Smart Researcher, Safe Digital Citizen

Remember from Grade 2

In Grade 2 you learned the 3 checks (Who made it? Do two sources agree? Does it make sense?), the THINK rule for posting, keeping private information private, and the steps of the design process.

In Grade 3 you will spot ads that look like information, take notes in your own words, say where you found your facts, and think about your digital footprint and rights and responsibilities online.

Hook: Lucas's bird question

Lucas filled his bird feeder in January. Lots of birds came, even though it was −18°C! He wondered: Which birds stay in Ontario all winter?

He found four sources. Read them like a detective.

Source 1: A library book, Birds of Ontario, written by a scientist who studies birds. Published 2024. Black-capped chickadees, blue jays and northern cardinals stay in Ontario all winter. Most robins fly south, but a few stay.

Source 2: A website from a provincial park, written by park naturalists. In winter, watch for chickadees, blue jays and cardinals at your feeder.

Source 3: A colourful video with a bag of seed: "Only SUPER SEED brings cardinals to your yard! Buy now, only $24.99!"

Source 4: A comment in a game chat by BirdzRule2020: "ALL birds fly to Florida in winter lol."

Is it information or an ad?

Online, ads can look like information. Watch for:

• words like Buy now, Only, Best, Sale, Sponsored, Ad,
• a product or price,
• flashing pictures or pop-ups,
• a claim that only one thing works.

Ads have a purpose: to sell. That doesn't make them evil, but they are not the best source for facts.

Taking notes in your own words

When you research, don't copy sentences word for word. Instead:

1. Read a short part.
2. Cover it.
3. Write the key facts in a few words of your own.
4. Check that your notes are correct.
5. Write down where you found it (the title and author, or the website name). This is called citing your source. It gives credit to the person who did the work, and lets others check your facts.

Example notes:

• chickadees, blue jays, cardinals stay all winter (Birds of Ontario, library book)
• most robins go south, a few stay (Birds of Ontario)

Different perspectives in research

Good researchers listen to more than one perspective. For a question about birds, you could also ask a local Elder or a birdwatcher what they have noticed over many years, or read what a First Nations community knows about birds and seasons in your area. People who have watched the land for a long time hold important knowledge.

Your rights and responsibilities online

As a digital citizen, you have rights (things you deserve) and responsibilities (things you should do).

Rights: to be safe, to be treated with respect, to have your privacy respected, and to tell a trusted grown-up when something feels wrong.

Responsibilities:

• Ask permission from a grown-up before joining a game, app or website, downloading, or buying anything.
• Ask permission before taking or posting a photo or video of someone else. Their face is their private information.
• Keep passwords secret from everyone except your parents or guardians.
• Never share your full name, address, phone number, school or birthday with people you don't know.
• Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Your digital footprint

Every time you post, comment, like or share, you leave a digital footprint, like footprints in fresh snow. But online footprints don't melt. Even if you delete something, someone may have already copied it.

Before you post, ask: Would I be okay if my teacher, my grandma, or a future friend saw this in 10 years? A positive footprint shows that you are kind, curious and helpful.

Being inclusive online

People online come from many cultures, languages, abilities and places. Be respectful of differences:

• Don't make fun of how someone writes, talks, looks or what they believe.
• Include others in online games and projects.
• Use captions on videos and clear words so more people can understand (this helps accessibility).
• When sharing a culture's stories or images, show respect and give credit.

The design process: solving a real problem

Remember: think, plan, make, test, improve. Digital tools can help at each step.

Lucas's problem: Squirrels keep emptying the bird feeder before the birds can eat.

1. Think: Who is affected? The birds (and Lucas's wallet!).
2. Plan: Research reliable sources (with a grown-up) about squirrel-proof feeders. Sketch ideas.
3. Make: Build a baffle (a cone or dome that squirrels can't climb past) from a plastic container. A grown-up does any cutting. Take photos with a tablet to record it.
4. Test: Watch for a week. Make a tally chart of birds and squirrels.
5. Improve: A squirrel jumped from the fence! Move the feeder farther away.