Lesson One
Give pre-test
Briefly discuss their answers
Discuss what kind of behaviors they’ve noticed starts trouble
Brainstorm trouble starters
Share stories of how they think they may have been victim to a bully
Encourage them to explore how they reacted
Discuss how they felt about their reactions
Discuss the myths and truths about bullying
a. Bullying is inevitable…not a normal part of growing up
b. Fighting works…violence is not the answer, it almost backfires on us, and it hurts
c. Only boys are bullies…most often girls bully emotionally and psychologically, isolate and spread rumors and boys bully physically
d. Bullies are always bigger…some bully because of financial status or athletic ability, establish themselves as the leader (pecking order and butting order)
e. Bullies have no friends…they have little difficulty making friends and their friends share in their attitudes
f. Bullies are never the target of other bullies…they are also targets of other bullies
g. Only poor kids are bullies…poor kids are picked on by kids with more money and better clothes
h. Only mean kids bully…sometimes victims of bullying retaliate by bullying others… some are just following along with their group rules
i. No one can do anything about bullies…kids supporting each other can take the bully’s power away…adults can stop bullies from hurting others
j. Only kids are bullies…adults, teachers coaches, leaders of youth groups can bully kids…batterers are bullies
Lesson Two
****View the film GUM IN MY HAIR by Twisted Scholar Productions
****Discuss reaction to film
Review and/or brainstorm bullying behaviors
a. hit
b. punch
c. tease
d. threaten
e. lie about victim
f. taunt
g. use mind games
h. trip
i. intimidate
j. harass
k. degrade
l. violence
m. aggressiveness
n. physical abuse
Review trouble starters from previous lessons
Correlate the two lists to see how they are similar
Lesson Three
Discuss what has happened in groups where they were the brunt of the bullying
They may have felt:
a. trapped
b. alone
c. ganged up on
d. scared
e. the circle kept pushing them back in toward the bully
f. shame
g. the feeling the bully was suggesting they feel i.e. dumb, ugly, fat
h. wanting to retaliate
Discuss what has happened in groups where they saw someone else being bullied
They may have
a. joined in
b. encouraged the bully
c. pressured the bully to be a bully
d. gave the message to the bully that the behavior was ok
e. just silently watched
f. stood up for the bully
g. went and got an adult
h. walked away
Discuss each of these reactions
Invite stories of their experiences
Discuss why the bully behaves the way they do
a. Poor self esteem
b. Abusive home-life
c. Insecurity
d. Take power away
e. Make themselves look better
Lesson Four
Review the fact that the bully wants to take power away from people
List the 4 ways people steal our power from Celestine Prophesy by James Redfield
A. Intimidation
B. Interrogation
C. Aloofness
D. Poor me
Show how A. creates a response of D.
Show how B. creates a response of C.
Discuss how to recognize each as it is happening
Discuss the effect each on has on us
Role play some situations using these
Lesson Five
Explore how the tone of voice used is very important
Introduce the concept of the Tone Scale explained in link below
Discuss what it is like to have people around them who are in the following mode:
A. Happy most of the time
B. Argue a lot
C. Yelling and hitting
D. No feeling
E. Angry but not really showing it, but some how you feel angry at them
F. Pretending to be nice but not saying what they really feel
G. You feel that they are talking down to you as if you’re dumb or younger than you are
H. Scared
I. Always saying they’re sorry
Lesson Six
Discuss techniques for dealing with the bully
A. Avoid confrontation
a. Walk away
b. There is no shame in refusing to engage in the game
c. Try not to be alone with a bully
d. Take different routes
e. Use different timing patterns
B. Body Language-take a stance to communicate
a. I do not want to be bullied
b. Walk tall
c. Look people straight in the eye
d. Practice confidence in the mirror
C. Verbal
a. Witty one liners-savvy, sarcastic
b. On-lookers will notice your humor and how you stand up for yourself< and will look up to you
c. Pretend to agree with their criticisms
d. They will have no one to argue with
e. Like a tug-of-war with only one pulling
f. If you put your hand up to block—your are resisting
g. If you step aside –like a bull fighter
h. You outsmart them
i. Their own energy goes right by you
E. Honesty…think this one out first
a. Communicate in a direct way with them
b. If this is not done just right the bully will know that they are getting to you and it will give them more power
c. Tell them how you feel
d. Tell them what they are doing, how it makes you feel and that you want them to stop
e. Communicate your self-confidence to them
f. Let them know you mean what you say
g. Set boundaries by telling the bully that you are tired of it and you are not going to deal with it anymore
`F. Yell
a. “Stop” or “Leave me alone” as strongly and as loud as you can
b. The bully wants attention but not that kind
c. It shows confidence
G. Adult Intervention
a. Tell someone who can help you sort things out
b. They will help you develop a plan
c. Don’t let things build up and get worse
d. There’s no shame in asking for help from adult
e. They will not think you are weak
f. You do not have to handle things on your own
g. They can stop it
h. It happens in the adult world (Police intervention…)
H. Preventative action
a. Make friends with other kids
b. There is strength in numbers
c. Friends can stick up for you
d. Strengthen you self-esteem
e. Do things which make you happy
f. Join a kids’group
Lesson Seven
Discuss the effect bullying has on victims
a. Isolation
b. Loneliness
c. They want to retaliate
d. Begin carrying weapon
e. Highly watched by authorities in case of school shooting
f. They hate school
g. Fear of school
h. Dropping out of school
i. Difficulty with friends
j. Depression
e. They could become suicidal
f. Substance abuse
g. Eating disorders
Discuss the long term effects on the bully
a. Legal trouble
b. Substance abuse
Lesson Eight
Review and Sum up
Hand out pre-test so they can see how much more they have learned.
Pre-Test
Creative Activities
Tone Scale
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