School Environment and Student Behavior
Digital Rights & Responsibilities
Cyberbullying: Lesson Plan PDF
Grade Level: 6 -8

 

Part I – Introduction

Have you ever received a harassing email or instant message? Have you ever sent one? This is called cyberbullying. A cyber bully uses the Internet, cell phone, or other device to send or post text or images to try to hurt or embarrass another person. It is similar to bullying that happens at recess or on the school bus, and it can hurt just as much.

You can be cyberbullied by:

  • E-mails
  • Instant messaging
  • Text or digital imaging messages sent on cell phones
  • Web pages
  • Web logs (blogs)
  • Chat rooms or discussion groups, and other information communication technologies

Part II – Class/Advisory Activities

•  Videos

 

 

Cyberbullying-Talent Show – [:50 seconds]
“Let's fight it together”- [7:00 minutes]
NetTeens - [2:30 minutes]
“ You can't take it back” – [1:30 minutes]

•  Discussion Questions

 

 

  1. Why do you think people bully others?
    There are a number of different possible reasons that people bully others: because they do not understand the harm they are doing; they are not aware that they are having an effect on others; they are reproducing behavior that has been carried out on them; or to be popular with other people .
  2. What is a bystander?
    “A person who is present at an event without participating in it.” For example, somebody who sees another person send a bullying text message to a target.
  3. What do you think an accessory to a bully is?
    A person who helps the target, who joins in the bullying behavior either willingly or unwittingly. For example, someone who forwards an email about a classmate, received from a friend at school .
  4. How serious do you think the issue of cyberbullying is? What percentage of young people do you think have been bullied?
    Research carried out for the Anti-Bullying Alliance found that 22% of 11-16 year-olds had been a victim of cyberbullying.

•  Activities

 

 

Activity #1- Have students write and conduct a survey to find out your school staff's perceptions of cyberbullying. Have them compare these findings to a survey of students and present their results to the staff. Use an online survey Web 2.0 tools to collect your data.

Activity #2- Have students collaborate to create a tip sheet for students affected by cyberbullying. Publish it on a school web page or print it. Use Web 2.0 tools , such as a blog or a wiki, to allow students to contribute ideas.

Activity #3- Invite students to design their own cyberbullying prevention posters. Ask teachers, administrators, and parents to judge the entries. Ask your principal or business leaders in your community to have the winning poster printed. Then distribute the printed poster on campus. Use digital-imaging technologies to create and reproduce posters. Using Web 2.0 tools publish the winning posters on your school's Web site, a blog, or a wiki.

Activity #4- Have students write and record a cyberbullying prevention message for your school morning announcements or school video broadcast. Using Web 2.0 tools put your announcement online as a podcast.

Part III – Reflection

•  Writing Prompt(s)

 

 

Prompt #1 -One piece of information that I want to share with others is:
Prompt #2 -Two things that I can do stop cyberbullying are:
Prompt #3 -My ideas for a service-learning project to prevent cyberbullying include:

•  Journal Writing   Write a paragraph of five to seven sentences as a journal entry about the most significant differences between offline and online bullying and why. This could be done during class, if time permits, or as a homework assignment.

Part IV – Extension Activities

•  Home Interaction Links

 

Cyberbully Webpage

Part V – Resources

Digital Access

 

http://dcpartnership.wikispaces.com/Digital+Access

Digital Access – Pew Marketing

 

http://socialmarketing.blogs.com/r_craiig_lefebvres_social/2009/06/digital-access-pewinternet-data.html

Wordle site

 

http://www.wordle.net/