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Year 8

Time online and self-esteem

I can describe ways that social media can impact my self-esteem.

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New
New
Year 8

Time online and self-esteem

I can describe ways that social media can impact my self-esteem.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. People will often post pictures online of material items or lavish holidays and this might make people feel jealous.
  2. The way people portray themselves online is not always representative of who they are.
  3. People may act differently online than they do in person.
  4. The number of online friends or likes someone has does not determine their worth.

Keywords

  • Online persona - an identity people use online to shape the way people view them; it is often different to how a person is in real life

  • Self-esteem - how we value and perceive ourselves

  • Self-confidence - the faith that we have in our ability to achieve something

Common misconception

Having lots of followers means a person is really popular and has lots of friends.

Online followers are not 'friends'. Your friends are people you know personally. Celebrities and influencers can have hundreds of thousands of followers, the majority of which they do not know.


To help you plan your year 8 rshe (pshe) lesson on: Time online and self-esteem, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Be mindful that there are age limits for most social media platforms.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A is an effect used on a photo or video to alter the way you look.
Correct Answer: filter
Q2.
Body image is how we feel about ...
Correct answer: our shape
our religion
Correct answer: our size
our politics
Q3.
Which of the following are true statements?
Body shaming is ok as long as you follow the comment with a compliment.
Body shaming is not something to be upset about as all people experience it.
Correct answer: Body shaming can appear in different forms.
Correct answer: Body shaming can have several harmful effects on the people who experience it.
Correct answer: If you experience body shaming, you should speak to a trusted adult.
Q4.
Which of the following could be considered a common beauty standard?
Correct answer: expecting female bodies to all have large breasts
Correct answer: expecting male bodies to all be muscular
expecting female bodies to all have the same hair colour
Correct answer: expecting female bodies to all have flat stomachs
expecting male bodies to all have the same eye colour
Q5.
Body is a condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about their appearance and how they look to others and themselves.
Correct Answer: dysmorphia
Q6.
Which of the following can be caused by unrealistic beauty standards?
improved body image
improved self-confidence
Correct answer: poor body image
Correct answer: poor self-confidence

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to their correct definitions.
Correct Answer:online persona,an identity people use online to shape the way people view them

an identity people use online to shape the way people view them

Correct Answer:self-esteem,how we value and perceive ourselves

how we value and perceive ourselves

Correct Answer:self-confidence,the faith that we have in ourselves and our abilities

the faith that we have in ourselves and our abilities

Q2.
People may post images of lavish holidays or material possessions which may make other people feel ...
confident
Correct answer: jealous
happy
proud
Q3.
People's online worth might be measured by how many , comments or followers they receive.
Correct Answer: likes, interactions
Q4.
Why do some people choose to post on social media?
to forget memories
Correct answer: to preserve memories
Correct answer: to connect with friends
to connect with people in real life
Correct answer: to show a particular side of their personality or life
Q5.
Focusing on personal growth, rather than other people’s achievements can help us feel more ...
insecure
Correct answer: secure
sincere
insincere
Q6.
How can we feel more secure when using social media?
focus on accounts which encourage feelings of comparison
Correct answer: follow accounts that promote positive feelings
Correct answer: focus on your own personal achievements
mindfully increase your screen time
Correct answer: mindfully reduce your screen time