Submitted by: Angela Watson
In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades K through 3, students use BrainPOP Jr. resources to identify effective coping strategies for dealing with bullying. Students will also practice utilizing anti-bullying strategies in real-life situations.
- Identify effective coping strategies for dealing with bullying.
- Practice utilizing anti-bullying strategies in real-life situations.
- LCD projector and/or interactive whiteboard
- Internet access for BrainPOP Jr. resources
- Index cards
- Copies of the Game Board for pairs of students to use
- Pieces (such as coins or counters) to represent players on the game board
- Spinners and/or access to computers for use of the BrainPOP Jr. spinner
Preparation:Preview the BrainPOP Jr. Bullying movie and the associated resources. Determine whether you want to project the Talk About It feature and type directly into the form, or copy the chart onto your board or a large sheet of paper.
- Project the Word Wall for students to see, and ask them to define the word 'bully'. Introduce the BrainPOP Jr. definition. Have students have experienced someone saying hurtful things to them over and over? On index cards, write out different bullying scenarios that students mention. For example, one scenario might be about a kid who receives hurtful e-mails. Another scenario might be about a bully who keeps breaking a kid's toys.
- Display the Talk About It feature and invite students to share ways they can respond to bullying.
- Play the Bullying Movie and instruct students to listen for similarities and differences between the way they cope with bullying and the strategies that Annie and Moby suggest.
- Revisit the Talk About It chart and have students add ideas they learned from the movie.
- Take out the index cards you previously used to record various bullying scenarios that the class shared. Read each on individually and have students brainstorm different ways they could tell the bully to stop if they were in that situation. Sample responses might include "Cut it out!" and "No one thinks you're being funny." Remind your students of the importance of staying calm and confident; a bully wants to see someone get upset. Have them say their responses out loud in a confident manner. You can model behavior for the class by demonstrating confident body language, with shoulders forward and head held high, and remind them to make eye contact with the bully, even if they are scared.
- Give students the opportunity to practice in more scenarios. Divide students into pairs or small groups and distribute the Game Board. Allow students to use either the BrainPOP Jr. spinner or a regular spinner to play the game.
- Have students share anti-bullying strategies they practiced during the game. As new ideas are explained, add them to the Talk About It chart.