Cyberbullying: Not a Pretty Picture

Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout.

Read a Letter to Educators about cyberbullying from The National Cyber Security Alliance.

Overview

Students explore a scenario in which a friendly relationship turns to a bullying one involving cell phones and computers. Then they create a glossary of abbreviations that will give contextual clues to text messages.

Objectives

Analyze online behaviors that could be considered cyberbullying.
Generate multiple solutions for dealing with a cyberbullying situation.
Identify abbreviations and other textual clues to reduce cyberbullying.

National Educational Technology Standards for Students © 2007

Source: International Society for Technology in Education

Communication and Collaboration
1. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
Digital Citizenship
1. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
2. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

Home Connection

Download the Grades 6-8 Home Connection page related to this lesson.

Site Preview

An optional strategy for using Web 2.0 tools with your students is recommended under Teach 4.

Materials

Activity Sheets (2)

Introduce

Ask: What are all the reasons and ways kids communicate with cell phones? (call friends, call parents for help, text message, take and send photos, go online, receive e-mails and instant messages)

Teach 1: What's the Problem?

Distribute the activity sheets. Have children read the scenario about Jaleesa and Kim.
Have students write their answers to the two questions under What's the Problem? Look for responses that show empathy for the distress, embarrassment, and anger that Kim probably felt. Look for understanding that kids who received the message may have been confused, amused, or outraged and they could have chosen to delete, save, or forward the message to other kids or to an adult in authority.

Teach 2: Think About It

Have students read the Think About It section of their activity sheet. Point out that because so much of kids' socializing takes place online or on cell phones, it is not unexpected that they get involved in cyberbullying.
Invite students to share their own stories. Ask: Have you ever witnessed a similar situation of friends bullying others using electronic networks? Tell the story, but don't use real names.

Teach 3: Find Solutions

Divide the class into groups of three students. Have each student take one of the roles: Kim, Jaleesa, or a third student. Suggest that boys may choose to change the names of Kim and Jaleesa to boys' names and change the circumstances as they see fit. Invite each group to present their role play to the rest of the class.

Teach 4: Take Action

There are quite a few Web sites that list text messaging abbreviations. You may wish to look for yourself, but it is not recommended for students to do so because many of the abbreviations are sexually provocative or suggest evading the parent who just walked into the room. Instead, make sure students keep focused on abbreviations that will reduce cyberbullying or misunderstandings online and with cell phones.
Students may comment that they use lowercase letters for their abbreviations (or acronyms). Explain that both uppercase and lowercase are used and that default settings will vary with the cell phone software.

Using Web 2.0 tools, such as a wiki, to allow students to collaborate in creating an online glossary. Publish the glossary on a school Web page, a blog, or a wiki.

Assess

The following items assess student mastery of the lesson objectives.

Ask: What is cyberbullying? (It's when kids are intentionally and repeatedly mean to one another using cell phones or the Internet.)
Ask: How can cyberbullying make kids feel? (It can make them feel angry, frustrated, sad, or afraid.)
Ask: What kinds of abbreviations can kids use to prevent cyberbullying while text or instant messaging? (Answers will vary.)

Extend

Students will benefit by revisiting this lesson each year.
For students who completed this lesson in a previous grade, distribute copies of your school's acceptable use policies, disciplinary policies, and so on, and have students decide whether they adequately address cyberbullying, especially with the use of cell phones. Discuss how effective the policies would be at preventing cyberbullying behaviors and whether changes should be considered.

Cyberbullying Prevention Activities for Your School, Families, and Community

Extend this classroom lesson with activities that will support a cyberbullying prevention campaign for your school, families, and community.

includes strategies for using interactive online Web 2.0 tools.

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