Free Video Resources to Teach Digital Citizenship

As technology becomes an integral part of students’ lives, teaching digital citizenship is more important than ever. Engaging video resources make complex topics like online safety, cyberbullying, and digital footprints accessible and memorable for students. Here’s a list of completely free video series that you can use to teach digital citizenship in your classroom, complete with episode recommendations, suggested grade levels, and ISTE standards alignment.


1. NetSmartz Kids Videos

Provider: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Website: NetSmartz Kids
Grade Level: K-5
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2b, 2d)

NetSmartz Kids features engaging animated characters like Clicky, Router, and Wizzy, who help children understand online safety, cyberbullying, and personal information protection.

  • “It’s OK to Tell” – Teaches students about recognizing unsafe situations and telling a trusted adult.
  • “The Password Rap” – A fun way for students to learn about creating strong passwords.
  • “Be Safer Online” – Covers basic digital safety principles through animation.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Discuss what personal information is and why it needs to be protected online.
  • After Watching: Have students create their own online safety pledge using classroom posters or anchor charts.

2. Google’s Be Internet Awesome – Interland Animated Shorts

Provider: Google
Website: Be Internet Awesome
Grade Level: 2-6
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2a, 2b, 2c)

Google’s Be Internet Awesome program includes Interland, a gamified learning experience, along with short animated videos that reinforce key digital citizenship skills.

  • “Don’t Fall for Fake” – Helps students recognize scams and phishing attempts.
  • “Secure Your Secrets” – Explains the importance of privacy settings and strong passwords.
  • “It’s Cool to Be Kind” – Teaches online etiquette and how to handle cyberbullying.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Ask students if they have ever seen a suspicious email or message and how they handled it.
  • After Watching: Play Interland together and let students practice their skills in a fun, interactive environment.

3. Common Sense Education – Digital Citizenship Videos

Provider: Common Sense Education
Website: Common Sense Digital Citizenship
Grade Level: K-12
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2a, 2b, 2d), Knowledge Constructor (3b)

Common Sense Education offers a vast collection of age-appropriate digital citizenship videos that cover privacy, cyberbullying, media balance, and online safety.

  • “Pause & Think Online” (K-3) – A catchy song that introduces young learners to good digital habits.
  • “The Power of Words” (Grades 3-5) – Helps students understand the impact of online words.
  • “Who Are You Online?” (Grades 6-8) – Explores online identity and self-presentation.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Have students write down three things they share online and discuss privacy.
  • After Watching: Use Common Sense’s discussion guides to spark conversations about safe and responsible online behavior.

4. SID TV (Safer Internet Day Videos)

Provider: Safer Internet Day
Website: SID TV
Grade Level: K-12
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2a, 2b, 2d)

Every year, Safer Internet Day produces engaging videos to promote digital well-being, media literacy, and online safety.

  • “Together for a Better Internet” – An overview of online safety topics for all ages.
  • “Want to Talk About It?” – Encourages students to discuss their online experiences.
  • “How to Deal with Cyberbullying” – Real-life stories and strategies to handle online harassment.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Ask students what they would do if they experienced or witnessed cyberbullying.
  • After Watching: Role-play different scenarios and brainstorm solutions as a class.

5. ThinkUKnow Cyber Safety Animations (UK CEOP)

Provider: UK’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
Website: ThinkUKnow
Grade Level: K-12
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2a, 2b, 2d), Empowered Learner (1d)

ThinkUKnow provides age-appropriate animated videos with relatable characters to help students navigate online risks.

  • “Jessie & Friends” (Ages 4-7) – Covers personal information and safe internet use.
  • “Play, Like, Share” (Ages 8-10) – A mini-series about staying safe while gaming and using social media.
  • “First to a Million” (Ages 11-14) – Explores social media influence and digital footprints.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Discuss favorite online games or apps and talk about potential risks.
  • After Watching: Have students create a safety guide for a fictional social media app.

6. BBC Own It Video Clips

Provider: BBC
Website: BBC Own It
Grade Level: 4-12
ISTE Standards: Digital Citizen (2a, 2c, 2d), Creative Communicator (6b)

BBC Own It offers short, engaging clips featuring real-life stories and advice on cyberbullying, privacy, and digital habits.

  • “How to Stay Safe on Social Media” – Practical tips for managing privacy settings.
  • “Dealing with Mean Comments” – Strategies for handling negative interactions online.
  • “Is Gaming Taking Over Your Life?” – Discusses digital balance and healthy habits.

Lesson Guide:

  • Before Watching: Have students share one positive and one negative experience they’ve had online.
  • After Watching: Ask students to set a personal goal for balancing screen time.

These free video resources make it easier to teach digital citizenship in an engaging and meaningful way. Whether you need a quick lesson or a full unit, these videos help students develop the skills they need to navigate the digital world safely.

Which video series have you used in your classroom? Let me know in the comments!

If students want to create their own animated digital citizenship videos, here are some excellent tools:

Beginner-Friendly Animation Tools

  1. Powtoon – Great for simple drag-and-drop animation. Students can create engaging explainer videos.
  2. Animaker – Offers pre-made templates, characters, and voiceover features.
  3. Canva for Education – Includes an easy-to-use animation feature to create GIFs and simple videos.

Advanced & Custom Animation Tools

  1. Vyond (formerly GoAnimate) – Powerful for storytelling with animated characters and voiceover.
  2. Scratch – Students can code their own interactive animations and storytelling projects.
  3. Adobe Express (formerly Spark) – Offers easy video creation with animations and voice narration.

Stop-Motion & Hand-Drawn Animation

  1. Stop Motion Studio – Perfect for students who want to create frame-by-frame animations using real objects.

Guide to Creating Student-Made Animated Digital Citizenship Videos

Empowering students to create their own animated digital citizenship videos is a fantastic way to reinforce online safety concepts while building creativity and communication skills. Below is a step-by-step guide to help students plan, design, and produce their own digital citizenship animations.


Step 1: Choose a Digital Citizenship Topic

Before beginning, students should select a topic relevant to digital citizenship. Here are some ideas:

  • Online Privacy – How to protect personal information online.
  • Cyberbullying Prevention – What to do if you experience or witness cyberbullying.
  • Digital Footprint Awareness – Understanding how online actions leave a permanent record.
  • Media Balance & Well-Being – Managing screen time in a healthy way.
  • Password Security – How to create and manage strong passwords.

ISTE Standards Addressed: Digital Citizen (2a, 2b, 2c)


Step 2: Plan the Animation

Students should storyboard their videos to organize ideas and visuals. Storyboards should include:

  • The main message of the video.
  • Key scenes and transitions.
  • A script for voiceovers or text overlays.

Use a storyboarding template (available on tools like Google Slides or Canva) to structure the video effectively.

ISTE Standards Addressed: Creative Communicator (6a, 6b)


Step 3: Select an Animation Tool

Depending on student grade levels and access to technology, different tools may be best suited for their project:

  • Beginner-Friendly Tools:
    • Powtoon (Drag-and-drop animation, best for Grades 3-12)
    • Canva for Education (Simple animated slides, best for Grades 2-12)
    • Animaker (Pre-made templates, best for Grades 4-12)
  • Advanced & Coding-Based Tools:
    • Scratch (Coding-based animation, best for Grades 3-8)
    • Vyond (Custom animations, best for Grades 6-12)
    • Adobe Express (Simple video animations, best for Grades 3-12)

ISTE Standards Addressed: Knowledge Constructor (3b), Computational Thinker (5a)


Step 4: Record Narration & Add Text

For clear communication, students should:

  • Write and practice their scripts before recording.
  • Use voiceover features available in animation tools.
  • Add on-screen text to emphasize key messages.

ISTE Standards Addressed: Creative Communicator (6a, 6d)


Step 5: Edit & Finalize the Video

Students should review and refine their animations by:

  • Checking for clarity and engagement.
  • Ensuring smooth transitions and timing.
  • Watching the video from a viewer’s perspective and making necessary improvements.

ISTE Standards Addressed: Innovative Designer (4a, 4c)


Step 6: Share & Reflect

Encourage students to:

  • Present their videos to the class or school community.
  • Reflect on the process and lessons learned.
  • Post their videos on a private class website or learning management system (if appropriate).

ISTE Standards Addressed: Global Collaborator (7a, 7c)


By allowing students to create their own digital citizenship videos, they take ownership of their learning and develop skills that will serve them both online and offline. What digital citizenship topic would your students love to create a video about? Let me know in the comments!

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