Post on 06-Jul-2020
Teacher’s Guide
TM
What’s a Bully?Grades 3-5
9899
Executive ProducerSusan Eikov Green
Video ProductionMazzarella Bros. Productions
Bristol, CT
WriterCassandra Morris
Teacher’s GuideRuth Grossman
© 2005 Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
ISBN 1-59520-669-8
What’s a Bully?
Credits
About the ProgramWhy Should Students View This Program? ................................................ 3Learning Objectives .................................................................................... 3Program Content ......................................................................................... 4Pre-Viewing Questions ................................................................................ 4
Program Summary ......................................................................................... 5
Guidelines for Discussion ............................................................................... 8
Discussion Questions ..................................................................................... 9
Bulletin Board Starters ................................................................................... 11
Suggested Activities ...................................................................................... 12
Send-Home Page ........................................................................................... 14
Take-Home Book ........................................................................................... 15
Activity Sheets Table of Contents ........................................................................................ 16Part 1: The Tough Guy ............................................................................... 17Part 2: Words Can Hurt, Too ....................................................................... 21Part 3: You Know What I Heard? ................................................................ 24Part 4: The Internet Bully ........................................................................... 27
Suggested ReadingReading for Educators and Parents ............................................................. 31Reading for Grades 3-5 .............................................................................. 32Internet Resources ...................................................................................... 35Related Materials from Sunburst Visual Media .......................................... 36
Script ........................................................................................................... 37
program running time: approximately 18 minutes
We highly recommend that teachers preview programs before showing them in the classroom.
What’s a Bully?
Table of Contents
Why Should Students View This Program?Bullying happens in elementary school more often than most people think.
Youngsters may pick on or tease their schoolmates, spread rumors or gossip, or in
a new type of harassment less obvious to teachers and parents, hide behind the
anonymity of the Internet to send intimidating messages to their victims. What
may surprise adults even more than the bullying actions, is the fact that many of
the youngsters who engage in these behaviors do not think of themselves as bullies.
Instead, they excuse their actions by saying that they are “only fooling around,”
“having fun,” or “just joking.”
Starting from the premise that you can't tell if someone is a bully just by looking at
them, What's a Bully? makes clear to viewers that bullies come in all shapes,
sizes and genders. And more importantly, all bullies don't act the same way. Some
bullies attack with their fists, some use words, some spread rumors and gossip, and
today others do their damage online. And, the program points out, more often than
not the kids who engage in these behaviors usually don't think of themselves as
bullies; they certainly don't consider about how their words and actions may affect
their targets. Using situations that middle-elementary students will readily recog-
nize, the program dramatizes different examples of bullying behavior: physical
bullying, teasing with putdowns and taunts, spreading rumors, and harassing with
threats and insults over the Internet. The program concludes by urging viewers to
examine and think about their own behavior. The best way to see if what you do
could be considered bullying, the program advises, is to ask yourself, “How would
I like it if someone did this to me?”
Learning ObjectivesThis program is designed to help middle-elementary children:
• learn that bullies come in all shapes and sizes, and can be either
boys or girls.
• understand that not all bullies see their behavior as bullying.
• become aware of the different ways bullying may take place.
• examine their own behavior to discover whether it might be considered
bullying.
What’s a Bully?3
About the Program
• identify certain kinds of words or actions as bullying.
• understand the effects bullying has on others.
• decide to ask themselves before they act, “Would I like it if someone
did this to me?”
Program ContentWith a young host introducing each segment, the program helps viewers understand that
many different kinds of behavior can be seen as bullying: the boy who picks on others to
impress his friends, the girl who uses taunts and putdowns to hurt another girl, the boy
who spreads a rumor because he's jealous of another boy's popularity, and the girls who
hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to harass another girl. Making clear that these
are all bullying behaviors, the program encourages students to think about and examine
their own behavior and then ask themselves, “Could what I'm doing be considered bully-
ing? Would I like it if someone did this to me?”
Pre-Viewing Questions• Is there a single definition of a bully? Why or why not?
• Do only boys bully? What about girls and bullying behavior?
• What kinds of behavior could be considered bullying?
What’s a Bully?4
As a series of shots of middle-elementary school kids rolls across the screen, the
young host asks if viewers can pick out which one might be a bully. The truth is, she
explains, just looking at someone can't tell you. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes,
she adds, both boys and girls. What's more, she goes on, they don't all act the same.
This program, she tells viewers, helps you recognize bullying behavior and what a
bully is.
Part One: The Tough GuyNotes the host, people usually think of a bully as a tough guy. Jack fills this bill. He
thinks that by picking on someone and embarrassing them, the other kids will think
he's cool. In the locker room getting ready for basketball practice, he makes Kenny his
target. First he compliments him on his sneakers, then grabs one and pretends to drib-
ble it. Passing it back and forth to Sam, his final shot lands the sneaker in the toilet
bowl. On Jack's prompting, the other kids laugh and call him, “Cool.”
At lunchtime in the cafeteria, Jack finds another target: Billy, whose cupcakes he
smashes. He laughs and the kids sitting nearby laugh with him.
Jack doesn't see himself as a bully, explains the host. In fact, he sees his actions as
winning friends for himself. However, he learns otherwise when he overhears the kids
he thought were his friends making plans to go camping with Sam's parents over the
weekend, and discovers Sam's parents don't want him included. Sam tells him it's
because of his reputation as a bully. Jack hears firsthand from the kids that the actions
he considered funny and cool were really bullying. Questions for discussion appear
onscreen.
Part Two: Words Can Hurt, TooSome bullies, the host continues, use words to hurt and control other kids. Emma, for
example, thought she was saying funny things, but failed to think how her words
might be hurtful. At Karen's birthday party, all the kids are busy making jewelry with
block letters when Tina, who is short, pipes up to say that she can't find the “A” she
needs to complete hers.
What’s a Bully?5
Program Summary
Hearing this, Emma picks up a “Y” and tells Tina to use it instead. “It matches you
perfectly,” she says. “See T-I-N-Y…just like you.” Tina, of course, is embarrassed,
even more so because of the other girls' laughter. Later, Emma continues badgering
Tina with the name “Tiny” as Karen opens Tina's present to her, a shirt that's the right
size for Tina but too small for Karen. “It's teeny-weeny,” observes Emma, “just like
Tiny Tina.”
When Tina calls her on this, Emma asks her, “Can't you take a joke?” But it's not
funny to Tina, who dissolves in tears. Karen tells Emma that she's hurt Tina's feelings,
something Emma denies. “You're a bully,” Karen adds, as Emma suddenly realizes her
mistake. She apologizes to Tina, but the harm has been done. Name-calling and
taunts can be hurtful, says the host. So before you say something mean to someone,
she advises, ask yourself how you would feel if someone said it to you. Questions for
discussion appear onscreen.
Part Three: You Know What I Heard?Some bullies push and hit, says the host, and some hurt with words. But others, she
continues, are not so obvious. Brian is very popular at school, and prefers the situation
to stay that way. So when the class's attention turns to Charlie, a new kid in class,
Brian is very upset. All the kids are impressed that Charlie, who's from Hawaii, not
only has his own surfboard, but has been written up in a surfing magazine.
Jealous of the attention Charlie is getting, and furious as well, Brian decides to get
even. He starts a rumor that Charlie made the whole story up: Charlie's never surfed
and there's no surfing magazine, either. And as a rumor will do, the news quickly flies
around the school because no one brothers to find out whether or not it is true.
Suddenly, no one will talk to Charlie. Then he finds out from Tim that the kids think
he's a liar. So Charlie reaches into his backpack and brings out the magazine with the
article about himself. Realizing what's happened, Tim immediately tells all the other
kids that Brian is the liar. Says the host, bullies like Brian use rumors and gossip to
pick on other kids and cause trouble. The best way to stop bullies who spread rumors,
she adds, is to find out the truth by getting all the facts. Questions for discussion
appear onscreen.
Part Four: The Internet BullyAs the host points out, a new kind of bully is someone who uses the Internet to pick
on others. Telling her friend Kaylie that a kid in her older sister Allison's class got
What’s a Bully?6
weird instant messages from someone she didn't know, Morgan suggests the two of
them try doing the same thing. They decide to send “stupid stuff” to Emily without
letting her know who's sending it.
Their plan works. The first message they send is silly, and Emily has no idea where
it's coming from. But then the messages turn nasty: Emily learns that her mysterious
correspondents are going to tell everyone that she cheated on her social studies test.
Moreover, the message tells her, not only does she always cheat, but no one will
want to be her friend. “You better watch out!” they warn.
The next day at school, Kaylie and Morgan learn from James that Emily's crying
and is afraid to come to school. “What are we going to do?” Kaylie anxiously asks
Morgan. Don't say anything, says Morgan; we'll talk about it after school. Later,
overhearing the two discussing it, Allison demands to know what's going on. When
they admit that what they've been doing to Emily is exactly what someone in her
class had done, Allison points out that the kids in her class who did it were suspend-
ed. Surprised to hear this, Morgan is instantly apologetic. They were only trying to
be funny, she says. So Allison asks, “Would you have thought it was funny if some-
one did it to you?” The girls agree that they would not have liked it and agree to
send Emily a message apologizing for what they did and promising not to do it
again.
Says the host, Morgan and Kaylie thought that because they couldn't see Emily and
she couldn't see them, it wasn't the same as bullying. But they are wrong, the host
explains; bullying is bullying, no matter how or where it's done. Her warning to
viewers is, if someone wants to find out where an instant message is coming from,
they can trace it back to you. Her advice is clear: “Use the Internet the right way—
don't misuse it.”
In a review, the host goes over the ways bullying can occur: it can be physical, can
hurt people through mean words, can consist of sneaky rumors and gossip, or take
place secretly on the Internet at someone else's expense. The best way to figure out
whether what you do is bullying, the host tells viewers, is to ask yourself, “How
would I like it if someone did it to me?” That's the question to ask, she adds,
because, “You don't really want to be a bully, do you?”
What’s a Bully?7
Group discussion is an invaluable way to explore ideas and issues, foster creativi-
ty, and build communication and social skills. The following guidelines can help
you maintain a “discussion-friendly” classroom:
Create a climate of openness and acceptance. Encourage students to show respect for the opinions of others and model
this behavior yourself.
Establish ground rules. Students can participate in formulating the rules for discussion. Rules will
vary, but should include some of these general principles:
- No putdowns, ridicule or sarcasm.
- Everyone may speak without interruption.
- Everyone has the right to pass.
Guard against inappropriate self-disclosure. An intense discussion may lead students to reveal inappropriate informa-
tion about themselves or others. Sensitivity and vigilance can help you
head off such revelations.
Probe behind the neat and tidy answers. Children are good at telling adults what they think adults want to hear.
To find out what students really think, it is often helpful to prolong
discussion time and encourage greater depth. Offer a “What if...?”; bring
out issues such as fairness, justice, intent or lack of it, and so on. Children
have a remarkable capacity to discern complexities and subtleties, and
their discussions can be very rich.
What’s a Bully?8
Guidelines for Discussion
Questions marked with an asterisk (*) appear on screen and in the DVD format.
Part One: The Tough Guy(1) The host tells viewers, “Bullies can be boys or girls.” Does it make a difference
in their bullying behavior? Why or why not?
(2) What are some reasons people might think of any bully as a tough guy? What
are some characteristics of a tough guy?
(3) Why do you think Jack didn't see himself as a bully?
(4*) Jack wanted his classmates to see him as “cool.” Why would he feel that his
actions would make him seem “cool”?
(5*) Why do you think the other kids laughed at Jack's bullying of Kenny and Billy?
What do you think they were really feeling?
(6) How is bullying encouraged when people stand by and laugh at the bully's
actions?
(7) Why wouldn't Sam's parents include Jack in the camping trip? Were they right
in excluding him? Why or why not?
Part Two: Words Can Hurt, Too(1) Why did Emma deny she was picking on Tina by calling her “Tiny Tina”?
(2) Why didn't Emma consider whether she was hurting Tina's feelings?
(3) Emma thought she was saying funny things. Why wouldn't they be funny to Tina?
(4*) Emma excused her bullying by saying she was “just fooling around.” Is
bullying ever a joke? Why or why not?
(5*) Why is it a good idea to think about what you're going to say before you say it?
What’s a Bully?9
Discussion Questions
Part Three: You Know What I Heard?(1) Why would the attention the kids paid to Charlie make Brian jealous?
(2) Do you think that spreading the rumor that Charlie was a liar would help Brian
become the center of attention once more? Why or why not?
(3) When you hear a rumor about something or someone, do you believe it?
Why or why not?
(4*) Is spreading a rumor the same thing as bullying? Why or why not?
(5*) Why is bullying by spreading a rumor not as obvious as other types of bullying?
(6) If you wanted to stop a rumor in its tracks, what's the best way to do it?
Part Four: The Internet Bully(1) Why did Morgan think sending “mystery” instant messages to Emily was a
good idea?
(2) What was Morgan's feeling toward Emily that made her want to send mean
messages?
(3*) Is sending anonymous instant messages ever the “harmless fun” that Morgan
says it is? Why or why not?
(4) How did the messages affect Emily? How do you think Morgan and Kaylie felt
when they learned how upset she was?
(5) Why would Morgan and Kaylie insist that what they were doing was not bully-
ing? What did they tell Allison they were doing?
(6) Morgan felt that using the Internet to send “mystery” messages was not wrong
because she couldn't see Emily and Emily couldn't see her. Do you agree?
Why or why not?
(7*) Allison tells Morgan and Kaylie, “Put yourself in the other person's place.
Think, Would I like it if someone did this to me? Discuss why this is good
advice for everyone.
What’s a Bully?10
‹ Invite students to create a four-panel cartoon story with the title, “The Tough
Guy.” Have them show how this person bullies a classmate to show how “cool”
he/she is, but gets their payback when he/she finds the other kids don't approve
of this behavior. Have students use balloon captions to move the story along.
Display the finished work on the bulletin board.
The host in the program says that the best way to figure out if what you do
could be considered bullying is to ask yourself: “Would I like it if someone did
this to me?” Invite students to create posters around this question on large
pieces of oaktag. They can use crayons, paints, or cut-out construction paper
pieces to illustrate their work. Display the completed posters on the bulletin
board.
Invite students to select either of the following two topics: gossiping or spread-
ing a rumor about someone, or scaring someone with threatening messages
over the Internet. Tell them to write a story describing why the behavior is a
form of bullying. Tell students they can write about something from their own
life, or make their story fictional. Tell them not to use real names or situations.
Display the finished stories on the bulletin board.
“I was just joking” or “I was just fooling around” are excuses children often
give for behavior they don't think of as bullying. Invite students to compose a
short poem to a fictional person who has used this excuse to show why the
words simply do not justify his/her bullying, and why an apology is in order.
Display the poems on the bulletin board.
What’s a Bully?11
Bulletin Board Starters
Language Arts; CommunicationAsk students to think about bullying and the kinds of behavior that characterize
it. Ask them to brainstorm a list of bullying behaviors that may not seem like
bullying, but are. Write each suggestion on the chalkboard. Following the
Guidelines for Discussion in this Guide, lead students in a discussion on the
behaviors listed, whether they are really bullying, and the effect each one would
have on the bully's target. Extend the discussion by reminding students that each
of the characters in the program had an excuse for why they bullied, then ask
whether any of the following statements changes anything about the bully's
behavior: “I was just fooling around,” “I was just having fun,” “Can't you take
a joke?”
Language Arts; Creative WritingAsk students to keep journals in which they reflect on the kinds of bullying
behavior they might encounter in school and out. Give them a topic to write
about each week: how it feels to be picked on; when words are used to hurt;
how rumors or gossip can be a form of bullying; why using the Internet to send
anonymous threatening messages can have devastating consequences. Make
clear that as they reflect on these behaviors, they need to examine whether they
themselves have ever engaged in one or more of them, and think about becom-
ing more aware of their own actions. If students wish, they can read selections
from their journal to the rest of the class.
Language Arts; Creative ExpressionAsk students what they know about rumors and how they get started. Do they
know how rumors can be stopped? Invite students to get together with two or
three partners and write a short play about rumors: the way they fly from person
to person, why they should be considered a form of bullying, and how they can
get stopped. Have each group perform their play for their classmates.
Language Arts; ReadingAlmost every book with a school setting has a bully in it, as do many books
about children's neighborhoods and friendships. Ask students to select and read
What’s a Bully?12
Suggested Activities
one of the books of fiction in the Suggested Reading section of this Guide, or
ask their school or local librarian for a book on bullying behaviors similar to
those described in the program. Have students present an oral or written report
to the class on the book. Tell them that as they read, they should think about the
following questions:
• Was the bully a boy or a girl?
• What was the behavior the bully engaged in? Did he or she see their
behavior as bullying? Why or why not?
• What effect did the bully's behavior have on the target(s)?
• Did the bully plead that he/she “was only joking” or “only having fun?”
• Was the bully ever apologetic about his or her behavior? What was the
outcome?
Language Arts; Creative Expression; ArtMany boys and girls who bully don't see themselves as bullies, but their
behavior proves it. Have students turn themselves into magazine columnists and
write an advice column to either Jack or Emma or Brian or Morgan and Kaylie,
advising them to see themselves as others see them, as bullies. Tell students to
suggest in their column that these characters should ask themselves before they
decide to pick on another kid, “How would I like it if someone did this to me?”
If students wish, they can put a design around the borders of their column.
Assemble the columns into a book students can look at from time to time.
Ask for volunteers to design back and front covers.
What’s a Bully?13
Dear Family Member,
Your child has viewed a program called What's a Bully? Not surprisingly, bullying
among children happens more often than most people think. Elementary school
students probably encounter a bully or two every day, in class or on the playground.
But not all kids whose behavior can be considered bullying see themselves as bullies
or think about how their words and actions affect others. Their excuse for taunting,
teasing, spreading rumors, or even for sending nasty messages online is, “I was just
having fun,” or “I was just joking.”
What’s a Bully? is designed to help students identify and recognize the kinds of
behavior that can be considered bullying and encourage them to examine their own
behavior in that light. First making it clear that both boys and girls can be bullies, the
program dramatizes different bullying behaviors to make students aware that bullying
can mean:
• pushing others around or damaging their possessions;
• using words—taunts and putdowns—to hurt others' feelings;
• spreading rumors or gossip in a sneaky manner to make other kids miserable;
• sending anonymous instant-message insults and threats over the Internet.
The program's aim is to help children realize that the best way to figure out whether
what they do can be considered bullying, is to ask themselves, “How would I feel if
someone did this to me?” Using this question as a jumping-off point for a discussion
with your child about bullying issues can be very productive. Two resources you may
find helpful are:
Linda Eyre and Richard Eyre. Teaching Your Child
Sensitivity. Fireside, 1995.
William Voors. The Parent's Book About Bullying;
Changing the Course of Your Child's Life. Hazelden,
2000.
What’s a Bully?14
Send-Home Page
Draw pictures to go with the words. Then cut out and staple the pages together.
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC15
On the playground with friends, Drew tossesAlan’s baseball glove over the school fence.
Drew looks at his friends, but no one laughs.Drew insists, “I’m just having fun.”
Drew thinks this over. Telling Alan he’s sorry, hegoes around the fence to get the glove back.
Timmy asks, “Would you like it if somone did thatto you?”
1. 2.
3. 4.
Take-Home Book
Part One: The Tough GuyA Bully Is… .................................................................................... Activity Sheet 1
Tell Jack’s Story ............................................................................... Activity Sheet 2
A Letter to Jack .............................................................................. Activity Sheet 3
If You See a Bully ............................................................................ Activity Sheet 4
Part Two: Words Can Hurt, TooCould You Be a Bully? .................................................................... Activity Sheet 1
A Different Kind of Bully ................................................................ Activity Sheet 2
How It Feels ..................................................................................... Activity Sheet 3
Part Three: You Know What I Heard? How the Story Got Its Start ............................................................. Activity Sheet 1
What’s Your Story? .................................................................... Activity Sheet 2
The Scoop on Rumors .................................................................... Activity Sheet 3
Part Four: The Internet BullyA New Kind of Bully ...................................................................... Activity Sheet 1
Internet Bully .................................................................................. Activity Sheet 2
So What’s a Bully? ......................................................................... Activity Sheet 3
Activity Sheets may be copied for class distribution.
What’s a Bully?16
Table of Contents - Activity Sheets
If you look around any room full of kids, would you be able to pick out bullies? As the
program points out, bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Read over each statement and mark
whether you Agree or Disagree that it is true of bullies. Then get together with a partner or
small group to compare and discuss your answers.
AGREE DISAGREE
1. Boys can be bullies but girls don't bully.
2. Some bullies want to be thought of as tough guys.
3. It's easy to spot a bully. They all act the same.
4. Some people bully to show their friends how “cool” they are.
5. If you stand by and laugh when bullying happens, it means you approve of the bully's behavior.
6. If a bully says mean things about another person, that
person can easily laugh it off.
7. If you don't say anything when bullying happens, it
encourages the bully to keep bullying.
8. Spreading rumors and gossip is not the same thing as bullying.
9. Having a reputation as a bully means you can never change
and give up bullying.
10. A bully who says, “I was just fooling around,” should be
forgiven for his or her bullying behavior.
11. If you bully someone over the Internet, you can't be found out.
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC17
A Bully Is…Activity Sheet
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
o o
Part 1: The Tough Guy
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC18
Make a storybook about how Jack learns that bullying doesn’t make him “cool.”
Jack plays a trick with Kenny’s sneaker.
His friends laugh.Jack smashes Billy’s cupcakes. His friends laugh.
“But,” Jack protests, “I was only fooling around!”Jack’s friends tell him he’s not invited to go camping
with them because he is a bully.
1. 2.
3. 4.
Tell Jack’s Story
Activity Sheet
Part 1: The Tough Guy
Jack thought that playing tricks on Kenny and Billy was “just fooling around,” and
would make his friends see him as “cool.” However, he found out differently when he
was excluded from the camping trip. Write a letter to Jack to tell him as a friend why his
behavior is really bullying, and far from being “cool.”
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC19
A Letter to Jack
Dear Jack,
Your Friend,
Activity Sheet
Part 1: The Tough Guy
Could you recognize a bully by his/her behavior? Think about a time when you saw a
friend or classmate picking on or teasing another kid. Then answer the questions.
Would you think of him or her as a bully? YES NO
How did the situation make you feel? _________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Did you think the bully was being “cool” or just “fooling around”?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What, if anything, could you have done to stop the bullying?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC20
If You See a Bully
Activity Sheet
Part 1: The Tough Guy
o o
Many people don't even realize when they're behaving like a bully. Could you be one?
For each question, circle your answer “yes,” “no,” or “sometimes.”
1. Do you enjoy teasing others?
YES NO SOMETIMES
2. If you see that your teasing is hurting someone's feelings, do you keep it up?
YES NO SOMETIMES
3. Do you think it's fun to embarrass someone?
YES NO SOMETIMES
4, When another person is teasing someone, do you go along with the teasing?
YES NO SOMETIMES
5. If you feel someone else is getting too much attention, do you put that person down?
YES NO SOMETIMES
6. Do you feel you always have to be in control?
YES NO SOMETIMES
What was your score? Were you surprised by how many “Yes” or
“Sometimes” answers you had? If so, this is a good time to think
about your behavior. Ask yourself before you pick on or tease someone:
“How would I feel in that person's place?”
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC21
Could You Be a Bully?
Activity Sheet
Part 2: Words Can Hurt, Too
Emma's way of bullying is different from Jack's. She says hurtful things without thinking.
Here are ten things that happened in Emma's story, but they are out of order. Number them
in the right order.
______ Karen picks Tina's present to open first. “Thanks, Tina, for your
nice card,” she says.
______ Emma laughs, “That shirt is teeny-weeny, just like Tiny Tina.”
This really makes Tina feels bad. She asks Emma, “Why are you
picking on me?”
______ It's Karen's birthday. At her party, her friends are making name jewelry.
______ But Emma is picking on Tina, using words to hurt Tina's feelings.
Tina bursts into tears.
______ Emma says, “Did you forget? Her new name's Tiny.” “Stop saying
that,” Tina tells Emma.
______ Emma finishes first, but Tina is still looking through the blocks and
beads to find an “A” for the final letter of her name.
______ “I'm not picking on you,” says Emma. “Can't you take a joke?”
______ Emma picks up a “Y” and gives it to Tina, “Use this instead. It
matches you perfectly Tiny Tina.” Some of the girls laugh, but others
are embarrassed.
______ After Karen tells Emma that she's been acting like a bully, Emma
apologizes to Tina.
______ Karen opens Tina's present, a shirt that turns out to be too small
for Karen but just the right size for Tina.
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC22
A Different Kind of Bully
Activity Sheet
Part 2: Words Can Hurt, Too
Emma thought she was being funny, but she was really being mean to Tina. Using the
Word Box below, make a list of the words that describe what you think Tina was feeling
while Emma was teasing her.
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
Now make a list of the words from the Word Box that describe how you would feel if
you heard a classmate saying mean things about someone.
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC23
How It Feels
Activity Sheet
Part 2: Words Can Hurt, Too
angry worried hurt outraged
unhappy embarrassed ashamed threatened
sorry scared distressed indifferent
interested confused excited troubled
upset sad curious sympathetic
WORD BOX
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC24
Brian liked being popular with the other kids.So when his friends started paying attention to the new kid Charlie, Brian became jealous and angry.
Brian decided to be sneaky. He spread a rumor thatCharlie was a liar: there was no such magazine.
Charlie said he has a surfboard and had been written about in a surfing magazine.
The rumor about Charlie spread quickly aroundthe school.
As a result, no one would speak to Charlie.Charlie could not understand why.
1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
Activity Sheet
Part 3: Do You Know What I Heard?
How the Story Got Its Start
Make a storybook about how the rumor about Charlie got started.
Has anyone ever tried to spread a rumor about you? Did anyone question it?
Were you able to stop it? Write about the situation and its outcome.
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What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC25
What’s Your Story?
Activity Sheet
Part 3: Do You Know What I Heard?
Spreading rumors or gossip about someone is just as much a bullying behavior as picking
on someone. Here are some ways rumors get started and ways they can be stopped. Add
your own ideas to the list and share them with the class.
Rumors get started because people . . .
• want power or control
• want to cause trouble
• are jealous of the attention being paid to someone else
• think spreading a rumor is the way to get even
• want to feel part of the “in” group
• __________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________
You can act to stop a rumor by . . .
• finding out the true facts
• not repeating something you aren't sure is true
• making the rumor stop with you
• refusing to be an audience
• ignoring it
• __________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC26
The Scoop on Rumors
Activity Sheet
Part 3: Do You Know What I Heard?
Morgan and Kaylie are ______________________________ . Then Morgan has an
_______________________ . She had heard her sister Allison talking about someone in her
class who sent _______________________ Instant Messages over the Internet. Morgan tells
Kaylie, “Let's do it. We'll make up a name, and say _______________________ stuff.” They
decide to __________________________ Emily. She'd never think ____________________
would do that to her, says Morgan. “It'll be __________________________ .”
Their first message to Emily is just _________________________ . To Morgan and
Kaylie, it's ____________________________ fun. But then their messages turn mean and
______________________ . The next day, Morgan and Kaylie learn from James that Emily
is ____________________ to come to school. “Some ________________________ are after
her,” he says. Hearing this, Kaylie asks, “What should we do?” “Nothing,” says Morgan.
Later, Allison hears them talking and asks what they did. When they tell her, she says
that the kids in her class who did the same thing were ______________________ . “But we
were just ____________________ around,” explains Morgan. Says Allison, “You think it's
____________________ to say mean or ____________________ things on the Internet you
would never say in person. Would you have thought it was funny if ____________________
did that to you?” Sorry about what they did, Morgan and Kaylie ______________________
never to do it again.
What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC27
A New Kind of Bully
Activity Sheet
Part 4: The Internet Bully
promise bullies harmless scary
threatening silly afraid suspended
joking anyone funny bored
stupid idea okay
mystery someone instant message
Morgan and Kaylie went looking for something fun and different to do. What they found
turned out to be a new kind of bullying. Choose words from the Word Box to fill in the
blanks to tell their story.
What’s a Bully?28
Morgan and Kaylie are ______________________________ . Then Morgan has an
_______________________ . She had heard her sister Allison talking about someone in her
class who sent _______________________ Instant Messages over the Internet. Morgan tells
Kaylie, “Let's do it. We'll make up a name, and say _______________________ stuff.” They
decide to __________________________ Emily. She'd never think ____________________
would do that to her, says Morgan. “It'll be __________________________ .”
Their first message to Emily is just _________________________ . To Morgan and
Kaylie, it's ____________________________ fun. But then their messages turn mean and
______________________ . The next day, Morgan and Kaylie learn from James that Emily
is ____________________ to come to school. “Some ________________________ are after
her,” he says. Hearing this, Kaylie asks, “What should we do?” “Nothing,” says Morgan.
Later, Allison hears them talking and asks what they did. When they tell her, she says
that the kids in her class who did the same thing were ______________________ . “But we
were just ____________________ around,” explains Morgan. Says Allison, “You think it's
____________________ to say mean or ____________________ things on the Internet you
would never say in person. Would you have thought it was funny if ____________________
did that to you?” Sorry about what they did, Morgan and Kaylie ______________________
never to do it again.
A New Kind of Bully
Answer Key Activity Sheet
Part 4: The Internet Bully
promise bullies harmless scary
threatening silly afraid suspended
joking anyone funny bored
stupid idea okay
mystery someone instant message
Morgan and Kaylie went looking for something fun and different to do. What they found
turned out to be a new kind of bullying. Choose words from the Word Box to fill in the
blanks to tell their story.
bored
ideamystery
stupidinstant message anyone
funny
sillyharmless
threateningbulliesafraid
suspendedjoking
okay scary
someonepromise
Internet bullying, also called cyberbullying, has become a huge problem because it is so
easy for one person to send insulting or threatening messages to another person. Write a
short essay on why this kind of bullying can be so scary to its target. Include any ideas you
have to prevent or stop Internet bullying. Use the back of this page if you need more room.
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What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC29
Internet Bullying
Activity Sheet
Part 4: The Internet Bully
In the program, you learned that bullies come in all shapes and sizes. But how do you
know if some behavior of yours is bullying? The way to figure this out is to ask yourself,
“How would I like it if someone did this to me?” In the space below, describe why asking
this question can help you avoid being a bully. Draw a picture to illustrate how you would
feel as a result.
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What’s a Bully? © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC30
So What’s a Bully?
Activity Sheet
Part 4: The Internet Bully
Reading for Educators and ParentsAlexander, Jenny. Bullying: Practical and Easy-to-Follow Advice. Penguin USA,
1998. A guide to handling this huge problem.
Beane, Allen L. The Bully-Free Classroom: Over 100 Tips and Strategies for
Teachers K-8. Free Spirit Publishing, 1999. Practical and effective strategies
for coping with bullying behavior, encouraging parent involvement, and
making classrooms a place to learn.
Bott, C. J. The Bully in the Book and In the Classroom. Scarecrow Press, 2004.
Using books on bullying arranged by grade levels, addresses the kinds of
bullying behavior that occurs at each particular age.
Cooper, Scott. Sticks and Stones: 7 Ways Your Child Can Deal With Teasing, Conflict
and Other Hard Times. Random House, 2000. How parents can help their
children learn to speak up for themselves assertively, gently, and effectively.
Davis, Stan. Schools Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies for Reducing
Bullying. Stop Bullying Now, 2005. Practical information for school person-
nel on reducing the incidence of bullying.
Dellasega, Cheryl, and Charisse Nixon. Girl Wars: 12 Strategies That Will End
Female Bullying. Simon & Schuster, 2003. Girls want to help each other and
form positive relationships, say the authors, who argue that all girls need is
guidance from concerned adults to show them how.
Eyre, Linda and Richard. Teaching Your Child Sensitivity. Fireside, 1995. Help for
parents in making children aware of the needs and feelings of others.
Freedman, Judy S. Easing the Teasing: Helping Your Child Deal With Name-Calling,
Ridicule, and Verbal Bullying. Contemporary Books, 2002. How to help chil-
dren deal effectively with painful teasing and develop lifelong coping skills.
What’s a Bully?31
Suggested Reading
Hoover, John H. and Ronald Oliver. Bullying Prevention Handbook. National
Educational Service, 1997. A comprehensive tool for understanding, preventing,
and reducing day-to-day bullying.
Roberts, Donald F., et al. Kids and Media in America. Cambridge University Press,
2003. This comprehensive picture of young people's media behavior examines the
full array of media available to children and adolescents, describes amount of
time they spend with each medium, the kinds of content they choose, and the
physical, social and psychological context of much of their exposure.
Simmons, Rachel. “Cliques, Clicks, Bullies and Blogs.” Washington Post, September 28,
2003, p.B01. How the Internet has transformed the landscape of children's social
lives.
Simmons, Rachel. Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls. Harcourt,
2002. Arguing that girls are socialized to value friendships but not to express the
anger that might destroy them. Describes the many kinds of aggression girls act
out to one another, provides parents, teachers, and girls themselves clear-cut
strategies for resisting them.
Stein, Nan. Bully-Proof: A Teacher's Guide on Teasing and Bullying for Use With Fourth
and Fifth Grade Students. National Educational Association, 1996. Eleven core
lessons plus teaching tips.
Sullivan, Keith. The Anti-Bullying Handbook. Oxford University Press, 2000. An
overview of bullying and what is needed to solve the problem.
Voors, William. The Parent's Book About Bullying: Changing the Course of Your Child's
Life. Hazelden, 2000. Sound advice for helping both the instigators and targets of
bullying.
Fiction for Grades 3 to 5Adams, W. Royce. The Computer's Nerd. Rairarubia Books, 2000. Bullied incessantly
by three boys who consider him a nerd, Arthur Dingle turns to his new computer
to help him get even, but finds the machine far from user-friendly.
Alexander, Martha. Move Over, Twerp. Dial, 1989. Big kids keep taking away Jeffrey's
seat on the bus, until he finds an ingenious solution.
What’s a Bully?32
Amos, Janine. Bully. Benchmark Books, 1995. Three stories of young children who
get angry and pick on someone provide a good springboard for discussion.
Blume, Judy. Blubber. Dell, 1974. Having engaged in bullying herself, Jill hates it
when the tables are turned.
Carrick, Carol. What a Wimp! Clarion Books, 1983. It takes time, but Barney finally
realizes that facing up to Lenny's bullying is something he must do on his own.
Conford, Ellen. Revenge of the Incredible Dr. Rancid and His Youthful Assistant, Jeffrey.
Little, Brown, 1980. An eleven-year-old boy uses his secret diary in his attempt
to cope with the class bully.
Clements, Andrew. Jake Drake Bully Buster. Thorndike Press, 2002. In the past, fourth-
grader Jake has found himself a magnet for bullies. Now he reminisces about his
experiences in second grade with Superbully Link Baxter, who tormented Jake
until the two were teamed up for a Thanksgiving project.
DeClements, Barthe. Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade. Puffin, 1990. Elsie Edwards is the
new girl in school and the butt of her class because of her weight problem, until
her classmates' dislike turns to acceptance.
DePaola, Tomie. Oliver Button is a Sissy. Econo-Clad Books, 1999. Oliver doesn't let
his classmates' taunts stop him from doing what he likes best.
Keats, Ezra Jack. Goggles. Puffin, 1998. Peter and his friend find a pair of goggles in a
junk heap that can protect them from neighborhood bullies.
Ludwig, Trudy. My Secret Bully. Riverwood Press, 2004. Emotional bullies use relation-
ships, words and gestures as their weapons of attack. Inspirational story shows
victims of emotional bullying that they are not alone; includes an important
resource to help parents.
Moss, Marissa. Amelia Takes Command. Pleasant Company, 1999. As fifth grade begins,
Amelia's journal details her struggles with two unexpected problems: a fickle
friend and a constant bully.
What’s a Bully?33
O'Neill, Alexis. The Recess Queen. Scholastic Press, 2002. A rhyming story in which a
bully is caught off-guard and effectively disarmed by the power of kindness and
friendship.
Robinson, Nancy. Wendy and the Bullies. Hastings House, 1987. Fearing the bullies they
find all around them, Wendy and her friend Karen dream up a number of elabo-
rate strategies for ridding themselves of bullies forever.
Scribner, Virginia. Gopher Takes Heart. Viking Press, 1993. Gopher has put up with
Fletcher's bullying for a long time, but this Valentine's Day he is compelled to
face him down.
Shreve, Susan. Joshua T. Bates Takes Charge. Knopf, 1993. When a bully starts torment-
ing Joshua's new friend, Joshua must decide what to do.
Smith-Mansell, Dana. Stop Bullying Bobby! Helping Children Cope With Teasing and
Bullying. New Horizon Press, 2004. A girl who feels compassion for a classmate
who is being bullied finally gains the confidence to talk to her parents about the
bullying.
Spinelli, Jerry. Fourth Grade Rats. Scholastic, 1991. Suds tries to impress Joey by imitat-ing Joey's rebellious and bullying behavior, and learns an important lesson aboutgrowing up.
Stolz, Mary. The Bully of Barkham Street. Harper & Row, 1963. Why Martin Hastings
turned into a bully and how he ceased to be one.
Wilson, Jacqueline. Bad Girls. Delacorte Press, 2001. Feeling herself an ugly duckling,
10-year-old Mandy finds it hard to cope with ongoing taunts from beautiful,
raven-haired Kim, the school bully.
Wojciechowski, Susan. Don't Call Me Beanhead. Candlewick Press, 1996. Among her
other troubles, Bernice hates being called Beanhead.
Yep, Laurence. Cockroach Cooties. Hyperion Press, 2001. Two Asian-American brothers
combine forces against a common enemy, Arnie the school bully.
Zeier, Joan T. Stick Boy. Atheneum, 1993. Having shot up seven inches in one year,
sixth-grader Eric Bonner's life at school is made unbearable by bullies, until his
What’s a Bully?34
mother transfers him to another school. Unfortunately, bullies exist at this new
school, too.
Nonfiction for Grades 3-5Cohen-Posey, Kate, M.S., LMHC, LMFT. How to Handle Bullies, Teasers and Other
Meanies: A Book That Takes the Nuisance Out of Name-Calling and Other
Nonsense. Rainbow Books, 1995. Chockfull of practical strategies for handling
bullies.
Carter, Jay, Editor. Taking the Bullies By the Horns: Children's Version of the Best-
Selling Book, “Nasty People”. Unicorn Press, 1998. Teaches kids how bullies
operate, gives them the skills they need to deal with bullies, maintain healthy
self-esteem, without becoming bullies themselves.
Kaufman, Gershen, et al. Stick Up for Yourself: Every Kid's Guide to Personal Power
and Positive Self-Esteem. Free Spirit Publishing, revised 1999. Teaches the skills
necessary to make choices, solve problems, and feel good about yourself.
Myers, Steve, and Pete Sanders. Bullying (What Do You Know About?) Copper Beech
Books, 1996. Help, cartoon-style, for dealing with bullying situations.
Verdick, Elizabeth, editor. Bullies Are a Pain in the Brain. Free Spirit Publishers, 1997.
Blends humor with serious, practical suggestions for understanding, avoiding,
and standing up to bullies.
Webster-Doyle, Terrance. Why is Everybody Always Picking on Me? A Guide to Under-
standing Bullies for Young People. Weatherhill, 1999. Stories and activities that
demonstrate how to resolve conflicts and confront hostile aggression peaceably.
Internet ResourcesFor Educators and Parents
For the U.S. Department of Education's manual, Preventing Bullying: A Manual forSchools and Communities: www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/ssp/bullymanual.htm
For information for educators and parents on bullying from the National P.T.A.:http://www.pta.org/bullying/
For a list of literature about bullying: http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/bullies.html
What’s a Bully?35
http://www.nepamd.com/Bullies.htm
For keeping kids who play video games online safe from “griefer” cyberbullies:http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/children/griefers.mspx
For Kidshttp://nomorebullies.com
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/Bullies.html
Related Materials from Sunburst Visual Media“Buzz, Buzz, Buzz: Did You Hear About…”
15-minute program for Grades 3 to 5
“Student Workshop Harassment Hurts: Gossiping, Taunting and Bullying”
23-minute program for Grades 3 to 5
“Student Workshop I Was Just Kidding: Learning About Harassment”
16-minute program for Grades 3 to 5
“When You See Bullying Happen: What A Bystander Can Do”
16-minute program for Grades 3 to 5
“Real Kids What We Learned About Bullying”
16-minute program for Grades 3 to 5
“Bullying: What Parents Can Do”
Booklet for Parents of Children in Grades K-8
“Stop Picking on Me: How to Deal with Bullying”
Pamphlet for Grades 3-5
What’s a Bully?36
WHAT’S A BULLY?
HOSTCan you pick out the bullies in these pictures? What do you think? Is he a bully?
What about her?
Having trouble? No surprise—that’s because you can’t tell a bully just from looking, bullies
come in all shapes, ages and sizes—boys and girls. Besides, bullies don’t all act the same
either. So what is a bully? That’s what this program is all about.
Part 1: The Tough Guy
HOSTWhen you think of a bully—you probably think of a tough guy—someone who picks on
other kids…especially if they’re smaller. Someone who thinks he’s cool. Like Jack.
JACKHey Kenny, nice sneakers.
KENNYThanks.
JACKI bet they’re really great for playing basketball.
KENNYHey give it back!
JACKJack passes it to Sam. Sam dribbles…and passes back to Jack. Sam pretends like he’s
dribbling.
Kenny goes after Sam. Sam passes it back to Jack. Kenny tries to grab the sneaker back.
Jack is driving to the basket—he shoots. He scores! You lose. Nice pass, Sam.
What’s a Bully?37
Script
HOSTJack thinks that when he picks on someone, the other kids think he’s cool. But that’s not
how it is. In fact, the other kids are kind of afraid of Jack. And they go along with what
he does because they’re scared that if they don’t, he’ll start picking on them.
Jack doesn’t see himself as a bully. He sees himself as the kid everyone wants to be
friends with. But the other day, well…Jack found out something new.
SAMOkay, we’ll meet at my house at five o’clock. Then my dad is going to take us to the camp.
JACKWhat camp?
SAMUhm…..nothing.
JACKWhat are you guys talking about?
RYANWe’re…uhm…all going camping this weekend.
JACKHow come no one told me?
SAMUhmm....because…
JACKBecause why?
SAMWell, uhm…my parents said you couldn’t come.
JACKWhat? Why?
SAMBecause they say you have a reputation as a bully—and they didn’t want anyone being
picked on.
What’s a Bully?38
JACKMe? Didn’t you tell them I just fool around. You know, have some fun?
RYANWell, it’s not just fooling around.
BILLYYeah, tell me about it.
JACKYou guys laugh at all the stuff I do.
BILLYYeah, smashing my cupcakes was really funny.
SAMYou just have to stop bullying. People are going to be afraid of you.
HOSTJack learned that what he thought was funny and cool, others saw as bullying. He
learned that the kids he thought were his friends weren’t really. Because they didn’t like
the things he did. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be his friend if he changed his ways.
And doing that is up to him.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• Jack wants the others to think he’s cool. Why would he think his actions make him
seem “cool”?
• Why do you think the other kids laughed at Jack’s bullying of Kenny and Billy?
What do you think they were really feeling?
Part 2: Words Can Hurt, Too
HOSTSo we saw that some bullies like Jack act tough and push people around. But some
bullies use words to hurt and control other kids. Emma was that kind of bully.
Emma’s problem was that she would say things without thinking how her words would
affect someone else. That’s what happened at her friend Karen’s birthday party. All the
girls were making jewelry with letter blocks to spell out their name. Emma was making
a necklace and Tina was making a bracelett.
What’s a Bully?39
EMMALook, I did it. Isn’t it pretty? Let’s see yours Tina.
TINALook, I can’t finish. I can’t find an ‘A’.
EMMAHere, use this instead. It matches you perfectly. See, T-I-N-Y. Tiny. Just like you.
Tiny Tina!
KARENSuch a nice card. Thanks Tina.
EMMADid you forget? Her new name’s Tiny.
TINANo, it’s not! Stop saying that!
KARENHow cute!
EMMAIt’s so small! Tiny probably thought it was for her! It’s tiny, just like Tiny Tina.
TINAWhy are you picking on me?
EMMAI’m not picking on you. It’s a joke. Can’t you take a joke?
HOSTBut Emma is picking on Tina. She’s doing it with words. She doesn’t even seem to
realize that Tina is upset.
EMMAWhat are you guys doing in here?
What’s a Bully?40
KARENWhat do you think?
EMMAWhy’s Tina crying?
KARENBecause you hurt her feelings.
EMMANo, I’m not.
TINAYes you did.
EMMAI was just fooling around.
TINAThat’s not what it felt like to me.
KARENOr me either.
TINAI wanted to have fun at the party and you’re making it horrible.
EMMAI was just trying to be funny.
KARENWell, you’re not funny. You’re a bully. And you’re ruining my party.
EMMAI’m not a bully.
KARENWell, you’re acting like one. Saying mean things like that.
EMMAOh….
What’s a Bully?41
KARENYou should apologize to Tina.
EMMAI’m sorry, it won’t happen again.
HOSTNot all bullies push kids around or hit them. Some bullies use mean words like name-
calling and taunting—and that can be just as hurtful. So think about what you say before
you say it. Ask yourself how you would feel if someone said the same thing to you.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• Emma said she was “just fooling around.” Is bullying ever a joke? Why or why not?
• Why is it a good idea to think about what you’re going to say before you say it?
Part 3: You Know What I Heard?
HOSTWe’ve learned that bullies can hurt people by pushing and hitting. And we saw that
bullies can also hurt people with their words. But there are some bullies who are not
obvious at all. In fact, they’re kind of sneaky. To explain what I mean, let’s take a look at
Brian.
Brian has lots of friends. He’s pretty popular. But one day things started to change for
Brian. A new boy came to school. Charlie was from Hawaii. All the kids were really
interested in getting to know him.
SARAThe new guy, Charlie, has his own surfboard. And he was in a surfer magazine!
BRIANSo what?
SARASo, he’s like, famous!
BRIANBig deal.
What’s a Bully?42
SARADude, chill!
BRIANDude? No one says “dude” anymore, Sara.
SARACharlie says it. Maybe that’s because he’s a sufer…dude.
HOSTThen he got very jealous.
BRIANSara, why didn’t you save my seat?
SARACharlie had nowhere to sit.
CHARLIESorry! Do you want your seat back?
SARANo Charlie, you can stay. Brian, there’s a seat at the end.
HOSTFinally, he thought of a way to get even. He decided to start a rumor.
TIMHey, look at this. There’s no surfer magazine? He doesn’t even surf!
MOLLYYou mean he made the whole thing up?
HOSTIt didn’t take long for the rumor to spread. And no one questioned it. No one bothered to
find out if it was true. Everyone just believed what they heard. And just like that…no one
wanted to talk to Charlie. He couldn’t understand what was happening. So finally he
asked Tim what was going on.
CHARLIETim, can I talk to you?
What’s a Bully?43
TIMNot now.
CHARLIEPlease.
TIM What?
CHARLIEHow come no one will talk to me?
TIMBecause you’re a liar.
CHARLIEWhat?!
TIMThe whole surfer story and the magazine. It’s all a lie.
CHARLIEThat’s not a lie. It’s true.
TIMBrian said he couldn’t find a magazine called Surf—and he checked.
CHARLIEHe’s not a very good checker. What do you call this?
TIMHey! That really is you! Picture is awesome!
• • •
TIMYou know what? Charlie showed me the magazine. His picture was in it. He wasn’t
lying, Brain was.
MOLLYWhy would Brain say that?
TIMI don’t know. But it wasn’t right. And I’m going to tell him.
What’s a Bully?44
JOEWe should all tell him.
SARAThat’s like bullying. Only it’s……sneaky.
HOSTBrain doesn’t punch, he doesn’t hit, he doesn’t use mean words or call people names.
But, he’s still a bully. Bullies like Brain use rumors and gossip to hurt the kids they pick
on.
So be on the look-out. Don’t believe all the stories you hear. Get the facts and find out
the truth. That’s the best way to stop bullies who spread rumors.
DISCUSSION QUESIONS• Is spreading a rumor the same thing as bullying? Why or why not?
• Why is bullying by spreading a rumor not as obvious as other types of bullying?
Part 4: The Internet Bully
HOSTWe’ve seen bullies who use their fists, we’ve seen bullies who use their words, and we’ve
seen bullies who use rumors and gossip. Now, let’s look at a new kind of bully. A bully
who uses the Internet.
KAYLIEWhat do you want to do?
MORGANI don’t know. Something…fun, different.
KAYLIEWhat?
MORGANI heard my sister talking about this kid in her class who got these weird, mystery Instant
Messages from someone—she didn’t know who—and it made like this whole big deal in
her class.
What’s a Bully?45
KAYLIESo?
MORGANSo, let’s do it. Let’s send someone a mystery IM.
KAYLIEWhat do you mean ‘mystery’?
MORGANWe’ll make up a name and say stupid stuff.
KAYLIEOkay.
MORGANLet’s call ourselves …… weRwatchingU
KAYLIEThat sounds scary. Who should we send it to?
MORGANI know, let’s send it to Emily.
KAYLIEEmily Rogers?
MORGANYeah.
KAYLIEWhy her?
MORGANCause…she thinks she’s such a big deal. She’d never think anyone would do something
like this to her. It’ll be funny.
KAYLIEYeah, and we sure couldn’t say dumb things to her face!
What’s a Bully?46
HOSTSo Kaylie and Morgan sent Emily a message. The first one was just silly. They were so
surprised when she answered.
MORGAN“Emily, is it true that you like Billy Wilson? “
KAYLIEOh, wow, she answered. Can you believe it?
“Who is this?”
“Just some mystery people who know you like Billy.”
“Who told you that?”
“We know it’s true, and we’re going to tell everyone…especially Billy.”
HOSTKaylie and Morgan were having a good time—and they thought they were having some
harmless fun. But as the instant messages went along, they got a little longer, and a little
nastier. And by the time they sent the last message, they had said some pretty mean and
threatening things.
MORGAN“We’re going to tell everyone at school that you cheated on your social studies test…that
we saw you, and that you cheat all the time. No one will want to be your friend. You
better watch out!”
HOSTThe next day at school, the girls discovered that their game wasn’t so funny.
JAMESDid you hear about Emily?
KAYLIEWhat?
JAMESSome bullies are after her.
What’s a Bully?47
MORGANWhat?!
KAYLIEBullies?
JAMESYes, she got these really scary instant messages.
MORGANThat’s not bullying.
JAMESShe thinks so.
KAYLIEWhere did you hear about it?
JAMESFrom my mother. She’s real good friends with Emily’s mom. She said Emily’s crying
and she doesn’t want to come to school.
KAYLIEWhy not?
JAMESBecause she’s scared!
KAYLIEWow.
JAMESMy mother asked me if I knew who would do something like that. I couldn’t think of
anyone. Can you?
MORGANUhm……nope.
• • •KAYLIEWhat are we going to do?
What’s a Bully?48
MORGANDo? Nothing! Don’t say a word to anyone, we’ll talk about it after school.
• • •KAYLIEThis is awful. What are we going to do?
MORGANI don’t know.
ALLISONDo about what? What? Out with it. What’s going on?
MORGANWell…yesterday we were fooling around and we made up a name and sent this girl
Emily some funny instant messages…
ALLISONExplain funny.
MORGANJust dumb stuff. Like saying she liked this boy….
KAYLIEAnd we kind of of said some other….sort of mean things.
ALLISONWhy’d you do that?
MORGANWell, didn’t you say that’s what some kids at your school did.
ALLISONYeah. And they got suspended.
KAYLIE and MORGANSuspended?!
MORGANWhy?
What’s a Bully?49
ALLISONBecause you’re not allowed to go around bullying people and sending them mean
messages.
KAYLIEWe weren’t bullying anyone!
ALLISONNo? What would you call it?
MORGANJoking around.
ALLISONA joke is supposed to be funny. Do you think Emily thought it was funny?
MORGANI don’t know.
ALLISONSee that’s a good way to figure out if what you’re doing is right or not. Put yourself in
the other person’s place. Think, “Would I like it if someone did this to me?”
MORGANSo what should we do now?
KAYLIEI guess we could tell her it was us.
MORGANI don’t want to say it to her face.
ALLISONIs that why you thought it was okay to do it on the Internet? Because she wouldn’t knowit was you?
MORGANWell, yeah.
What’s a Bully?50
ALLISONPeople think they can say things on the Internet that they would never say in per-
son—like it doesn’t matter if you can’t see each other.
MORGANWell, it sort of feels different.
ALLISONSo mean words don’t hurt, and threats aren’t scary—if you aren’t looking at the person.
MORGAN and KAYLIEWe get it.
MORGANHow about if we Instant Message her again and say that we were being stupid andwe didn’t mean anything by it.
KAYLIEAnd that we’re sorry and that we won’t do it again.
MORGANCome on, let’s do it.
HOSTThe Internet is a wonderful place to get information and chat with friends. But some-
times people misuse the Internet. Morgan and Kaylie thought they were just having
fun. But what they did wasn’t funny to Emily. And they thought that because they
couldn’t see Emily and she couldn’t see them, that their words didn’t have the same
meaning they would have had in person. And that just isn’t true.
And here’s one more thing you should know. Many people think they can say or do
whatever they want on the Internet because they think no one will know. But guess
what? Everything is traceable. If someone wants to find out, they can trace it. So use
the Internet the right way. Don’t misuse it.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• Is sending anonymous instant messages ever “harmless fun”? Why or why not?
• Allison tells Morgan and Kaylie, “Ask yourself: would I like it if somone did that to
me?” Discuss why this is good advice.
What’s a Bully?51
HOSTSo what’s a bully? A bully is someone who frightens and hurts another person and wants
to have control.
Bullies can be physical—they can push people around and sometimes steal and damage
someone’s things.
Some bullies hurt people with their words—with putdowns and taunts.
Some bullies are sneaky. They work undercover to hurt people with rumors and gossip.
And some bullies hide behind a computer. They think they’re having fun. But what
they’re doing isn’t funny.
Bullies come in all shapes and sizes—they’re girls and boys. And as we’ve seen, often
they don’t even realize that others think of them as bullies.
Remember, the best way to figure out if what you do could be considered bullying is to
ask yourself, “How would I like it if someone did this to me?” If you wouldn’t like it,
that’s a good sign that it’s not the right thing to do and you shouldn’t do it to anyone
else.
You really don’t want to be a bully, do you?
THE END
What’s a Bully?52