ASCA Post-Survey: Reflecting on Connections

Instructions: Please answer the following questions honestly. Your responses are anonymous and will help us understand your growth in building positive relationships.

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel now in your ability to build positive and supportive relationships with your classmates?
   (1 = Not at all confident, 5 = Very confident)
   
   
   
   
2. How often do you think you will actively try to understand and share the feelings of others (practice empathy) in social situations after this lesson?
   (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
   
   
   
   
3. What is one new strategy or idea you learned today to help create more supportive relationships, both in-person and online?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. How will you apply what you learned today to build stronger connections and foster a more inclusive environment with your classmates?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

ASCA Pre-Survey: Building Connections

Instructions: Please answer the following questions honestly. Your responses are anonymous and will help us understand how we build positive relationships in our school community.

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel in your ability to build positive and supportive relationships with your classmates?
   (1 = Not at all confident, 5 = Very confident)
   
   
   
   
2. How often do you actively try to understand and share the feelings of others (practice empathy) in social situations at school?
   (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often)
   
   
   
   
3. What does it mean to you to have a "supportive relationship" with someone at school?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. What is one thing that makes it easy or challenging for you to connect with new people at school?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Care Chain Challenge: A Kindness Game

Objective: To collaboratively identify and share positive actions that build a caring and inclusive community and prevent bullying.

Materials: A soft ball or small, throwable object (optional).

Instructions:

1. Divide into groups: Have students form small groups (4-5 students) or play as a whole class.
2. Introduce the "Care Chain" concept: Explain that a "care chain" is a sequence of kind and supportive actions that can ripple through the community, making everyone feel more included and safe.
3. Scenario Time (Teacher-led or Student-generated):
   • Option A (Teacher-led): The teacher presents a scenario. Examples:
     • "You see someone eating lunch alone every day."
       
       
       
     • "You notice a new student struggling to find their way around school."
       
       
       
     • "Someone posts a mean comment about a classmate online."
       
       
       
     • "A group of friends consistently excludes one person from their conversations."
       
       
       
   • Option B (Student-generated): Each group brainstorms one challenging social scenario (without naming specific individuals) where kindness or intervention could make a difference.
4. Building the Chain:
   • Once a scenario is presented, the first student in a group (or a volunteer in whole-class play) suggests one specific kind action they could take or say in that situation. (e.g., "I could invite them to sit with us.")
   • The next student then suggests a different kind action that could follow or complement the first, building on the idea of a "chain." (e.g., "If they join, I'll make sure to ask them about their interests.")
   • Continue around the group/class, with each student adding a new, unique action to the "care chain" for that scenario. Encourage creativity and a focus on both in-person and online interactions.
   • If a student struggles, prompt them with questions like: "What would make that person feel valued?" or "How could you show empathy here?"
5. Reflect and Discuss (10 minutes):
   • After a few scenarios, bring the class back together.
   • Ask: "What did you notice about building these care chains? Was it easy or challenging?"
     
     
     
   • "How do these small acts of kindness prevent bigger problems like bullying?"
     
     
     
   • "Which actions do you feel most confident trying in real life, both in person and online?"
     
     
     
     
     
     

Teacher Tip: Emphasize that there are many ways to be kind and supportive. The goal is to encourage proactive, empathetic responses in various social situations.

Script: Care, Don't Scare!

Teacher: Good morning/afternoon everyone! I'm really glad you're all here today because we're going to talk about something incredibly important: how we treat each other and how we can make our school an even better place for everyone, by focusing on building positive and supportive relationships. Before we dive in, I'd like you to take a few minutes to complete this short, anonymous survey called the ASCA Pre-Survey: Building Connections. It's just to get a general idea of how you're feeling about our school community and how you connect with others right now. Please be honest with your answers.

(Distribute surveys and collect them after 5 minutes.)

Teacher: Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Your feedback is valuable. Today, our lesson is titled 'Care, Don't Scare!' and our goal is to understand what bullying is, how it affects people, and most importantly, what we can all do to build a more caring and inclusive community right here at school, aligning with our ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors to create positive and supportive relationships.

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 1)

Teacher: So, 'Care, Don't Scare!' – what does that title make you think of? What's the opposite of scaring someone?

(Allow a few student responses, guiding towards 'caring', 'supporting', 'being kind'.)

Teacher: Exactly! It’s about choosing care over causing fear. Let's start by making sure we're all on the same page about what bullying actually means.

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 2)

Teacher: Look at this definition. Bullying isn't just a one-time thing. It involves unwanted, aggressive behavior that's repeated, or has the potential to be repeated. And there's usually a power imbalance – meaning one person has more power, whether it's physical, social, or even digital, over another. We see different types of bullying too: verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying. Can anyone give a quick, general example of one of these types without naming anyone specific?

(Allow 1-2 student examples for each type. Guide them to avoid personal anecdotes or naming peers.)

Teacher: Thank you. It’s important to recognize these different forms because bullying isn’t always obvious. Cyberbullying, in particular, can be tricky because it happens online and can feel anonymous, but its impact is very real and can spread quickly. Now, let’s think about the impact. When someone is bullied, or even when we just witness it, how does it make people feel? What's the 'ripple effect'?

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 3)

Teacher: As you can see, bullying doesn't just hurt the person being targeted. It affects the person doing the bullying, bystanders who see it happening, and our entire school community. It creates a space where people might feel anxious, scared, or unwelcome. Our goal today is to change that narrative and strengthen our community by fostering positive relationships.

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 4)

Teacher: So, let's flip this around. If bullying creates an uncaring community, what does a caring and inclusive community look like, sound like, and feel like? Think about a time you felt truly accepted and valued. What was happening?

(Facilitate a short discussion, writing down key ideas on the board such as 'everyone feels safe', 'people help each other', 'kind words are used', 'differences are celebrated'.)

Teacher: Excellent ideas! A big part of building this kind of community is something called empathy. Who can tell me what empathy means?

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 5)

Teacher: Empathy is truly a superpower. It's the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It’s about trying to 'walk in someone else’s shoes.' How do you think practicing empathy can help us prevent bullying and build a stronger community, fostering positive relationships?

(Allow a few student responses, e.g., 'If you understand how someone feels, you won't want to hurt them', 'You'll know how to help someone who is hurting'.)

Teacher: These discussions show us that understanding bullying and empathy is crucial. Now, let’s take what we’ve learned and turn it into action with our 'Caring Activity.' You have two options for this part of the lesson.

(Display Bullying Prevention Slides - Slide 6)

Teacher: Option 1: You can work individually or in pairs on the Worksheet: Community Builders to brainstorm specific actions you can take to promote a more caring and inclusive environment right here at school – that includes both in-person and online interactions. Think about what you can say, what you can do, how you can support others, and how you can involve your classmates to build positive relationships. We’re looking for concrete steps that build our community.

Option 2: We can play the Care Chain Challenge: A Kindness Game! In this game, we'll look at different social scenarios and, as a group, build a "care chain" of kind and supportive actions to address them. This is a great way to practice thinking on your feet about how to promote positive relationships in various situations, including online. I'll explain the rules more if we choose this option.

(Teacher will choose Option 1 or Option 2 based on class needs/preference. If Option 1, distribute worksheets and allow 10 minutes. If Option 2, explain game rules and facilitate for 10 minutes. Circulate and encourage students to think broadly during either activity.)

Teacher: (After 10 minutes, whether from worksheet or game) Who would like to share one action or a

Worksheet: Community Builders

Instructions: Think about specific actions you can take to make our school a more caring and inclusive community, both in-person and online. Brainstorm at least three ideas for each section below.

What can I say to promote a caring community?

• Example: Compliment someone on their hard work.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  

What can I do to promote a caring community?

• Example: Invite someone new to join my activity at lunch.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  

How can I support others who might be struggling?

• Example: Check in with a friend who seems quiet or sad.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  

How can I involve my classmates in building a better community?

• Example: Suggest a group activity where everyone can participate.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
•