Digital Backpack Clean-Up

Choose real or fictional examples. Skip private details; never include passwords, medical information or contact details.

Learning goal: Plan a safe folder and archive system without sharing account information.

Digital files need homes just like paper materials. You can plan a clean-up on paper before changing anything on a device. Keep passwords, account names and private documents off this sheet; ask an adult before deleting shared or school files.

Your steps

Plan folders for classes and projects using invented examples.
Decide keep, archive and delete rules.
Identify files that need adult permission first.
Test the plan with a pretend file list; never write a password.

1. My digital folder tree

Draw branches from SCHOOL to class folders, then project folders. Use invented labels.

SCHOOLCLASSPROJECT

2. Safe sorting rules

Write a rule and a pretend example for each decision.

Decision	My rule	Pretend example
KEEP · active / needed
ARCHIVE · done but useful
DELETE · allowed duplicate
ASK · shared / uncertain

The #smithingifted Learning & Innovation Lab

Getting Organized With Technology · Grades 3–5 / 6–8 · 20 minutes · FREE

Digital Backpack Clean-Up · Practice & next steps

Continue your ideas from page 1. Write, draw, use symbols or ask someone to scribe. Share only what you choose.

3. Safe clean-up rehearsal

Practice with invented files or an adult-approved folder.

Name folders clearly

Move one pretend active file

Archive one finished example

Ask before changing shared files

Keep passwords private; never write them here

Use a trusted adult / school-approved password method

My addition / adjustment:

My next step

The first safe folder change I will ask to make is…

Optional stretch · Grades 6–8

Create an archive rule with a review date. Explain how a search-friendly folder plan avoids duplicate versions.