Lesson: Cyberbullying: Crossing the Line (6-8)

Introduce

ASK: What are some of the ways that you and your friends tease each other online for fun? Sample responses include: "Send jokes back and forth"; "Alter photos of one another, but in a goofy, not mean, way."

ASK: What are signs that online teasing has moved from being harmless to crossing the line? How might it feel? Sample responses include: "Statements feel scary, not funny anymore"; "You feel helpless."

SHARE with students that it is often hard to decide what to do in cyberbullying situations, but that there are some situations when students must report cyberbullying. Let them know that it is important to tell a trusted adult (someone who will listen and who they believe will have the skills, desire, and authority to help them) immediately if any of the following situations arise:

• You are being bombarded by messages repeatedly.
• Many kids get involved, making you feel as if you cannot get away.
• Any physical threats are made.
• People engage in hate speech (a verbal attack targeting someone because of their race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation).

EXPLAIN that you are going to watch videos of a teen who was part of a cyberbullying situation.

Teach 1: View Video

REVIEW Key Vocabulary with students. Ask students if they have heard these words before, and what they think the words mean. Then share the definitions with students and ask them to generate examples.

SHOW the Connected Culture Student Video Vignette – Stacey’s Story

EXPLAIN that the video contains a real cyberbullying story.

Teach 2: Discuss Vignettes

DIVIDE students into groups of four or five and hand out copies of the Cyberbullying: Crossing the Line Student Discussion Guide to each student. Review the Video Discussion Questions with students as a whole group. Refer to the Cyberbullying: Crossing the Line Student Discussion Guide – Teacher Version for guidance about leading the discussion.

If there is time, students should read Case Study 1, Attacked from All Sides, and/or Case Study 2, Election Sabotage.

Wrap Up & Assess

Use the following questions to assess if students understood the lesson objectives.

ASK: What are some of the different forms of cyberbullying? Sample responses include: "Harassment, which feels virtually impossible to escape"; "Deception, because it is dishonest to impersonate someone else, and it can damage their reputation."

REVIEW that cyberbullying can make you feel angry, frustrated, sad, or fearful, especially when you don’t know who is sending the harassing messages. EXPLAIN that it can be hard to judge someone’s intentions online. Let students know that no matter how a message is sent, words used with the intention of hurting someone are taken very seriously by schools, parents, and even the police. Let students know that they should tell trusted adults if they observe or are involved in cyberbullying, and that they must report it to the school, their parents, or other trusted adults when someone has threatened to hurt someone else.

Extension Activity

Students brainstorm about an anonymous reporting system. Tell them that most kids say they would report cyberbullying if they did not have to identify themselves. Ask students to brainstorm ways for students to anonymously report cyberbullying at school. Have them make an action plan for dealing with the problem and a proposal for convincing administrators, teachers, students, and parents to get involved.