Smart Research and Digital Citizenship

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you checked sources for accuracy, credibility and validity, took notes in your own words with sources, learned your rights and responsibilities online, protected your personal data, and used the design process.

In Grade 5 you'll add lateral reading (checking a source by looking at other sources), notice when information is out of date or made by a computer program, think about how apps collect data and recommend content, and collaborate online with a class in a different community.

Hook: Is the pond safe?

It's January. Owen wants to skate on the pond behind his cousin's house. He asks: How thick does ice need to be to skate on safely? With his aunt, he finds five sources:

1. Canadian Red Cross web page on ice safety. It says ice should be at least 15 cm thick for walking or skating alone and 20 cm for skating parties or games, and that you should check with local authorities.
2. A video by IceKing99: I skate on 5 cm ice ALL the time, no problem! Don't listen to the haters. 2 million views.
3. An ad for ice cleats: Stay SAFE on ANY ice with GripMax!
4. A city recreation page listing outdoor rinks that are flooded and checked by city staff, updated this week.
5. A blog post from 2009 with no author's name, saying ice is safe at 8 cm.

More things to check online

• Is it current? Safety rules, science and news can change. Check the date.
• Was it made by a computer program? Some images, videos and text are made by AI tools. They can look real but be wrong or fake. Check with trusted sources before believing or sharing.
• Different perspectives: for many topics, look for more than one perspective. For example, researching a park plan, read the city, neighbours, environmental groups and people with disabilities.
• Give credit: write where each fact came from (title, website or author, date).

Owen's notes (in his own words, with sources)

• Ice at least 15 cm for skating alone, 20 cm for a group. (Canadian Red Cross, ice safety page)
• Check with local authorities before going on ice. (Canadian Red Cross)
• City outdoor rinks are flooded and checked by staff. (City recreation page, updated this week)

Owen decides to skate at the city rink with his cousin. His aunt says that's a smart choice. Safety note: never go on ice on ponds, lakes or rivers unless a grown-up has checked that it is safe.

Rights, responsibilities and your digital identity

Your rights online: to be safe, to be treated with respect, to privacy, and to find information and share ideas with permission from a grown-up.

Your responsibilities: ask permission before going online or posting; ask permission before posting anyone else's photo, voice or name; give credit; be kind; tell a trusted adult about anything that makes you uncomfortable.

Your digital identity is built from everything you post, like and comment, and it can last a long time. Your posts also shape your community's digital identity: a class website full of kind, accurate posts makes the whole school look good.

Apps, data and recommendations

Many apps and games collect personal data: your location, what you watch, how long you play. They use it to recommend more videos or show ads. That's why after watching one video about skating, you suddenly see ten more!

Protect your data:

• With a grown-up, check privacy and location settings.
• Don't share your full name, address, school, phone number, birthday, photos of your house or passwords.
• Ask: Why does this game need my location? Who can see this?
• Remember: recommendations show what keeps you watching, not always what's true or what's good for you. Take breaks!

Collaborating online with diverse communities

Owen's class connects by video call with a Grade 5 class in Iqaluit, Nunavut to compare winter life. To be safe, respectful, responsible and inclusive:

• Use only school-approved tools, with teachers present.
• Listen and ask open, respectful questions (What do you enjoy doing in winter?), not questions based on stereotypes.
• Learn a greeting in the other class's language, if they would like to share one.
• Ask permission before recording or sharing anything from the call.
• Remember that some cultural knowledge, songs or ceremonies are not meant to be recorded or shared.

The design process with digital tools

Owen's class wants to help younger students stay safe on ice. They use the design process:

1. Define the problem: Younger kids don't know how thick ice must be.
2. Research: credible sources (Red Cross, city page).
3. Brainstorm: a poster? a short video? an infographic for the school website?
4. Choose and plan: an infographic: a ruler graphic showing 15 cm and 20 cm, three short tips, and a picture of a city rink.
5. Create it with a class tablet and drawing app, crediting sources.
6. Test: show Grade 2 students; ask what they learned.
7. Improve: they said cm was confusing, so the class added a picture of a ruler with a hand beside it.