Digital Well-Being: Digital Snapshot & Intention Check

Please refer to our Before You Teach guides for resources to support your practice.

‍Mental Health 101

Safer Language

Classroom Discussion Guide

‍

In this activity, students check in on both their intention for going online and the effects of that experience. They then reflect on what they notice about how their digital choices affect their mood and well-being.

This is the first in a three-part series of activities to help students build healthy digital habits and support their well-being. Be sure to check out the other activities:

Digital Well-Being: Pause, Notice, Replace

Digital Well-Being: Digital Spaces That Lift You Up

Students will... 

• develop awareness of how their digital habits impact their emotional well-being.

Handout

Handout 1: Digital Snapshot and Intention Check

Additional Materials

• Pen/pencil

• Reflection
• Discussion
• Wrap Up

Step 1: Silent Reflection (3-5 min)

Students think about the last time they used a digital platform – social media, online gaming, messaging apps, forums, or even watching online videos. Then, check all that apply.

Step 2: Quick Takeaway (1–2 min)

Students answer one or more of the following questions based upon their checklists:

• “One thing I noticed about when/why I use digital platforms is…”
• “One thing I noticed about how my digital time affects me is…”
• “One thing I want to keep doing / try differently with my digital time is…”
  
  

Optional Sharing: A few volunteers can share their takeaways, but it can also remain entirely private.

Step 3: Wrap-Up (1 min)

Highlight that noticing patterns is the first step to managing social media/digital use healthily.

Suggested tip: “If you notice more negative than positive effects, you might try adjusting your feed, setting time limits, or taking a break.”

‍

Physical and Health Education Canada

Grade 10

Express healthy digital limits and ways to address misuse or addiction (e.g., social media, use of technology, gaming, online shopping, gambling)

British Columbia

Career-Life Education

Learning Standards: Curricular Competency

Experience

• Practise effective strategies for healthy school/work/life balance

Manitoba

Physical Education and Health 20F

Achievement Objectives

Applies healthy stress-management strategies and communication skills for stress reduction in case scenarios.

Designs, implements, evaluates and revises action plans for making personal and group decisions for active, healthy lifestyle practices.

Specific Student Learning Outcomes

K4S2C4a

• Examine the strategies and defence mechanisms that can be healthy or unhealthy ways of managing stress.

K5S2A2

• Demonstrate knowledge of healthy lifestyles practices that contribute to disease/illness prevention, including mental illness/disorders.

New Brunswick

Personal Wellness 9

Big Idea: Positive Mental Fitness Strategies

Achievement Indicators:

Identify strategies to build own positive mental health.

Big Idea: Helpful and Harmful Choices

Achievement Indicators:

Analyze how food, screen time, and substances may affect an individual’s health (e.g., mental, social, emotional, and physical including brain development)

Wellness Through Physical Education (110)

General Curriculum Outcome:

1.0 Students demonstrate an understanding of the concept of wellness.

Specific Curriculum Outcome:

1.2 Students evaluate and address personal wellness needs.

1.3 Students analyze how society, media and culture influence wellness

Ontario

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 10 (PPL 2O)

Specific Expectations

C1 Understanding Health Concepts

• 1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of factors that enhance mental health and emotional and spiritual well-being
• 1.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of substance use and addictive behaviours on all aspects (e.g., physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social, economic) of a person’s health and well-being (ON)

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 12 (PPL4O)

Specific Expectations

C2 Making Healthy Choices

• 2.3 Describe how coping and interpersonal skills and their knowledge of personal protective and risk factors can be used to develop resilience and enhance their ability to make healthy choices, including the avoidance of substance use and addictive behaviours

Recreation and Healthy Active Living Leadership (PLF4M)

Specific Expectations

C2 Healthy Active Living Plan

• 2.1 Describe how healthier choices related to physical activity, healthy eating, and other aspects of everyday living (e.g., limiting screen time and increasing participation in a variety of physical activities that provide cardiovascular and muscular endurance, muscular strength, or flexibility benefits; eating balanced meals; choosing nutritious snacks; managing stress; getting enough sleep; making choices with personal safety in mind) contribute to better physical, mental, and social health and greater personal well-being (ON)

Prince Edward Island

Physical and Health Education 9 (9PHEA)

‍Specific Curriculum Outcomes

Learners are expected to create a personalized mental health plan

‍Achievement Indicators

Develop and implement a personalized mental health plan that incorporates evidence-based strategies, self-awareness, and healthy decision-making skills

Wellness (PED401A)

Outcomes and Indicators

W1. Evaluate one’s self in each dimension of wellness.

‍l. Examine the relationships among defense mechanisms, feelings, behaviours, and mental health (i.e., ways we protect ourselves from things we do not want to think about or deal with).

Saskatchewan

Wellness 10

Outcomes and Indicators

W4. l. Examine the relationships among defense mechanisms, feelings, behaviours, and mental health (i.e., ways we protect ourselves from things we do not want to think about or deal with).

W5.g. Examine emotional and behavioural patterns of self and others and determine related impact on optimal wellness.