The Power of Words -- OLD VERSION

Common Sense Education

This animated video explores the emotional impact of cyberbullying and provides young students with concrete strategies to handle negative online interactions. Through the story of two friends, 'Guts' (a yellow character) and a purple friend, the video demonstrates how mean comments in online games and social media can hurt just as much as face-to-face insults. It challenges the old adage "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" by showing the reality of digital communication. The content focuses on three key themes: identifying cyberbullying behaviors (like trash-talking and mean comments), understanding the emotional consequences of online words, and learning the "STOP" acronym as a safety tool. The narrative validates a child's feelings of hurt when targeted online and emphasizes that they are not alone in these experiences. For educators, this video is a vital resource for Digital Citizenship curriculums. It provides a memorable mnemonic device (STOP: Step away, Tell a trusted adult, Okay sites first, Pause and think online) that serves as a practical classroom management tool. The video naturally sparks discussions about empathy, the "real person" behind every avatar, and the difference between friendly competition and bullying.