Sometimes when you're using media, it's hard to stop. Lots of people even say they feel "addicted" to their phones or the apps and games they use. But is digital media actually designed to get you hooked? Have students think about the ways different digital media does -- and does not -- help us find healthy media balance.

Does what you do online always stay online? Students learn that the information they share online leaves a digital footprint or "trail." Depending on how they manage it, this trail can be big or small, and harmful or helpful. Students compare different trails and think critically about what kinds of information they want to leave behind.

Internet scams are part of being online today, but many kids might not be aware of them. How do we help our students avoid being tricked into clicking malicious links or giving out private information? Use this lesson to help kids avoid online identity theft and phishing schemes.

When we get news from our social media feeds, it often only tells us part of the story. Our friends -- and the website's algorithms -- tend to feed us perspectives we already agree with. Show students ways to escape the filter bubble and make sure their ideas about the world are being challenged.

We use digital media every day, from texting, streaming TV shows, and gaming all the way to using voice assistants or ordering our food online. For today's kids, it's a lot more than just "screen time." So how can we help students balance their online and offline lives? It starts with recognizing just how much media we use.

The web is full of questionable stuff, from rumors and inaccurate information to outright lies and so-called fake news. So how do we help students weed out the bad and find what's credible? Help students dig into why and how false information ends up online in the first place, and then practice evaluating the credibility of what they're finding online.

Helping kids learn what makes different media choices healthy or not is a good start. But how do we help them actually make responsible choices in the real world? Give your students the opportunity to create a personalized media plan.

Kids can be voracious consumers -- and creators -- of media, and it's easier than ever for them to find and share digital content online. But do middle schoolers know about concepts like fair use, copyright, and public domain? Give students a framework they can use to better understand how fair use works in the real world.

The research is still out when it comes to exactly how screen time affects our health. But one area where we know it does is our sleep. Just having a device near us seems to change the way our brains work. Help students learn that being responsible with digital media means adjusting how we use it so it isn't unhealthy for our bodies or our brains.

We know not to believe everything we hear, but what about what we see? Advancements in computer-generated graphics, facial recognition, and video production have led to a world of viral videos that are often difficult to identify as fake. Help your students learn to read what they see on the web "laterally" by showing them how to get off the page, check credibility, and find corroboration.

This foundational digital citizenship lesson challenges kids to pay attention to their feelings while using tech. With an engaging emoji game, students learn practical strategies for managing their feelings -- good, bad, and everything in between.

Children have to be at least 13 to sign up for most social media platforms. But we know that many tweens work around this restriction. By doing so they can connect with peers and have fun, but they're also susceptible to a number of risks, from privacy to bullying to challenges to their social-emotional well-being. Reflecting on when kids should be allowed to use social media can help us think through the risks and rewards of using social media, regardless of our age.

Staying safe online is a lot like staying safe in the real world. Using a fun traffic light activity, students learn how to identify "just right" content, giving them the green light to learn, play, and explore the internet safely.

Let's face it: Some online spaces can be full of negative, rude, or downright mean behavior. But what counts as cyberbullying? Help your students learn what is -- and what isn't -- cyberbullying, and give them the tools they'll need to combat the problem.

The web is full of photos, and even videos, that are digitally altered. And it's often hard to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake. Help your students ask critical questions about why someone might alter a photo or video in the first place.

Social interaction is part of what makes online gaming so popular and engaging for kids. Of course, online communication can come with some risks. Show your students how to keep their gaming experiences fun, healthy, and positive.

With so much information at our fingertips, students learn what it means to "give credit" when using content they find online. Taking on the role of a detective, students learn why it's important to give credit and the right ways to do it when they use words, images, or ideas that belong to others.

Students consider the feelings of themselves and others when making decisions about when, where, and how much to use technology.

We often use our phones or other devices without even thinking about it. But paying closer attention to how -- and how much -- we use digital media can help us find better balance in our lives. Challenge students to truly consider how digital media adds to -- or takes away from -- their overall quality of life.

We all make choices every day about the media we consume and create. But do kids understand what makes a media choice healthy or not? Hint: It's about more than just screen time. Use the activities in this lesson to give kids a framework for making informed media choices.