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Browse all lessons
Lesson

Digital Media and Your Brain

How does digital media try to hook you, and what can you do about it?

Grade

8

Time

45 mins.
See quicker lesson

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.

This is one of four lessons in our digital well-being collection for middle school. If time permits, we recommend teaching all four lessons, in the suggested order, to maximize impact.

Objectives:
  • Explore ways that different digital media are, and aren't, designed to help them make good media choices.

  • Reflect on how digital media is designed to either help or hinder the addition of meaning and value to their lives.

  • Think about how to develop good, healthy habits when using digital media.

Vocabulary Show definitions
addictive design · feedback loop · habit · humane design

addictive design – features or aspects of a device or app that are intended to hook the user into frequent use
feedback loop – when you get a response to something you do or post online, causing your brain to experience a temporary moment of pleasure
habit – something we do automatically without thinking
humane design – features or aspects of a device or app that prioritizes what’s good for people’s lives
STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Lesson video
Teen Voices: The Pressure to Stay Connected
Student Video
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Topics 1

STANDARDS
This lesson meets standards for  Common Core ELA,  ISTE,  CASEL, and  AASL .  See standards
Sign in or join to unlock this free lesson.

Key Standards Supported

Common Core ELA

L.8.6, RI.8.1, RI.8.10, RI.8.4, SL.8.1, SL.8.1b, SL.8.1c, SL.8.1d, SL.8.2, SL.8.6, W.8.1, W.8.10, W.8.4

ISTE

1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3d, 6a, 7b, 7c, 7d

CASEL

1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 3a, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f

AASL

I.A.1, I.A.2, II.A.2, II.A.3, III.A.1, III.A.2, V.A.1, V.A.2, V.A.3, VI.A.1, VI.A.2, I.B.1, I.B.3, II.B.1, II.B.2, III.B.1, III.B.2, I.C.1, I.C.4, II.C.1, II.C.2, III.C.1, III.C.2, V.C.1, I.D.1, I.D.2, I.D.3, I.D.4, II.D.1, II.D.2, II.D.3, III.D.1, III.D.2, V.D.1, VI.D.1, VI.D.2

Lesson Plan

45 mins.

Part 1: Warm Up

10 mins.

Part 2: Why Do We Get Hooked?

15 mins.

Part 3: Addictive Design Vs. Humane Design

10 mins.

Part 4: Making Healthy Media Choices

10 mins.

Extend the Lesson

Have students apply what they have learned by completing the “Healthy Social Media Habits” Activity on TestDrive, a social media simulator. Students go through a self-guided activity to reinforce key concepts and practice building healthy social media habits. For more information, download the Social Media TestDrive Educator Guide.

Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

What You'll Need

In Class

  • Lesson Slides
  • Video: Teen Voices: The Pressure to Stay Connected
  • Humane or a Brain Drain?
    Handout
    Teacher Version
  • Lesson Quiz

For Families

  • Family Activity
  • Family Tips
    English Spanish More languages
    Open
  • Family Engagement Resources
Select a resource, then open in English or Spanish.
Creative Commons Attribution, Non Commercial,No Derivatives
© Common Sense Media. Lessons are shareable with attribution for noncommercial use only. No remixing permitted. View detailed license information at creativecommons.org. Lesson last updated: August 2019

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