Classroom Bullying Prevention, Pre-K-4th Grade: Children's Books, Lesson Plans, and Activities

145 Pages·2013·16.65 MB·English

by  Melissa Allen Heath

Classroom Bullying Prevention, Pre- K–4th Grade

Classroom Bullying Prevention, Pre-K –4th Grade
Children’s Books, Lesson Plans, and Activities
Melissa Allen Heath, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Mary Anne Prater
Copyright 2013 by ABC- CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a
review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Heath, Melissa Allen.
Classroom bullying prevention, pre- K-4 th grade : children’s books, lesson plans,
and activities / Melissa Allen Heath, Tina T. Dyches, and Mary Anne Prater.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978- 1- 61069- 097- 3 (pbk.) — ISBN 978- 1- 61069-0 98-0 (ebook) (print)
1. Bullying in schools—Prevention. I. Dyches, Tina Taylor. II. Prater, Mary Anne.
III. Title.
LB3013.3.H434 2013
371.5'8—dc23 2012032960
ISBN: 978- 1- 61069- 097- 3
EISBN: 978- 1- 61069- 098- 0
17 16 15 14 13 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an eBook.
Visit www.abc- clio.com for details.
Linworth
An Imprint of ABC- CLIO, LLC
ABC- CLIO, LLC
130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911
Santa Barbara, California 93116- 1911
This book is printed on acid- free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
Copyright Acknowledgments
Book cover of Chrysanthemum copyright © 1991 by Kevin Henkes. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Book covers from I Get So Hungry by Bebe Moore Campbell, illustrated by Amy Bates; Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty
Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow; Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming, illustrated by Floyd Cooper; Keeping Up with
Roo by Sharlee Glenn, illustrated by Dan Andreasen; Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco; Crow Boy by Taro Yashima are
all used by permission of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. All rights reserved.
Cover illustration copyright © 2002 by Laura Huliksa-Beith from The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill. Scholastic Inc./
Scholastic Press. Reprinted by permission.
Jacket design from Yoon and the Jade Bracelet by Helen Recorvits, pictures by Gabi Swiatkowska. Text copyright © 2008 by
Helen Recorvits. Pictures copyright © 2008 by Gabi Swiatkowska. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC.
Book cover copyright © 2002 by Tricycle Press. Jacket illustration © 2002 by Glin Dibley, from Don’t Laugh at Me by Steven
Seskin and Allen Shamblin, illustrated by Glin Dibley. Used by permission of Tricycle Press, an imprint of Random House
Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
Contents
Introduction ...................................................................... vii
Chapter 1: Bullies, Victims, and Bystanders .................................................. 1
Chapter 2: Sharing Books with Our Students ................................................ 11
Chapter 3: Lesson Plans to Strengthen Bystander Support ...................................... 19
Chapter 4: Lesson Plans to Increase Support for Vulnerable Students ............................. 93
Appendix A: Recommended Resources ................................................. 117
Appendix B: Lesson Plan Vocabulary Words ............................................. 125
References ....................................................................... 127
Index ........................................................................... 129

Introduction
The numbers and statistics describing bullying and the negative repercussions resulting from bullying are over-
whelming. As educators, we must personally and collectively take a stand against bullying and prepare our students to
do likewise. Rather than passively tolerating bullying, student bystanders must be mentored and encouraged to actively
take a stand, step in, and speak up. “It’s time to confront bullying, harassment, and violence whenever and wherever we
find it. This can be our contribution. We can make a difference, both in classrooms and in the world” (Henkin, 2005,
pp. 64–65).
To assist us in making this contribution, this book of ready- to- use lesson plans and activities addresses bullying
prevention in elementary school classrooms (Pre-K –4th grade). In total, the book contains 20 lesson plans: Fifteen
lesson plans are included in Chapter 3 and five lesson plans are included in Chapter 4. Each lesson plan is based on
a bully- themed children’s picture book and includes activities that “stretch” the story, actively involving students and
applying core messages. Each prepared lesson plan requires minimal preparation and serves as a basic guide to help
identify core ideas and teaching points.
Lesson plans provided in this book strengthen student bystander support against bullying. The stories and activi-
ties teach and encourage all students to follow three simple strategies: take a stand, step in, and speak up.
The primary audience of this book is community and school librarians and elementary school teachers serving
Pre- K–4th- grade students. This includes general and special area teachers (e.g., art and music teachers, special educa-
tion teachers, and paraprofessionals). Additionally, school-b ased mental health professionals—including school coun-
selors, school psychologists, and school social workers—may also utilize this book’s resources to teach social skills in
classrooms and small group counseling sessions. Although school librarians, teachers, and school-b ased mental health
professionals represent a variety of professions, for simplicity we refer to this combined group as “educators.”
This book is not intended to be used in isolation as a singular strategy to end bullying. Recognizing the inter-
related and complex factors that create bully-f ree environments, this book and the included lesson plans supplement
schoolwide efforts to reduce and eliminate bullying. In particular, the selected stories and accompanying lesson plans
are designed to help students understand the need for everyone to feel welcomed, valued, and respected.
In Chapter 1, “Bullies, Victims, and Bystanders,” we build the case for classroom-b ased bibliotherapy. This short
introductory chapter provides a quick overview of bullying and research- based prevention strategies. Additionally, we
emphasize the importance of strengthening the anti-b ullying power of bystanders, who represent the vast and often
silent majority of students. To counter bullying, we also encourage educators to create and maintain a safe and caring
classroom environment with clearly identified behavioral expectations.
Chapter 2, “Sharing Books with Our Students,” includes a brief summary of implementing school-b ased biblio-
therapy and reasons for student participation in such activities. Readers are guided through the process of reading and
discussing carefully selected bully- themed children’s literature with students. We emphasize the importance of initiat-
ing group discussions about bullying, friendship, kindness, and conflict resolution. By sharing stories with students,
a common classroom language is established that supports a safe and caring learning environment. Following group
discussion, students participate in activities that stretch each story’s core message into action, solidifying learning with
an applied activity. Across the school year, we encourage educators to frequently refer to examples, terms, and phrases
from these stories and to continue teaching lessons that strengthen bystander support and target critical anti-b ullying
social skills.
Chapter 3, “Lesson Plans to Strengthen Bystander Support,” builds on information presented in Chapters 1 and 2.
Chapter 3 begins with an annotated list of 15 children’s bully- themed picture books. Each book provides examples of
how bystanders did or did not support others who were bullied. Following the annotated list, we provide lesson plans
Introduction vii
for each picture book. These lesson plans serve as a basic guide to (a) clearly identify each book’s core messages and
lesson objectives; (b) specify supplies and materials needed for associated classroom activities; (c) identify questions
to promote group discussion (before and after reading the book); (d) list key vocabulary (new terms); and (e) outline
activities, extending stories into practical application. Reproducible activity sheets and suggested activities accompany
each lesson plan. We also encourage educators to carefully adapt lesson plans to better meet the unique needs of their
students (e.g., cognitive ability, social/emotional maturity, culture, communication skills, and individual interests).
Similar to the previous chapter, Chapter 4, “Lesson Plans to Increase Support for Vulnerable Students,” begins
with an annotated list of selected picture books. Each of the five selected books is then included in a lesson plan with re-
lated activities and handouts. In this chapter, we place a special emphasis on the importance of bullying prevention with
special populations. The books and activities in Chapter 4 stress the important responsibility of protecting individuals
who are inherently more vulnerable to bullying. More specifically, picture books in this chapter focus on individuals
with special needs, such as physical, educational, and emotional disabilities. Chapter 4 lesson plans help educators
teach bystanders to better support and defend the rights of individuals with special needs, the importance of including
all classmates, and the importance of treating others with respect, kindness, and sensitivity.
This book’s Appendix A contains an annotated bibliography of additional bully- themed children’s picture books.
Educators may consider these books when recommending books to parents and children. These books may also be used
to more specifically target specific student needs and situations related to bullying. The appendix also describes ad-
ditional resources and educational materials for educators and parents. Each item is briefly described. These resources
include Internet websites with useful information, brief articles, and educational materials and books.
Appendix B is a compilation of the key vocabulary words from the books and their corresponding lesson plans.
As a tool for educators to create and strengthen positive, supportive, and inclusive classroom environments, this
book offers economical, school- friendly, prevention strategies. The purpose of this book—and the basic premise be-
hind each lesson plan included in Chapters 3 and 4—is to channel students’ positive energy into building supportive
classroom environments and fortifying classroom rules that counter bullying. Responsibility is placed on bystanders to
actively and responsibly become involved when they see or are aware of bullying and to take a stand, step in, and speak
up. Each selected children’s book and accompanying lesson plan builds bystander support and encourages inclusive-
ness for all students.
viii Introduction
Figure I.1. Three strategies to build bystander support.
FromClassroom Bullying Prevention, Pre-K–4th Grade: Children’s Books, Lesson Plans, and Activities
ix
by Melissa Allen Heath, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Mary Anne Prater. Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth. Copyright © 2013.