What Students Need to Know about Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy - Lesson

Lesson Plan

Level: Grades 5 and 10

Overview

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has created three guides for teachers that help increase the understanding of open government and personal privacy. What Students Need to Know About Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy has been created to provide an opportunity for teachers and their students to discuss why access to government-held information and personal privacy are important public values and how these values are reflected in our relationships with governments.

Both guides are in PDF format, a file format for documents that can be viewed on almost any computer platform, while leaving the original formatting intact. You need PDF Viewer or Acrobat Reader on your computer to read, download or print a PDF file. PDF Viewer, which is usually comes as a plugin with your Web browser software, allows you to view a PDF document within your browser window. Acrobat Reader allows you to view a PDF document in a separate window. It can be downloaded free from the Adobe Web site.

Grade 5 Program (PDF)

The Grade 5 guide contains the following sections:

• Teacher's notes (provides key background information for teachers)
• Activity 1: Introducing the Concepts
• Activity 2: Privacy Alert
• Activity 3: Thinking About Individual Rights
• Activity 4: A Day in the Life of a Student

For further information on these lessons and information on Ontario legislation covering the release of students' personal information visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario Web site at: http://www.ipc.on.ca.

Grade 10 Program (PDF)

The Grade 10 guide contains the following sections:

• Resource Overview (explains the intended course and grade and essential skills addressed)
• Activity Overviews (summaries of each activity in the unit)
• Curriculum Expectations (explains how the unit meets the curricular requirements for the Grade 10 Civics course in Ontario)
• Activity: Freedom of Information Matters (students learn to identify and explain the role of freedom of information laws and demonstrate how they reflect the value of open government to ensure government accountability)
• Activity: Privacy Matters (students become aware of the risks involved in giving out one’s personal information)
• Activity: Online Privacy, Why Does It Matter? (students become aware of the potential privacy implications of posting personal information online, and especially on social networking sites)
• Culminating Activity: Get Active! Get Writing! (students write a letter to the editor in order to raise the school community’s awareness about freedom of information laws and the importance of privacy protection)

For further information on these lessons and information on Ontario legislation covering the release of students' personal information visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario Web site at: http://www.ipc.on.ca.

Grade 11-12 Program (PDF)

The Grade 11-12 guide contains the following sections:

• Resource Overview (explains the intended course and grade and essential skills addressed)
• Activity Overviews (summaries of each activity in the unit)
• Curriculum Expectations (explains how the unit meets the curricular requirements of Grade 11 and 12 courses in Ontario)
• Activity: Introduction to the IPC, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (students learn about the purpose and role of the IPC and the legislation that pertains to individuals’ right of access to government-held information and the protection of privacy)
• Activity: Personal Information and Privacy Matters (students learn about the various types of invasion of privacy and understand what to do in a situation where their personal information has been compromised)
• Activity: Using the Web: Internet Privacy (students learn to identify areas of risk that pose a threat to Web users)
• Activity: Open Government and Freedom of Information Matters (students learn about freedom of information legislation and its connection to the principles of a democracy, and apply some of the features inherent in a democracy – active citizenship and participation)

For further information on these lessons and information on Ontario legislation covering the release of students' personal information visit the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario Web site at: http://www.ipc.on.ca.

Source: Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario

Lesson Kit: