CYBER A.C.E.S.

Communication | Who Are You Talking To?

 AGE BAND 5–7
CREATING THE NEXT-GENERATION OF CYBER A.C.E.S.

Lesson 3: Communication | Who Are You Talking To?

Created for children ages 5–7

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe protecting our digital way of life is a privilege, and with that privilege, we
strive to educate the world on all aspects of cybersecurity.

That’s why we’ve created the Cyber A.C.E.S. (Activities in Cybersecurity Education for Students) Program. Our
goal is to demystify cybersecurity through interactive learning and equip youth ages 5–16 with resources to
have safer online experiences, become good digital citizens, and maybe even pursue careers in cybersecurity.

By participating in Cyber A.C.E.S., students will learn cybersecurity basics like how and why they should
physically secure their technology, whom they’re talking to online, and the permanence of information on
the internet.
Each tailored lesson offers instructors, facilitators, and parents:

• Introductions: Explanations of the topics and suitable development level

• Vocabulary lists: Quick reference guides for the facilitator
• Activity instructions: Materials lists, sample scripts, and more
• Pro tips: Notes for facilitators to accompany activity instructions
• Extension activities: Follow-up activities for facilitators to use during meetings if time allows

Thank you for taking the time to help our youth understand the value of protecting their digital future—
a future where every day is safer and more secure than the one before.

Sincerely,
Palo Alto Networks

For more information, visit: paloaltonetworks.com/CyberACES

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 AGE BAND 5–7
INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE
Lesson 3: Communication | Who Are You Talking To?
Devices can easily connect people all around the world. Children cannot be
sure who they’re talking to online. It’s important for children to understand
the types of information that are acceptable to share and types of information
that can make them personally identifiable. We also know that non-identifiable
information can sometimes be compiled to become identifiable information.
In this lesson, children will learn the importance of keeping their identities secure and private when they’re
online. They will make a mask to demonstrate how people can hide their identities online. They will play a
game to figure out what kinds of information are unique and identifying to them. Finally, they will apply what
they have learned by classifying different types of information as “okay to share” or “not okay to share” online.
As with other Cyber A.C.E.S. lessons, this lesson refers to the Cyber A.C.E.S. Online Safety Rules, which are:

1. Ask a parent before using a device or connecting to a website.

2. Keep your passwords and personal information secure and private.

3. Tell a trusted adult if you see anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Tips for reaching the 5–7 age group:

● Children ages 5–7 will have vastly different exposure levels to digital devices. Most do not have their own
devices, but have access at school or through their parents.
● Children in this age group are in various stages of literacy development. Some may still be learning to
­recognize their letters while others may already be able to read books independently. None of the activi-
ties in this lesson require children to be able to read on their own; however, be aware that it is especially
important that you explain how the games work, since they may not be able to read the instructions.
● Children in this age group are concrete thinkers, which means that they tend to think about specific
objects and experiences in the present, but they may have trouble generalizing or understanding abstract
concepts. They are learning how to solve problems creatively and to think logically. However, they still
need structured directions from adults.

VOCABULARY
□ Email: A message sent to a specific email address
□ Instant messaging/text chat: A type of online chat that offers real-time transmission of messages,
images, and files
□ Network: A group or system of interconnected people or devices
□ Online: Connected to another computer or to a network
□ Personally identifiable information: Details about you that can tell someone who you are
□ Private: Belonging to you and not usually meant to be shared
□ Social media: Websites and applications where people can post thoughts, opinions, or images
(e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat)
□ Texting: Sending messages or images from one mobile phone, or other mobile device, to another
□ Video calls: A call where participants can see one another, (e.g., FaceTime, WhatsApp)
□ Voice chat: An audio function via the internet, present in many online games

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 AGE B AN D 5 –7
MATERIALS
ICON KEY
Activity 1: Make a Mask
▪▪ Handout: Mask Template (one copy per student; cut these out ahead of Activities

time or let the children cut them out)

▪▪ Crayons, markers, or colored pencils Instructor-led
training
▪▪ Glue
▪▪ (Optional) Various decorative materials, like feathers, beads, stickers, con- Training debrief
struction paper, etc.
▪▪ (Optional) Hole-puncher, scissors, yarn

Activity 2: Guess Who?

▪▪ No materials needed

Activity 3: Sharing Online

▪▪ Whiteboard, chalkboard, or large poster
▪▪ Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
▪▪ Handout 2: Anchor Chart Activity Cards

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 AGE B AN D 5 –7
LESSON WALKTHROUGH
To initiate this lesson, the facilitator can begin by saying:

▪▪ Welcome back to the training program for the Cyber A.C.E.S. team! The goal of Cyber A.C.E.S. is to make
sure everyone is safe and secure as they get involved with the world of technology all around us.
▪▪ Do you want to be a part of the Cyber A.C.E.S. team? (Students: Yes!)
▪▪ [If applicable] So far, you’ve learned how to keep devices safe and how devices are connected to each other.
▪▪ Today, you’ll be learning about how to stay safe when you’re talking online.

ACTIVITY 1: MAKE A MASK

Introduction
▪▪ Why might someone decide to wear a mask? (Children might say, “to hide who they are”, “to pretend to
be someone or something different”, etc.)
▪▪ Some people wear masks to protect their faces when they play sports. Some people wear masks as part
of a costume. You can even wear a mask as a disguise.
▪▪ Imagine you want to pretend to be someone—or something—else. Could you design a mask to use as part
of your disguise?

Pass Out Masks

Give the children 10–15 minutes to decorate their masks
with whatever decorative materials you’ve ­provided. Then, Extension Activity
assemble the masks by punching a hole on each side of the Activity 1: Create an Avatar
mask and tying a piece of yarn through each side, so the
children can wear their masks. Let the children create online avatars.
Here is one option:
Once children are wearing their masks, allow them to share
their disguises with the group. Have them introduce them- https://spiderman.marvelhq.com/
selves as their character if applicable, and tell the others games/create-your-own-web-warrior
something about the mask they made. For example, if a
child made a giraffe mask, the child might say, “I’m a giraffe. I like to eat leaves from trees!”

Activity Debrief
▪▪ How difficult would it be for you to guess who’s hiding behind each mask? (Children will probably say: “easy!”)
▪▪ (Note) You may want to demonstrate by picking one child and saying, “Do you think this is really [whatev-
er their mask is]? Who do you think this is? How do you know?”
▪▪ How can you tell? (Children might say: “I can see his/her clothes and hair,” “He/she is my friend, so I know
what he/she looks like.”)
▪▪ What does it mean to be online? (To be connected to other devices through the internet.)
▪▪ When you talk to someone online, you can’t always see who they are in real life, and the same goes for
them. It is as if you are both wearing masks.
▪▪ For example, an adult could pretend to be a kid, a boy could pretend to be a girl, and so on. It’s difficult to
know for sure that someone is who they say they are.
▪▪ That’s why it’s so important for the Cyber A.C.E.S. to be safe online! Cyber A.C.E.S. always keep their
identities secure and private.

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 AGE B AN D 5 –7
ACTIVITY 2: GUESS WHO?
ROUND 1
▪▪ Have the children sit in a circle.
▪▪ Once the children are sitting, issue a series of prompts, and ask them to sit back down between prompts.
▫▫ Stand up if you like apples.
▫▫ Stand up if you like the color blue.
▫▫ Stand up if your name is [name of one child in the circle].
▫▫ Stand up if you have a brother.
▫▫ Stand up if you have a sister.
▫▫ Stand up if your birthday is in January.
▫▫ Stand up if you are wearing a [choose a color] shirt.
▫▫ Stand up if you like to read.
▫▫ Stand up if your name is [name of another child].
▫▫ Stand up if you like [choose a popular TV show].
▫▫ Stand up if you go to [school name].
▫▫ Stand up if you have a pet dog.

INSTRUCTOR TIP

Pause Between Statements

Give the children the chance to see who is standing after each prompt. Feel free to ­customize the
­statements or add others to suit your group. Try to blend general, non-­identifiable information (e.g., likes/
dislikes, pets) with personally identifiable information (e.g., name, birthday, address, name of school).

Activity Debrief
▪▪ When did a lot of people stand up? What do they have in common?
▪▪ When did just a few people stand up?
▪▪ What kind of information makes you unique? Are there any questions that ONLY you could stand up for?
▪▪ Information that can help someone figure out who you are is called personally identifiable information.
This information is private, which means it belongs to you and should not be shared.
▪▪ What kind of information could you share with someone online and still keep your identity private?
▪▪ If you shared that you like apples, could someone figure out who you are? (Not necessarily.) Then that
would be safe to share!
▪▪ What about if you share your name? (Yes!) Then someone could figure out who you are, so it would not
be safe to share!

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 AGE B AN D 5 –7
ROUND 2
Play the “Guess Who” game one more time. This time, after each statement, ask children to “remain standing
if ….” Continue until only one child is standing. Then say:

One piece of information by itself doesn’t always identify someone, but sometimes we can put several pieces
of information together to figure out who someone is.

Remember!
Cyber A.C.E.S. try to protect their identities online. We have to be careful about what kinds of information—
and how much information—we share online!

ACTIVITY 3: SHARING ONLINE

Anchor Chart
On the whiteboard or poster paper, draw an anchor chart, as shown below:

Personally Identifiable Information

We just talked about how our information can be
used to figure out who we are. This is called person-
ally identifying information, or PII. You should never
share this kind of information online.

Now, let’s try to figure out the difference between

information that’s okay to share online and informa-
tion that isn’t.

Activity Cards
Pass out the Anchor Chart activity cards (Handout 2).

Each card has a picture on it to help the children re-

member the concept. You may need to help children
read their cards and/or explain the concepts.

Let the children take turns sharing their cards with

the class.

Next, ask the children to decide whether what’s on their cards is Okay to Share Online or Not Okay to Share
Online. Help them tape their cards to the appropriate side of the Anchor Chart. Give them the chance to
explain why they chose their answers.

INSTRUCTOR TIP

Online = Don’t Know

Point out that, since everyone online is “wearing a mask,” they all fall into the “Don’t Know” ­category,
which is why it is not okay to share any personally identifiable information with them.

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 AGE B AN D 5 –7
Answers
▪▪ It’s okay to share information about items or traits that Extension Activity
don’t belong to just you: foods you like, your favorite
Activity 3: Circles of Trust
color, favorite ­activity, pets, etc.
Have children draw pictures of
(Note: If a child puts one of these cards into the wrong
people in their lives (e.g., parents,
category, you may want to say, “You can choose not to
siblings, friends, teachers, doctors,
share this information with anyone online, but it is safe
grandparents, mail carriers, etc.) on
to if you decide you want to.”)
sticky notes. Ask them to catego-
▪▪ It’s not okay to share items that identify you, such as rize each person as someone they
your name, passwords, telephone number, birthday, “Know,” “Somewhat Know,” or
address, where you are right now, parents’ names, or “Don’t Know.” Then, ask them to
school name. decide what kinds of information
(Note: If a child puts one of these cards into the wrong would be okay to share with that
category, take a moment to explain why this type of person and why, and put the sticky
information could be unsafe to share online, then invite note on the anchor chart next to
the child to move it to the correct column.) that information.

LESSON REFLECTION
Let’s put your cyber skills to the test! Think about a conversation you might have, either online or in person.
What might you do if:

▪▪ Someone online asks where you live? (Don’t tell them—but tell an adult about it.)
▪▪ Someone online asks if you go to the same school they do? (Don’t tell them! You could change the sub-
ject, tell them it’s unsafe to share that information online, or stop talking to them altogether! Remember
to always tell an adult when someone starts asking for this kind of information.)
▪▪ Someone online asks when your birthday is? (Don’t tell them!)
▪▪ Someone online says they’re your friend, so it’s okay to tell them? (Remember, you can never be sure who
someone is online, so private information is never okay to share online.)
Why is it important to keep this information private? (To keep strangers from being able to figure out who you are.)

Remember, whenever you’re online, it’s like you’re wearing a mask! You get to protect your identity, and you
are in control of what information you give out—but it’s important to remember that everyone else is wearing
a mask, too. Just because someone says they’re a 10-year-old girl, that doesn’t mean they actually are—that
might be the mask they’re wearing, instead.

What kind of information is safe to share online? (Give everyone a chance to share one fact about themselves
that would be safe to share online.)

Congratulations! You’ve completed the Communication lesson in the Cyber A.C.E.S. training program!

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Name Date

AGE B AN D 5 –7
Activity 1
Handout

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Name Date

AGE B AN D 5 –7
Activity 3
Handout

People Address

Telephone Parents’
Number Names

Favorite School
Color Name

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Name Date

AGE B AN D 5 –7
Activity 3
Handout

Birthday Foods You Like

Pets Password

Where You Are Your Favorite

Right Now Activity

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