learners, facilitate a class discussion.
● STEAM: This stage integrates Science (psychology of reactions) and Technology (use of
digital media).
2. Explore (10 minutes)
● Activity: Divide students into small groups. Assign each group one of the following
terms: trolling, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, or software piracy.
● Research: Using provided resources and online search, each group researches their
assigned term, focusing on its definition, examples, and the potential harm it can cause.
● Differentiation: Provide different levels of scaffolding by offering pre-selected websites
for some groups or allowing open internet research for others.
● STEAM: This integrates Technology (research skills) and Science (understanding the
impact of these actions).
3. Explain (25 minutes)
● Activity: Each group presents their research findings to the class. Facilitate a class
discussion to clarify definitions and address any misconceptions.
● Discussion: Guide the discussion toward the effects of these unethical practices, both on
the victim (psychological consequences like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem) and on
the wider online community. Allow students to present in various formats (e.g., oral
presentation, short video, infographic). Provide sentence starters or key points for
students who need more support.
● Show students a PowerPoint presentation outlining various statistics, and stories related
to cybercrime as well as important content on the topic. Ask questions along the way and
clarify any misconceptions.
● STEAM: This integrates Art (visual presentation), Statistics (Mathematics), Science
(psychological impact).
4. Elaborate (25 minutes)
● Project-Based Learning Activity: Challenge students to develop a short public service
announcement (PSA) or a social media campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of
unethical online behavior and promote ethical online practices.
● Differentiation: Offer different project options (e.g., creating a short video, designing a
series of social media posts, writing a blog post or creating a website page).
● STEAM: This stage heavily integrates all STEAM elements:
○ Science: Understanding the psychological and social impact.
○ Technology: Using digital tools to create the PSA or campaign.
○ Engineering: Designing a solution to a real-world problem (unethical online
behavior).
○ Art: Creating visually appealing and engaging content.
○ Mathematics: Analyzing data (if incorporating statistics into the campaign).
5. Evaluate (15 minutes)
● Classwork: Students complete a short quiz or worksheet to assess their understanding of
the key terms and the effects of unethical online behavior.
● Homework: Students reflect on their learning by writing a short journal entry about how
they can contribute to a more ethical online environment.
● Differentiation: Offer different assessment formats (e.g., multiple-choice quiz, short
answer questions, drawing a concept map).
● STEAM: This integrates Science (assessment of learning) and Technology (use of online
quizzes or digital submission of journal entries).
Assessment:
● Observation of student participation in discussions.
● Evaluation of group presentations.
● Assessment of the PSA/social media campaign project.
● Review of the quiz/worksheet and journal entry.
