Teacher Script: Be a Buddy, Not a Bully!

Introduction (Slide 1: Be a Buddy, Not a Bully!)

(Teacher): "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: how we treat each other and how we can make our classroom and school an even better place for everyone. Take a look at our title slide. What do you think 'Be a Buddy, Not a Bully!' might mean?"

(Teacher): "To get us started, I want you to quickly think: What does it mean to be a good friend? Turn to a partner and share one idea for about 30 seconds each." (Pause for peer sharing)

Buddies vs. Bullies (Slide 2: Buddies vs. Bullies)

(Teacher): "Great ideas! Now, let's look at some important words on our next slide. We have two very different ideas: a Buddy and a Bully. Can someone read the definition of a buddy for us? And then a bully?"

(Teacher): "That's right. A buddy is someone who helps and includes, making others feel good. A bully, on the other hand, is someone who hurts others on purpose, and not just once, but over and over again. Our goal today is to learn how to always be a buddy and how to help others when we see bullying happening."

What is Bullying? (Slide 3: What is Bullying?)

(Teacher): "Let's dive a little deeper into what bullying really is. It's really important to know the difference between someone being accidentally mean once, and actual bullying. Can someone read the definition on the slide for us?"

(Teacher): "The key words here are 'on purpose' and 'repeatedly'. It's not just a one-time accident. It's when someone keeps doing mean things to another person, knowing it hurts them. Why do you think it's important to know this difference?"

Types of Bullying (Slide 4: Types of Bullying)

(Teacher): "Bullying can look different in different situations. Let's look at the four main types. We have physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying. Who can give me an example of physical bullying? How about verbal? Social? Cyber?" (Encourage students to provide general examples without naming specific people).

(Teacher): "It's important to remember that all these types of bullying can make someone feel very sad, scared, or lonely."

What is Empathy? (Slide 5: What is Empathy?)

(Teacher): "Now, let's talk about a super important word: Empathy. Look at the slide. Who can read the definition of empathy?"

(Teacher): "Yes, empathy is being able to understand and share how someone else is feeling. We often say it's like 'walking in someone else's shoes.' Imagine if you saw someone being left out at recess. How might they feel? How would you feel if that happened to you?"

(Teacher): "Why do you think empathy is so important when we're talking about bullying? How does it help us?" (Refer to Class Discussion Guide for more prompts).

Upstander vs. Bystander (Slide 6: Upstander vs. Bystander)

(Teacher): "When bullying happens, there are often people who see it. These people are called bystanders. But we don't just want to be bystanders. We want to be upstanders! Can someone read the definitions on the slide?"

(Teacher): "An upstander is someone who takes action. They might tell the bully to stop, help the person being bullied, or go get an adult. Which one will YOU choose to be? We all have the power to be upstanders."

Empathy Scenario Activity (Slide 7: Empathy Scenario Activity)

(Teacher): "Now, we're going to practice being upstanders and using our empathy. I'm going to divide you into small groups. Each group will get a card with a short story, a scenario, about a situation where bullying might happen. Your job is to read the scenario and then discuss two things:"

"First, how would the person being bullied feel in that situation? Really try to put yourselves in their shoes."

"Second, how can a 'buddy' or 'upstander' help in this situation? What could you do or say?"

"You'll have about 7 minutes to discuss in your groups, and then we'll come back together to share some of your ideas. Work together and be creative!"

(Distribute Empathy Scenario Cards and monitor groups. After 7 minutes, bring the class back together.)

(Teacher): "Alright everyone, let's hear some of your amazing ideas! Can one group share their scenario and what they discussed? How did the person feel, and what did you come up with to help?" (Call on 2-3 groups to share.)

Cool-Down & Wrap-Up (Slide 8: Be an Upstander Every Day!)

(Teacher): "Fantastic discussions, everyone! I'm so proud of how thoughtful you've been. Remember, every single one of you has the power to make our school a kinder, safer place. You can choose to be an upstander, you can choose to show empathy, and you can always choose to be a buddy!"

"For our cool-down today, I'm going to give you a quick sheet called Being an Upstander Cool Down. On this sheet, I want you to write down one way you can be an upstander in our school this week. Think about what we talked about today."

(Distribute Being an Upstander Cool Down and allow students 3 minutes to write.)

(Teacher): "As you finish up, remember that being kind and standing up for others are some of the most important things we can do. Thank you for a wonderful discussion today!" (Collect cool-downs.)

Class Discussion Guide: Be a Buddy, Not a Bully!

Use these prompts to facilitate discussion throughout the lesson, encouraging student participation and critical thinking.

Warm-Up & Introduction

• What does it mean to be a good friend? How do good friends treat each other?
• What kind of environment do we want to create in our classroom/school?

Understanding Bullying & Empathy

• Based on our definition, what's the difference between someone being accidentally mean and bullying?
• Can you think of a time when you saw someone sad or upset, and you understood how they felt? What did you do?
• If you saw someone being physically bullied (e.g., pushed), how might they feel? What about verbally (e.g., called names)? Socially (e.g., left out)?
• Why is it so important to try and understand how others are feeling (to have empathy) when we talk about bullying?
• How does bullying affect a person's feelings? Their ability to learn? Their desire to come to school?

Upstander vs. Bystander

• What is the difference between a bystander and an upstander in your own words?
• Why might it be hard to be an upstander sometimes?
• What are some small things you could do if you saw someone being bullied?
• Who are the adults you can go to if you need help with a bullying situation?

Empathy Scenario Cards

Instructions: Cut out each scenario card. In small groups, read each scenario, discuss the questions, and be ready to share your ideas with the class.

Scenario Card 1: The Lunch Table

During lunch, Sarah sees a group of classmates laughing and pointing at another student, Alex, who is sitting alone at a different table. They are whispering loudly enough so Alex can hear, saying things like, "Look at Alex, eating alone again!" and "Nobody wants to sit with them." Alex looks down at their food and seems very upset.

Scenario Card 2: The Playground Push

During recess, Michael is playing on the swings. Another student, David, comes over and pushes Michael off the swing, saying, "It's my turn now! You're too slow." Michael falls and scrapes his knee, and David tries to take the swing.

Scenario Card 3: The Group Project

In class, Mrs. Davis assigns a group project. Lily and Chloe decide they want to work together and tell Maria that she can't be in their group because she's "not good at art," even though Maria loves to draw. They start whispering and giggling when Maria tries to ask a question about the project.

Scenario Card 4: The Online Game

After school, Ben is playing an online game with some friends. One of the players, Jake, starts sending mean messages in the chat about another player, Sam, saying Sam is bad at the game and should just quit. Jake encourages other players to gang up on Sam and ignore him.

Scenario Card 5: The New Kid

A new student, Omar, joins your class. During gym class, Omar is having trouble understanding the rules of a new game. A few students start to make fun of him, saying he's clumsy and doesn't know how to play anything. Omar looks embarrassed and stops trying to play.

Being an Upstander Cool Down

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Think about what we learned today about being a buddy and an upstander.

In your own words, write down one way you can be an upstander in our school this week. What action could you take to help someone who is being bullied, or to make our school a kinder place?