Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy Lessons

Help students build privacy awareness, spot misinformation, understand AI, manage screen habits and communicate respectfully online.

Explore 60+ ready-to-teach Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy lessons that help students think critically about life online. These lesson plans cover privacy and digital footprints, cyberbullying and respectful online behaviour, misinformation and fake news, AI and deepfakes, algorithms, scams, gaming and screen habits. The lesson set progresses across stages. Early primary lessons focus on foundational ideas like being safe online, sharing information carefully and treating others kindly on digital platforms. Lower and upper secondary lessons go further into AI, deepfakes, online grooming, algorithms, social media pressures and the longer-term impact of digital choices, with content shaped to suit older students in Australian schools.

Primary

Secondary

PDHPE

Everything you need to plan, teach and track PSHE and RSE in one flexible platform.

Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy shapes how students learn, connect, share and stay safe every day.

Students are constantly navigating social media, group chats, games, search engines, AI tools and content feeds shaped by algorithms. They are making fast decisions about what to share, who to trust, what to believe and how to behave online, often without much guidance. These are skills that need to be taught, practised and revisited over time, not left until something goes wrong.

This topic matters in schools because it helps students:

Recognise risks around privacy, scams, grooming and unsafe sharing

Think critically about misinformation, AI-generated content and deepfakes

Understand how algorithms, feeds and online culture shape what they see

Communicate respectfully online and respond to cyberbullying

Build healthier habits around screens, gaming and social media

For teachers and school leaders, Wellio's Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy lessons offer a structured way to build digital judgement before issues arise, while reinforcing wellbeing, behaviour and safeguarding work already happening across the school.

What teachers are usually looking for

Teachers usually come to this topic looking for clear, age-appropriate lessons that help students build digital judgement before issues appear in the classroom or playground. Most are planning a sequence of lessons across a term or unit, and want material that is practical to deliver without specialist tech knowledge.

Privacy and digital footprints
Lessons that help students understand what personal information is, how it spreads and why their digital reputation matters over time.
Cyberbullying and respectful online behaviour
Resources that build empathy, set expectations for online conduct and give students strategies for responding to unkind or harmful behaviour.
Misinformation, fake news and AI
Lessons on evaluating sources, spotting fake news, understanding deepfakes and thinking critically about AI-generated content.
Algorithms and social media pressure
Material that unpacks how feeds and recommendations work, and how curated content shapes mood, body image and worldview.
Online relationships and grooming awareness
Age-appropriate lessons on safe online friendships, recognising grooming, sextortion and unsafe contact, and knowing when and how to seek help.
Screen habits, gaming and sleep
Age-appropriate lessons on safe online friendships, recognising grooming, sextortion and unsafe contact, and knowing when and how to seek help.
Scams, data and online consent
Lessons that support balanced device use, healthy gaming habits and the link between phones, sleep and wellbeing.

Privacy and digital footprints
Lessons that help students understand what personal information is, how it spreads and why their digital reputation matters over time.
Cyberbullying and respectful online behaviour
Resources that build empathy, set expectations for online conduct and give students strategies for responding to unkind or harmful behaviour.
Misinformation, fake news and AI
Lessons on evaluating sources, spotting fake news, understanding deepfakes and thinking critically about AI-generated content.
Algorithms and social media pressure
Material that unpacks how feeds and recommendations work, and how curated content shapes mood, body image and worldview.
Online relationships and grooming awareness
Age-appropriate lessons on safe online friendships, recognising grooming, sextortion and unsafe contact, and knowing when and how to seek help.
Screen habits, gaming and sleep
Age-appropriate lessons on safe online friendships, recognising grooming, sextortion and unsafe contact, and knowing when and how to seek help.
Scams, data and online consent
Lessons that support balanced device use, healthy gaming habits and the link between phones, sleep and wellbeing.

Browse by stage

Find Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy lessons that match the age group you teach.

Primary school

Growing complexity around social media use, cyberbullying, digital footprints, gaming habits, algorithms and early conversations about AI and misinformation.

Primary school

Growing complexity around social media use, cyberbullying, digital footprints, gaming habits, algorithms and early conversations about AI and misinformation.

Lower secondary

Growing complexity around social media use, cyberbullying, digital footprints, gaming habits, algorithms and early conversations about AI and misinformation.

Upper secondary

More advanced content on deepfakes, sextortion, online masculinity narratives, scams, data rights and the wider social impact of AI and social media.

Upper secondary

More advanced content on deepfakes, sextortion, online masculinity narratives, scams, data rights and the wider social impact of AI and social media.

Browse by subtopic

Explore these lesson plans by the topic area you need most.

Social media safety

Lessons on safe sharing, privacy settings, social media pressures, screen habits, gaming and managing online behaviour.

Media & digital literacy

Resources that build critical thinking around media messages, online influences and how content shapes views and feelings.

Online relationships & grooming

Lessons that unpack AI, deepfakes and the legal and ethical questions around emerging technology.

Social media safety

Lessons on safe sharing, privacy settings, social media pressures, screen habits, gaming and managing online behaviour.

Media & digital literacy

Resources that build critical thinking around media messages, online influences and how content shapes views and feelings.

Online relationships & grooming

Lessons that unpack AI, deepfakes and the legal and ethical questions around emerging technology.

Social media safety

Lessons on safe sharing, privacy settings, social media pressures, screen habits, gaming and managing online behaviour.

Online relationships & grooming

Lessons that unpack AI, deepfakes and the legal and ethical questions around emerging technology.

Media & digital literacy

Resources that build critical thinking around media messages, online influences and how content shapes views and feelings.

Social media safety

Lessons on safe sharing, privacy settings, social media pressures, screen habits, gaming and managing online behaviour.

Online relationships & grooming

Lessons that unpack AI, deepfakes and the legal and ethical questions around emerging technology.

Media & digital literacy

Resources that build critical thinking around media messages, online influences and how content shapes views and feelings.

Featured lessons

A few strong starting points from these lesson plans.

Privacy, footprints and online safety

Builds foundational awareness of common online risks and the everyday habits that keep students safer.

Privacy, footprints and online safety

Builds foundational awareness of common online risks and the everyday habits that keep students safer.

Online safety

Builds foundational awareness of common online risks and the everyday habits that keep students safer.

Online safety

Builds foundational awareness of common online risks and the everyday habits that keep students safer.

Safe online, smart every time

Gives students practical strategies for making smart decisions across different online situations.

Safe online, smart every time

Gives students practical strategies for making smart decisions across different online situations.

Critical thinking about media and AI

Fake News & Misinformation Helps students question what they see online and check whether information is reliable.

Critical thinking about media and AI

Fake News & Misinformation Helps students question what they see online and check whether information is reliable.

Wellbeing, identity and screen habits

Online masculine narratives explores the messages young men encounter online and how to think critically about influencers and identity.

Wellbeing, identity and screen habits

Online masculine narratives explores the messages young men encounter online and how to think critically about influencers and identity.

Phones and Sleep

Looks at the link between phone use, sleep and wellbeing, and supports healthier evening habits.

Phones and Sleep

Looks at the link between phone use, sleep and wellbeing, and supports healthier evening habits.

Teaching outcomes supported

These lessons support more than topic knowledge. They help schools build broader capabilities around critical thinking, digital judgement and respectful behaviour that carry across subjects and into pastoral life.

These lessons can support outcomes such as:

Knowledge and understanding

• Understand privacy, data and digital footprints

• Recognise how AI, algorithms and deepfakes work

• Identify scams, misinformation and unsafe online contact

• Understand how social media and gaming affect wellbeing

Skills and decision-making

• Evaluate online sources and content critically

• Manage privacy settings and personal information

• Respond safely to cyberbullying or unsafe situations

• Make balanced choices about screens, gaming and sleep

Behaviour and relationships

• Communicate respectfully across online spaces

• Support peers affected by online harm

• Seek help from a trusted adult when needed

• Build healthier habits around devices and social media

These outcomes are supported across 60+ lessons, making the lesson set useful across PDHPE, wellbeing programmes, pastoral and advisory time, and safeguarding contexts.

Why teachers use these resources

Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy is hard to teach well without structured support, because the technology, language and risks shift quickly.

They save planning time

Each lesson is ready-to-teach with on-screen flow, discussion prompts and teaching guidance. Teachers can pick a lesson and run it without building slides or sourcing examples from scratch.

They cover the full breadth of the topic in one place

Resources that build empathy, set expectations for online conduct and give students strategies for responding to unkind or harmful behaviour.

They support confident delivery across different experience levels

Lessons include a teacher script and clear pedagogy support, so staff who are new to digital topics can deliver them with the same structure as more experienced colleagues. This is helpful for teachers who feel less confident with AI, algorithms or emerging tech.

They work across year levels and different school settings

With content for primary, lower secondary and upper secondary, the lessons fit classroom teaching, PDHPE, wellbeing programmes, pastoral and advisory sessions. Schools can use the same lesson set across stages while keeping content age-appropriate.

They support proactive teaching, not just reactive responses

The lessons are designed to build skills before issues escalate, so schools can teach digital judgement as part of a planned sequence. They can also be used responsively when a specific incident or theme needs follow-up.

They save planning time

Each lesson is ready-to-teach with on-screen flow, discussion prompts and teaching guidance. Teachers can pick a lesson and run it without building slides or sourcing examples from scratch.

They cover the full breadth of the topic in one place

Resources that build empathy, set expectations for online conduct and give students strategies for responding to unkind or harmful behaviour.

They support confident delivery across different experience levels

They work across year levels and different school settings

They support proactive teaching, not just reactive responses

They save planning time

Each lesson is ready-to-teach with on-screen flow, discussion prompts and teaching guidance. Teachers can pick a lesson and run it without building slides or sourcing examples from scratch.

They support confident delivery across different experience levels

They support proactive teaching, not just reactive responses

They cover the full breadth of the topic in one place

Resources that build empathy, set expectations for online conduct and give students strategies for responding to unkind or harmful behaviour.

They work across year levels and different school settings

Designed for real school settings

These resources are built for the reality of school use, not just for covering a topic on paper.

They are designed to help teachers teach Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy in ways that are:

Age-appropriate

Classroom-friendly

Relevant to student life

Practical for discussion and reflection

Adaptable for different school contexts

Suitable for both planned and responsive teaching

Schools can use these lessons in both planned wellbeing teaching and more responsive pastoral support.

PDHPE and health lessons across primary and secondary

Wellbeing programmes and whole-school digital citizenship work

Pastoral and advisory sessions on screens, social media or AI

Safeguarding-related teaching on grooming, sextortion and online risk

Cross-curricular use in English, technology and humanities where digital literacy is relevant

Targeted teaching after a class or year-group incident

Curriculum/Framework Support teachers use these resources

Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy can support a wide range of school priorities and curriculum areas in Australian schools.

Depending on stage and school context, these lessons may contribute to:

PDHPE, health and wellbeing learning

Student wellbeing and self-management

Digital citizenship and digital literacy work

Anti-bullying and behaviour support work

Safeguarding and protective behaviours education

Pastoral, advisory and school culture programmes

PDHPE, health and wellbeing learning

Student wellbeing and self-management

Digital citizenship and digital literacy work

Anti-bullying and behaviour support work

Safeguarding and protective behaviours education

Pastoral, advisory and school culture programmes

PDHPE, health and wellbeing learning

Digital citizenship and digital literacy work

Safeguarding and protective behaviours education

Student wellbeing and self-management

Anti-bullying and behaviour support work

Pastoral, advisory and school culture programmes

PDHPE, health and wellbeing learning

Digital citizenship and digital literacy work

Safeguarding and protective behaviours education

Student wellbeing and self-management

Anti-bullying and behaviour support work

Pastoral, advisory and school culture programmes

These lesson plans support important teaching, wellbeing and safety goals that many schools are already expected to address. It is not an optional extra or a one-off theme week topic.

Frequently asked questions

What age groups are these lessons suitable for?
The lesson set covers primary, lower secondary and upper secondary, with 12+ primary lessons, 24+ lower secondary lessons and 23+ upper secondary lessons. Suitability depends on the lesson focus, your cohort, school context and timing in the year, not age alone. Teachers can preview lessons before delivery to check fit.

What age groups are these lessons suitable for?
The lesson set covers primary, lower secondary and upper secondary, with 12+ primary lessons, 24+ lower secondary lessons and 23+ upper secondary lessons. Suitability depends on the lesson focus, your cohort, school context and timing in the year, not age alone. Teachers can preview lessons before delivery to check fit.

How do these lessons fit into the curriculum?

How do I choose the right lesson?

Is Wellio aligned with RSHE and PSHE requirements?

How are sensitive topics like grooming, sextortion and deepfakes handled?

Can these lessons be used responsively after an online incident?

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Useful when discussing decision-making, peer influence and risk, including online exposure to harmful content and trends.
Diversity, Equality & Society
Helps students think about identity, bias and respect in online communities, which connects closely to digital behaviour and media literacy.
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Supports deeper teaching on consent, image sharing and safe online relationships, especially for upper secondary students.
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A useful companion when teaching respectful online behaviour, conflict and how to handle peer pressure across digital and offline spaces.

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A useful companion when teaching respectful online behaviour, conflict and how to handle peer pressure across digital and offline spaces.
Sex & Relationships Education
Supports deeper teaching on consent, image sharing and safe online relationships, especially for upper secondary students.
Diversity, Equality & Society
Helps students think about identity, bias and respect in online communities, which connects closely to digital behaviour and media literacy.
Substances & Risky Behaviours
Useful when discussing decision-making, peer influence and risk, including online exposure to harmful content and trends.

Find Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy lessons that fit your students

Browse by stage, explore by subtopic, or start with a ready-to-teach lesson.

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