Bullying campaigner

Focus Questions

  1. What is cyber bullying?
  2. Why do you think cyber bullying is becoming a problem?
  3. Create a T chart about the similarities and differences of face to face and online bullying.
  4. Describe what happened to Tom.
  5. Why do a lot of kids not tell their parents when they are cyber bullied?
  6. How does Tom help people to deal with cyber bullying?
  7. What advice does he give?
  8. Why do you think young people might listen to Tom’s advice?
  9. Cyber bullying is against the law. Why is it relatively easy for police to find cyber bullies?
  10. What are three facts that you learnt in the BtN story?

Cyber bullying animation

Working in groups of 4-5, students list the forms of bullying and cyber bullying that exist. Include the places, real and virtual, bullying and cyber bullying can occur. Ask each group to report back to the class.

In the same groups, ask students to go to the Spotlight on…Cyber bullying section on the Bullying. No Way! website. http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au/talkout/spotlight/cyberbullyingmain.shtml

Assign each group a character from the panel of young people. Each group needs to summarise the information and present it to the rest of the class. Develop a whole class summary of the information provided by the panel of young people.

Using the information provided in the BtN story and the Bullying. No Way! website, ask students to think about ways to deal with cyber bullying. Think about and record:

·  Three things a victim/target can do if they are being cyber bullied

·  Three things a bystander can do to help stop cyber bullying

·  Three ways adults/parents can respond to or support someone who is being cyber bullied.

Working in the same groups, students will be creating a stop motion animation using clay (clay animation) about how to deal with cyber bullying. The following website has free clay animation software to download http://www.clayanimator.com/english/stop_motion_animator.html

Examples of movies students have made about cyber bullying can be viewed at the Bullying. No Way! website http://bullyingnoway.com.au/talkout/spotlight/mobilemovies.shtml

Students need to decide what the message of their animation will be and then storyboard each scene showing the action and dialogue. They can use the stop motion animation software and webcams to make their animations.

Encourage students to think of opportunities to share their animations with other students and adults (school assembly, end of year concert, kids film festivals, Behind the News website).

Reflection

What aspects of your animation worked well? What would you do differently next time?

8 Related Research Links

ABC Behind the News – Cyber bullying story, links and teacher activity
http://www.abc.net.au/news/btn/story/s2564784.htm

Kids Helpline
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/index.php

Reach out website – Cyber bullying: What is it and how to get help
http://au.reachout.com/find/articles/cyberbullying

Bullying. No Way! website – Spotlight on…Cyber bullying
http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au/talkout/spotlight/cyberbullyingmain.shtml

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy – Youth to advise Government on cyber bullying and cyber threats
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/031

Headspace website – Cyber bullying
http://www.headspace.org.au/home/information/q-and-a/

The Wood Verdict – Tom Wood’s blog
http://thewoodverdict.blogspot.com/

© ABC 2009