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Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can describe what healthy online relationships look like and recognise on-screen emotions.

Key learning points

  1. Healthy online relationships are respectful and supportive.
  2. Emotions can be harder to interpret on screen.
  3. Online messages can be misunderstood.
  4. Recognising unsafe or unhealthy behaviour online is important.

Keywords

  • Respect - treating others kindly and fairly

  • Empathy - understanding how someone else feels

  • Misunderstanding - interpreting something incorrectly

Common misconception

If someone is joking online, it could cause harm.

Messages can be misunderstood online, and jokes can still hurt or upset others.

Teacher tip

Encourage discussion around scenarios rather than focusing on 'right' and 'wrong' answers. Help pupils explore how tone, context and perspective influence interpretation, and remind them that misunderstandings are common in online communication.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
(Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
Which habit supports digital wellbeing?

staying up late on your phone
Correct answer: taking regular breaks from screens
ignoring sleep
messaging constantly

Q2.
Which of these relates to emotional wellbeing?

eye strain
Correct answer: feeling anxious
posture
step count

Q3.
Which example shows purposeful screen use?

Correct answer: researching information for homework
scrolling endlessly before bed
watching random videos without a goal
switching between apps constantly

Q4.
Which is a possible sign of excessive screen time?

feeling well-rested
improved posture
increased concentration
Correct answer: headaches and tiredness

4 Questions

Q1.
Why can online messages be misunderstood?

They are always rude.
Correct answer: We cannot see tone or facial expressions.
They are too long.
Emojis always clarify meaning.

Q2.
Which example shows empathy in an online interaction?

sending a message without thinking
ignoring someone’s reply
sharing a private message
Correct answer: checking how someone might feel before posting

Q3.
Why can jokes sometimes cause harm online?

because humour is not allowed
because online jokes disappear quickly
Correct answer: because tone and context may not be clear
because jokes are always serious

Q4.
A misunderstanding happens when a message is __________ differently from how it was intended.

Correct answer: interpreted
deleted
typed
shared

To help you plan your 5 digital literacy lesson on: Healthy online relationships, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...