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.

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)

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.