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Teaching Students to Prevent Bullying

Curriculum Resources Address Identifying, Confronting and Stopping Bullying

by Phil Nast, retired middle school teacher and freelance writer

Article Sections

Student bullying is one of the most frequently reported discipline problems at school: 21% of elementary schools, 43% of middle schools, and 22% of high schools reported problems with bullying in 2005-06. Bullying is the number one discipline problem in middle schools. These lesson, activities, and games will help you and your students understand this serious problem.

*Statistical data from Youth Violence Program

Lesson Plans


Conflict Is Inevitable, Bullying Is Not ( PDF, 166 KB, 3 PP)
Students in grades K-1 will learn to distinguish between bullying and daily conflict.

Telling an Adult about Bullying Is not Tattling ( PDF, 174 KB, 4 PP)
Students in grades K-1 will learn the difference between telling and tattling and how to effectively alert an adult to bullying.

Lesson Plan for Elementary School Children
Students in grades 2-6 learn what they can do when they see bullying or are bullied.

A Bad Case of Bullying: Using Literature Response Groups
Students in grades 3-5 respond to a story by writing and telling about a time they had a similar experience as one of the characters in A Bad Case of Stripes.

No Place for Bullies
Students in grades 3-12 reflect on bullying in their schools and community and suggest solutions to the problem.

April Fools!
Students in grades 6-8 reflect on their reactions to practical jokes and compare good jokes with bullying and harassment.

A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools
Students in grades 9-12 read The Bully by Paul Langan, a realistic, high-interest novel, and discuss bullying and consider what they can do to prevent bullying.

‘A Troubling Trend’: Discussing Bullying and Antigay Attitudes
Students in grades 6-12 discuss recent suicides that have occurred as a result of antigay bullying and complete a campaign to foster safety and acceptance in their own school.

Activities


Stop Bullying Now!
Students in grades K-5 will find information on bullying and cyberbullying, a series of webisodes on bullying and games. The site includes resources for adults as well.

Get Ready for Bullying Awareness Week!
Students in grades K-12 promote school-wide awareness of bullying issues by creating anti-bullying posters.

Bullying Reality Quiz
Students in grades 6-12 brainstorm questions about bullying to create their own quiz and research online and print resources to answers the questions.

Conflict Resolution: Activity Ideas
Students in grades 2-5 can use these activities to practice skills in resolving conflicts with bullies and help them think critically about logical resolutions.

Games


Beat the Bully
You’ve challenged the biggest bullies in school to a rocket race after school, but to beat them you’ll need more than speed.

School Daze Crazy Maze
Get through a day of middle school.

Rumor Control
Which are you: gossip monger or rumor controller?

The Bully Roundup
Play an interactive board game to test your bully smarts.

Bully Busters
Draw a bully and hero and free the children from the lockers..

McGruff Games
McGruff offers games on bullies, cyberbullies, and Internet safety.

Quizzes


Bullying Quizzes
Take one or take all 3 quizzes on bullying and cyberbullying.

Bullying Quiz: How Informed Are You?
This site provides a 15 question quiz with answers and additional facts.

A Bullying Quiz
Use the quiz with students in grades 6-12 to prompt the development of an anti-bullying initiative.

Background Resources

Audio & Video

Books

For Educators and Parents

  • Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do by Dan Olweus (Wiley-Blackwell, 1993)
  • The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to HighSchool--How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle (Updated Edition) by Barbara Coloroso (Harper-Collins, 2008)
  • Bullyproof Your Child For Life: Protect Your Child from Teasing, Taunting, and Bullying for Good by Joel Haber and Jenna Glatzer (Penguin Group, 2007)
  • Why Good Kids Act Cruel: The Hidden Truth about the Pre-Teen Years by Carl E. Pickhardt (Sourcebooks, Inc., 2010)
  • Real Life Bully Prevention for Real Kids: 50 Ways to Help Elementary and Middle School Students by Catherine DePino and Lori Evans (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2009)
  • No Kidding About Bullying: 125 Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids Manage Anger, Resolve Conflicts, Build Empathy, and Get Along by Naomi Drew (Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 2011)

For Kids

  • Sorry! by Trudy Ludwig and Maurie J. Manning (Tricycle Press, 2006)
  • My Secret Bully by Tracy Ludwig and Abigail Marble (Riverwood Press, 2004)
  • The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith  (Scholastic Press, 2002)
  • Cliques, Phonies, & Other Baloney by Trevor Romain (Free Spirit Publishing, 1998)
  • Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig and Adam Gustavson (Tricycle Press, 2006)

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