Y05W21PA - How to Stay Safe Online

This week you wrote a safety guide for younger students. Now you'll read another student's guide and decide how strong it is. Looking at their work helps you spot moves you can use yourself.

Part 1

The Assessor Scorecard for

Informative – Guide

Markers look for guides that make safety clear and useful. Check each strand below to see what strong work looks like.

Ideas & Content

Tips picked because they really help kids stay safe. Facts that answer what Year 3 readers need to know. Clear explanations, not just lists of rules. No extra info that doesn't help the reader.

  • Relevant selection: tips and facts picked because they help readers stay safe.

Structure & Cohesion

Safety points grouped by topic — passwords, links, sharing. Clear order so readers know what comes first. Headings or numbered steps to guide the reader. No jumping between points without warning.

  • Logical sequence: tips grouped and ordered so readers can follow them easily.

Audience & Purpose

Writing aimed at Year 3, not adults or experts. The right level — easy enough but not babyish. Ideas matched to what younger kids already know. Real reasons younger readers should care.

  • Audience-matched pitch: writing pitched right for younger readers new to the topic.

Language Choices

Plain words a Year 3 student can follow. Tricky terms like "phishing" explained simply. Short, clear sentences instead of long ones. No big words used just to sound smart.

  • Plain clarity: plain words that make tricky ideas easy without dumbing down.

Conventions

Headings and numbers used to guide each step. Correct spelling and punctuation that help, not confuse. Clean layout so each tip stands clear.

  • Guiding conventions: spelling, punctuation and layout that help readers follow each point.

Part 2

Today’s Marking Targets

Task in one sentence

Write a safety guide for Year 3 students explaining how to stay safe online.

You are writing a safety guide specifically for Year 3 students who are about to use school laptops for the first time. Your guide should include practical advice they can actually follow. Each piece of advice should be explained—why it matters and what could go wrong if they don't follow it.

Let’s Focus

Two strands matter most this week: Structure & Cohesion and Audience & Purpose. How you order the safety points helps younger students follow and remember. How well you match Year 3 readers shapes how you explain each idea.

Structure & Cohesion

Structure helps younger readers follow. Group safety points that link together. Order them clearly — try "What to do" before "Why it matters." Use linking words so each tip connects to the next.

What markers scan for

  • Group related safety tips together — don't scatter them.
  • Order tips so the most important come first.
  • Try "What to do" first, then "Why it matters."
  • Use linking words to connect each tip.

Score Bands

  • Basic

    Tips are there but feel scattered, with weak links between them.

  • Strong

    Tips are grouped well, with clear order and linking words.

  • Excellent

    Tips are grouped sharply, with strong order and thoughtful linking throughout.

Audience & Purpose

Year 3 readers need plain words and clear examples. Skip big terms like "phishing" unless you explain them. Match the level — not too hard, not babyish. Speak straight to what younger kids might worry about online.

What markers scan for

  • Use plain words a Year 3 student can follow.
  • Explain tricky terms like "phishing" in simple ways.
  • Match the level — not too hard, not babyish.
  • Speak to worries younger kids might have online.

Score Bands

  • Basic

    Tone misses Year 3 readers and uses words too hard for them.

  • Strong

    Tone matches Year 3 readers, with words pitched at their level.

  • Excellent

    Tone fits Year 3 readers throughout, with words and ideas pitched perfectly.

Now read · Student sample

How to Stay Safe Online

Year 5 sample · ~150 words

Student sample for assessment

Written by a Year 5 student in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Guide to Staying Safe Online for Year 3 Students

1. Passwords are critical security layers that prevent unauthorized access to your digital accounts. Never divulge your authentication credentials to peers or unverified individuals. Create complex passwords utilising uppercase letters, numerals and special characters.

2. When navigating the internet, be cognisant of potential malicious entities attempting phishing attacks or data exfiltration. Refrain from clicking hyperlinks originating from suspicious sources as they may contain malware or ransomware that compromises your device's integrity.

3. Personal information including your residential address, contact numbers and school name must never be transmitted via digital platforms. Cybercriminals exploit such data for identity theft and physical threat purposes.

4. Video conferencing platforms can expose you to predatory behaviour from individuals masquerading as age-appropriate peers. Always verify the identity of contacts before engaging in video communication.

5. Screen time should be stringently limited due to the addictive algorithms employed by tech companies. Prolonged exposure correlates with anxiety disorders and sleep disruption pathology.

This guide ensures your protection from the numerous threats lurking in digital spaces. Parental oversight and technological literacy are essential for your safety.