Bully Detectives Lesson Plan Bully Detectives
Tier 2 Small-Group Lesson Plan
30 MINUTES
OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to identify at least three specific characteristics of bullying behavior: intentional harm, repetition, and power imbalance.
AUDIENCE & APPROACH
Audience: 6th Grade Students (Autism Spectrum)
Approach: Direct instruction, clear visual examples, and interactive sorting of "evidence" (scenarios).
WHY THIS MATTERS
Understanding the clear characteristics of bullying helps students to accurately identify when bullying is occurring, both to themselves and to others, and know when to seek help. This promotes a safer and more inclusive school environment.
PREP CHECKLIST
Review the Bully Detectives Script and slide deck.
Print and cut out Scenario Cards .
Print and cut out True/False Tags (3 sets per student).
Set up projector for the Bully Detectives Slide Deck .
Est. Prep Time
15 Minutes
INSTRUCTIONAL STEPS
5m
1. Warm-Up: What Does Bullying Feel Like?
Begin by asking students: "When someone is being unkind, how does that make you feel?" (e.g., sad, angry, confused).
Explain that today's lesson will help them understand different kinds of unkindness, specifically focusing on bullying.
Display the first slide of the Bully Detectives Slide Deck .
10m
2. Direct Instruction: Characteristics of Bullying
Use the Slide Deck and Script to explain the three key characteristics: Intentional Harm , Repetition , and Power Imbalance .
Provide clear examples for each characteristic using the provided script.
Pause for questions and visual check-ins after each characteristic is introduced.
10m
3. Activity: Bullying Characteristics Sorting
Introduce the Bullying Characteristics Sorting Activity .
Distribute the Scenario Cards and True/False Cards .
Guide students to sort the cards based on whether they represent bullying (exhibiting the three characteristics) or other types of unkindness.
Circulate and provide support, asking guiding questions like: "Did they mean to do it?" or "Does this happen more than once?"
5m
4. Cool-Down: Quick Check
Display the final slide of the slide deck.
Ask students to share one thing they learned about identifying bullying.
Reiterate that it's okay to ask for help and provide clear steps on who to tell (Teacher, Counselor, Parent).
Bully Detectives Slide Deck Detective Agency
DETECTING BULLYING:
YOUR SUPERPOWER!
Become a Bully Detective and learn the clues to spot the difference.
Clue #1: Intentional Harm
The person means to cause emotional or physical pain.
It's not an accident or a one-time mistake.
Case Example:
"Someone purposely trips you every day, not just once by mistake."
Clue #2: Repetition
The unkind actions happen over and over again.
It's not just a single bad day.
Case Example:
"Someone calls you names every recess, not just once."
Clue #3: Power Imbalance
One person has more power than the other.
Power can be: Physical strength, popularity, or knowing secrets.
Case Example:
"A group of popular kids constantly leaves one student out, making them feel alone."
Putting the Clues Together
Bullying usually has ALL THREE clues:
1
Intentional Harm
"They mean to hurt."
2
Repetition
"Again and again."
3
Power Imbalance
"More power."
Activity Time!
Read your Scenario Cards.
Find the clues. Are all 3 there?
All 3 = Bullying
Missing 1 = Unkindness
Speak Up!
The Action Plan
• Tell a trusted adult.
• Teacher, Parent, Counselor.
• It is ALWAYS okay to ask for help.
"Now you have the superpower to spot bullying and keep yourself and others safe!"
Bully Detectives Script Classified: Teacher Guide
Case Briefing: Bully Detectives
Tier 2 Small Group Script & Facilitation Guide
Operation ID
BD-6-T2
Introduction
"Hello everyone! I'm really glad you're here today. We're going to talk about something important: how to be a 'Bully Detective.' Has anyone heard that term before?"
"When someone is unkind, how does that make you feel? You can just share one word, or a short feeling. Maybe it makes you feel... sad? Angry? Confused?"
TEACHER NOTE: Allow for students to respond. For students on the spectrum, you might offer a "Feelings Wheel" or choice cards if they are struggling to find words.
"Those are all really important feelings. It's tough when people aren't nice. Today, we're going to learn how to tell the difference between just being unkind, and something more serious called bullying . Knowing this difference is like having a superpower, because it helps you know when you or someone else might need help."
Transition to Slide 1: 'Detecting Bullying: Your Superpower!'
Defining the Clues
[Slide 2: Intentional Harm]
"Our first clue is Intentional Harm . This means the person means to hurt someone. It's not an accident. They are purposefully trying to cause emotional pain, like saying mean things, or physical pain, like pushing or tripping someone on purpose. It's a choice they make."
"Can anyone think of a time when someone accidentally hurt them, versus a time someone purposely tried to hurt them? No need to share names, just the idea."
[Slide 3: Repetition]
"Our second clue is Repetition . This means the unkind actions happen over and over again . It's not just a single bad day. It's a pattern, like it happens every day, or every week. Think of it like a broken record, playing the same hurtful song again and again."
[Slide 4: Power Imbalance]
"Our third and final clue is Power Imbalance . This means one person has more 'power' than the other. This 'power' isn't always about being physically bigger. It could be someone who is more popular, or someone who knows personal things about you, or even a group of friends against one person."
Transition to Slide 6: 'Activity Time'
Closing the Case
"You've all done a fantastic job as Bully Detectives today! It's so important to be able to recognize these signs. Before we finish, can one or two people share just one thing they learned today?"
"Remember, if you ever see bullying happening, your superpower is to SPEAK UP and tell a trusted adult. You are never alone."
Bullying Characteristics Sorting Activity Evidence Log
Bullying Characteristics Sorting
Objective: Apply the 3 Clues to determine if a situation is bullying or general unkindness.
Investigation Steps
01
Examine the Evidence
Pick one Scenario Card and read it aloud with your group.
02
Apply the Clues
Discuss each characteristic. Place a TRUE or FALSE tag for each:
Intentional Harm: Did they mean to hurt?
Repetition: Does it happen over and over?
Power Imbalance: Does one person have more power?
03
Solve the Case
3/3
3 Trues = BULLYING
1-2
< 3 Trues = UNKINDNESS
Detective Example
"Every day at lunch, older students make fun of a younger student's clothes and tell them they can't sit there."
TRUE
Intentional
TRUE
Repetition
TRUE
Power
CASE SOLVED: BULLYING
Bully Detective Scenario Cards Incident Report #01
"Maria accidentally tripped over Ben's backpack in the hallway, causing him to drop his books. She immediately apologized and helped him pick them up."
Incident Report #02
"Every day during recess, a group of three popular students tells Alex that he can't play because his games are 'boring.' They laugh at him when he tries to join another group."
Incident Report #03
"Jake called Sarah a mean name one time because he was angry that she beat him in a game. Later that day, he felt bad and apologized."
Incident Report #04
"For the past two weeks, a bigger student has been taking Leo's lunch money every day and threatening to hurt him if he tells anyone."
Incident Report #05
"During a basketball game, one player yelled at another player for missing a shot, saying, 'You're terrible at this!' It happened only once."
Incident Report #06
"A student keeps sending hurtful messages through a group chat, and they prevent the student from leaving the group or blocking them."
Incident Report #07
"Two friends had an argument and stopped talking to each other for a day. They worked it out the next day."
Bully Detective Sorting Tags Evidence Tags
Print and cut out these tags. Each student or group needs 3 sets to analyze their scenarios.
Set #1
Intentional Harm
TRUE
Intentional Harm
FALSE
Repetition
TRUE
Repetition
FALSE
Power Imbalance
TRUE
Power Imbalance
FALSE
Set #2
Intentional Harm
TRUE
Intentional Harm
FALSE
Repetition
TRUE
Repetition
FALSE
Power Imbalance
TRUE
Power Imbalance
FALSE
Set #3
Intentional Harm
TRUE
Intentional Harm
FALSE
Repetition
TRUE
Repetition
FALSE
Power Imbalance
TRUE
Power Imbalance
FALSE
Set #4
Intentional Harm
TRUE
Intentional Harm
FALSE
Repetition
TRUE
Repetition
FALSE
Power Imbalance
TRUE
Power Imbalance
FALSE