Bullying Prevention through an Understanding and Appreciation of Diversity

LESSON PLAN

Bullying Prevention through an Understanding and Appreciation of Diversity

Submitted by: Demetra Dertili
School: 2^nd Experimental Junior High School of Athens

Date: March 16, 2012

Grade Level: 2^rd Grade of Junior High School – Advanced Level

Subject: Difference as the target of bullying

Duration: 45 mins

Number of students: 26

Description: This lesson introduces students to the basic facts of difference and its connection to bullying.

Materials: A short silent film: Rainbow Island (5:52 mins-1917). The film is a comedy based on cultural difference and customs featuring Harold Lloyd. A powerpoint slideshow on difference and bullying, a gif (graphics interchange format) and two worksheets.

Procedure:

Activity 1: Students are asked to watch half of the silent film and write down what they feel is happening in the film every time it is paused. The film terminates at the beginning of part 2 and students are asked to write down what they think will happen in the end. Students watch part 2 of the film. Finally, some students read their piece of writing (time: 17 mins).

Objectives:

• To help students’ understand subjectivity. Their short descriptions will demonstrate that different people will have a slightly or totally different understanding of the same events.
• Students write to communicate information effectively.

Activity 2: Students are presented a powerpoint slideshow on difference in relation to bullying. The slideshow encourages interaction, students read the slides and elaborate on the topics via directed questions. Brief reproduction of an exercise used by a teacher in New York to show her class the effects of bullying. (time: 13 mins).

Objectives:

• To present the notions of inclusion and respect by stressing the similarities and differences we all have, especially as they relate to bullying and aggression.
• To develop students’ communication skills.

Activity 3: Students are given a worksheet and are asked to ponder on information in the form of True or False questions before they answer them.  Students watch a gif that presents forms of bullying in motion and are asked to identify them and write them in the first column of a chart. Then in groups of four they decide whether these forms are physical, verbal, mental or racial forms by ticking the specific category. (15 mins).

Objective:

• To enhance students’ ability to infer the most appropriate answer.

 Homework Assignment: students are asked to add as many forms of bullying as they

can in a photocopy of a prohibition sign.

Teaching Objective:

·        An understanding of subjectivity, difference and bullying in English.

Teaching goals:

·        Developing creative writing skills.

·        Critically analyzing and discussing key aspects of difference and bullying.

·        Understanding the vastness of difference.

·        Understanding the origin, the structures and the long-tern results of violence.

·        Developing empathy and solidarity.

·        Preventing violence in schools.

·        Delivering a lesson via examples that incite personal experience and thus overcome the problem of non-transferable experience.

Teaching approach:

·        Learning by inquiring, discovering and developing critical and creative thinking.

Teaching materials:

·        Projector, short movie, powerpoint presentation, gif and worksheets.

Brief description:

·        Students watch a few minutes of a silent film and document the events of the story. Then they write their own imaginary ending before they see the actual end. As they read their short essays they experience their individual differences although they have used the same language and have watched the same film. Through the powerpoint presentation students are provided with the basic notions of difference in relation to bullying in school. A performance is carried out that compares the human soul with a crumpled paper that does not return to its original condition. Relevant exercises follow.

Webography:

·         http://www.browardprevention.org/reality-avenue/reality-avenue-grades-

      6-12/bullying/bullying-classroom-exercises/

(accessed March 2012)

·        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3JuhxwsVYY

(accessed March 2012)

Are the following statements true or false? Explain why:

1. Women are not as strong as men and therefore they do not bully others.

Answer: 

2.  Bullies do not change their behaviour.

Answer:

3.  Bullies come from all levels of society, poor and rich.

Answer: 

4.  Bullies are always tall, large and very aggressive.

Answer: 

5.  You should always fight back against a bully.

Answer: 

6.  Bystanders should report bullying to adults capable of resolving the problem. It is not a matter of snitching but of respecting the sufferer and of helping the bully become aware of the consequences of such behaviour.

Answer:

Watch the gif and write down the forms of bullying. Then tick whether they are physical, verbal, mental or racial forms of bullying.
FORMS OF BULLYING	physical (harmful actions against another person’s body)	verbal (expressed in words)	mental (expressed through the mind/emotions)	racial (characteristic of race)