Strategy for dealing with the issue in the classroom
Unit: Language Arts
Grade: 2nd-5th
Examples of books to read related to bullying:
Before you start the unit, ask the class what they think the definition of bullying is and who is a bully. Write the definition you come up with as a class on the board and save for the rest of the unit or year, which ever you prefer. Give the children examples of situations and ask whether they think it is a bullying situation or not. Listed below are some examples for this step.
While reading the books you have chosen in your unit, it is a good idea to stop every once in awhile and discuss where bullying is demonstrated and discuss how the characters handle and fix the situation. Ask your students how they think things would be different if things were changed around (I.e would Charlie still be friends with Fred).
After the first book, have your students write a letter to their future self, and within the letter have them explain how they have witnessed a situation where someone was being a bully, they were bullied, or have been bullied themselves. This letter will not be shared with anyone, it will be sealed in an envelope and they will read the reflection after the unit is done.
A good way to incorporate this lesson at home is to have the students watch a television show or movie with their family and discuss a situation(s) of bullying and write the example down on paper and explain how it was handled. Later in the class, explain what they saw and share.
A lesson plan for the classroom:
Lets play a game of Simon Says!
The object of the game is to have the students explore and highlight each other's similarities and differences.
No materials needed.
Explain to the students that they will play a version of simon says but only some students will respond to the question.
Tell the students they must watch carefully, because at the end every student will share a fun fact and one new thing that learned about a classmate.
Play a game of Simon Says. Provide directions such as:
When you are done, have the students sit in a circle and go around to each student and ask them to name one way in which he or she is similar from another student.
Now let's play!!!
Grade: 2nd-5th
Examples of books to read related to bullying:
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Stand Tall
- Tangerine
Before you start the unit, ask the class what they think the definition of bullying is and who is a bully. Write the definition you come up with as a class on the board and save for the rest of the unit or year, which ever you prefer. Give the children examples of situations and ask whether they think it is a bullying situation or not. Listed below are some examples for this step.
- Accidentally bumping into someone in the hall
- Teasing someone about their apparel
- Name-calling
- Making fun of a person's looks
While reading the books you have chosen in your unit, it is a good idea to stop every once in awhile and discuss where bullying is demonstrated and discuss how the characters handle and fix the situation. Ask your students how they think things would be different if things were changed around (I.e would Charlie still be friends with Fred).
After the first book, have your students write a letter to their future self, and within the letter have them explain how they have witnessed a situation where someone was being a bully, they were bullied, or have been bullied themselves. This letter will not be shared with anyone, it will be sealed in an envelope and they will read the reflection after the unit is done.
A good way to incorporate this lesson at home is to have the students watch a television show or movie with their family and discuss a situation(s) of bullying and write the example down on paper and explain how it was handled. Later in the class, explain what they saw and share.
A lesson plan for the classroom:
Lets play a game of Simon Says!
The object of the game is to have the students explore and highlight each other's similarities and differences.
No materials needed.
Explain to the students that they will play a version of simon says but only some students will respond to the question.
Tell the students they must watch carefully, because at the end every student will share a fun fact and one new thing that learned about a classmate.
Play a game of Simon Says. Provide directions such as:
- Simon Says "Everyone with brown eyes stand up"
- Simon Says "Everyone who has a dog, put your right hand on your head"
- Simon Says "Everyone whose favorite sport is football, stand on one foot"
- Simon Says "Everyone who speaks more than one language, jump up and down"
When you are done, have the students sit in a circle and go around to each student and ask them to name one way in which he or she is similar from another student.
Now let's play!!!