Can joking be bullying Lesson Presentation

The educational presentation "Can joking be bullying?" aims to explore the fine line between humour and harm among primary school children in Key Stage 1. The lesson begins with a starter activity that encourages students to recall and share instances when someone said something nice to them, discussing the positive impact of kind words. The lesson then progresses to the core question: Can joking be bullying? The week's learning journey includes understanding what bullying is, why the topic is important, especially during Anti-Bullying Week with its theme 'One Kind Word', and differentiating between joking and bullying. The discussion is framed around the idea that while jokes are often light-hearted and meant for fun, they can sometimes cross into bullying, which is defined as intentionally unkind, hurtful, or frightening behaviour repeated over time.

Throughout the lesson, students engage in various activities to deepen their understanding of bullying. They participate in a 'show of thumbs' exercise to identify true and false statements about bullying, reinforcing that bullying is deliberate, repetitive, and can happen to anyone, not just children. The class also discusses scenarios to determine whether they exemplify joking or bullying, highlighting that bullying can be both physical and emotional. The presentation concludes with an emphasis on the importance of using kind words. Students are prompted to fill in blanks with positive words and even create a poster of kind words, illustrating how a single kind word can transform a negative interaction into a positive one. The lesson closes with a vote, prompting students to consider and articulate their views on whether joking can indeed be a form of bullying.