Classroom ideas:
- Before watching the video, ask the children what ‘influencers’ are.
- Key discussion questions:
- What does ‘influence’ mean?
- What makes someone an influencer?
- Should posts by influencers be taken seriously? Why/Why not?
Watch the video, followed by a class discussion.
Discussion topics:
Reinforce the idea that influencers are paid by companies to endorse their products because they can reach a large audience and consumers are more likely to trust them.
Authentic photos – most photos we see posted online are posted because people want you to see them. There are many more photos not posted because they don’t portray what the person wants them to.
Online safety – everyone should have the relevant safety measures set on their accounts (set to private for example) and people need to think before they post pictures which reveal locations and interests.
Main activity ideas:
Influencers option A
Children to write a pros and cons list for influencers. This could lead to a class discussion, or you could set up a debate in which the children debate the topic ‘Influencers are useful to our society’.
Influences option B
Children to create their own ‘golden rules’ for influences or use the golden rules from the video to create a poster detailing what an influencer ‘should’ be in an ideal world.
Authentic posts option A
Children to draw and label two different ‘posts’: one authentic and one not.
Provide children with a template for a social media post. Children can label their posts as ‘straight up’ or ‘sneaky’.
Authentic posts option B
Children to write a letter to a younger child, explaining to them how to spot an ‘authentic’ post. Optional extra: children could be invited into another classroom during internet safety week to read out their letters and to answer questions about how to spot authentic posts online and why it’s important to not believe everything you see online.
Learning Objectives:
To explain what it means to be authentic online.
Success Criteria:
I can recognise authentic posts online.
I can discuss the job of an influencer.
I can explain the differences between an authentic and non-authentic post.
I can reflect on posts I have seen before and analyse their intentions.
