Teaching digital citizenship: Samaritans on the Digital Road
In our new digital age, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to teach our students how to apply the core beliefs and values we instill in them in an online world. Samaritans on the Digital Road is an Ottawa Catholic School Board resource to teach our students about digital citizenship and how to positively engage with others online. It uses Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) as an outline to explore the different challenges that children face at each grade level.
Lessons for all ages
Each grade level, from Kindergarten to Grade 12, has its own specific lesson plan tailored to the specific challenges faced by students of that age. Homeroom teachers are responsible for being familiar with their Grade’s 5-lesson plan, and guiding their students as they begin their learning journey.
Focusing on the parable
Each year, students focus on a different verse from the parable of the Good Samaritan. These verses act as a guide for the lessons and values we can learn from this parable that we can then apply to our online selves.
The verses are:
JK/SK: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Grade 1: “He went to him and bandaged his wounds.”
Grade 2: “And who is your neighbour?”
Grade 3: “Love your neighbour.”
Grade 4: “Go and do likewise.”
Grade 5: “He wanted to justify himself.”
Grade 6: “The one who has mercy on him.”
Grade 7: “The man who fell into the hands of robbers.”
Grade 8: “When he was attacked by robbers.”
Grade 9: “And he passed by on the other side.”
Grade 10: “Do this and you will live.”
Grade 11: What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Grade 12: Entire parable.
Preparing students for the digital age
The lessons contained in these courses teach students how to engage with others online in a positive and constructive way. They learn how to protect themselves and others by being peacemakers in digital spaces. Students finish the lessons with an intimate understanding of how to navigate the online world with the values of Catholic education.
Digital citizenship
Featured video
The parable of the Good Samaritan
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
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