Modulo

Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum

Recommended Ages

K–12th Grades

Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum is a free K–12 program that teaches kids how to use technology safely, ethically, and thoughtfully. Lessons cover topics like online privacy, cyberbullying, media balance, and evaluating information, with age-appropriate videos, activities, and discussion prompts. Developed by Common Sense Education in partnership with educators and researchers, the curriculum is widely used in schools and libraries. Parents and teachers like the ready-to-teach format and the fact that materials are regularly updated to reflect new digital trends. It’s a strong fit for elementary through high school learners in homeschools, co-ops, and classrooms. Some activities assume group discussion, but they can be adapted for one-on-one use. For maximum impact, pair lessons with clear family tech rules and revisit key topics when your child gets new privileges like a phone or social media account.

Learners in roughly grades 2–12 who use devices regularly and need guided conversations and scenarios about how to navigate screens, social media, and online communities responsibly.

Pros

Comprehensive, free K–12 digital citizenship curriculum covering screen balance, online safety, privacy, cyberbullying, media literacy, and more; widely implemented in schools and recommended by districts and libraries.

Cons

Structured for classrooms, so pacing and group activities may need adapting for 1:1 homeschool use; examples are U.S.‑centric and can feel generic if not connected to a child’s real online life.

The materials are free to download and use; schools and districts sometimes integrate them into publicly funded technology or SEL initiatives, but individual homeschooling families generally do not pay for access.

Free

Get it
Share
Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest
Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum
$0.00 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
View all collections
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking
Social-Emotional Learning
Social-Emotional Learning
Civics
Civics
Life Skills
Life Skills
Social Studies
Social Studies

Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum Mission

Common Sense’s Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum aims to help every student develop the habits and mindsets to thrive in a tech-saturated world. Through free, research-backed lessons for grades K–12, it teaches kids how to protect their privacy, manage screen time, navigate social media, spot misinformation, and act with empathy and integrity online so they can use technology in ways that are safe, responsible, and empowering.

Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum Story

Common Sense Media was founded in 2003 by attorney and children’s advocate James P. Steyer to give families independent reviews and guidance about media. As smartphones and social media transformed childhood, the organization saw that kids also needed explicit instruction in digital citizenship, so it launched one of the first comprehensive K–12 curricula on topics like cyberbullying, digital footprints, and online identity. Working with researchers at Harvard’s Project Zero and continually updating lessons based on new tech trends and impact studies, Common Sense has grown its digital citizenship program into a widely adopted, standards-aligned resource used in schools and districts across the U.S. and beyond. [oai_citation:19‡Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/common-sense-media-launches-new-digital-literacy-well-being-curriculum-for-todays-classrooms?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship & Critical Thinking Curriculum

You might sit with your tween on the couch, watch a short animated scenario about a group chat gone wrong, pause to let them react, and then work through discussion prompts and a simple activity like designing a “social media contract” or sorting real‑life scenarios into “private,” “share with friends,” and “okay to post” piles.

Common Sense Media’s free K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum provides ready‑to‑teach lesson plans, slides, handouts, and short videos on topics like media balance, privacy, cyberbullying, online identity, and information literacy. Homeschoolers download or print the lessons most relevant to their child’s age and weave them into weekly technology, writing, or advisory time.

An adult facilitator is essential, both to run the structured lesson and to connect ideas back to your family’s values and specific online tools your child uses.

Resources exist from kindergarten through high school; younger kids need full adult guidance and play‑based adaptation, while older students should have basic reading skills and some experience with devices and apps.

This curriculum explicitly teaches digital citizenship, which is critical for autistic, ADHD, and other neurodivergent kids who may misread social cues online or be targeted by scams. Lessons combine scenarios, discussion, and reflection, so adults can tailor depth and pace to a child’s emotional maturity and particular vulnerabilities.

Because lessons are freely available online, there is no refund policy; families can simply skip or modify any activities that do not suit their needs.

Not ideal for families who keep kids fully offline for now or who prefer deeply faith‑specific approaches to technology and media.

Alternative or complementary resources include Checkology, News Literacy Project lessons, Google’s Be Internet Awesome, iCivics’ media‑literacy games, and fact‑checking tools like Snopes or FactCheck.org.

Common Sense regularly revises and expands the curriculum to address emerging issues like AI, algorithmic feeds, and mental health, and has partnered with researchers to evaluate the impact of the lessons on students’ digital‑citizenship skills.

Do one short lesson per week, then intentionally revisit the same themes whenever a real‑life situation arises (a tricky group chat, viral rumor, or questionable video) so kids can apply what they’ve learned.

Contact form

Meet Jim

Jim Steyer is the founder and CEO of Common Sense Media and a longtime advocate for children’s rights, education, and media reform. A Stanford lecturer and author of books on kids and digital media, he created Common Sense to give parents and educators unbiased information and tools to help kids navigate entertainment and technology. Under his leadership, the organization has expanded from movie and app reviews into policy work, research, and classroom curricula—including its influential digital citizenship program—while keeping its focus on helping every child grow up digitally literate and well-protected. [oai_citation:20‡Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/common-sense-media-launches-new-digital-literacy-well-being-curriculum-for-todays-classrooms?utm_source=chatgpt.com)