Download Student Activity Sheet(s) for printout in PDF Format
Overview
Students reflect on the rewards of cyberspace and then consider bullying
scenarios in which they examine their personal comfort levels. They learn
to recognize such feelings and responsibly handle the unacceptable behavior
of others.
Objectives
| |
|
Discuss the rewards of going into cyberspace |
| |
|
Describe and compare comfortable and uncomfortable feelings |
| |
|
Identify strategies for responsibly dealing with online bullies |
ISTE® National Technology Standards
Site Preview
| |
|
No Internet site is used in this lesson. |
Online Resources
Materials
| |
|
Activity sheets (2) |
Introduce
| |
|
Discuss with students some positive aspects of going into cyberspace.
(finding information quickly; meeting people with similar interests;
communicating with people around the world; having fun) |
| |
|
Explain that to really enjoy the power of the Internet, it is important
for students to learn how to responsibly handle any situation they
might encounter in cyberspace. |
Teach 1
| |
|
Distribute Activity Sheet 1. |
| |
|
Have students complete the sheet and share their responses. NOTE:
Postpone discussion until students have read and applied the information
on Activity Sheet 2. |
| |
|
Explain that, just as in the real world, good experiences in cyberspace
are much more common than bad ones. However, just as in the real world,
there is bullying in cyberspace. |
Teach 2
| |
|
Distribute Activity Sheet 2 and, after students read "Feeling Uncomfortable,"
have them find all the words in this paragraph and on Activity Sheet
1 that are used to describe such emotions. |
| |
|
Discuss with students some characteristics of bullying. (generally
defined as a repeated activity in which one member of a group is targeted
for verbal abuse, spreading of hurtful rumors, and threats of exclusion
from the group; face-to-face bullying may involve physical aggression,
while online bullying cannot) |
| |
|
Ask: What do you think the
people who are bullying Sondra and Andrew would say about their behavior?
(They might say they were only kidding, they didn't mean any harm,
or it was just a joke. Students publishing a Web site might also say
that it is a matter of free speech. Point out that whether or not
the First Amendment permits it, bullying with a hate Web site is unkind
and hurtful. Moreover, it may be against school rules and grounds
for disciplinary action.) |
| |
|
Optional: Tell students that using a school computer to bully would
certainly be against school rules. Furthermore, with sufficient duration
and intensity, bullying can be considered harassment-an illegal activity
that can be investigated by the police. |
Teach 3
| |
|
Have students revisit Activity Sheet 1 and discuss how their answers
might be changed or enhanced. Guide students to consider the following
in their discussion:
| |
The Web site about Sondra: The angry
girls have created a safety issue by publishing Sondra's full
name-private identity information. This information is now available
to strangers. Such bullying is wrong and unsafe and should be
reported to Sondra's parents and to her school. She should save
a copy of the Web page to provide to whomever she reports the
incident to. How Sondra responds to this bullying behavior will
affect the outcome. Point out that it was smart to talk to a
friend about the problem.
Advice for Andrew: Andrew should save
and print copies of all the E-mails and show them to his parents
or another trusted adult. Again, how he responds to this incident
will affect its outcome and that keeping his anxiety to himself
is not as effective as asking a friend or an adult for help.
|
|
Close
| |
|
Ask: What are some rewards
of going into cyberspace? |
| |
|
Ask: How do you know when
you are uncomfortable in cyberspace? Students should use the
words that mean "uncomfortable" to them. |
| |
|
Ask: What are some safety rules for dealing with online bullying? |
Extend
The following activity can be added for students who completed this lesson
in a previous grade.
| |
|
Remind students that they were once less adept at handling themselves
online. Invite them to share some past personal experiences in which
they felt uncomfortable in cyberspace. Allow them to explain how they
would handle the problem, now that they are older and more knowledgeable
about safety issues. |
|
Dealing with Online Bullies