Lesson Plan
Bullying: Our Ripples
Students will be able to identify and describe the emotional, social, and academic effects of bullying on individuals and the school community. Students will also be able to articulate the importance of empathy and collective responsibility in preventing bullying.
Understanding the effects of bullying is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment. This lesson helps students recognize the impact of their actions and empowers them to be part of the solution.
Audience
6th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, collaborative activity, and personal reflection.
Materials
Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck, Ripple Effect Discussion Prompts, Ripple of Kindness Worksheet, Bullying Impact Game Cards, Bullying Effects Quiz, and Bullying Impact Cool Down
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the Ripple of Kindness Worksheet (one per student).
- Cut out the 'Bullying Impact Game' cards (if applicable, or prepare to project digitally).
- Review the Bullying Effects Quiz and Bullying Impact Cool Down.
- Ensure projector/interactive whiteboard is ready for the slide deck and game.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Think-Pair-Share
5 minutes
- Display the 'Warm-Up: What is a Ripple?' slide.
- Ask students: 'When you drop a pebble into water, what happens? How does that relate to actions?'
- Have students think individually for 1 minute, then pair with a partner to discuss for 2 minutes.
- Briefly share a few responses as a whole class. (Connect to Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck - Slide 1)
Step 2
Introduction: The Ripple Effect of Bullying
5 minutes
- Use the Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck (Slides 2-4) to introduce the concept of bullying and how actions create 'ripples.'
- Define bullying and discuss the different forms it can take.
- Pose questions: 'What are some initial thoughts on how bullying might affect someone?' (Connect to Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck - Slide 2-4)
Step 3
Discussion: Emotional, Social, Academic Ripples
8 minutes
- Facilitate a discussion using the Ripple Effect Discussion Prompts.
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students) and provide each group with a set of prompts.
- Ask them to discuss the emotional, social, and academic effects of bullying based on the prompts.
- Bring the class back together and have groups share key takeaways. (Connect to Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck - Slide 5, and Ripple Effect Discussion Prompts)
Step 4
Activity: Ripple of Kindness
7 minutes
- Distribute the Ripple of Kindness Worksheet.
- Explain the activity: Students will draw or write about an act of kindness and how it creates positive ripples.
- Encourage creative thinking and personal connection.
- Briefly share examples if time permits. (Connect to Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck - Slide 6, and Ripple of Kindness Worksheet)
Step 5
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
5 minutes
- Display the 'Cool-Down: One Word Reflection' slide.
- Ask students to write down one word that describes how they feel about the importance of kindness and preventing bullying after this lesson. (Connect to Bullying: Our Ripples Slide Deck - Slide 7, and Bullying Impact Cool Down)
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Slide Deck
Welcome! What is a Ripple?
Think-Pair-Share
When you drop a pebble into water, what happens?
How does this relate to the impact of our actions?
Welcome students. Explain that today's lesson will be about understanding the impact of our actions, specifically concerning bullying. Start with a warm-up activity.
Bullying: More Than Just Words
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
What are some ways bullying can happen?
Introduce the topic of bullying. Ask students to share what they already know or think bullying is. Transition to the idea that actions have consequences, like ripples.
The Ripple Effect of Bullying
Just like a pebble creates ripples in water, bullying creates ripples that spread out.
- Direct Impact: On the person being bullied.
- Indirect Impact: On friends, family, and even the bully themselves.
- Community Impact: On the entire school environment.
Explain the concept of the 'ripple effect' in the context of bullying. Emphasize that a single act can have far-reaching consequences, affecting not just the target but also bystanders and the school community.
What Kind of Ripples?
Bullying can create many different kinds of ripples:
- Emotional Ripples: sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, loneliness
- Social Ripples: losing friends, avoiding school, feeling left out
- Academic Ripples: difficulty concentrating, lower grades, not wanting to go to school
Delve deeper into the different effects: emotional, social, and academic. Provide brief examples for each, encouraging students to think about how these manifest.
Discussion: Our Ripples
In your groups, discuss these questions:
- How might bullying affect someone's feelings long after it happens?
- What are some ways bullying can change how people act in school?
- Why is it important for everyone, not just the person being bullied, to understand the effects of bullying?
Transition to the small group discussion. Display the prompts for students to use. Explain that they will be exploring these effects in more detail with their groups.
Activity: Ripple of Kindness
If bullying creates negative ripples, what do acts of kindness create?
Today, you'll brainstorm and illustrate an act of kindness and its positive ripple effect. How can one small act make a big difference?
Introduce the 'Ripple of Kindness' activity. Explain that just as negative actions create ripples, positive actions do too. This activity focuses on creating positive change.
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
In one word, describe how you feel about the importance of kindness and preventing bullying after our lesson today.
Conclude the lesson with a cool-down activity, asking students for a single word reflection. This helps gauge their understanding and emotional response to the topic.
Warm Up
Warm-Up: What is a Ripple?
Think-Pair-Share
When you drop a pebble into water, what happens?
How does this relate to the impact of our actions? Think about the effects of both positive and negative actions.
Discussion
Ripple Effect Discussion Prompts
Work in your small groups to discuss the following questions. Be prepared to share your group's ideas with the class.
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How might bullying affect someone's feelings long after it happens? Think about both immediate and lasting emotional impacts.
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What are some ways bullying can change how people act in school? Consider their social interactions, participation in class, and overall behavior.
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Why is it important for everyone, not just the person being bullied, to understand the effects of bullying? How does it affect the entire school community?
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What are some things we can do as a class to create a positive ripple effect and prevent bullying?
Worksheet
Ripple of Kindness Worksheet
Just as negative actions create ripples, so do positive actions! Think about an act of kindness, big or small, that you could do or have done.
Part 1: Your Act of Kindness
Describe your act of kindness here:
Part 2: The Ripple Effect
Draw or describe below how this one act of kindness could create positive ripples. Think about:
- Who would it affect first?
- How would those people then affect others?
- What could be the long-term impact on your school or community?
Game
Bullying Impact Game: What's the Ripple?
Instructions:
- Divide into small groups.
- Each group will receive a set of scenario cards.
- Read each scenario aloud within your group.
- Discuss: What are the immediate effects of this action? What are the potential long-term ripples for the person targeted, the bully, bystanders, and the school community?
- Be prepared to share one scenario and your group's discussion with the class.
Scenario Card 1: Exclusion
During lunchtime, a group of friends always sits at the same table. When a new student tries to join them, one of the friends says, "Sorry, this table is full. Maybe you can find somewhere else." The new student walks away feeling rejected and eats alone.
Discussion Points:
- Immediate feelings of the new student?
- How might this affect the new student's willingness to try making friends later?
- What ripple effect does this have on the school's atmosphere for new students?
Scenario Card 2: Cyberbullying
Someone in your class posts an embarrassing photo of another student online with a mean caption. Many other students like and share the post, adding their own negative comments. The student in the photo sees it and feels humiliated.
Discussion Points:
- What are the emotional impacts on the student in the photo?
- How might this affect their attendance or performance at school?
- What responsibility do the students who liked/shared the post have?
- What are the long-term online ripples of such an action?
Scenario Card 3: Verbal Taunting
A student is often teased about their appearance by a small group of classmates during recess. The teasing isn't physical, but it happens almost every day. The targeted student starts avoiding recess and sometimes pretends to be sick to stay home from school.
Discussion Points:
- How does constant verbal bullying affect a person's self-esteem?
- What are the social ripples of avoiding recess?
- How does this type of bullying impact the learning environment?
- What role do bystanders play in this scenario?
Scenario Card 4: Spreading Rumors
A student starts a rumor about another classmate, saying they cheated on a test. The rumor quickly spreads throughout the grade. Even though it's not true, other students start looking at the targeted student differently and some even avoid them.
Discussion Points:
- How does a false rumor affect a person's reputation and trust in others?
- What are the social consequences for the targeted student?
- How does spreading rumors contribute to a negative school climate?
- What could be done to stop the rumor and support the targeted student?
Scenario Card 5: Positive Ripple - Speaking Up
In a situation where a student is being teased, another student steps in and calmly says, "Hey, that's not cool. Let's be respectful." The teasing stops, and the targeted student feels supported.
Discussion Points:
- What is the immediate impact of the bystander speaking up?
- How does this create a positive ripple effect for the targeted student and the bystander?
- What message does this send to the other students involved in the teasing?
- Why is it important to be an upstander?
Quiz
Bullying Effects Quiz
Cool Down
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
Think about everything we discussed today regarding bullying, its effects, and the importance of kindness.
In one word, describe how you feel about the importance of kindness and preventing bullying after our lesson today.