Overview

Today’s students are growing up surrounded by digital media and technology. From social media and online games to streaming platforms and even AI or learning apps in schools, tech is part of everyday life. These digital experiences offer exciting opportunities for connection, creativity, and learning – but they also come with challenges. To thrive, students need healthy tech habits that take into account their well-being.

Our Healthy Habits lessons help students build a thoughtful, balanced relationship with technology. Digital wellbeing is part of and connected to kids' overall wellbeing. The lessons in this topic focus on three key areas: mind, body, and environment. Through engaging, age-appropriate activities, students develop self-awareness, learn practical self-management strategies, and understand how devices, screen time and digital environments affect their emotions and behaviors. By teaching practical digital wellbeing skills, we empower students to develop healthy habits they'll keep throughout their lives: at school, at home, and in an increasingly digital world.

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Our Instructional Approach

Mind, Body, and Environment

Our curriculum approaches digital well-being through three interconnected areas:

• Mind: Students develop self-awareness about their thoughts, feelings, and attention when using digital media. These lessons help students recognize how different online activities affect their mental state and emotional well-being. They'll build crucial social and emotional skills that extend beyond the digital world.
• Body: Physical wellbeing and digital engagement aren't separate concerns; they're deeply connected. These lessons help students develop strategies to maintain a healthy relationship between their digital activities and physical habits, from movement and sleep to eye health and posture.
• Environment: Digital spaces are designed environments that shape our experiences and behaviors. These lessons help students understand how apps, platforms, and digital tools are often engineered to capture their attention and influence their choices. This knowledge empowers them to be more intentional in how they engage with technology.

Fostering Agency Through Awareness

Instead of prescribing rigid rules about "screen time," our curriculum enables students to make informed choices about their digital lives. By understanding their own needs and recognizing environmental influences, students develop the agency to use technology in ways that enhance rather than diminish their well-being. Our lessons prompt students to reflect on their personal experiences, identify patterns, and develop individualized strategies that work best for them. This approach acknowledges that healthy digital habits look different for every student, while providing tools that all students can use in making thoughtful choices.

Grade-by-Grade Progression

Each grade level addresses all three dimensions of digital wellbeing through developmentally appropriate lessons:

• Grades K-2: Young learners begin developing foundational awareness by engaging with our Digital Citizens characters, and particularly our "Arms" character who helps them understand balance in technology use.
• Grades 3-5: Older elementary students explore concepts like making healthy media choices, recognizing "attention thieves," and using tools like emojis for self-expression. They learn to identify times when technology is enhancing or diminishing their wellbeing, and develop practical strategies for managing digital experiences.
• Grades 6-8: Middle school students tackle more complex topics like the relationship between digital media and brain development, creating personalized media plans, and understanding the social dynamics of online spaces. They develop more sophisticated self-regulation strategies as their digital lives expand.

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