Balancing Online and Offline wellbeing lesson plan
Balancing Online and Offline is a ready-to-teach wellbeing lesson for Years 5 and 6 that helps Australian teachers introduce healthy digital habits and everyday choices about screens, friends and outside time. Students learn to recognise how they currently spend their time online and offline, think critically about their digital choices, and practise simple strategies for keeping a healthy balance between screens, friendships and activities outside the home.
Online Safety, AI & Digital Literacy
Snapshot
Balancing Online and Offline
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce healthy digital habits and everyday choices about screens, friends and outside time. Feedback: 4.4/5 average rating from 87 teacher and student responses
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Balancing time between screens, friends and outside activities
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise how they currently spend time between screens, friends and outside activities
recognise signs that screen time may be taking over other parts of their day
recognise that healthy routines include a mix of digital and offline activities
Understand
understand why balancing screen time with friends, activity and rest supports overall wellbeing
understand that digital choices, such as how long to spend online, are largely within their control
Practise
practise setting simple, personal goals for balancing screen time with other activities
practise identifying alternative activities to fill time usually spent on screens
practise talking through digital choices with a trusted adult or peer
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for upper primary students in Years 5 and 6 who are becoming more independent in how they use screens and manage their own time. It suits students who are starting to have more personal devices, apps or online activities to navigate, alongside friendships and time outside school.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
digital literacy or online safety programs
pastoral care, circle time or advisory sessions
class discussions about healthy routines and habits
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing digital wellbeing Use when students are starting to explore healthy screen habits as part of digital literacy or wellbeing learning.
Reinforcing healthy routines Use when revisiting expectations around screen time, sleep, activity and time with friends.
Supporting students with increasing device use Use when more students are gaining access to personal devices, apps or online activities.
Practising critical thinking about technology Use when students need support making thoughtful choices about how they spend time online.
Building independence in self-management Use when students are learning to set their own goals and routines around screens and offline time.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about healthy digital habits and everyday choices.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Students move between screens, friendships and outside activities every day, often without much guidance on how to balance the three. Helping students notice how they spend their time gives them a practical starting point for making thoughtful choices, rather than simply following rules set by adults. Balancing online and offline life is not about limiting technology or treating screens as a problem. It is about helping students build awareness of their own habits and confidence to make decisions that support their wellbeing, friendships and energy levels. This lesson supports a positive approach to digital literacy by treating balance as a skill students can practise and improve over time, rather than a fixed rule to follow.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Self awareness Students notice how they currently divide time between screens, friends and outside activities.
Self regulation Students consider how to manage screen time alongside other daily priorities.
Critical thinking Students think through the reasons behind their digital choices rather than following habits automatically.
Healthy routines Students connect screen use with sleep, energy, activity and overall wellbeing.
Decision making Students practise setting simple, achievable goals for balancing their time.
Social connection Students consider how screen use affects the time they spend with friends and family.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students that there is no single right amount of screen time, and that home routines can differ
Frame discussion around general habits and choices rather than personal disclosures about specific apps or devices
Make clear that the lesson is about building awareness, not judging families or individual choices
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use everyday examples such as choosing between screen time and outside play, or deciding when to put a device down
Encourage students to reflect on their own routines rather than commenting on classmates' habits
Keep the tone practical and balanced, recognising that screens can be useful, fun and social
Give students time to discuss and share ideas in pairs or small groups before whole class discussion
Supporting safe discussion
Remind students not to share private details about specific apps, accounts or online activity
Encourage general examples rather than personal disclosures
Reinforce that students can speak to a trusted adult if something online makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable
Adaptation options
Use partner discussion for quieter groups, or whole class discussion for confident groups
Spend more time on goal setting for students who want to build stronger routines
Adjust examples to reflect the types of devices and activities most relevant to your cohort
