Bully Blocker Lesson PlanBe a Bully Blocker! Lesson Plan & Facilitation Guide Grade Level 5th Grade Duration 30 Minutes Objective Students will define bullying, identify different types (physical, verbal, social, cyber), and learn specific strategies to safely intervene as upstanders. Materials Needed Smartboard/Projector Lesson Slides Scenarios Worksheet Understanding Bullying Reading Bingo Cards & Quiz Why This Matters Bullying impacts well-being and academics. Providing tools for upstander behavior builds empathy and creates a safer school culture. Instructional Steps 1. Warm Up: What's the Word? 3 MIN Begin with a silent reflection on the word "Bullying". Have students share their gut reactions and initial thoughts with a partner. 2. Introduction & Definition 5 MIN Use Slides 1-3. Define bullying as unwanted, repeated, aggressive behavior with a power imbalance. Introduce Upstander vs. Bystander. 3. Types & Impact 5 MIN Use Slides 4-6. Cover Physical, Verbal, Social, and Cyber bullying. Discuss the impact on emotions and health using the reading handout. 4. Upstander Strategies 7 MIN Use Slides 7-9. Teach Direct (Speak Up, Distract, Comfort) and Indirect (Adult, Friends) strategies. Complete the Scenarios Worksheet and Role Play. 5. Review & Game 7 MIN Play Bully Blocker Bingo to reinforce key vocabulary. Ensure every student understands the call-out definitions. 6. Assessment & Wrap Up 3 MIN Administer the Quiz and finish with "One Word Wisdom" as a final check-out. Teacher Preparation Checklist Print Preparation Bully Blocker Scenarios Worksheet (1 per student) Understanding Bullying Reading (1 per student) Bingo Cards (1 per student) Assessment Quiz (1 per student) Classroom Setup Project Slide Deck and test transitions Read through Script and discussion prompts Clear space for Role Play activity
Bully Blocker SlidesBe a Bully Blocker! Ready to learn how to stand up for yourself and others? What is Bullying? Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involve a power imbalance and is repeated over time. NOT a one-time thing! It happens over and over again. Imbalance of Power Physical, social, or other advantages. Upstander vs. Bystander Bystander A person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part. Upstander A person who sees wrongdoing and acts to help the person being bullied or stop it. Types of Bullying Physical Hitting, kicking, tripping, or damaging property. Verbal Teasing, name-calling, taunting, or threats. Social Leaving someone out, rumors, or public embarrassment. Cyberbullying Using phones or computers to hurt others online. The Impact of Bullying Sad or lonely Scared or anxious Feeling sick (headaches/stomachaches) Makes school feel unsafe for everyone You have the power! Every one of you can make a difference. Let's learn how to be a... Bully Blocker Direct Strategies Safety First! Speak Up Clearly tell the bully to stop. Distract Change the subject or draw attention away. Comfort Offer support to the person being bullied. Indirect Strategies Tell an Adult Talk to a teacher, parent, or counselor. Get a Friend Encourage other bystanders to help. Be a Friend Befriend and include the person targeted. These are always a good choice! Together We Can Stop Bullying! Every action, big or small, can make a difference. Let's create a safe and respectful school community together.
Bully Blocker ScriptBe a Bully Blocker! Facilitator Script Total Time 30m 1 Warm Up: What's the Word? 3 MINUTES Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important for our school community. I want you to close your eyes for a moment, and think about the word I'm about to say. Don't say anything out loud yet, just think about what it makes you feel, see, or remember. The word is: BULLYING." (Pause for 10 seconds of silent reflection) Teacher: "Now, open your eyes. In your own words, what comes to mind when you hear the word 'bullying'? Share with a partner for about one minute." Note: Allow students to discuss in pairs, then ask 2-3 volunteers to share with the class. 2 Introduction & Defining Bullying 5 MINUTES Display Slide 1 & 2 Teacher: "Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a power imbalance. It’s not just a one-time thing—it happens over and over again. It can happen anywhere: on the bus, in class, or even online." Display Slide 3 Teacher: "We have two roles when we see this: the Bystander who watches but doesn't act, and the Upstander who sees wrongdoing and chooses to act. Which one sounds like a Bully Blocker?" 3 Types & Impact 5 MINUTES Display Slide 4 & 5 Distribute the Understanding Bullying Reading. Teacher: "Bullying isn't always physical. It can be verbal (words), social (leaving people out), or cyber (online). No matter the type, it hurts. It can make people feel sick, scared, or lonely." 4 Upstander Power 7 MINUTES Display Slide 6, 7 & 8 Teacher: "You have the power to make a difference! You can use Direct Strategies like speaking up or distracting, or Indirect Strategies like telling a trusted adult. Telling is NOT tattling when someone is being hurt." Hand out the Scenarios Worksheet and facilitate the Role Play Activity. 5 Consolidation & Game 7 MINUTES Display Slide 9 Pass out Bingo Cards and play to reinforce key terms.
Bully Blocker Warm Up WorksheetWarm Up: What's the Word? Name: ________________________________ Date: ________________________________ Instructions 1 Close your eyes and think about the word the teacher says. 2 What comes to mind? How does it make you feel? What images or memories pop up? 3 Discuss with a partner for one minute, then write your thoughts below. The Word is Bullying My thoughts and feelings...
Understanding Bullying ReadingUnderstanding Bullying What It Is and Why It Matters What is Bullying? Bullying is more than just being mean once. It's when someone keeps doing or saying hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending themselves. It's often about power – one person might feel stronger, more popular, or think they have more control over another. This behavior is repeated over and over again, making the person being bullied feel trapped and alone. Different Ways It Happens Physical Bullying Using the body to hurt others: hitting, kicking, pushing, tripping, or damaging property. Verbal Bullying Using words to hurt: name-calling, teasing, making fun of someone, or threatening them. Social Bullying Hurting reputations or friendships: spreading rumors, leaving someone out, or public embarrassment. Cyberbullying Using technology: mean messages, rumors online, or sharing embarrassing pictures via phones/computers. The Impact: Why It Hurts Bullying affects people in many difficult ways: Emotional Pain Physical Sickness Academic Struggle Social Isolation "Bullying hurts everyone. It makes our school feel less safe and less fun for every single person. That's why being a Bully Blocker matters."
Bully Blocker Scenarios WorksheetBully Blocker Scenarios NAME: ________________________________ DATE: __________ Read each scenario. Describe how you would respond as an upstander. Think about both direct and indirect strategies. Scenario 1 The Teasing Trio "You see a group of students laughing and pointing at Sarah, who just tripped. They are calling her names like 'Clumsy Cathy' and making pig noises." My Upstander Response: Scenario 2 The Excluded Lunch Table "A new student, David, sits alone. He looks sad as classmates laugh at a nearby table but don't invite him to join." My Upstander Response: Scenario 3 The Mean Message "Alex secretly sends a mean message about Maria to friends in the computer lab, giggling as he presses send." My Upstander Response: Scenario 4 The Push and Shove "On the playground, a bigger student repeatedly pushes Sam off the swings. Sam looks scared and is about to cry." My Upstander Response:
Upstander Power Activity GuideUpstander Power! Activity & Discussion Guide Part 1: Role Play Challenge How to Play Get into your assigned group. Choose a scenario from your worksheet. Assign roles: Bully, Target, Upstander(s). Plan your intervention (Direct or Indirect). Practice then perform for the class! Planning Questions • What exactly will the Upstander say? • How will you stay safe during the act? • Which strategy (Speak Up, Distract, etc.) are you using? Part 2: Our School, Our Community 1. Why is it important for everyone in our school to feel safe and respected? 2. How does bullying affect bystanders and the whole community? 3. What small action can you take tomorrow to make someone feel more included? 4. Why is it sometimes hard to be an upstander, and what can help us be brave? REBEMBER: Being an Upstander isn't just about stopping the "bad stuff." It's about being a friend, including others, and making sure everyone knows they belong in our community.
Bully Blockers Bingo GameBully Blocker Bingo! Review Game How to Play Listen for the teacher to read a definition or scenario. If you have the matching term on your card, mark it off! Get 4 in a row (any direction) and shout "BULLY BLOCKER!" Teacher Note Read terms from the script. Verify winning cards by asking for definitions. Upstander Physical Bullying Tell an Adult Cyberbullying Bystander Verbal Bullying FREE SPACE Respect Empathy Social Bullying Distract Speak Up Be a Friend Repeated Behavior Power Imbalance Safe School Teachers: Shuffle terms for multiple unique cards before printing.
Bully Blocker Check-in QuizBully Blocker Check-in NAME: ________________________________ DATE: __________ 1. Which of the following BEST describes bullying? A one-time disagreement between friends. Unwanted, aggressive behavior that is repeated and involves a power imbalance. Accidentally bumping into someone in the hallway. Someone saying something mean to you once. 2. What is the difference between a bystander and an upstander? A bystander watches bullying, an upstander ignores it. A bystander is the bully, an upstander is the target. A bystander watches bullying without acting, an upstander sees it and acts to help. There is no difference, they are the same thing. 3. If you see cyberbullying happening, what is the safest and most effective thing to do FIRST? Join in and make the bully stop. Ignore it and hope it goes away. Tell a trusted adult (parent, teacher, counselor). Post a mean comment back to the bully. 4. Name two different types of bullying and give a brief example for each. 5. Why is being an upstander important for our school community?
One Word Wisdom Exit TicketOne Word Wisdom The Challenge Choose ONE WORD that represents what you learned today, how you feel about being an upstander, or what you will remember most from this lesson. Write Your One Word Here Be Brave. Be a Bully Blocker. One Word Wisdom The Challenge Choose ONE WORD that represents what you learned today, how you feel about being an upstander, or what you will remember most from this lesson. Write Your One Word Here
