Cyberbullying: Who, Me? Why Should I Care?

Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout.

Read a Letter to Educators about cyberbullying from NSBA's Technology Leadership Network.

Overview

Students explore the roles and responsibilities of bystanders to cyberbullying. Then they develop a plan for peer mentoring to prevent cyberbullying situations.

Objectives

Analyze online behaviors that could be considered cyberbullying.
Generate multiple solutions and actions that bystanders can take to improve a cyberbullying situation.
Practice peer mentoring for cyberbullying prevention.

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.
2. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
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 are recommended under Teach 2 and Teach 3.

Materials

Activity Sheets (2)
Drawing paper
Markers

Introduce

Discuss with students the positive uses of online videos: for promoting good citizenship, for education, for entertainment, for social action. Invite them to provide examples of each category.
Point out that people often post videos for less positive reasons, such as to hate, ridicule, and embarrass others.

Teach 1: What's the Problem?

Distribute the activity sheets. Have students read the scenario about Kevin, José, and the video-sharing Web site.
Have students write their answers to the two questions under What's the Problem? Look for responses that indicate students' understanding that both events are embarrassing, but that embarrassing someone in school exposes him to an immediate peer group, while embarrassing him on a World Wide Web site exposes him to ridicule by the entire school plus hundreds of millions of strangers.
Have students tell their own stories without using actual names. Ask: Have you ever witnessed kids posting or sending photos or videos in order to embarrass someone? What happened? Why?

Teach 2: Think About It

Have students read the Think About It section on the activity sheets. Point out that sometimes when people believe they cannot be seen or found out, they do things that they would never do in a face-to-face situation.
Ask: Who is doing the cyberbullying in this story? Is it only José? What about the boys in school who helped him upload the video to the Web site? What about the people who posted nasty comments? What about the people who viewed the video? Encourage students to decide for themselves and support their reasoning.
Have students use drawing paper and markers to create a visual map showing all the players in this event. Students may choose to show a labeled web, use concentric circles, or draw something more representational. Allow students to share their maps with the class.

Use Web 2.0 tools for concept mapping that allow students to create and publish their maps online.

Teach 3: Find Solutions

Have students discuss their solutions. Look for solutions that show empathy for Kevin and discuss the rights and responsibilities of being citizens of a worldwide community.
Make sure students understand that those people who posted cruel comments were just as guilty of being bullies as the boys who originally uploaded the video were.
Discuss with students how trusted adults could help, including asking a guidance counselor to talk to Kevin, a technology teacher to investigate whether it would be possible to remove the video from the site, and a school principal to try to enforce school bullying rules.
Have students add to their concept map drawings, clearly labeling their proposed solutions.

If students created concept maps using Web 2.0 tools, they can revise their maps online.

Teach 4: Take Action

Reinforce with peer mentors the Be CyberSmart! tips. After the first peer mentoring session, consider setting aside weekly times for your students to meet.

Assess

The following items assess student mastery of the lesson objectives.

Ask: What kinds of online behaviors could be considered cyberbullying? (posting someone else's video without permission, leaving cruel comments on a Web site)
Ask: What does it mean to be a bystander to cyberbullying? (A bystander is a person who is not the bully or the target but witnesses the bullying.)
Ask: What are some things a bystander can do when he or she witnesses cyberbullying? (show understanding and support for the target, don't react to the bully, ask a trusted adult for help)

Extend

Students will benefit by revisiting this lesson each year.
If students completed this lesson in a previous grade, allow them to go online to the Ad Council's Cyber Bullying Prevention Campaign and click on the Campaign Material called “Talent Show.” Discuss the underlying message: If you wouldn't say it face to face, don't say it online.

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.

CyberSmart! Online Workshops

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