Standing up to Bullying Lesson Presentation

An educational presentation aimed at Primary 5-7 students addresses the critical issue of bullying and the importance of standing up against it. The lesson is structured around a learning journey that begins with the question, "Why are we talking about this?" It highlights the various forms bullying can take and the negative emotions it can cause, such as sadness, fear, and loneliness. The presentation aligns with Anti-Bullying Week's theme of reaching out, encouraging students to either seek help from a trusted adult if they are being bullied or to stand up for others when they witness bullying. The challenge presented is whether standing up against bullying is an easy task, prompting students to reflect and vote on the issue.

Interactive activities are woven throughout the presentation to engage students in critical thinking about bullying scenarios. In the "Get up, stand up" activity, students read examples of bullying and physically respond by standing or sitting to represent whether they believe it would be easy or difficult to confront the situation. The scenarios range from friends mocking someone's haircut to exclusion over sports team preferences, witnessing physical bullying, and cyberbullying through mean messages. Another section, "Dear reader," encourages students to discuss potential actions to take when encountering bullying and to consider what might hinder someone from speaking out. The presentation culminates in a voting exercise where students express their views on the difficulty of standing up to bullying, considering factors like peer pressure and fear, as well as the importance of doing the right thing and seeking support from adults.