Unit 1, Day 2: Scam Texts and Phishing
Lesson 2 of 6 in Unit 1, Spot It, Lock It, Recover
- School-year day
- Day 2 of 180
- Time
- 20-minute core + 30-minute extension (50 minutes in all)
Teacher Talk with MystrS. Checked October 27, 2026 (Pacific time). Tags: Cyber.
Existing lessons: /cyber/scam-text-signs/, /teach-it-this-week/scam-text-signs/, /cyber/government-impersonator-scams/
Goal: Students will be able to:
- Spot common scam-text and phishing patterns on paper (no real links clicked).
- Practice a safe response: stop, and check through a channel you already trust.
- Explain why a verification code is only for the account owner.
Materials:
- Projector
- Printed inbox strips (six made-up texts or subject lines)
- Red / yellow / green sorting cards per pair
- Exit tickets
Core (20 min)
- Warm-up. Show one made-up text on the board (do not open a real link): "Your package could not be delivered. Tap to reschedule: bit.ly/xyz99." Students write: stop, check, or tap? Pair share 30 seconds. (3 min)
- Teach FTC spam-text points in plain language: unexpected texts that ask you to tap or call are a red flag; a login or verification code is only for you (FTC: anyone who asks for that code is a scammer); safe move is stop, then open the official app or call a number you already have from a bill or school directory. (7 min)
- Activity, Inbox sort. Pairs sort six made-up strips into Green (looks normal, still verify), Yellow (pause and check), Red (do not tap, do not reply with codes). Strips: fake USPS fee link; bank verification code (real-looking: do not share if a person asks); classmate homework ask; fake Apple ID lock link; school snow-day notice (confirm on school site); fake FTC settlement asking for SSN. Class votes on the code strip. (7 min)
- Exit ticket. Write the habit: Stop. Check. Don't share codes. Rewrite the USPS strip as a safe action. (3 min)
Extension (up to 30 min)
- Role play: Student A reads a made-up scam text; Student B practices "I'm going to check through the official app." Swap. No real phones required. (15 min)
- Assign /teach-it-this-week/scam-text-signs/ for home. Students bring one question. (10 min)
- Teacher projects ReportFraud.ftc.gov (no student accounts). Students write the URL on the exit ticket back. Optional election-season strip from /teach-it-this-week/election-donation-scams/. (5 min)
Check for understanding: Student correctly sorts at least four of six strips, and writes a safe next step that does not include tapping the surprise link or sharing a code.
Differentiation and EL / IEP supports:
- EL: color-code Day 1's four signs on a bookmark during the sort.
- IEP / 504: reduce to four strips; partner scribe OK.
- Advanced: lookalike brand strip (for example a misspelled store name); mark what looked off without opening anything.
- Blocked sites: teacher screenshot of FTC page is enough.
Standards (from our standards map):
- CSTA 2026: S1-CYB-PP-14; HS-SYS-SE-31; HS-SYS-SE-32
- NICE: PD-WRL-003 (awareness)
- NSPFE: Managing Risk; Spending (as mapped for scam-text lessons)
Certification alignment (ISC2 CC): Domain 2.3 (phishing); Domain 5.5 names phishing among example tactics (awareness only; this class never runs a live test). Outline: English, Revised 01-2026, effective September 1, 2026. https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cc/cc-certification-exam-outline
Sources
- FTC: How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages, checked October 27, 2026.
- FTC Consumer Alert: What's a verification code and why would someone ask me for it?, Alvaro Puig, March 7, 2024, checked October 27, 2026 (also CyberSandberg scam-text-signs claim T-7, Oct 23, 2026).
- FTC ReportFraud, checked October 27, 2026.
- ISC2 CC Exam Outline, Revised 01-2026, checked October 27, 2026.