FiveCharacterLessons

(Cyberbullying,Bystanders,Disagreements,Racism,
Microaggressions)


Cyberbullying
Purpose:Thepurposeofthisminilessonwasbecause6th
gradestudentshadbeensendingrudeemailstooneanother
andpranktextinganindividualstudent.

Definition:
Theuseofelectroniccommunicationtobullyaperson,
typicallybysendingmessagesofanintimidatingor
threateningnature.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5PZ_Bh-M6o
Discussion/Activity:Westartedoffwithadiscussionabout
timeswemighthavebeenbulliedovertheinternet.Students
discussedinvideogames,throughemails,throughyoutube
accountsandinstagram.Wemadealistofthingsthatwere
saidtoeachotherthroughadeviceandIaskedstudentsto
tryandsayittoanotherpersonsface.Theyfelt
uncomfortableandcouldnot.Wetalkedabouthowpeople
feelstrongbehindascreenandifyoucantsayitto
someonesfaceyoushouldnttypeit.

 Bystanders
Purpose:Thisminilessonwastaughtbecausemanystudents
werewitnessingotherstudentsbeingmeanandnotacting.
Theyneededtounderstandthatdoingnothingmadethema
partofthebully-likeactions.

Definition:Apersonwhoispresentataneventorincidentbut
doesnottakepart.

Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=175ig2I9rt0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4S1LLrSzVE
Discussion/Activity:
AspartofthisminilessonIexplainedwhattheBystanders
Effectwas.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSnSZ11ptN0
Wereadthebook,One,anddiscussedhowwecouldbethe
onetostandupforothers.Weeachmadeapledgethatwe
wouldhonortoupholduntiltheendoftheyearandposted
themonourfrontdoorofourclassroom.

 Disagreements
Purpose:Thisminilessonwastaughtbecauseofthepolitical
campaigngoingon.Mystudentswereexposedtoalotof
differentviewsondeeptopics.Iwantedtohelpthem
understandthateveryonehasarighttotheirownopinions
evenifwedisagreewiththem.

Definition:
Arangeofdifferentthings.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghk-nDJB3Tk
Discussion/Activity:
Wetalkedaboutanphilosophicalidea:
Donttakeanythingpersonally-Nothingothersdoisbecause
ofyou.Whatotherssayanddoisaprojectionoftheirown
reality.Whenyouareimmunetotheopinionsandactionsof
others,youwontbethevictimofneedlesssuffering.Wetalked
aboutwhypeoplemighthaveverydifferentviewsabouta
topic.Howreligion,upbringing,personality...etccanplaya
roleonyourbeliefsandhowjustasmuchasyouthinkyouare
rightsodoestheotherside.Theendingideawasyoucan
politelydisagreewithsomeoneandcanlearnfromeachother
byhavingaconversation.

 Racism
Purpose:Thepurposeofthislessonwasbecausetherewere
racialremarkstowardmyafricanamericanstudentsfrom
theircaucasianpeers.

Definition:
Prejudice,discrimination,orantagonismdirectedagainst
someoneofadifferentracebasedonthebeliefthatone'sown
raceissuperior.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0qD2K2RWkc
Discussion/Activity:
Duringthisactivitystudentscreatedtheirownportraitsof
whotheywere.Theywereaskedtowritethingsthatpeople
mightnotknowaboutthemwithintheirportraits.Itwasvery
movingwhenpeopleswitchedportraitsandlearned
somethingtheydidntknowaboutthepersonsittingnextto
them.Thelessonwastoexplorethatwearemorethanjustthe
colorofourskin,yetthatisanimportantpartofusbutit
doesntdefineeverythingweare.
Studentsshouldsketchtheirself-reflectionandlistelements
intheirreflectiontheythinkmakesthemunique.Askstudents
tolookbeyondthephysicalappearanceandthinkabouttheir
agentsofsocialization,suchasinterests,friendships,social
connections,school,work,family,beliefsandsoon.Other
influencesinclude:media,music,food,holidays,popculture,
religion,etc.Creativeexpressionisencouraged.
http://gngvrlab.brandcast.com/curriculum-owms-4-print.pdf

 Microaggressions
Purpose:Thisminilessonwastaughtbecausewithinmy
classroomthereweremicroaggressionstowardsmy
transgenderstudent.

Definition:
Amicroaggressionisthecasualdegradationofany
marginalizedgroup.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTBGkUOZ8xQ
Discussion/Activity:
Westartedoffwithunderstandingthedifferencebetween
empathyandsympathythatwehadlearnedaboutinthe
beginningoftheyear.Thequestionwasposed,Howmight
thisberelatedtomicroaggressions?
Studentsmatchedthemicroaggressionstotheirpossible
interpretations.Wefocusedongenderandrace
microaggressionswemightsee/hearonadailybasisinschool
andthroughthemedia.Wealsodiscussedhowpeopleare
combatingmicroaggressionsthroughadvertisements.
http://breakingprejudice.org/assets/AHAA/Activities/Microag
gression%20Activity/Microaggression%20Worksheet.pdf