Script: Beyond Banter: Bullying

Warm-Up: What's the Difference? (5 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to dive into a really important topic: understanding bullying. It's something that touches all of our lives, whether we've experienced it directly, witnessed it, or heard about it."

"To start, I want you to take a look at the Warm Up: What's the Difference? worksheet I've handed out. On it, you'll see a few scenarios. Your task is to decide if each scenario describes something that is rude, mean, or bullying. There's a big difference, and it's important we understand that."

"Take about 2-3 minutes to complete it on your own. No need to share out loud yet, just get your thoughts down."

(After 2-3 minutes)

"Okay, let's discuss a few of these. Who can tell me what they put for the first scenario? Why did you choose that?" (Facilitate a brief discussion, using Slide 1 and Slide 2 to show the warm-up title and prompt. Guide students to recognize that intent, repetition, and power imbalance are key distinctions.)

Introduction & Defining Bullying (5 minutes)

"Excellent discussion! Today, we're going beyond just calling things 'rude' or 'mean' and looking deeper into what actually constitutes bullying. Our lesson today is titled Beyond Banter: Understanding Bullying." (Show Slide 3 - What Exactly Is Bullying?)

"So, what is bullying? It's more than just a one-time unkind act. Bullying is typically defined by three main characteristics. Can anyone guess what some of those might be?" (Pause for student responses, affirm correct ideas.)

"Exactly! The first is repetition. Bullying usually happens over and over again, not just once. If someone accidentally bumps into you, that's not bullying. But if they keep tripping you every day, that's different."

"The second is a power imbalance. This means one person has some kind of power over the other. This isn't always physical strength; it could be social popularity, knowing something embarrassing about someone, or even just being older or having more friends. The person doing the bullying uses this power to control or harm someone else."

"And finally, there's an intent to harm. The person bullying actually wants to cause distress or hurt, whether it's physically, emotionally, or socially. It's not an accident."

"So, to summarize, bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance and is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time."

"Now, bullying doesn't always look the same. Can you think of different ways someone might bully another person?" (Pause for responses.)

"Great ideas! Let's look at some common types." (Show Slide 4 - Types of Bullying)

"We have physical bullying, like hitting or kicking. There's verbal bullying, which includes name-calling, teasing, or threats. Social or relational bullying is about harming someone's reputation or relationships, like spreading rumors or purposefully excluding someone. And in our digital age, we have cyberbullying, which happens online through texts, social media, or other platforms. It could be spreading lies or sharing embarrassing photos."

Impact of Bullying (5 minutes)

"Now, let's talk about why understanding bullying is so important. What kind of impact do you think bullying can have on a person?" (Pause for student responses, guiding them toward emotional, social, and academic impacts.)

"You're hitting on some really critical points." (Show Slide 5 - The Impact of Bullying)

"Bullying can have profound effects. Emotionally, it can lead to sadness, anxiety, fear, loneliness, and a significant drop in self-esteem. Socially, victims might become isolated or have trouble making friends. Academically, it can be hard to concentrate in class, leading to lower grades or even avoiding school altogether."

"In the long term, being bullied can contribute to serious mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. And it's not just the person being bullied; witnessing bullying can also be distressing, and even those who bully can experience negative consequences."

Activity: Responding to Bullying Scenarios (10 minutes)

"Understanding bullying is the first step, but knowing what to do about it is equally crucial. We're going to do an activity in small groups. I'm going to split you into groups of 2-3. Once you're in your groups, I'll hand out the Activity: Responding to Bullying Scenarios."

(Divide students into groups and distribute the activity.)

"In this activity, you'll find different scenarios. As a group, read each scenario and discuss how you would respond if you were the person being bullied, a bystander, or even if you saw it happening online. Think about different strategies you could use to intervene or get help. Be ready to share your ideas with the class."

"You'll have about 7 minutes for your group discussions."

(After 7 minutes)

"Alright, let's bring it back together. Can one group share how they would respond to Scenario A? What were some of your ideas?" (Facilitate sharing, ensuring multiple groups have a chance to contribute to different scenarios.)

"These are all excellent and thoughtful responses. There isn't always one right answer, but the important thing is to act. Remember, you have options." (Show Slide 6 - Responding to Bullying: What Can YOU Do?)

"To summarize, if you see or experience bullying, you can speak up and tell a trusted adult. You can support the target by being a friend and not joining in. If it's safe, you can directly address the bully by telling them to stop. Sometimes, it's best to remove yourself from the situation. And especially with cyberbullying, it's important to document what's happening."

Cool Down: One Word Reflection (5 minutes)

"We're almost out of time, but I want to take a moment to reflect on what we've discussed today." (Show Slide 7 - One Word Reflection)

"I'm going to hand out these small slips of paper. On your slip, I want you to write down one word that describes what you learned today, or how you feel after our discussion about bullying. It could be a feeling, an action, a new understanding—anything that resonates with you."

(Distribute cool-down slips.)

"When you're done, please bring your slip up and place it in the basket by the door. This will be your exit ticket for today. Thank you all for your thoughtful participation and for being part of creating a safer, more understanding community."

Warm Up: What's the Difference?

Instructions: Read each scenario below and decide if the action described is Rude, Mean, or Bullying. Explain your reasoning for each choice.

Scenario 1

Someone accidentally bumps into you in the hallway, causing you to drop your books. They quickly say, "Oops, my bad!" and help you pick them up.

Rude / Mean / Bullying (Circle one)

Reasoning:

Scenario 2

A student tells another student, "Your new haircut looks really silly." They say it once and then walk away.

Rude / Mean / Bullying (Circle one)

Reasoning:

Scenario 3

A group of students repeatedly spread rumors about another student, intentionally excluding them from social activities and making fun of them online. This has been going on for weeks.

Rude / Mean / Bullying (Circle one)

Reasoning:

Scenario 4

You see a classmate struggling to open their locker. Another student walks by and loudly says, "Haha, still can't open that thing? What a loser!" and keeps walking.

Rude / Mean / Bullying (Circle one)

Reasoning:

Activity: Responding to Bullying Scenarios

Instructions: In your small groups, read each scenario carefully. Discuss how you would respond if you were the person being targeted, a bystander, or if you witnessed the bullying online. Think about different actions you could take (direct or indirect) and why they might be effective. Be prepared to share your group's ideas with the class.

Scenario 1: The Exclusion Zone

During lunch, you notice a new student sitting alone. A group of popular students at a nearby table are whispering and pointing at them, occasionally laughing loudly. You hear one of them say, "No one wants to hang out with them. They're so weird."

Discussion Points:

• If you were the new student, how would you feel and what might you do?
• If you were a bystander at another table, what could you do?
• What are the potential risks and benefits of different actions?

Scenario 2: Cyber-Spreading

You see a post on social media that includes a heavily filtered, unflattering picture of a classmate taken without their permission. The caption makes fun of their appearance, and several comments below are also negative and hurtful. The post is gaining a lot of likes.

Discussion Points:

• If you were the classmate in the picture, how would this make you feel and what steps could you take?
• If you saw this post online, what actions could you take?
• What are the ethical considerations of reporting or ignoring such a post?

Scenario 3: The Persistent Teasing

A student in your class has been consistently making fun of another student's height, calling them nicknames like "Tiny Tim" or "Shrimp." This happens almost every day in the hallway or during class transitions, and the targeted student visibly shrinks away or looks uncomfortable.

Discussion Points:

• If you were the student being teased, how might you feel and what could you do to make it stop?
• If you were a friend or classmate witnessing this daily, what could you do to help?
• Why is it important to intervene in persistent teasing, even if it seems

Cool Down: One Word Reflection

Instructions: On the line below, write down one word that describes what you learned today about bullying, or how you feel after our discussion. It could be a feeling, an action, a new understanding—anything that resonated with you.

My word: