Lesson
Screens, Sleep, and Focus
Summary
Bedtime scrolling isn't relaxation—it's actively sabotaging your sleep and your grades. Explore how blue light, notifications, and the hidden 'switch-cost' of interruptions quietly steal hours from teens every day.
Bellringer: PhoneZZZzzz
- Poll students on where devices sleep at night and their first morning screen habit
- Collect answers via sticky note or digital poll for quick anonymous sharing
Instruction
- Present the four bedtime phone problems (blue light, attention, stimulation, notifications)
- Share screen time statistics and the Switch-Cost Effect with concrete numbers
- Introduce better sleep habits backed by pediatric research
Discussion: How's That Working?
- Walk through the Phone Check Menu scenario as a class discussion
- Debate why 20 minutes feels expendable at night but precious in the morning
Activity: Digital Wellness Pretest & Assessment
- Students take the Digital Wellness pretest and begin the assessment
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- How long does the average interruption last?
- List two ideas you have for controlling your own screen use.
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Bellringer: PhoneZZZzzz |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 10 min | Discussion: How's That Working? |
|
| 15 min | Activity: Digital Wellness Pretest & Assessment |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Digital Wellness Pretest
Assess student knowledge before the Digital Wellness unit.
Digital Wellness
Students assess their digital habits across four health dimensions.
Class Presentation
Includes a 19-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 1: Digital Health & Wellness
Screens, Sleep, and Focus
Bedtime scrolling isn't relaxation—it's actively sabotaging your sleep and your grades. Explore how blue light, notifications, and the hidden 'switch-cost' of interruptions quietly steal hours from teens every day.
Why It's Hard to Stop
Losing 45 minutes to "just a quick scroll" isn't a willpower failure; it's the result of deliberate design choices built by teams of engineers. Explore persuasive design features like infinite scroll, variable rewards, and gamification, and learn why it's not your fault when tech feels impossible to put down.
Comparison & Mood
Every scroll shows you someone else's highlight reel, never their whole story. This lesson unpacks the Highlight Reel Effect and Upward Social Comparison, then teaches students to audit their own emotions before, during, and after social media use.
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