Advisory Lesson Plan - Cyberbullying

Advisory Lesson Plan - Cyberbullying

Title: Cyberbullying and driving internet safety

Objective:

SWBAT define cyberbullying and determine instances in which they have experienced, seen, or heard of cyberbullying either in their personal lives or in the media.

SWBAT identify consequences of cyberbullying and how it negatively affects the larger community.

SWBAT construct an action plan for tackling the issue of cyberbullying and how they will all become “safe-internet advocates”

Appropriate Grade Level: 7-8^th 

Timeframe: 3-45 minute lessons

Materials Needed: Projector, computer, handouts, graphite pencils, post-it notes, poster, markers, speakers

Day 1

1.  Do Now: (10 minutes)

• Students will list 10 ways in which they use they communicate electronically or use the internet and write how often they use each one of these methods. (i.e. social media platforms, texting, blogs, etc.)
• Students will realize not only how many different types of platforms they use but how often they use all of these.

. 2. Internet fingerprint activity: (15 minutes)

• Goal: Students will know that every time they communicate online they leave a fingerprint. There is no such thing as anonymous communication.
• Instructions: Students will rub a graphite pencil on a piece of paper. The student will then rub their finger in the graphite until their finger is coated with the graphite. The student will then place their finger which is coated with the graphite on a post-it note. The students will then look at their finger print and compare their finger print to other finger prints in their class by posting sticky note on class poster in front of room. The students will realize that their finger print is different than others in their class. The students are then asked to erase the finger print so that it can’t be seen. (this is impossible)
• The teacher will then discuss how every source of the internet connection leaves a “fingerprint”. Therefore, every time you communicate on-line, you leave a finger print. The finger print cannot be erased

3. Discussion: (15 minutes)

• Teacher will give students 4 minutes to reflect on the fingerprint activity and Think-Pair-Share with a partner on how knowing this about online communication impacts “internet safety”
• Class will come together and partners will share key points for how students can protect themselves and others when communicating online.

4. Exit Slip: (5 min)

·         Students will come up with three rules based on the discussion for how students can be safe when communicating online.

·         Teacher will compile these rules after class and write up a classroom set of rules for online safety to be posted at the beginning of the next lesson.

Day 2:

1. Reviewing Classroom Internet Safety rules: (10 minutes)

• As students enter they will see the new classroom set of internet safety rules posted. Teacher will have students read out each of the rules. Students will be able to add input of wording or suggest rules they really believe in which aren’t on the board. At the end of this session the rules will be finalized and students will sign the bottom to show their acknowledgement.

2.  Am I a cyberbully?: (10 minutes)

• Students will complete a worksheet from the following source: http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/teens/are_you_a_cyberbully.html.
• Worksheet guides students to discover real-life examples of cyberbullying and forces them to see how many of these they themselves are doing/experiencing now.

3. Defining cyberbullying: (15)

·         Teacher will ask whole group what they think cyberbullying is overall after completing the worksheet and what characteristics define it. The following points will be used to guide students’ thoughts.

·         "Cyber-bullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.

·         The methods used are limited only by the child's imagination and access to technology. And the cyber-bully one moment may become the victim the next.

·         The kids often change roles, going from victim to bully and back again.

·         Children have killed each other and committed suicide after having been involved in a cyber-bullying incident.

4. Exit Slip: (10 minutes)

·         What was your score on the cyberbully worksheet? If it was above 11 what are three things you can do to lower your score? If it was below 11 how can you be a stronger safe internet advocate? List at least four ways for either question.

Day 3

1. Responses to cyberbullying: (15 minutes)

·         So far we have discussed different types of cyberbullying, right now write down 4 different ways that you think students respond to cyberbullying. (Do Now, 5 minutes)

·         Teacher will debrief these ways with the class and write down a T-chart poster of positive and negative responses. These key positive responses should be included:

•       Taking 5 - “Drop the Mouse! And step away from the computer and no one will get hurt!”

•       Blocking communication with the cyber bully

•       Deleting messages without reading them

•       Talking to a friend about the bullying

•       Reporting the problem to an Internet service provider or website moderator

3.  Cyberbullying as a larger issue: (20 minutes)

• Students will watch on projector using teacher’s laptop one news-clip on recent cyber-bullying story that gained national attention. (Possibly on Tyler Clementi)
• Teachers will print copies to have students read one recent news article describing bullying, hopefully a local situation.
• Cases will demonstrate dire consequences for both bully and victim.
• Ask/list with students: What are the consequences of cyberbullying? How are both victim and bully affected? How was the larger community affected by these issues?

4. Exit Slip and Reflection: (10 minutes)

·         Now that we know positive responses to cyberbullying and the impact that these responses can have in our larger community please write about one experience you’ve had whether you were the bully, victim, or bystander. What were your actions? How did your actions affect the larger community? What actions could have taken and how would these have changed the outcome for all parties involved?

·         Responses should be a minimum of 5 full sentences.