Together in Change: Digital Well Being in Emergencies

Before you teach, we strongly recommend you review our supporting resources:

Educator Workbook

‍Mental Health 101

Safer Language

Classroom Discussion Guide

Trauma Informed Teaching

This lesson is best used alongside additional learning about mental health, including warning signs, coping strategies, and help-seeking supports.

This lesson begins by helping students recognize how digital platforms can influence emotions, relationships, and routines, especially during emergencies or stressful events. Students explore both positive and challenging aspects of online engagement, such as the ways social media can provide connection or increase worry and overwhelm. Video speakers normalize these responses and provide a safe space for students to consider their own digital habits and well-being.

The lesson emphasizes trauma-informed principles by giving students choice, normalizing diverse reactions, and encouraging reflection without requiring personal disclosure. Students leave with practical strategies to notice signs of digital stress, set boundaries, balance news and social media use, and maintain connection with peers and trusted supports while protecting their mental health.

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  

1. Recognize that digital platforms can both support connection and increase stress during emergencies and uncertain situations.
2. Describe common ways digital media use changes during emergencies and why people may feel driven to check updates frequently.
3. Identify examples of how online spaces can foster community, information-sharing, and support during difficult times.
4. Understand basic strategies people can use to reduce digital overload and protect mental wellbeing during crises.
5. Use shared language to talk about digital wellbeing, stress, and connection in a respectful, non-judgmental way.

Note: Students are not expected to share personal experiences to meet these goals.

‍Video

Together in Change Video

‍Note: This video makes reference to mental health struggle. We encourage educators to consider the needs of their students before delivering this content in their classroom.

Slide Deck

Digital Well-Being and Social Media Use During Crises

Handouts

Video Guide: Digital Well-Being During Emergencies

Group Activity: Scenario Practice

Additional Materials

• Teacher computer, projector, and speakers
• Paper, white board markers/chalk, sticky notes
• List of school/community support resources (e.g., counsellor, trusted adult, youth helplines)

Teacher Answer key

Personal Digital Well-Being Plan

1. Minds On (5 –10 minutes)
2. Action Tasks (45 – 55 minutes)
3. Consolidation (3 – 5 minutes)

Note: All parts of the lesson procedure can be found in the slide deck provided.

Land Acknowledgement 

Slide 2

In the slide deck, we have included Jack.org’s land acknowledgement. We encourage you to write your own, acknowledging the Nations, communities, territories and treaties upon which you live and work, and your calls to action for reconciliation / Self Pledge.

‍Here are some resources to support you:

• Why Acknowledge?
• Territory Acknowledgement - Native-Land.ca.  

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Part 1: Minds On (5-10 minutes)

Slides 3-5: Opening & Emotional Safety Setup (2-3 minutes)

Review Objectives and Ensuring a Positive Experience. 

Teacher Prompt: “Today we’ll be learning about how digital platforms can both support connection and increase stress, especially during emergencies like floods or wildfires. Everyone responds differently, and it’s okay to step back, take a break, or ask for support at any time.”

A. Optional: Quick Grounded Check-In (1 minute)

This is a suggested activity if you notice your students are activated or dysregulated. It can be used at any point in the lesson.  

Prompt: “Right now, scan your body. Are you feeling more alert, calm, tired, or restless? How do you know? What sensations do you notice are telling you this?” (No sharing required.)

Students respond by:

• Circling a word
• Holding up fingers
• Writing privately

After your students respond, invite them to take a few deep breaths. You can use the Kids Help Phone Breathing Balloon (slide 7) to help guide breathing, if needed. 

B. Quickwrite or Discuss (2-3 minutes)

Choose one of the following questions for students to reflect on individually or with a partner:

1. If something stressful or uncertain happened (e.g. wildfire, evacuation alert), what role could your phone or digital platforms play for you?
   • Possible student responses: Checking on friends/family, getting updates, feeling connected
2. Agree or disagree? During emergencies, social media is more helpful than harmful.

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C. Gentle content notice and clear lesson roadmap before the video:

“This video discusses how people use digital platforms during emergencies. While watching, you might notice emotions coming up. That’s okay. If at any point you need a break or just want to step back, that’s fine too.

You will not be asked to share personal experiences. You can choose how you participate: listening, writing, drawing, or taking a quiet break if needed.

We’ll watch the video, then do some discussion and activities to practice what we’ve learned. Sharing is always optional.”

Offer grounding reminder

“If you notice your body or mind getting tense while watching, you can try a few slow breaths, stretch, or gently refocus your attention. This is about learning strategies and seeing examples, not about reliving personal experiences.”

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‍Part 2: Action Tasks (55-65 minutes)

Video (43:12)

Slide 6

Share the Video Guide with your students, and briefly review the instructions. Emphasize that the questions are meant to help them notice key ideas, and it’s okay if they don’t catch every answer. Students can use the space on the side for additional notes or thoughts, if they choose.

Supportive Options During Viewing:

• Students may look down, doodle, or take notes.
• Provide a quiet signal students can use if they need a short break

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Activity: Post-Viewing Regulation Pause (3-5 minutes)

Slides 7-8

Included in the slide deck are some strategies for helping with regulation. Share the videos on the slides, and invite your students to try the activities, if they are comfortable doing so.

• Breathing Balloon (Kids Help Phone)
• Coping Skill: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique (1:51)

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Post-Viewing Processing: Debrief/Discussion (5-10 minutes)

Slide 9

After the video, guide a whole-class discussion to review key takeaways. Invite students to share ideas, reflect on strategies, and notice patterns in responses. Emphasize that sharing is optional, and that multiple approaches are valid.

Discussion questions

• How did the video show digital platforms helping during emergencies?
  
  • Possible student responses: getting updates about what’s happening locally, checking in with friends or family, people sharing helpful information or resources, classmates supporting each other online, organizing help or donations, seeing messages that remind people they’re not alone
• How can digital spaces increase stress or worry
  
  • Possible student responses: rumours or misinformation spreading quickly, seeing lots of scary posts or images, constantly checking for updates, people posting in a panicked way, conflicting information, feeling pressure to respond or stay online, not knowing what information to trust
• What does the video suggest about balancing staying informed with protecting your mental health?
  
  • Possible student responses: you don’t need to follow every update, it’s okay to take breaks from news or social media, choosing a few trusted sources for information, noticing when online content is starting to feel overwhelming
• What strategies did the speaker suggest to stay informed but not overwhelmed?
  
  • Possible student responses: setting limits on how often you check news or social media, turning off some notifications, checking updates at certain times instead of constantly, focusing on reliable information, stepping away from upsetting content when needed

Tip: If time is limited, focus on Questions 3 and 4 to highlight strategies for staying informed without becoming overwhelmed.

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Activity: Scenario Practice (10-15 minutes)

Slide 10

Responding to Online Information During Emergencies 

Group Activity: Scenario Practice

Help students practice digital well-being strategies in realistic situations. These scenarios focus on skills and safe responses, not personal experiences.

Instructions:

• Divide students into small groups (2–4 students).
• Give each group one scenario.
• Ask students to discuss the provided prompts.
• Encourage multiple strategies and remind students that there are no “wrong” answers.
• Groups can share one or more ideas with the class. 
  • Optional: Students can write ideas down on the board instead of speaking, if preferred.

Tip: If time is limited, groups can begin the scenario activity in class today and continue or share their responses in the next lesson.

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Part 3: Consolidation (2-3 minutes)

Teacher script: Now that we’ve talked about digital well-being during emergencies and practiced some strategies, let’s take a moment to reflect individually.

Prompt: “One thing that helps people protect their mental health while staying informed during an emergency is…”

You can invite students to submit their answers as an exit ticket, record them in their notebooks, or simply reflect on them quietly.

Remind students (and yourself) of:

• School supports (counsellor, child and youth worker, trusted adults).
• Crisis or community supports as appropriate.

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Extension Activities

Personal Digital Well-Being Plan

Curious to learn more? Take a look at these helpful resources from our friends at MediaSmarts, plus some tools we’ve created too. Pick what interests you and explore at your own pace!

MediaSmarts: Canada's Centre for Digital Media Literacy

Become Aware of Your Own Biases

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Jack.org's Digital Well-Being Activity Series

Digital Well-Being: Digital Snapshot & Intention Check

Digital Well-Being: Pause, Notice, Replace

Digital Well-Being: Digital Spaces That Lift You Up

Alberta

Health and Life Skills  (9)

Specific Outcomes

• R-9.3  Analyze, evaluate and refine personal strategies for managing stress/crises 
• W-9.11  Use personal resiliency skills 
• R-9.1  Identify appropriate strategies to foster positive feelings/attitudes 

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CALM (10-12)

Specific Outcomes

• develop strategies for managing stress; and investigate the benefits and limitations of stress and the negative, stressful and harmful responses to stress

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British Columbia

Physical and Health Education 9

Curricular Competency

• Analyze strategies for promoting mental well-being, for self and others 

Physical and Health Education 10

Curricular Competency

• Evaluate and explain strategies for promoting mental well-being
• Analyze the potential effects of social influences on health

Career-Life Education

Learning Standards: Curricular Competency

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

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Manitoba

Physical Education and Health 20F

Specific Student Learning Outcomes

• K4S2C2. Describe situations that cause personal stress.
• K4S2C3. Examine the physiological and psychological effects of stress related to health and well-being.
• K4S2C4a. Examine the strategies and defence mechanisms that can be healthy or unhealthy ways of managing stress.
• K4S2C1a. Describe the behaviours necessary for providing others with support and promoting emotional health and well-being.
• S4S2A3. Apply communication skills and strategies in case scenarios for getting along with others in a variety of contexts.
• S.4.S2.A.5 Apply stress-management strategies (e.g., mental imagery, relaxation skills, rest habits, focusing...) and communication skills (e.g., listen, comfort, seek help...) for stress reduction for self and/or others in case scenarios related to stressful situations (e.g., family breakdown, violence...).

Active Healthy Lifestyles 30F 

Specific Student Learning Outcome

• 11.MH.1 Identify and apply positive health strategies to deal with issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
• 11.MH.2 Examine media influence(s) on self-image and behaviour.

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New Brunswick

Personal Wellness 9

Big Idea: Positive Mental Health

Achievement Indicators

• Discuss the role of hope in positive mental health

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)
• Discuss how the use or misuse of food, screen time, and substances is personal and looks different for every individual

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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

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Newfoundland and Labrador

Grade 9 Health 

Specific Curriculum Outcome

• Demonstrate positive communication strategies in a variety of social situations.
• Identify healthy ways of coping with stress.
• Reflect upon the effect decisions, choices, actions, and words may have on themselves and others.

Healthy Living 1200 

Specific Curriculum Outcome

• Demonstrate an understanding of stress and its impacts on individuals, relationships and society. (H-GCO4, KSCO1; FS:HD-GCO2, KSCO2)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of communication, negotiation and conflict resolution skills in personal relationships. (H-GCO4, KSCO1; FS:HD-GCO1, KSCO5; PE-GCO2, KSCO5)
• Demonstrate an awareness of the role of emotions on decision making. (H-GCO4, KSCO4; FS:HD-GCO2, KSCO2; PE-GCO6, KSCO3)
• Identify and use strategies to balance work, study and leisure time. (H-GCO4, KSCO2; FS:HD-GCO2, KSCO3)

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Northwest Territories

Health Education 9

Curricular Competency

• Analyze strategies for promoting mental well-being, for self and others
• Explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural factors
• Assess and evaluate strategies for managing problems related to mental well-being and substance use, for others
• Propose strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships
• Create strategies for promoting the health and well-being of the home, school and community
• Propose healthy choices that support lifelong health and well-being

*Based upon NWT Adapted curriculum Implementation Draft, July 2024

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Ontario

Healthy Active Living, PPL2O

Specific Expectations

• C1.1 demonstrate an understanding of factors that enhance mental health and emotional and spiritual well-being [PS, IS]
• C1.2 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

• C2.3 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
• C2.5 identify the skills and resources that they will need to maintain their personal health and well-being as they become more independent (e.g., budgeting and time-management skills, interpersonal skills, cooking and meal-planning skills, recreational and leisure opportunities, access to health care and other supports) [PS, CT]

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Recreation and Healthy Active Living Leadership (PLF4M)

Specific Expectations

• C2.1 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)

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Prince Edward Island

Physical and Health Education 9

Specific Curriculum Outcome

• evaluate the credibility of mental health information from a variety of sources, such as media, social media, and healthcare providers
• demonstrate an understanding of the potential impact of inaccurate or misleading mental health information on personal decision-making and behavior
• practice active listening and empathy to understand and respect the boundaries and preferences of others, while acknowledging and asserting personal boundaries as well 

Wellness PED401A

Indicators

• Investigate the multitude of factors that exert influences on life balance (e.g., relationships, gender, culture, stress, sense of belonging, leisure, traditions, socio-economic factors, physical and mental fitness, technology use).
• Assess one’s motivations, (e.g., appearance, health, ability), and limitations (e.g., time management) that improve and/or impede one’s personal wellness.
• Analyse individual and civic responsibility in nurturing well-being and examine the social factors (including expectations of self and others) that influence personal wellness.
• Examine available supports (both formal and informal) for attaining and maintaining optimal wellness and establish strategies to effectively access these supports.
• Describe, with information from a variety of mental health experts, the factors that contribute to positive mental health (e.g., involvement in extracurricular activities, belonging to a team/group).
• Investigate various personal, environmental, biological, and social influences (e.g., sports competitions, use of cannabis, support networks) on mental health and determine one’s relationship to these influences.
• Examine the benefits (e.g., staying connected to a friend who has moved, enhanced opportunity to engage in social justice or political issues) and the harm (e.g., online bullying, inadequate sleep, scams) that may result from the use of technology, such as social networking, online shopping, and internet gambling.

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Quebec

Physical Education and Health / PED 302, 402

Knowledge and Skills

• Names stressful situations that have an effect on his/her daily life (e.g. winning a competition, writing an exam)
• Names the effects of an excessive use of multimedia technology on his/her psychological or physical state
• Indicates strategies for managing the use of multimedia technology on a daily basis
• Names the repercussions of poor stress management for his/her health and well-being (e.g. anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression)

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Saskatchewan 

Wellness 10

Indicator

• Investigate the multitude of factors that exert influences on life balance (e.g., relationships, gender, culture, stress, sense of belonging, leisure, traditions, socio-economic factors, physical and mental fitness, technology use).
• Assess one’s motivations (e.g., appearance) and limitations (e.g., time management) that improve and/or impede one’s personal wellness.
• Investigate various personal, environmental, biological, and social influences (e.g., sports competitions, use of cannabis, support networks) on mental health and determine one’s relationship to these influences.
• Examine emotional and behavioural patterns of self and others and determine related impact on optimal wellness.
• Examine the benefits (e.g., staying connected to a friend who has moved, enhanced opportunity to engage in social justice or political issues) and the harm (e.g., online bullying, inadequate sleep, scams) that may result from the use of social networking, online shopping, internet gambling, etc.
• Determine how one is influenced by norms, trends, images, and values in various cultures, communities, and groups.

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Yukon

*Yukon schools follow the British Columbia (B.C.) curriculum, with adaptations to include Yukon content and Yukon First Nations’ ways of knowing and doing. (https://yukon.ca/en/school-curriculum)

Physical and Health Education 9

Curricular Competency

• Analyze strategies for promoting mental well-being, for self and others 

Physical and Health Education 10

Curricular Competency

• Evaluate and explain strategies for promoting mental well-being
• Analyze the potential effects of social influences on health

Career-Life Education

Learning Standards: Curricular Competency

Practise effective strategies for healthy school/work/life balance