30-60 Minute Lesson Plan: Middle and High School, Introduction to dynamics of bullying

Looking for a way to discuss bullying prevention in your classroom, school, or community organization? This lesson plan shares resources from the Teens Against Bullying website to provide the basics about bullying, offer opportunities for discussion, and set the stage for continued learning.

  1. What is Bullying? As a class, talk about what bullying is, using the Bullying 101 guide . Discuss each of the following questions: What is bullying? What is cyberbullying? Why do students bully? Why are students targeted by bullying? Make sure that each student is allowed the opportunity to respond. Activity: Record the question and the responses on poster-size paper and post them on the classroom wall or in the hallway.
  2. What Can You Do? As a class, review the information on PACERTeens Against Bullying > Advocacy for Others Discuss each of the following questions: What can students do to help? What can adults in the school do to help? What can parents to do help? Make sure that each student is allowed the opportunity to respond. Activity: Record the question and the responses on poster-size paper and post them on the classroom wall or in the hallway.
  3. Know Your Rights. As a class, talk about what it means to have legal protections. Develop 3-4 things students think a law against bullying should have/do. Activity: Divide students into groups and instruct each group to use the information provided on these pages: Know Your Rights and StopBullying.gov to develop a summary of their state’s laws. Evaluate how well the state’s law fits the criteria developed by the class. Ask each group to come up with 3-4 suggestions to improve the law.
  4. What are other students saying? Kids and teens around the world have submitted responses to the website feature “I Care Because …” Activity: review the responses sent to“I Care Because…” on Teens Against Bullying. Activity: Create a classroom mural, with “I Care about Bullying Prevention Because … ” written in the center. Ask each student to add his or her reason. Activity: Discuss with the group what you would like to say to the author of the story – what advice would you give them or what do you want them to know.
  5. What next? Discuss what can be done in your school to prevent bullying. Activity: Record the ideas. Have the students present them to your school counselor or principal. Activity: Complete the Above the Line/Below the Line activity. Together, talk about what “above the line” behaviors and “below the line” behaviors are at school. Ask students to commit to promoting “above the line” behaviors within their classroom and school. Activity: Sign the online “Together Against Bullying” pledge or set up a table at your school where students can sign paper copies of the pledge. Activity: Take the Pop Quiz to check what’s been learned about the dynamics of bullying..

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