How to Bulk Up Your Passwords!

This activity is a great introduction to a lesson on internet safety and the importance of creating strong passwords.

Materials:

• Notecards
• Writing utensils

Preparation:

For this activity, you will write down examples of good and bad passwords on notecards. You’ll want to have enough notecards so that each student in your class has one.

For examples of bad passwords, write phrases like “your birthday” or “your pet’s name” — ideas that students should never include in a password.

To come up with good password examples, write random phrases such as “greentreeswithleaves” or fully random combinations like “Auh89Dnl!”

In Class:

Start your class by asking students to raise their hand if they think they use strong passwords for online accounts such as email and social media. This will give them something to think about as you pass out the note cards face down.

Once all students have been given a notecard, instruct them to flip over the cards and decide whether what is written would make up a good or bad password.

Go around the class and have some students share what is written and then if they think it is a good or bad password. Then ask them why they believe that.

With that simple question, your students will start to share their own knowledge about creating strong passwords, which might surprise you!

After you’ve had 10 or so students share, ask the class again if they think they use strong passwords.

At this point, students who raised their hand before may not raise them this time. If this occurs, encourage those students to think of a new password and change their accounts once they get home.

Overall, this activity is a great way to give your students actionable knowledge they can use right away to protect themselves online!