They're Listening

This lesson is going to be about discussing internet safety, and how simple home items may be listening.

Last updated April 21, 2026

National Standards Alignment

ccss ela SL.9-10
csta 3A-CS-01 3A-CS-02 3A-CS-03 3A-IC-24 3A-IC-25 3A-IC-26 3A-IC-29 3A-NI-04
iste ISTE-1d ISTE-5a ISTE-5c ISTE-6c ISTE-6d ISTE-7a

OVERVIEW

Activity Overview:

This lesson is going to be about discussing internet safety, and how simple home items may be listening.

Meta description

  • Grade Level : 9-12
  • Subject Area: Reading/Language Arts
  • Cybersecurity Concept:
    • Defense in Depth, Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Think Like an Adversary
  • Computer Science Domains:
    • Computing Systems, Networks and The Internet, Impacts of Computing
  • Computer Science Principles:
    • Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture, Collaborating Around Computing, Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, Communicating About Computing
  • Materials:
    • Website
  • Considerations:
    • Keep it fun

Lesson Plan

Overview

This lesson is going to be about discussing internet safety, and how simple home items may be listening.

PRE/POST-TEST

Why is it important to keep your personal information personal?

OBJECTIVES

Security

CATCH/HOOK

Are you ever alone? Why does it feel like my phone or devices at home know everything about me?

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Students will answer the following question: Freewrite for five minutes about how you think an Alexa works.

Discussion:

Students will discuss their bellwork responses as a class.

The instructor will provide background information regarding the story Shhh, Amazon’s “Alexa” could be listening to our conversation

REVIEW

It will end with student annotating the article.

STANDARDS

ELA.11.R.2.1 Evaluate the structure(s) and features in text ELA.11.R.3.4 Evaluate an author’s use of rhetoric in text. FL

NA