BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
Teacher Resources Overview
This resource is developed by the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (“FIPA”). It is designed to provide information and classroom resources for K-12 teachers regarding privacy, access to information, and technological safety. Resources are delineated primarily by resource type and secondarily by province, and age groupings have been identified to ensure materials are appropriate at each grade level.
As schools across Canada cluster grades in various ways, resources have been grouped according to those most recognized at a national level, such as: Kindergarten/Primary; Elementary (Grades 1-6); Junior High (Grades 7-9); and Senior High (Grades 10-12).
Additional resources are included to assist educators with the creation of their own lesson plans and activities, and as such, these may not include specific grade ranges. Moreover, as Quebec utilizes a unique system for its education, those distinctions have been identified throughout.
Lesson Plans and Activities
Kindergarten/Primary
At this time, there are no known resources dedicated to a Kindergarten audience.
Elementary Schools (Grades 1-6)
Federal Resources
Social Smarts: Nothing Personal!
- Grades 3-6
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Graphic novel to help young Canadians, aged 8-10, better understand and navigate privacy issues in the online world
Manitoba
New Activity Guide and Lesson Plans
- Grade 6
- Source: Manitoba Ombudsman
Ontario
- Source: Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
- Student handouts and lesson plans that teach students about why privacy is important and how to protect their privacy online.
Quebec
- Primary Cycle 3, Grades 5-6
- Source: Gouvernement du Québec
- Students learn the ground rules influencers must follow if they publish sponsored posts on social media.
Yukon
Junior High Schools (Grades 7-9)
Federal Resources
Social Smarts: Privacy, the Internet and You
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Graphic novel for tweens and teens about privacy issues related to social networking, mobile devices, texting and online gaming
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Includes lessons on privacy, putting information online, and information gathered by apps and websites
British Columbia
Learning About Privacy and Data Collection Online
- Grades 8-9
- Source: BC Teachers’ Federation
- Discusses privacy in relation to smartphone use and how digital information collection influences online habits
Ontario
- Source: Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
- Student handouts and lesson plans that teach students about why privacy is important and how to protect their privacy online.
Quebec
- Secondary Cycle 2, Grade 8
- Source: Gouvernement du Québec
- Students learn the ground rules influencers must follow if they publish sponsored posts on social media.
- Secondary Cycle 2, Grade 8
- Source: Gouvernement du Québec
- Students are asked to analyze a fictitious circular to identify problematic or prohibited business practices.
Third-Party Resources
Digital Citizenship Lesson Plans
- Source: Common Sense Education
Senior High Schools (Grade 10-12)
Federal Resources
- Junior High and Senior High, Grades 9-12
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Teaches students what personal information may have been collected about them, how to limit this data collection, and forms of recourse if their privacy rights are not being respected.
British Columbia
Digital Privacy Rights for Youth
- Source: BC Civil Liberties Association
- Provides lesson plans and relevant materials and videos for understanding youth digital privacy rights in British Columbia
Manitoba
New Activity Guide and Lesson Plans – Manitoba Ombudsman
- Grades 9-12
- Source: Manitoba Ombudsman
- Source: Tech Manitoba
- Contains lesson plans and workbooks for e-mail, social media, and privacy
Ontario
Digital Privacy Rights for Youth
- Source: BC Civil Liberties Association
- Provides lesson plans and relevant materials and videos for understanding youth digital privacy rights in Ontario
Third-Party Resources
- Source: Ellii
Two teens in Quebec used a cell phone to secretly film a teacher yelling in class. They posted the video on YouTube. Students debate whether or not cell phones should be allowed in class
- Source: Ellii
- In this lesson, students read about personal voice assistants, such as Siri, Cortana, and Alexa. They learn about how AI agents are becoming part of society. Student review related vocabulary and discuss the impacts of this technology
Classroom Materials
Printable Privacy Education Poster
- Elementary, Grades 4-6
- Source: BC Civil Liberties Association
- Poster offering tips for protecting personal information while online; educators can request copies for their libraries/classrooms by e-mailing at jeunes-youth@priv.gc.ca
5 Tips to Protect Your Privacy Online Poster
- (Elementary, Grades 4-6)
- Source: Yukon Ombudsman, Information Privacy Commissioner & Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner
Privacy PowerPoint Presentation Packages
- (Grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12)
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- A series of presentation packages to help educators discuss privacy awareness with their students
- (Senior High, Grades 9-12)
- Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
A list of topics that teens have identified as areas in which they would like to receive more information
- (Junior High and Senior High, Grades 7-12)
- Source: Ontario Ombudsman
- Includes posters and brochures in multiple languages related to the Ombudsman’s responsibilities in Ontario
Videos and Podcasts
YouTube Videos
- Junior High, Grades 7-9
- Source: Office of the Ombudsman (Nova Scotia)
Online Privacy for Kids in Canada and Why It Lags Behind Other Places
- Senior High, Grades 9-12
- Source: CBC Kids News
- Elementary or Junior High, in line with grades recommended for Privacy Pursuit! Lesson Plan
- Source: Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Online Privacy for Kids – Internet Safety and Security for Kids – Smile and Learn
- Elementary or Junior High
- Source: Smile and Learn
- Elementary
- Source: Saprea
How to stay safe when online gaming – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Podcasts
Making It Fair Podcast – Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman
- Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman
Duty to Discuss Podcast – Newfoundland and Labrador OIPC
- Newfoundland and Labrador OIPC
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
External Sources Reviewed
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta
- Alberta Ombudsman
- Office of the Auditor General of Alberta
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
- British Columbia Ombudsperson
- Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia
- Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
- Office of the Auditor General of Canada
- Manitoba Ombudsman, Access and Privacy Division
- Office of the Auditor General of Manitoba
- Office of the Ombud for New Brunswick, Access to Information and Privacy Division
- Auditor General of New Brunswick
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Office of the Citizens’ Representative
- Office of the Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
- Office of the Northwest Territories Ombud
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Nova Scotia Office of the Ombudsman
- Office of the Auditor General of Nova Scotia
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
- Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
- Office of the Auditor General of Ontario
- Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Ombudsperson and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner
- Office of the Auditor General of Prince Edward Island
- Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec
- Québec Ombudsman
- Auditor General of Québec
- Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner
- Ombudsman and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner
- Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan
- Ombudsman, Information and Privacy Commissioner and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner
- IAPP
- BC Teachers’ Federation
- BC Civil Liberties Association
- Tech Manitoba
- Ellii
- Goodreads
- Common Sense Education
- Canadian Civil Liberties Education Trust
- CBC Kids News
- Smile and Learn
- Saprea
These pages were last updated and reviewed in May of 2023.
The information is non-partisan, dynamic, and ever changing. It is the result of FIPA’s research and public education programs.
We value your input and suggestions for improving this resource for educators. If you note something that needs to be added, corrected, or removed, please contact us by email: fipa AT fipa.bc.ca.
