← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

Think, evaluate, choose

Three steps for staying safe online: think about what is happening, evaluate the risks, then choose the safest action, such as stopping or asking a trusted adult.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Staying Safe Online — Module 36, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6 — Digital Footprints — Module 53

Understanding Think, evaluate, choose in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 5–6

What it does: Choose is the final step in Think, Evaluate, Choose, where you pick the safest action, such as stopping or asking an adult. TEC starts with Think. Stop and notice what is really happening before you do anything. Evaluate means working out the risks before you act. Clicking first skips the thinking steps. A friend's account can be taken over. Checking first is a safe choice. Sharing your password lets someone get into your account. Evaluating the risk leads to a safer choice. TEC slows you down so you can think, weigh the risks and choose safely.

Common mistakes: Step 1 is THINK, where you work out what is happening. CHOOSE is the last step, so line 1 should be '1 THINK what is happening'. The risk is high, so clicking the link is not the safest choice. The program should choose 'ask a trusted adult'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

🖨 Print worksheet + answer key Add Think, evaluate, choose to a class →

This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 157–173) and word search (Modules 137–225).

Take this worksheet further — free with Cloodit

Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning
Duo
A pop-up says 'You won a free phone! Click now!' What is the first TEC step?
Choose to click quickly before the prize disappearsThink about what is happening: a pop-up is offering a prize I did not enter for
Matches
CHOOSE: click the link first, then THINK
↓
The steps are out of order. You must think and evaluate the risks before you choose, not click first.
Applying
Meanings
Term
Think, Evaluate, Choose
Meaning
Three steps for staying safe online: think about what is happening, evaluate the risks, then choose the safest action, such as stopping or asking a trusted adult.
Practice
SCENARIO: A pop-up says You won a prize!
Testing
Gaps
("What is happening?")
Check Answer
Spots
11 CHOOSE what is happening
22 EVALUATE the risks

Cloodit turns curriculum-aligned coding content into journeys students work through one biome at a time.

The 'Manta Ray' badge — Graceful Coder, one of Cloodit's 106 collectible badges
Students earn collectable badges

Over 100 of them, across seven natural biomes.

Study Buddy
Students build a real study resource

Turns their work into revision material ready for Flash Cards and Exam study.

Diamond Dash — one of Cloodit's live, competitive Sprint games
Students lock in with Sprints

Live, competitive practice for the start of the lesson or a teacher-led lesson finisher.

A Cloodit certificate of achievement, ready to personalise and print
Custom printable certificates

Honour your top performers, or encourage a student who's trying hard — ready to print in seconds.

Add to class →

Quick Questions

1. A pop-up says 'You won a free phone! Click now!' What is the first TEC step?
A. Choose to click quickly before the prize disappears
B. Think about what is happening: a pop-up is offering a prize I did not enter for ✓
TEC starts with Think. Stop and notice what is really happening before you do anything.
2. Which list shows the TEC steps in the right order?
A. Think, Evaluate, Choose ✓
B. Choose, Think, Evaluate
First you think about what is happening, then you evaluate the risks, and last you choose what to do.
3. Which is an example of the Evaluate step?
A. Asking 'What could go wrong if I share my passphrase?' ✓
B. Clicking the link to see what happens
Evaluate means working out the risks before you act. Clicking first skips the thinking steps.
4. A message from a stranger asks for your home address. What is the safest choice?
A. Do not reply and tell a trusted adult ✓
B. Send only your street name so it seems okay
Personal data should stay private. Stopping and asking a trusted adult is the safest choice.
5. Your friend's account sends a link saying 'Log in here to see my photo'. After thinking and evaluating, what is the best choice?
A. Log in right away because it came from a friend
B. Ask your friend in person or by a trusted way if they sent it ✓
A friend's account can be taken over. Checking first is a safe choice.

Match the Pairs

THINK: A pop-up says I won a free phone → Step 1: Think about what is happening. Stop and notice what the message is asking you to do.
EVALUATE: Is it a trick to get my details? → Step 2: Evaluate the risks. Ask what could go wrong and whether the message looks safe.
The last step is to choose the safest action, such as closing the pop-up and telling a trusted adult. → CHOOSE: close the pop-up and tell a trusted adult
Use all three steps in order when a stranger messages you in a game. → THINK -> EVALUATE -> CHOOSE
CHOOSE: click the link first, then THINK → The steps are out of order. You must think and evaluate the risks before you choose, not click first.
THINK -> CHOOSE (skip EVALUATE) → The Evaluate step was skipped, so the risks were never checked before choosing what to do.

Key Term

Think, Evaluate, Choose
Three steps for staying safe online: think about what is happening, evaluate the risks, then choose the safest action, such as stopping or asking a trusted adult.

Fill in the Blanks

1. think("What is happening?")
Hint: Type the name of the first step, where you notice what is going on.
2. evaluate("What are the risks?")
Hint: Type the name of the second step, where you weigh up the risks.
3. choose("Stop and ask a trusted adult")
Hint: Type the name of the final step, where you pick the safest action.
4. think("A pop-up says I won a prize") risk = evaluate("It may be a scam") choose(risk)
Hint: Type the variable that stores the result of the evaluate step.
5. risk = "high" if risk == "high": ask_adult()
Hint: Type the keyword that makes the program decide what to do when the risk is high.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A 1 CHOOSE what is happening
B 2 EVALUATE the risks
C 3 CHOOSE the safest action
Line A — Step 1 is THINK, where you work out what is happening. CHOOSE is the last step, so line 1 should be '1 THINK what is happening'.
Question 2
A THINK: stranger sent a link
B EVALUATE: link may be a scam
C RISK ← high
D CHOOSE: click it to check
Line D — The risk is high, so clicking the link is not the safest choice. The program should choose 'ask a trusted adult'.
Question 3
A THINK: pop-up says I won
B EVALUATE: it must be real
C CHOOSE: close it, ask an adult
Line B — A surprise prize pop-up is too good to be true. A careful evaluation says it is risky, not that it must be real.
Question 4
A THINK: unknown user says hi
B EVALUATE: I do not know them
C CHOOSE: chat and share my name
Line C — The evaluation found someone we do not know. Sharing personal details is unsafe. The safest choice is to stop and ask an adult.
Question 5
A think ← "email asks for login"
B evaluate ← "could be phishing"
C risk ← "high"
D choose ← "reply with password"
Line D — Replying with a password gives it to a scammer. With a high risk, the choose step should be to ask a trusted adult.

Student with a class code? Join your class →