Build a Fort with Cybersecurity Measures STEM Challenge
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Description
Challenge your students with a cybersecurity STEM building challenge that will help them show what they know about staying protected online against malware, phishing, and data breaches. In this challenge, students incorporate cybersecurity measures like a password-protected entrance, alarm system, and encryption in an abstract way while building a fort out of LEGOS or other building materials.
Objective: The objective of this activity is to teach students about digital citizenship and cybersecurity by engaging them in building a model of a secure online fort using cybersecurity vocabulary.
Materials needed:
Legos, Blocks, or other building materials
Printouts of cybersecurity vocabulary
Pencils
Instructions:
Introduction (15 minutes):
1. Start by discussing digital citizenship in terms of the responsible use of technology, online safety, privacy, and ethical behavior.
2. Explain the significance of cybersecurity and how it relates to digital citizenship. Highlight the importance of protecting personal information, using strong passwords, and being aware of online threats.
3. Introduce the vocabulary words that students may use as they create their online forts: cybersecurity, encryption, firewall, password, two-factor authentication, and personally identifiable information.
Brainstorming (10 minutes):
1. Divide the students into small groups or pairs. Pass out the brainstorming page to each group.
2. Have students review the vocabulary together and brainstorm different ways they can protect their online fort (personal information) from potential cyber threats, such as malware, phishing, or a data breach. Encourage the 4 C’s as they work - collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.
Building the Online Fort (30 minutes):
1. Instruct the students to use their building materials to create their fort.
2. Distribute a vocabulary page to each group so they can label the parts of their fort as they build.
3. Encourage students to incorporate the different cybersecurity measures into their fort. For example, they can create a password-protected entrance, design an alarm system to detect unauthorized access, or implement encryption techniques to secure their data.
Presentation and Reflection (20 minutes):
1. Allow each group to present their online fort and explain the cybersecurity measures they have implemented.
2. Facilitate a class discussion to reflect on the different approaches and techniques used. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each design, emphasizing the importance of multiple layers of security.
3. Ask the students to reflect on what they've learned about cybersecurity throughout the activity.
This activity combines a hands-on building activity with an exploration of digital citizenship and cybersecurity principles. It promotes critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity while equipping students with essential knowledge and skills to navigate the digital world responsibly.
Product Terms:
Copyright © Brittany Washburn 2023.
Downloading this file entitles you to ONE classroom use. You may use this with multiple classes but may not share with any other teachers. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this file are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. If multiple licenses are needed for use my more than one teacher or in more than one computer lab, send them here to download the file.
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