TeachersFirst Social Media
Social media in education offers students the ability to connect with learning groups and easily find useful information. As educators, it is pivotal to teach students the benefits of using social media, as well as the proper (and safe) way to use these types of tools. This collection provides professional learning for educators using social media in the classroom, tools to organize and share social media, plus some social media favorites (such as Twitter and Pinterest). View our collection to find a tool useful for you or your classroom. Plus, our “In the Classroom” suggestions offer ways to integrate the tool in your lessons.
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Exploring the Impact of Social Media - Facing History and Ourselves
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (104), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Ask students to create a visual "information map" of how they receive news and information using MindMup reviewed here. They can include platforms (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), content types (memes, articles, influencers), and the reliability of each source. Discuss in small groups. Have students design a short public service announcement (poster, video using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here or social media post) that raises awareness about digital literacy or mindful social media use. Students can share these videos with the school community. Have students keep a private journal for one week, reflecting daily on their social media use -- how it made them feel, what kinds of content they engaged with, and whether it informed, distracted, or influenced them in any way.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Smartphones - NetSmartz Kids
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (104), internet safety (116)
In the Classroom
Use Spotify for Podcasters reviewed here to create a podcast about the dos and don'ts of smartphones and technology. Students can also create an infographic using Canva Infographic Creator reviewed here or make a book for other children to learn about safe use of technology with Book Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Be Safe Online! - NetSmartz Kids
Grades
K to 6tag(s): digital citizenship (104), internet safety (116)
In the Classroom
Students can explore the videos and games available on the site. They can also read the books and share what they learned on Padlet reviewed here. Additionally, students can use Book Creator reviewed here to create their own Internet Safety book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Social Media Safety for Kids: Staying Safe Online, Social Media Safety Day - Twinkl Teaching Resources
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital citizenship (104), internet safety (116), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Students can use Time.Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here to create a timeline of the rise of social media. Students can use Figma, reviewed here to compare and contrast two social media companies. Have students use Canva Infographic Creator, reviewed here to create a social media infographic on the usage of each type of social media.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Citizenship Week Lessons - Nearpod
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (104), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Use Nearpod's Time to Climb feature to quiz students on digital safety topics like phishing or responsible sharing. Then, have students create their own quiz questions to reinforce key concepts and challenge classmates. Ask students to use the Draw It tool to illustrate their digital footprint, including what they post, share, and interact with online. Students can compare drawings and write personal guidelines for maintaining a positive online presence. Students complete the Finding My Media Balance activity to reflect on how they spend time online. They then set personal screen time goals and have them launch a "Media Balance Challenge" to track habits over a week.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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6 Ways to Use Snapchat in the Classroom - Mud and Ink Teaching
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): reading strategies (93), social media (61), teaching strategies (66)
In the Classroom
Have students take a photo of a quote or page from their independent reading book and use Snapchat (or a similar app) to annotate it with emojis, drawings, and commentary. After reading a short story or chapter, assign students to use a series of Snapchat-style images and captions to retell the key plot points, with a focus on narrative structure and tone. Have students choose a recurring theme or symbol from a text and create a series of annotated snaps that illustrate how it develops across the story, using quotes and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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7 Interesting Ways to Use Instagram in Classroom - eLearning Infographics
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital citizenship (104), digital storytelling (163), infographics (69), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Students take or find images that represent classroom topics (e.g., examples of symmetry, weather patterns, character traits) and submit them to the teacher for posting. Each week, feature one student's artwork, writing, or project on a classroom slideshow or private feed to encourage pride in work and peer recognition. During a science experiment or multi-step project, students can document each stage with photos and captions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tik Tok Teaching Hacks for Middle School Classrooms - Education World
Grades
5 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collaboration (110), creativity (84), digital citizenship (104), social media (61), teaching strategies (66)
In the Classroom
Teachers can create short, focused TikTok-style videos that explain key concepts--such as grammar rules, math formulas, or historical facts. These can be replayed by students as study tools or warm-up activities. Students work individually or in small groups to create their own TikTok videos summarizing a lesson, acting out a vocabulary word, or demonstrating a science experiment. These activities build both content mastery and creativity. Designate a rotating group of "class influencers" to create a brief video recap of the day's lesson or discussion. These videos can be shared on a secure platform or embedded in a class website for review. Use TikTok's popularity to start a conversation about online safety, privacy, and responsible digital behavior. Have students evaluate what makes content engaging and appropriate for an educational setting. Then, co-create classroom guidelines for creating and sharing digital content.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Social Media- How to Stay Safe - The Prevention Connection
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital citizenship (104), internet safety (116), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Provide students with cards listing different types of information (ex., school name, favorite color, home address, pet's name, photos with location tags). Have them work in pairs or small groups to sort each item into "Safe to Share" or "Keep Private," and then discuss their reasoning as a class. Have students design digital posters using DesignCap Poster Creator reviewed here, or paper posters that promote smart and safe social media use. Include tips they learned from the video and encourage creativity with slogans, icons, or even sample "Do's and Don'ts" posts. Present common online situations such as receiving a friend request from a stranger, someone asking for your location, or requesting to post something personal. In small groups, students act out how to respond safely, followed by a class discussion.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Instagram in Class: Five Activities - Education World
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): digital storytelling (163), digital writing (2), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Create a themed list (e.g., shapes in geometry, symbols in literature, examples of good citizenship), and have students find or draw images that represent each item. After reading a story, assign students to select or create photos to describe the setting, characters, conflict, and resolution. Post these on the class's Instagram account. In small groups, have students pose as historical figures in key moments from history (e.g., signing the Declaration of Independence). They can caption their photo with a first-person quote or journal entry.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Be MediaWise - Lessons to Teach Media Literacy - PBS Learning Media
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): critical thinking (171), media literacy (113), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Teach your middle and high school students how to critically evaluate information with each video's downloadable lesson plans, handouts, and slide decks. Lessons include evaluating actual posts on social media, video, and news sites. Create deeper understanding and extend learning by having your students create "social media" posts using tools such as Canva for Education, reviewed here, or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, then, evaluate classmates' work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Social Media Life - Common Sense Education
Grades
6 to 9tag(s): digital citizenship (104), social and emotional learning (162), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this lesson plan for use with lessons on media literacy, social media, or social-emotional learning. Engage students by creating visual mindmaps or flow charts using Coggle, reviewed here. For example, create a mind map with different social platforms and ask students to share the pros and cons of using each tool. Use a flow chart to share suggestions on how to address common issues that occur through the use of social media and relationships. As a final activity, ask students to create interesting video presentations using Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Digital Citizenship: Technological Literacy - PBS Learning Media
Grades
K to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (104), internet safety (116), journalism (74), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many videos and resources found on this site to include with your digital citizenship lessons. Engage students in learning about digital citizenship using WeVideo (formerly PlayPosit), reviewed here, to add notes, questions, and student-teacher interactions to any video. Enhance the learning experience by including these videos and your other resources into a digital lesson using Curipod, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to share their learning using different technology tools. For example, have some students create a podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here, while others create and share video presentations made with Animoto, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teachers' Guide to Cranky Uncle - John Cook
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (127), digital citizenship (104), evaluating sources (36), game based learning (298), internet safety (116), media literacy (113), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Add this game to your toolkit of lessons and activities when teaching Internet safety and media literacy skills. The Teachers' Guide already includes many ideas on integrating the game into classroom lessons, as well as using technology to enhance and extend learning. Use these ideas as a starting point to build student engagement and help them understand the real-world applications for the information found in the game. For example, use the suggested Padlet, reviewed here, activity to compile quiz questions as suggested in Activity 5. After completing that activity, have students create their own videos, fake social media posts, or news articles that contain misinformation and create quiz questions for their peers to complete. Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here, is an excellent tool for students to use when creating websites, flyers, and infographics. As a final project, and to extend learning, have students share what they learned with others by producing podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here, or digital books for younger students using Book Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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YouTube - YouTube, LLC
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): social media (61), Storage (7)
In the Classroom
YouTube offers a variety of classroom uses. Create your own YouTube channel to provide instructional videos for your students. Create a playlist of videos that support your teaching and help students learn from different viewpoints. With proper permissions, have students create videos that share their learning and understanding of concepts and post them on your class webpage. Flip learning by having students watch videos at home to provide context before classroom lessons. Use YouTube videos to create an interactive learning experience instead of passive learning by using a site such as Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to modify any video to your lesson. Add questions, clip out unnecessary portions of the video, and add comments and information by recording your voice. One big bonus of using EdPuzzle is that YouTube videos are viewable in EdPuzzle even if YouTube is blocked by your district.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Social Media Test Drive - Cornell University and the Cornell Research Foundation, Inc
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): charactered (77), cyberbullying (41), digital citizenship (104), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Share these modules for students to complete during any lessons on Internet safety. Ask students to contribute to a collaborative document sharing examples they have seen of cyberbullying or deceptive news practice. Replace pencil and paper notetaking by sharing an online tool such as Webnote, reviewed here, for students to use to take notes on any website. When finished, have them share their notes using the URL created for use in classroom discussions. Reinforce online safety concepts through gameplay using Baamboozle, reviewed here. Enhance student learning by asking students to create a game in Baamboozle for their peers to play to identify best practices in creating a safe online presence. After completing your digital safety unit, modify classroom technology use and extend learning by asking students to create explainer videos using FlexClip, reviewed here, with suggestions on how to identify fake news, how to create a positive digital footprint or ways to support peers when faced with cyberbullying. Share student videos on your class website and with younger students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TWiki - Peter Theony
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collaboration (110), social media (61), wikis (15)
In the Classroom
In language arts or history classrooms use a wiki to create a favorite historical figures page, have students share their favorite person from history along with supporting evidence. Use a wiki to set up a debate between students. For example, create a wiki and ask students to debate the use of homework in schools, the effect of social media on society, or year-round school vs. traditional school calendars. As your class builds and adds to the wiki, extend student learning by having small groups of students select a topic to research further. A nice feature of TWiki is that it allows you to set up collaborative groups where students can share information and ideas about their research. Culminate the research by having students use a multimedia creation tool like Sway, reviewed here, transforming classroom technology by sharing information including text, images, videos, and more. As a last step have the small groups load their Sway creation to their collaborative page on TWiki. For more ideas and information on how to use wikis, visit the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through for a detailed, step-by-step explanation and starter help, including dozens of ideas for ways to use a wiki in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bad News - Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab and DROG
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): digital citizenship (104), game based learning (298), internet safety (116), media literacy (113), social media (61)
In the Classroom
This game is ideal for introducing lessons on digital citizenship, media literacy, and social media. Share the site with your students to explore on their own, and encourage them to play several different times using the different options provided. Your students won't mind playing over and over; it is easy to get hooked on trying to find the best way to gain as many followers as possible! Once students become familiar with the game and the different options presented for spreading misinformation, ask them to apply their findings to online content. Have them conduct online research to find sites or information using tactics such as those featured in Bad News, including emotional appeals. As they research sites and online information, have them add links to the sites they find on a class Padlet. Padlet, reviewed here, offers an option to create columns, use this option, then label a column for each badge found in the game, and ask students to share a link to their sites in the appropriate column. In addition to adding a link, have students include a comment providing information on why their site belongs in the category. Instead of assessing learning with quizzes or written reports, enhance learning and transform your assessment by having students create infographics to share the information they have learned. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, provides easy-to-use templates to create interesting and informative infographics. Extend learning and ask students to become the teacher using Wayground (formerly Quizizz) reviewed here. Include videos, quizzes, and other interactive activities as part of your Quizizz lesson. Be sure to share your assessment rubric with students as part of your assignment. Find many ideas for implementing rubrics for assessment along with examples and online tools at TeachersFirst Rubrics to the Rescue, available here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Teen Safety - StaySafe.org
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): cyberbullying (41), internet safety (116), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Include the information from this site with your other resources for teaching about online safety. Instead of creating a list of links for students, share safety tips with students by replacing the list using a bookmarking tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to share all resources including videos, websites, and more in one place. Invite students to add their own resources to the Padlet as a collaborative activity on internet safety. Create quizzes using Baamboozle, reviewed here, as a formative assessment during your online safety unit. Baamboozle is a quick and easy quiz creation tool to replace paper and pencil. Divide the class into groups to research the different topics found on this site then let them create their own Baamboozle quizzes for their classmates. Instead of teaching online safety in individual lessons, consider using Use Nearpod, reviewed here, to create all of your lessons. Have students follow at their own pace and use tools with the Learning Paths to offer differentiation for the abilities and interests of your students. To modify learning and further challenge students, have them create their own internet safety Learning Paths for classmates to complete.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Headliner - SpareMin
Grades
K to 12tag(s): communication (120), editing (88), multimedia (59), social media (61)
In the Classroom
Use Headliners to create and share videos in multiple ways. Set the stage for upcoming lessons by creating a video from an upcoming text, post the video on your class website for students to view before reading. Include the transcription feature when sharing videos of student discussions or classroom activities (with appropriate parental permission, of course). Promote your classroom podcast using the Audio Wizard to share a short preview of an upcoming podcast. As an alternative to a research report, use the Find My Content feature and have students redefine their technology use by creating a multimedia video filled with images and video based on their research.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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