Elements of Security: Authenticity – Basic 3 Security Education Lesson Note (First Term)

Subject: Security Education
Class: Primary 3
Duration: 30 minutes

What is Authenticity?

Authenticity means making sure that people, things, and information are real and genuine. It means checking that something is truly what it claims to be.

Understanding Authenticity

Authenticity helps us:

• Know if people are really who they say they are
• Tell the difference between real and fake things
• Protect ourselves from dishonest people
• Make sure information is true and correct

Examples of Authenticity in Daily Life

People Authenticity

• Checking if a stranger really knows your parents
• Making sure someone claiming to be a relative is real
• Verifying if a person is truly a teacher or police officer
• Confirming if someone really works at your school

Things Authenticity

• Knowing if money is real or fake
• Checking if a medicine is genuine
• Making sure toys are not dangerous copies
• Verifying if documents are real

Information Authenticity

• Checking if news or stories are true
• Making sure messages really come from the right person
• Verifying if what someone tells you is correct
• Confirming if announcements are official

How to Check Authenticity

For People

• Ask them questions only the real person would know
• Check with your parents or teachers
• Look for official identification like ID cards
• Ask them to prove they know your family

For Things

• Look for official marks or stamps
• Check with adults if something seems strange
• Compare with genuine items you know
• Ask trusted people to verify

For Information

• Ask more than one person about the same thing
• Check with teachers or parents
• Look for official sources
• Don’t believe everything you hear immediately

Signs of Fake or Unauthentic Things

Fake People

• They can’t answer simple questions about your family
• They don’t have proper identification
• They act nervous when asked questions
• They try to rush you to make decisions

Fake Things

• They look different from the real ones
• They are much cheaper than normal
• They don’t have proper labels or marks
• They break easily or work poorly

Fake Information

• The story keeps changing
• Different people tell different versions
• It sounds too good to be true
• No one else has heard about it

What to Do When You’re Not Sure

• Always ask a trusted adult
• Don’t accept gifts from strangers
• Don’t believe everything immediately
• Take time to check if things are real
• Report suspicious people or things to adults

Benefits of Checking Authenticity

• Keeps you safe from dangerous people
• Protects you from fake or harmful things
• Helps you make better decisions
• Prevents you from being cheated or tricked
• Makes you a smart and careful person

Class Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks:

Words: real, genuine, fake, check

1. Authenticity means making sure things are _____________ and genuine.
2. Always _____________ if strangers really know your family.
3. _____________ money can be dangerous to use.
4. _____________ things are not copies or imitations.

1. Choose the correct answer:

1. What should you do if a stranger claims to know your parents? a) Believe them immediately b) Check with your parents c) Give them your address
2. Which is a sign of fake money? a) It has proper marks b) It looks exactly like real money c) It feels different from real money
3. When someone tells you surprising news, you should: a) Tell everyone immediately b) Check if it’s true first c) Ignore it completely

1. Write AUTHENTIC or NOT AUTHENTIC:

1. A medicine with proper labels and expiry date: _______
2. A person who can’t answer basic questions about your family: _______
3. Money that feels and looks exactly like real currency: _______
4. A story that keeps changing each time it’s told: _______
5. An ID card with official stamps and signatures: _______

1. Match the situation with the correct action:

• Stranger claims to be your uncle → Check with your parents
• Someone gives you strange-looking money → Ask an adult to verify
• You hear surprising news → Confirm with trusted sources
• Someone offers you free expensive gifts → Be suspicious and ask adults

1. Complete these sentences:

1. Authenticity helps us know if things are _____________ or fake.
2. Always _____________ with trusted adults when you’re not sure.
3. _____________ people often can’t answer simple questions correctly.
4. Real things have proper _____________ and official marks.

1. List three ways to check if a person is authentic:
2. Give two examples of things that might be fake:
3. Answer these questions:

1. What does authenticity mean?
2. Why is it important to check authenticity?
3. What should you do if you’re not sure something is real?

1. Write TRUE or FALSE:

1. You should always believe strangers immediately. _______
2. Fake things often look different from real ones. _______
3. It’s good to check if information is true before believing it. _______
4. Authentic people can answer questions about things they claim to know. _______

1. Write SAFE or UNSAFE:

1. Accepting gifts from verified family friends: _______
2. Believing everything you hear without checking: _______
3. Asking adults to verify suspicious people: _______