Mission Possible in Class 5: Internet safety day

For Internet Safety Day (Mission Possible), Class 5 explored how digital design influences behaviour and emotions. We discussed the question, “Can something be fun and unhealthy at the same time?” and explored how some games are designed to hook our brains and encourage us to keep playing. The children learned about dopamine, a chemical in the brain that makes us feel good when we achieve something, and how games use rewards, points and progress to trigger this feeling. We also looked at screen time and discussed the reasons why we might spend longer on our devices than planned. The children then tested two different games, one designed to be highly addictive and one that was not, and compared how each one made them feel. Finally, they used Scratch to design and create their own clicker games, thinking carefully about the features they included and how these might affect players.