I. Summary:
For grades 3-7. Almost all children, at some point in their childhood, will experience or be affected by bullying behaviors. For the safety and welfare of ALL children in a positive learning environment, it is essential for teachers to establish a learning community void of bullying behaviors and to facilitate a sense of community in the classroom. This includes teaching children skills to deal with bullies, as well as promoting positive social skills such as cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution.

II. Objectives:

• Students will be able to identify bullying behaviors and self-reflect on the topic of bullying.
• Students will demonstrate they know when to involve an adult in a bullying situation.
• Students will be able to practice skills such as eye contact, and demonstrate self -confidence.
• Students will demonstrate mutual respect for one another.
• Students will be able to evaluate methods of bullying prevention.
• Students will work cooperatively in a jigsaw cooperative learning activity.
• Students will determine in a bullying situation, the severity of choosing to be in an innocent bystander.

III. Materials Needed:

• Poster boards (7)
• Markers
• Paper person cut-out
• Heart cut-out
• ILAC Story
• Computer with Internet access
• "4 Key Concepts" worksheet
• Lesson Rubric Assessments

IV. Procedure:

1. Show students the video clip from the PBS Kids Web site Its My Life titled "Bullies."
   URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/video/index.html

2. Divide the class into "think-pair-share" partnerships and pass out the "4 Key Concepts" worksheet. Using the worksheet, have each pair of students identify the "4 Key Concepts" they felt were brought forth in the video. Have each pair share responses with the class.

3. On the back of the "4 Key Concepts" worksheet, have students write a short informational paragraph in response to the question: "What would you say about bullies if you were interviewed on the video?" Have students volunteer to share their responses with the class.

4. Continue with a cooperative learning activity. Go back to It's My Life Web site section "Bullies".
   URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/friends/bullies/index.html

   Print out copies of the different sections to distribute to each group:

   • What Is Bullying?
   • Who's A Bully?
   • Who's A Target?
   • How to Handle It
   • Innocent Bystanders
   • Are You a Bully?
   • Bully Free Zones

   Break the class into seven small groups; give one topic to each group. Assign the group the following tasks:

   • Everyone in your group should become an expert on your topic.
   • Your group will create a poster with the important information from your section.
   • Your poster should include a minimum of seven important points of information.
   • Your group will present the poster to the class.
   • Each group should write out several classroom rules based on the section they are investigating and place them on the poster.
   • Your group will have 30 minutes to finish the project.
   • Each group will make a group presentation.
   • Also each group member will be responsible to teach his or her subject matter in small expert groups.

   It is helpful to have a sample poster for students to look at so they understand the expectations of the group work. Hang all of the posters in the classroom. Compile all of the classroom rules established by the groups, and hang them up in the room as well.

5. Although the students will teach a large part of the bully lesson through a cooperative jigsaw activity to the class, it is important that the teacher spend time on interventions for dealing with bullies. This might include role-playing and having students practicing "I-Messages," being assertive, using humor, or just walking away. Who, how and when to involve an adult is crucial for the emotional and physical safety of all children. Take time to discuss this with the class and identify key adults to which a student can turn for help.

6. Finish any lesson on bullying by having all students self-reflect and complete the "IML Journal" pages entitled "Bullies" and "A Pep Talk for Myself."
   URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/journal/bully_journal.html
             /pbskids2008/itsmylife/journal/bully_peptalk.html

V. Classroom Assessment

Follow the guidelines provided on the Lesson Rubric Assessments sheet, which includes rubrics for the "4 Key Concepts" and video activities, as well as the cooperative learning activity.

VI. Extensions and Adaptations

It is helpful to teach students how to use "I-Messages." Teachers may establish an area in a classroom for students to go and resolve conflicts. Hang a poster on the wall depicting conflict resolution skills such as: "I feel____when you____and I would like to resolve this by____; I apologize and will___; We can agree to disagree on this one thing:____. An "I-Messages" worksheet can be printed from the It's My Life Web site.
URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/friends/friendsfight/print_imessage.html

If you feel your students will respond to it appropriately, take time to tell the ILAC Story (pronounced "I-Lack") to the class. ILAC stands for "I Am Lovable and Capable." After telling the ILAC story, discuss with the children that the goal is to keep everyone's ILAC heart intact and the school a bully free zone. Some focus questions for discussion include:

a. Do you know an ILAC?
b. What should ILAC do?
c. How do you feel about ILAC's friends?
d. How would you handle this situation?
e. How does ILAC feel at the end of the day?
f. What can ILAC do to avoid this from happening again?
g. How can we, in our caring community classroom, avoid ripping one
    another's ILAC hearts and making sure others are not ripped as well?
h. Doing nothing when observing a bully or laughing when someone is
    being bullied is just as bad as being the bully. Why?

Visit the It's My Life Web site for book selections on bullying and read stories to the children. Stop in the middle of the book and have students make predictions. Have students write future extensions of the stories. Have students write their own stories using the skills learned in class. Take time to read a book a month on this important topic. It is pertinent to keep it in the forefront and be proactive in preventing bullying behaviors.
URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/friends/bullies/print_books.html

An extension assignment or homework assignment might include any of the following:

• Draw a graphic organizer that shows what you learned about bullies.
• Use one of the emails from the It's My Life Web site and have students respond in writing using the content from what they learned.
• Draw a cartoon that sends a clear message about a bully free zone.
• Hold a discussion with your parents about bullying. Use the discussion questions identified on the It's My Life Web site.
  URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/friends/bullies/print_discussion_qs.html
• List ways to keep other people's ILAC signs glowing and intact.
• Write a short movie script about bullies.
• Make a "WANTED" poster about bullies and include information learned in class.
• Have students participate in the online polls about bullying on the It's My Life Web site and write about how they felt in relation to the reported statistics. The polls can be found on each page of the "Bullies" section.
• Have students play the "Beat the Bully" game on the It's My Life Web site.
  URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/games/bullies.html
• Have students create more questions for the "Beat the Bully" game.

VII. Relevant National Standards

Health
Knows how to maintain mental and emotional health

• Students will identify bully type behaviors and make appropriate choices in response to them.

• Students will describe when it is essential to involve an adult in a conflict situation.

• Students will demonstrate assertive skills such as "I" messages, eye contact and firmly expressing his or her feelings.

• Students will make good choices in "at risk" situations such as choosing to move away instead of joining in with a bully.

Behavioral Studies
Understands conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals, groups, and institutions.

• Students can use appropriate conflict resolution skills to solve conflict.

• Students can demonstrate cooperative skills such as reflective listening, sharing, and working together to solve a problem or work towards a goal.

• Students respect diversity and differences of others.

• Students evaluate the positive skills they can contribute to a group and the class as a whole.

• Students can defend why a bully - free zone is essential to learning in the classroom.

Life Skills
Thinking And Reasoning: Applies basic trouble-shooting and problem-solving techniques

• Students can identify common bullying behaviors.

• Students can practice remaining calm in a bullying situation choosing to be proactive instead of reactive.

• Students can express his or her strengths and what they contribute to a group situation.

• Students can work through a decision making process in response to bullying.

Working With Others: Uses conflict-resolution techniques.

• Students can effectively express 'I" messages and separate others from behaviors.

• Students can discuss the concept of "we agree to disagree."

• Students can describe the three choices one has in all situations: Ignore it and walk away, react to it, or act on it.

Working With Others: Displays effective interpersonal communication skills

• Students will express themselves in a positive and appropriate manner.

• Students can describe why in their behaviors bullies are not displaying effective communication skills or social skills.

• Students make friends in the classroom by showing sensitivity to others feelings.

• Students can analyze effective communication skills and express why they are successful.

About the Author:
Donna DeTommaso-Kleinert is a learning coordinator in the North Penn School District in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. She has been an elementary and middle school health and physical education teacher, and is presently completing graduate work in Kinesiology in the areas of curriculum and instruction at Temple University.