Author Shannon McClintock Miller

Teach positive digital citizenship with Sonia and the Power of Positive!, a brand-new game to pair with Sonia Speaks Up, the upcoming book by Shannon McClintock Miller.

Sonia Speaks Up is the first title in the ISTE Digital Explorers early chapter book series, in partnership with ISTE and Capstone and illustrated by Mel Darmawan. In the story, Sonia is eager to share her lion painting on the classroom’s digital platform until she sees hurtful comments posted on her classmates’ artwork. Unsure of what to do, Sonia must decide how to respond.

The game invites students to help Sonia make positive choices online by solving puzzles that reinforce the core themes of the story. Through collaboration and critical thinking, students explore what it means to be a responsible digital citizen.

The book and game work together to spark conversations about online behavior, empathy, and digital responsibility. Together, they form a meaningful, interactive lesson that’s ready to use with your elementary students.

🧩 About the Lesson

Suggested Grade Level: 2–5

Approximate Time: 45–60 minutes

Materials Needed:

  • Sonia Speaks Up by Shannon McClintock Miller

  • Breakout EDU Game: Sonia and the Power of Positive! (Included with a Breakout EDU Digital Classroom Subscription)

  • Digital device(s) to play the game (May be played in small groups, independently, or as a whole class)

  • Whiteboard or student reflection journals (Optional)

🎯 Learning Objectives

  • Students will describe and model respectful online behavior.

  • Students will collaborate to solve puzzles about digital citizenship.

  • Students will reflect on their roles and responsibilities in digital spaces.

📚 Step 1: Read the Story

Start with a read-aloud of Sonia Speaks Up. Pause throughout the story to discuss Sonia’s experiences online and invite students to share their own. Use this as a jumping-off point to explore key digital citizenship themes like respect, empathy, and online responsibility.

🧩 Step 2: Play the Game

Next, assign the Sonia and the Power of Positive! game to students on the Breakout EDU digital platform. Students must work together to solve puzzles inspired by Sonia’s story. Each puzzle reinforces positive digital citizenship behaviors and connects directly to the book’s key messages.

💬 Step 3: Reflect and Extend

Wrap up with a class discussion or a short writing prompt: “What does being a positive digital citizen look like? How can you encourage others online?”

Extension ideas:

  • Invite students to create digital citizenship posters for the classroom or school.

  • Challenge students to design their own Breakout EDU game about digital citizenship with Game Design Studio.

Keep the momentum going with the rest of the ISTE Digital Explorers series. The first four titles launch in August: Sonia Speaks Up, Ana’s Smart Move, Hagan Proudly Presents, and Jack’s Playground Plan. Each book explores important topics in digital literacy and tech education.

Special Thanks to Shannon

A huge thank you to Shannon McClintock Miller for collaborating on this game! In addition to being an author, Shannon is a District Teacher Librarian at Van Meter Community Schools and a Breakout EDU Certified Ambassador. We couldn’t be more excited for this new series and appreciative of your continued support. Thanks for all you do to unlock the love of learning!