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Anti-Bullying Facilitator’s Guide
Prepared for Barbara Thompson
University of Central Florida
Office of Diversity Initiatives
By
Jennifer Blackwell
Bethany Bowles
Jennifer Shepard
Katie Thomas
Professor Gomrad
ENC 4294
University of Central Florida

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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge and express gratitude for support from the following people:
UCF’s Office of Diversity Initiatives
Dr. Valarie King- Director
Barbara Thompson- Assistant Director
Michael Freeman- Assistant Director
PFLAG
Judy Wood-President
The University of Central Florida Community
Professor Mary Ellen Gomrad
Michelle Llamas- UCF Graduate and ODI Intern
Technical Communication Program

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................................3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 7
Objectives......................................................................................................................... 7
Spread Awareness ...............................................................................................................9
The Four Hallmarks of Bullying Behavior .....................................................................11
Causes of Bullying.......................................................................................................... 12
Development Progression for Antisocial Behavior....................................................... 13
Cyberbullying................................................................................................................. 14
Stop Bullying: Tips for Kids ........................................................................................ 15
Recognizing the Bullying Warning Signs...................................................................... 16
How to Report Bullying......................................................................................................17
For Victims......................................................................................................................17
For Bystanders................................................................................................................17
SpeakOut Hotline ...........................................................................................................17
Warning Signs ................................................................................................................... 18
A Song for Anti-Bullying ................................................................................................... 19
Bullies Act Out...................................................................................................................20
A Bullying Survey ..............................................................................................................22
Let the Hot Air Out of Bullies! ..........................................................................................24
Bullying Circle Exercise.....................................................................................................25
Cooperative Comics...........................................................................................................29
Cyberbullying Scenarios.................................................................................................... 31
A Bullying Quiz..................................................................................................................33
Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case That Made History............................................34
Foster Community.............................................................................................................35
What Are Quality Circles? .............................................................................................36
Developing Empathy.........................................................................................................38
Place as a Mirror of Self and Community .........................................................................45

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Building Classroom Community through the Exploration of Acrostic Poetry.................47
What’s So Bad About “That’s So Gay”?............................................................................. 51
In-Group Favoritism .........................................................................................................53
Act it Out............................................................................................................................ 55
Establish Rules .................................................................................................................. 57
How to Respond to Bullying..........................................................................................58
5 Steps To Safer Schools....................................................................................................59
Bullying: Guidelines for Teachers..................................................................................... 61
A New Set of Rules ............................................................................................................63
A Contract on Bullying ......................................................................................................65
Editorial Cartoon: Bullying ...............................................................................................68
Model Behavior .................................................................................................................69
Teasing ..........................................................................................................................70
Do...................................................................................................................................70
Don’t...............................................................................................................................70
Allies: A Discussion Activity...............................................................................................71
Standing Up Against Discrimination................................................................................ 73
Playing the Bully Card....................................................................................................... 79
Stand Up!...........................................................................................................................80
Controversial Issues ..........................................................................................................82
One Survivor Remembers: Bullies & Bystanders .............................................................84
From Bystander to Ally .....................................................................................................87
Impact Versus Intention ...................................................................................................90
Maintain Professional Standards......................................................................................93
Case Study: Fogging ......................................................................................................93
Are You Being Bullied at Work?....................................................................................93
Unacceptable Behavior..................................................................................................95
Guidance for Individuals Who are Bullied....................................................................95
How to Address Workplace Bullying ................................................................................96
My Own Bias...................................................................................................................... 97
Summary ...........................................................................................................................98

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Appendix............................................................................................................................99

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Introduction
Bullying has been common throughout history, and it is a problem today in Central Florida schools
and universities. Stories of victims of bullying are constantly showing up on the news. Many extreme
cases result in suicide. Even relatively minor instances can have a severe impact on an individual’s
self-esteem and sense of worth. Often victims become bullies themselves creating a vicious cycle.
This Anti-Bullying Facilitator’s Guide is a collection of activities for students, faculty, and staff at
UCF and the surrounding area, and for the staff in the work place, that are age-appropriate in order
to raise awareness of bullying and help the classroom and or workplace environment to become an
inclusive place. The guide centers on activities that will prevent bullying by educating people,
building a sense of community, teaching rules, and guidelines to follow, showing how to model good
behavior, and explaining how to deal with bullying the workplace. Building on the exemplary
research of Michelle Llamas, we have created a guide that addresses ways to prevent bullying, rather
than merely dealing with its effects.
The facilitator’s guide combines research, statistics, as well as proven activities that can help bond
the younger generation to prevent bullying at its core instead of attempting to bandage the problem
later. It also includes culture and media references that nearly all audiences can relate to. This
facilitator’s guide emphasizes prevention instead of focusing only on remedying the situation after it
has manifested. While there should be rules and guidelines in place to deal with bullying as it occurs,
attacking the problem at the source is the only way to stop this bullying pandemic.
According to the Olweus Anti-Bullying Program, the nine types of bullying are:
1. Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names
2. Bullying through social exclusion or isolation
3. Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting
4. Bullying through lies and false rumors
5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully
6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully
7. Racial bullying
8. Sexual bullying
9. Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)
Source: Olweus, Dan. Bullying at school, what we know, and what we can do. Wiley-Blackwell, 1993.
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Objectives
1. Spread Awareness: Focus on bullying prevention by promoting awareness of bullying and its
effects.
2. Foster Community: Provide opportunities for students to get to know one another to develop
connections and build a sense of community.
3. Establish Rules: Create and implement anti-bullying policies in the classroom.

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4. Model Behavior: Demonstrate and promote behavior that is inclusive and promotes respect
for all students.
5. Maintain Professional Standards: Know your rights and responsibilities when dealing with
bullying in the workplace.

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Spread Awareness
Dan Olweus, creator of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, provides this commonly accepted
definition for bullying in his book, Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do:
"A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and
over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other
persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or
herself."
Source: Olweus, Dan. Bullying at school, what we know, and what we can do. Wiley-Blackwell, 1993.
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This definition includes three important components:
1. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions.
2. Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.
3. Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength.
Unfortunately, bullying and harassment are continuing to rise in the State of Florida Public
Educational System. Student from all ages are targets of malicious attacks, words, and behavior due
to race, gender, sexual orientation, and more.
In a study conducted in 2009, The National School Climate Survey found that many of the Florida
schools, especially public secondary institutions, were not safe for gay, lesbians, bi-sexual, and
transgender students. They also did not have access to important resources such as Gay-Straight
Alliances and were not protected by harassment or bullying school policies. The GLSEN report found
that 98 percent of students in Florida schools reported hearing the word "gay" used in a
derogatory connotation in the classroom as compared to 88.9 percent for the rest of the nation’s
schools. Regarding harassment and assault in the State of Florida educational system 82 percent of
students experienced verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation and three in five because
of the way the expressed their gender.
The Olweus Bullying Circle (below) shows the roles each person can play in a bullying situation.
While some of the roles are obvious, like the students who bullies, the part others play but not
intervening is nearly as detrimental. These disengaged onlookers play the role of bystander, refusing
to intercede on the behalf of the victim. With some courage and conviction, anyone can become a
defender or Upstander, who comes to the aid of the bully’s target.

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Figure 1
The Bullying Circle
Source: Dan Olweus, "Peer Harassment: A Critical Analysis and Some Important Issues," in Peer
Harassment in School, ed. J. Juvonen and S. Graham (New York: Guilford Publications, 2001): 3-20.
The reasons that students are bullied vary. Often, the bully is looking for a point of vulnerability to
exploit, like the characteristics listed below.

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Highest Ranked Reasons for Being Bullied 4th Grade through 8th Grade
Rank Males Females
1 Didn’t Fit In Didn’t Fit In
2 Who Friends Were Who Friends Were
3 Physical Weakness Clothes Worn
4 Short Tempered Facial Appearance
5 Clothing Overweight
Figure 2
Highest Ranked Reasons for Being Bullied 8th Grade through 12th Grade
Rank Males Females
1 Didn’t Fit In Didn’t Fit In
2 Physical Weakness Facial Appearance
3 Short Tempered Cried/Emotional
4 Who Friends Were Overweight
5 Clothing Good Grades
Figure 3
Data Collected by the National Educational Services in The Bullying Prevention Handbook.
While helping the targets of bullying is crucial, many instances of bullying could probably be
prevented by addressing the roots causes. Many bullies are victims themselves, oppressed by older
children or their own parents. By harassing other children, they are placed in a position of power,
giving them a feeling of control in their lives.
The Four Hallmarks of Bullying Behavior
1. Power
Children who bully acquire their power through physical size and strength, by status within
the peer group, and by recruiting support of the peer group.
2. Intent to Harm
Children who bully generally do so with the intent to either physically or emotionally harm
the other child.
3. Distress in the Child Being Bullied
Anticipatory terror develops in the mind of the child being bullied that can be highly
detrimental and have the most debilitating long-term effects.
4. Frequency
Bullying is not a random act. Rather, bullying is usually characterized by frequent and
repeated attacks. However, in some situations, one severe incident of bullying behavior can
traumatize and create the fearful conditions that a series
Adapted from Teachers’ Handbook: The School Climate Approach to Bullying Prevention.

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Causes of Bullying
According to BullyingStatistics.org, the causes of bullying generally fall into these categories:
1.Cultural Causes of Bullying: In a culture that is fascinated with winning, power, and violence,
some experts suggest that it is unrealistic to expect that people will not be influenced to seek power
through violence in their own lives. Researchers point to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as
glorification of bullies in the name of entertainment and point out that the high rate of domestic
violence means that many young people grow up expecting that violence is an acceptable way to get
what one wants.
2. Institutional Causes: If the institution at which the bullying takes place - whether the home, the
school, or the workplace - does not have high standards for the way people treat each other, then
bullying may be more likely and/or prevalent and have an influence on why people bully.
3. Social Issues: The fact that one gets more social recognition for negative behaviors than for
positive ones can also contribute to reasons why people bully. Situation comedies and reality
television, as well as real life situations in schools, for example, show that acting out is more likely to
get noticed than behaving oneself civilly and courteously. Jealousy or envy and a lack of personal and
social skills to deal with such feelings can also be reasons why people bully.
4. Family Issues: Families that are not warm and loving and in which feelings are not shared are
more likely to have children who bully, either within the family home or in other locations in which
the children meet others. Another home environment that is prone to producing bullies is one in
which discipline and monitoring are inconsistent and/or a punitive atmosphere exists.
5.The Bully's Personal History: Children who experience social rejection themselves are more
likely to "pass it on" to others. Children who experience academic failure are also more likely to bully
others.
6. Having Power: Some research indicates that the very fact of having power may make some people
wish to wield it in a noticeable way, but it is also true that people may be given power without being
trained in the leadership skills that will help them wield it wisely. Either situation can contribute to
why people bully others.
7.Provocative Victims: People who are annoying and condescending to others and/or aggressive
verbally, or in other ways that are not picked up by those in authority, may contribute to the dynamic
that can be characterized as bullying by one individual but actually grows out of provocation by
another individual.
Source: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/why-do-people-bully.html

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Development Progression for Antisocial Behavior
Figure 4
Data by National Education Services in The Bully Prevention Handbook
Poor Parental
Discipline/Monitoring Childhood Conduct
Rejection by Normal
Peers
Academic Failure
Commitment to
Deviant Peer Group
Delinquency

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Cyberbullying
One of the biggest problems that we are noticing is that cyber-bullying is the most common form of
bullying in today’s generation. Examples of cyber-bullying include “sexting”, “mean tweeting” on
Twitter, harassment on social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and blogs. There are now many
television shows that address specific methods of bullying, such as cyber-bullying. The media is one
of the biggest influences on our young people.
Now cyberbullying has come to the forefront. People are able to torment others without
repercussions with the anonymity that the Internet affords. Already there have been children that
were driven to commit suicide because of the cyberbullies who target them.
Figure 5
Cyberbullying Pamphlet

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Stop Bullying: Tips for Kids
If you are being bullied…
Reach Out
 Tell an adult. Sometimes you may have to tell more than one trusted adult.
 Ask your friends to help you. There is safety in numbers.
 Practice what to say the next time you are bullied with your parents, teachers, or friends.
Be Cool in the Moment
 Stay calm and confident. Do not show the bully that you are sad or mad.
 Ignore the bully and walk away.
 Remember: Fighting back can make bullying worse.
Change the School Community
 Work with others to stop bully behavior; your whole school will benefit.
 Remember: many kids have to cope with bullying. You are not alone. No one deserves to
be bullied.
If you witness bullying...
Interrupt It
 Stand next to, or speak up for, the person being bullied.
 Ask the bully to stop.
 Comfort the person being bullied and offer friendship.
Get Help
 Walk away and get help.
 Find an adult who can intervene.
If you are the bully...
Make a Commitment to Change
 Talk to an adult, like a teacher or parent, about how to get along with others.
 Ask a friend to help you stop your bully behavior.
 Apologize to the kids you have bullied.
Focus on Empathy and Responsibility
 Think about what it feels like to be bullied -- would you want to be treated that way?
 Before you speak, think about whether your words will help or hurt another student.
Change Your Behavior
 Resist peer pressure to bully.
 If you start to bully, walk away and find something else to do.
 Remember: You do not have to like everyone around you, but you have to treat everyone
with respect.
From Stop Bullying Now, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Recognizing the Bullying Warning Signs
There are many warning signs that could indicate that someone is involved in bullying, either by
bullying others or by being bullied. However, these warning signs may indicate other issues or
problems, as well. If you are a parent or educator, learn more about talking to someone about
bullying.
Being Bullied
 Comes home with damaged or missing clothing or other
belongings
 Reports losing items such as books, electronics, clothing,
or jewelry
 Has unexplained injuries
 Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or
feeling sick
 Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
 Has changes in eating habits
 Hurts themselves
 Are very hungry after school from not eating their lunch
 Runs away from home
 Loses interest in visiting or talking with friends
 Is afraid of going to school or other activities with peers
 Loses interest in school work or begins to do poorly in school
 Appears sad, moody, angry, anxious or depressed when they come home
 Talks about suicide
 Feels helpless
 Often feels like they are not good enough
 Blames themselves for their problems
 Suddenly has fewer friends
 Avoids certain places
 Acts differently than usual
Bullying Others
 Becomes violent with others
 Gets into physical or verbal fights with others
 Gets sent to the principal’s office or detention a lot
 Has extra money or new belongings that cannot be explained
 Is quick to blame others
 Will not accept responsibility for their actions
 Has friends who bully others
 Needs to win or be best at everything
http://www.stopbullying.gov/topics/warning_signs/index.html
Figure 6

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How to Report Bullying
For Victims
 Report the incident to a teacher, counselor, or principal.
 Your name should be kept confidential; make sure you are promised this.
 Write down what was done or said to you and how you responded. Bullies will often try to
shift the blame.
 Make a list of witnesses.
For Bystanders
 Intervene in the situation. Tell the bully to stop and comfort the victim.
 Stand up to the bully and support the victim.
 Report it to a teacher, counselor, or principal.
 Your name should be kept confidential; make sure you are promised this.
 Write down what was done or said.
 Write down everyone who witnessed the situation.
SpeakOut Hotline
For students in many schools in central Florida,
there is the SpeakOut Hotline. The service gives
students the chance to report instances of
bullying anonymously. Children who might be
afraid of the repercussions of “snitching” can
share their information through a safe, secure
channel.
Figure 7

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Warning Signs
Level: Pre K-K, Grades 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Social Studies
Overview
These subtle clues can help you identify a child in need.
Activity
Your student may be bullied if he or she:
 leaves school with torn, damaged or missing clothing, books or other belongings;
 has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches;
 has few, if any, friends with whom to spend time;
 seems afraid to be in school, leave school, ride the school bus, or take part in organized
activities with peers;
 has lost interest in school work or suddenly begins to perform poorly;
 appears sad, moody, teary or depressed;
 complains frequently of headaches, stomach aches, or other physical ailments; or
 avoids the cafeteria and/or does not eat.
.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/warning-signs

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A Song for Anti-Bullying
Level: Pre K-K, 1-2
Subject: Social Studies
Overview
This activity involves a simple song that can help younger students deal with the issue of bullying
and bullies. When students are bullied, they are often reluctant to let teachers and parents know.
Children need to learn at an early age that it is okay to let others know that they need help.
Using a familiar song with a rhythmic beat can inspire students to use alternatives to bullying
situations rather than resorting to name-calling or fighting. It could also serve as an introduction to
this serious topic. Providing a few clues as signals to defuse a situation may help students lose the
“bystander syndrome” that perpetuates bullying.
Objectives
 Inspire children to positively respond to bullying
Activity
1. Before singing the song, share a simple definition of “What is bullying?”
2. The melody we use is from a common song that most children know: “If You’re Happy and You
Know It Clap Your Hands”. Lyrics were created by Francie Shafer with teachers Dani Davis and
Leslie Johnson. Directions for actions to accompany the song are in parentheses.
THE ANTI-BULLYING SONG
If you need help with a bully, CLAP your hands (Clap twice, 1, 2)
If you need help with a bully, CLAP your hands
If you need help with a bully and can’t talk to anybody
If you need help with a bully, CLAP your hands
If you’re teased and you’re sad, STOMP your feet (Stomp twice 1, 2)
If you’re teased and you’re sad, STOMP your feet
If you’re teased and you’re sad and it really makes you mad
If you’re teased and you’re sad, STOMP your feet
If you’re happy with yourself, GIVE a smile (Use fingers and press on cheeks to form a smile)
If you’re happy with yourself, GIVE a smile
If you’re happy with yourself and can GIVE others help
If you’re happy with yourself, then LEND a hand
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/song-anti-bullying

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Bullies Act Out
Level: Pre K-K, Grades 1-2, 3-5
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Technology, Science and Health, Arts,
ELL / ESL
Overview
This activity will remind students that no one deserves to be bullied and that everyone has a
responsibility to report unkind acts.
Objectives
 Use a puppet show to shed light on bullying issues
Materials Needed
 Classroom table
 Bulletin board paper
 Art supplies
 Paper lunch sacks

Activity
1. Explain to students that the class will put on a puppet show to shed light on the problems
associated with bullying. Let them know that in order to create a puppet show you all will need to
identify a problem and a solution (or plot); a location (or scene); characters; and props.
2. Ask students to define what a bully is to them.
3. After listening to their definitions, ask students why they think some kids bully others. Have them
explain how bullying makes the victim feel and perhaps even how the bully might feel after acting
out.
4. Write some of the key words, feelings, and issues on the board.
5. Next, have students identify where bullying happens the most at your school (the cafeteria, the
playground, in the hallway, etc.). If students discuss more than one location, take a vote by show of
hands to determine which setting is most prone to bullying. Write their chosen location on the board.
6. Discuss with students ways in which they can stop a bully from picking on others. Ask them to
explain the difference between tattling and asking an adult for help. Have students discuss the
positive and negative outcomes of standing up for someone. Again, write their key words on the
board.
7. As a class, decide on a cast of characters. This should include a main character (protagonist), a
"bad guy" (antagonist), and a few supporting characters (perhaps an adult ally, and friends of both
the protagonist and antagonist).

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8. Next, create a basic dialogue or script for the puppet show. Using the concepts written on the
board from the earlier group discussion on bullying, come up with a plot identifying a problem and a
solution. Encourage students to come up with several character responses to each situation. For
emerging readers, let students have a chance to narrate the puppet show or to play the roles
themselves to interpret what was discussed without written word.
9. Once you have chosen characters and written a script, divide students into two groups. The first
group should be responsible for creating the stage; the second group should be responsible for
creating the puppets. Half way through the allotted time, let the groups switch roles so that everyone
has a chance to work on the backdrop and everyone can create their own puppet.
10. For the first group, have students create the stage or scene for the puppet show. For instance, if
the class decided that the playground is where bullying happens most often, then students should
draw or paint images of the jungle gym, the sandbox, the swings, trees, etc. Next, create the stage by
setting a rectangular table on its side on the floor and covering it with the illustration, taping the
butcher paper to the table. If you do not have an extra table in the classroom, tape the illustration to
the front of two desks pushed together.
In the mean time, let the second group create puppets using the paper lunch sacks as the base.
Encourage them to get as creative as possible using a variety of materials to develop their characters.
For example, they could use yarn for hair, buttons for eyes and tissue paper for lips.
11. Finally, put it into action! Consider inviting other classes to visit and watch your performance. Be
sure to take turns with speaking roles, so that all children who want the chance can act out a problem
and a solution to the bullying that happens at your school.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullies-act-out

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A Bullying Survey
Level: Grades 1-2, 3-5
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Technology, ELL/ESL
Overview
In this lesson, students evaluate group practices and propose measures to improve the classroom
climate.
Children often benefit from adult support when it comes to expressing their feelings and
understanding their experiences. This survey asks them to reflect on their social experiences,
perhaps helping them understand what constitutes anti-social behavior so they can stop it or get help
from an adult.
Compiling the data from the survey, although it is a simple math task, can also help children see that,
if they experience bullying, they are not alone, and it is not their fault.
If children see in the data that they are among the bullies, early intervention can help them improve
their behavior.
Children who are bystanders also struggle with how to respond when they witness acts of bullying.
As they compile the survey data and become more able to name the problem, they also can become
more involved in shaping an action plan for the classroom community.
Note: The reading level of the survey is within second grade range, but younger children might be
able to participate if guided through the questions.
Objectives
 Evaluate group practices and propose measures to improve the classroom climate
 Make personal responsibility for accomplishing anti-bullying goals
 Collect data from real-world situations and represent that information in a simple graphic
organizer
Materials Needed
 Bullying Survey
 Reflection Questions
 Red and Blue sheets of paper for each student
Activity
1. Distribute the Bullying Survey along with a red and blue sheet of paper. Each colored sheet should
have tickets numbered 1-8.
2. Explain to students that they are going think about experiences they have had with their friends
and classmates.

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3. Ask the students to complete the survey independently or help them respond to it by reading each
question aloud.
4. Collate the data by collecting a blue slip of paper for a "yes" answer or a red slip for a "no" answer
to each question.
5. Using poster paper or overhead projector, display the questions on the board and attach the
appropriate blue and red slips of paper to show the response for each question.
6. Use Reflection Questions to help students process the data.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullying-survey

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Let the Hot Air Out of Bullies!
Level: Grades 3-5
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Health, ELL / ESL
Overview
Kids will giggle, laugh, and love this activity. It encourages students to come up with great solutions
to bullying.
Objectives
 Learn to use critical thinking and empathy skills to come up with preventative strategies
 Become advocates for themselves and others
Materials Needed
 Balloons
 Markers
 Tape
Activity
1. Talk with your students about bullying and how it affects everyone. Discuss standing up for one
another and oneself and how “doing the right thing” relates to good decision-making, empathy, and
character.
2. Explain that everyone has a choice—and it is necessary to think about the consequences that may
follow.
3. Have students brainstorm a problem associated with bullying. Then give each student a balloon to
blow up. Instruct them not to tie the balloons.
4. After students inflate their balloons, have them use a marker to write the problem that they
brainstormed earlier on the balloon. Tell them that the balloon represents a student filling up with
negative emotions and “hot air”—the negative things they say when mad.
5. Depending upon the needs of your class, have students form groups or pairs to brainstorm
solutions to their problems. One by one, students come to the front of the room and share their
solutions. If the class agrees it is a good solution, then the student will let the balloon go and watch it
fly as the “bully is deflated.” This “lets the hot air out of the bully.” If the class does not agree, help
them to explore good choices and effective problem solving. Students talk about how it felt to
problem-solve, deflate their bully and do the right thing.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/let-hot-air-out-bullies

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Bullying Circle Exercise
Level: Grades 3 and up
Overview
The Bullying Circle Exercise will help students understand the various roles students may play
in a bullying situation. This activity is best done with students in grade 3 or higher. This activity
is not a role-play. Instead of acting out a bullying situation, students will be describing the
feelings and actions of their character in a bullying situation (given their role in the Bullying
Circle).
Materials Needed
 Bullying Circle Diagram
 Bullying Circle Role Cards
Activity
1. Ask for eight student volunteers to come to the front of the class. Note: More than one student
may be assigned the various roles in this exercise. This may be a more true representation of
what actually happens in bullying situations, since most bullying is done by two or more
students, and there are usually several bystanders.
2. Huddle the volunteers together and tell them you want them to describe the role their
character would play in a bullying situation where a student is being bullied because of the
clothes he or she is wearing. During the discussion, they will be describing to the class all the
different roles people play in a bullying situation.
3. Give volunteers a Bullying Circle Role Card and have him or her read the description of their
character. Each card represents a role in the Bullying Circle.
Important! Do not give the role of the student who bullies to a student who has bullied others
or who has supported bullying, if you know who these students are. Also, do not give the role of
the student who is bullied to a student who has been bullied in real life. You may want to assign
yourself the student who is bullied in order to avoid any potential problems.
4. Advise the volunteers to prepare for their presentation by being ready to describe their
character: letting the class know who they are, their part in the bullying situation, and how they
feel about it. Use the ideas written on each card to prepare for this presentation. Students should
use these ideas or make up their own. Ask the volunteers not to deny their involvement in the
bullying situation for this activity, although this often happens in real life.
5. Have the volunteers form a half circle in alphabetical order (based on the letters on

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their cards).
6. Start the discussion by setting up the situation in this manner:
In bullying situations, there are usually more people involved than just the person who is being
bullied and the person who is doing the bullying. Today we are going to see, with the help of
our volunteers, all the roles that people can play in a bullying situation. Remember that these
volunteers are in these roles for the time of the discussion only. They are acting as characters
involved in bullying another student because of the clothes he or she wears.
7. Start with the student who is bullied (letter H, which may be played by you). Ask this student,
for example:
Chantelle, tell us who you are and what happened? What was this bullying experience like for
you?
Note: Remember that playing the student who is bullied can feel bad, as others may make
negative remarks about the person as they describe their role. Support this character with
sensitivity. You might say, “Sorry this has happened to you!”
8. Then move to the student who is bullying others (letter A). Ask something like:
Marcus, tell us what you did. What do you think of Chantelle?
9. Continue going around the Bullying Circle, interviewing each student. You may want to ask
each person in a role: Tell us what you did. What do you think of Chantelle? You may want to
ask the followers/henchmen (letter B) and the supporters/passive bullies (letter C) what they
think of the student who is bullying the other student as well.
10. Ask all students in your class the following questions (without mentioning names):
 Which of these roles do you think we have in our school?
 Are people always in the same role or can their roles change?
 What kinds of things might affect the role changes? (Responses may include what their
relationship is with the student who is doing the bullying and/or the student who is
being bullied, peer pressure, and wanting to prevent the student who bullies from
bullying them next.)
 Do boys and girls play all of these roles? To the same extent?
 What role do you think most of the students at our school play?
 At our school, what role(s) do popular students usually play?
11. Engage the class in a discussion about what defenders (letter G) can do under these
circumstances. Brainstorm these people’s options. Be sure to encourage students to include
things that they can do both in the moment and after the fact. Responses might include the
following:

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 Tell the students who are bullying to stop.
 Use physical, but nonviolent force to get the students who bully to stop. (Note: This is an
example of what NOT to do, but it is likely to come up in discussion. Students should not
use any physical force.)
 Help remove the student who was bullied from the area.
 Talk to the student who was bullied later on, saying you are sorry it happened and that
you did not like it.
 Invite the student who was bullied to join your group at recess or lunch.
 Tell an adult. (Usually the best option!)
 Offer to go with the student to report the bullying.
 Talk to parents or other adults at home for advice about how to help.
 Avoid joining in the bullying.
 Avoid supporting the bullying (for example, laughing about the bullying).
12. With student input, place these responses on a continuum from “low risk” to “high
risk”, based on the risk to personal safety, social criticism, and so on.
Figure 8
Risk Continuum
13. Say: One reason that students sometimes do not play the role of the “defenders” is that they
mistakenly believe they will be required to be friends with the student who is bullied. Although
it is good to make new friends (and particularly to befriend someone who is picked on or left
out), adults in this school are not trying to force this to happen. Students do not have to be a
friend (or even like someone) in order to help.
14. Tell the class that your school’s bullying prevention program is designed to shift attitudes, so
that the students who often join in on the bullying may stop doing this, the students who like
watching the bullying may reconsider and begin to dislike it, the disengaged onlookers (letter E)
may feel more empowered to join the defenders (letter G), and so on.
15. Ask the students to physically move, bit by bit, away from the “bullies” position (letter
A) along the continuum, so that more of them are closer to the defenders end of the line, giving a
visual picture of the removal of power from the “bullies”, now standing apart from the others.
Note: We do not intend to ostracize students who bully, but want them integrated back into a
new culture that values respect and fair treatment for everyone.

28. 28
16. Ask the whole class to give a round of applause for the volunteers and issue a prize to each of
them, if you like. From time to time, consider using the Bullying Circle Role Cards with other
bullying scenarios to help reinforce students’ understanding of the roles everyone plays in
helping to build a more welcoming school climate.
Source
http://brownstown.wiki.cvsd.k12.pa.us/file/view/Bullying+Circle+Exercise.pdf

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Cooperative Comics
Level: Grades 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Arts, ELL / ESL
Overview
Comic books are visual literature. This simple cooperative group activity allows students to identify
confrontational issues within their own school and then imagine solutions.
Objectives
 Identify issues in their school
 Use comics to create imaginative solutions
Materials Needed
 Sample Bullying Comics
 Paper
 Markers

Activity
1. As a class, brainstorm and list typical situations where students might find themselves in conflict.
These might be bullying, race, socio-economic or gender related. List these on the board.
2. Divide students into groups of five. Have each group select one of the topics, allowing them to
choose the one they find most engaging.
3. Student groups map out the concept they have chosen, listing ideas and incidents tied to the
theme. Guide them in thinking about what causes confrontation, how it plays out, how it makes
people feel, and what alternatives might happen to change the outcome.
4. Give the students copies of Sample Bullying Comics to get them started. Explain that a story has
parts: a beginning, middle, and end. Their comic story will have five parts.
1. Beginning
2. A scene to advance the story
3. Middle
4. A scene to advance the story
5. Ending
5. Have student groups discuss how their story begins and ends. Then have them add middle.
Finally, let them create the two scenes that will complete their comic.
6. Students split up the five frames of the comic book with each of them doing one scene. Words and
drawings must flow from one scene to another, so it is important that they discuss what is going on.
 Is it plausible?
 Can you see this really occurring?
 Is this how people in our school actually speak?

30. 30
7. Students can present their strips orally to the class and also "publish" them by hanging them in the
classroom or hallway adjacent to their classroom.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/cooperative-comics

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Cyberbullying Scenarios
Level: Grades 5-8, 9-12
Overview
This activity gives students the opportunity to learn about cyberbullying and its implications. On the
handout are several scenarios you can review to learn more about cyberbullying. Feel free to read
and discuss these with parents, educators, or youth. We have suggested a few starter questions, but
you can think of others as well.
Objectives
 Learn more about cyberbullying
 Understand how to respond when cyberbullying occurs
Materials Needed
 Cyberbullying Scenarios
 Cyberbullying Crossword
 How to Stop Cyberbullies
 Activities for Teens
Activity
1. Give each student a copy of the Cyberbullying Crossword, and let them have enough time to
complete most of it. This will help students become familiar with the terms and tools of
cyberbullying before beginning the discussion portion of the activity. Let the students keep the
activity to use as a reference.
2. Divide your students into groups of 4-5 and give each group a copy of the Cyberbullying
Scenarios handout.
3. Assign each group one of the scenarios to discuss from the handout. They should feel free to voice
their opinions, while being considerate of the feelings of others in the group. They can use the
suggested questions below their activity to guide their discussion.
4. After allowing enough time for each group to examine their scenario, they should share a summary
of the story and their responses with the rest of the class. They should address each of the following
questions:
 What would you do if you were the victim in this situation?
 Could this scenario have been prevented? If so, how?
 Should this issue have been reported to the proper authorities (teacher, administrator,
police, etc)?
 What would you have done if you had witnessed this bullying?
 How can the bullying be stopped in this situation?

32. 32
5. Discuss the responses of each group with the rest of the class. Be sure to emphasize the positive
responses to cyberbullying and encourage students to be responsible Upstanders when then know
cyberbullying is occurring.
6. Distribute copies of How to Stop Cyberbullies for students to refer to if they become a victim of
cyberbullying.
Extension
Give students the Activities for Teens handout to get them started on educating their community
about cyberbullying.
Source
Cyberbullying Research Center www.cyberbullying.us

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A Bullying Quiz
Level: Grades 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, ELL / ESL
Overview
In this lesson, students take a quiz related to bullying and discuss follow-up reflective questions to
help them plan an anti-bullying initiative in their community.
Objectives
 Understand how evidence regarding behavioral patterns might challenge personal beliefs and
assumptions about social behavior
 Use evidence about bullying behavior to inform daily decisions regarding social interactions and
understand the necessity of making personal decisions in bullying situations
 Use factual information to consider consequences and alternatives of personal behavior choices
Materials Needed
 Anti-Bullying Quiz
 Anti-Bullying Quiz Answer Key
 Anti-Bullying Reflection Questions
Activity
Even students who have experienced bullying might be surprised by the statistics and studies about
bullying. It is important for adults, student leaders and other educators to raise awareness about the
prevalence of bullying and its detrimental effects for all involved.
The frequency with which students admit to bullying might surprise students who feel alone and
isolated due to the wrath of a bully. It is important, likewise, for students who are victims and
bystanders to seek help when this kind of behavior emerges.
A common trait among bullies is lack of empathy, the inability to be aware of or understand other
people's feelings. When a bully attacks a victim, they feel powerful and in control. He or she may
blame the victim, justifying his or her aggression by saying the victim deserved bad treatment or
asked for it. While it may not be possible to teach empathy, raising awareness about bullying has
helped schools decrease the behavior.
Use the following quiz to mobilize young people and adults who work with them so an anti-bullying
initiative can come together in your community.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/bullying-quiz

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Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case That
Made History
Level: Grades 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Health, Arts, ELL/ESL
Overview
Bullied is a documentary film that chronicles one student’s ordeal at the hands of anti-gay bullies
and offers an inspiring message of hope to those fighting harassment today. It can become a
cornerstone of anti-bullying efforts in middle and high schools.
Bullied is designed to help administrators, teachers and counselors create a safer school environment
for all students, not just those who are gay and lesbian. It is also intended to help all students
understand the terrible toll bullying can take on its victims, and to encourage students to stand up
for their classmates who are being harassed.
Objectives
 Think about the problem of bullying
 Consider the role that students, teachers, and administrators play in ensuring that schools are
safe for all students
Materials Needed
 Bullied: 40-minute documentary film (DVD), with closed captioning and with Spanish subtitles
 DVD player and projector
 Bullied: Viewer’s Guide
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/bullied

35. 35
Foster Community
The greatest asset in an educator’s quest to prevent bullying is a sense of community in the
classroom. Since most instances of bullying take place when the teacher is not looking, creating a
basis for understanding with the students is all the more crucial. Anti-bullying policy as a whole
community is something that we all have to work at. It is establishes a clear set of agreed aims which
provide students, teachers, and families a goal and direction. A deep understanding anti-bullying
environment is a commitment of the school—by defining procedures and systems of prevention and
proactive ways of responding to bullying. This idea helps promote good values at school as well as
home for all the students. Actively changing attitudes and behaviors are a key to a successful anti-
bullying environment (Sharp 25).
Figure 9
Hierarchy for Bullying Prevention

36. 36
What Are Quality Circles?
Chart provided by Tackling Bullying in Your School by Sonia Sharp and Peter K. Smith
Identify the
Problem
Analyze the
Problem
Develop
Solutions
Present Them
to
Management
Review and
Implement
Figure 10
Quality Circles
Sonia Sharp and Peter Smith describe
Quality Circle in a precise way. “A Quality
circle is a group of people of five to
twelve who meet together on a regular
basis, usually weekly, to try to identify
ways of improving their organization or
classroom. They aim to increase general
effectiveness and find solutions to
comment social and practical problems.
To achieve this QC uses a structures
participative problem solving process.
There is a five-step process:
 Identifying the problem
 Analyzing the problem
 Developing solutions
 Presenting solutions
 Reviewing the solutions


37. 37
Quality Circles provide a structure for all
students to apply to the problem of bullying.
Using QC, students devise their own
solutions to the problems of bullying. In
addition, they learn about the nature of the
problem of bullying and it is a powerful
preventive measure.
Problem Identification
&
Selection Procedures Include:
o Brainstorming
o Open-ended discussion
o Reflecting Back
o Round Robin Consensus
Skills the Students Learn from QC
 Work co-operatively with others
 Express their own thoughts and opinions clearly
 Listen carefully to others
 Keep records of discussions
 Identify and prioritize problems faced by
themselves and their peers
 Present their solutions in a persuasive way

38. 38
Developing Empathy
Level: Pre K-K, Grades 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, ELL and ESL, Mix It Up
Overview
When we put ourselves in another person’s shoes, we are often more sensitive to what that person is
experiencing and are less likely to tease or bully them. By explicitly teaching students to be more
conscious of other people’s feelings, we can create a more accepting and respectful school
community.
Objectives
 Gain a better understanding of what it means to be empathetic and be able to identify
behaviors that show empathy toward others.
Materials Needed
 Feelings Faces
 How Would You Feel? (K-2 and 3-5)
 Someone Else’s Shoes
 Are You Empathetic?
Early Grades
Objectives
 Understand empathy
 Identify ways to be more understanding toward others
Essential Questions
 What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?
 What kinds of behaviors show that you understand someone’s feelings?
Materials
 Feelings Faces (Note: Cut out faces so that every student has several of each feeling.)
 How Would You Feel?

39. 39
Activity
1. Sometimes the look on our faces can show how we are feeling. Look at the four different
types of smiley faces. Which feeling(s) do you think each face shows? (Note: Help students
reach consensus, for example, happy, sad, proud, angry.)
2. For each story, choose the smiley face that shows how you would feel if the story happened
to you, and place the smiley on the line provided.
3. Discuss each story with your class:
Finn thinks Jacob is bragging, but if he stopped to think about how he might feel in Jacob’s
situation, what might he realize about how Jacob is feeling? When we try to understand other
people’s feelings, we are putting ourselves in that person’s shoes. If Finn was really listening to
Jacob, he might have better understood that Jacob is proud to have gotten his first A+ after having
studied all weekend.
Durrell thinks that Mike is being mean to him, but if Durrell put himself in Mike’s place, what might
he realize? If you got into trouble for something a friend did, you might be angry. The same is
probably true for Durrell.
Does Tina show Suri any understanding? What might have been a better way to talk to Suri? If
Tina had thought about how she would feel if her best friend had moved, maybe she would have
realized that Suri was feeling sad and she would have treated her more nicely.
Valerie gets annoyed with Meegan because she is acting silly. If Valerie had thought about how
Meegan might be feeling about her trip, she might have realized what was causing Meegan’s
“weird” behavior. Why do you think Meegan was acting that way? Would you be happy and
excited if you were the one going on vacation?
4. Now choose a partner and pick your favorite of the four stories you just read. Rewrite the
story so that it illustrates being understanding of someone else’s feelings (e.g., if you’re
rewriting story #1, you will change how Finn acts so that he is showing understanding
toward Jacob). You may write the story in any format you wish (e.g., comic strip, skit script,
short story).
5. Share your rewrites with the class.
Extension Activities
Thinking about your story, make a poster that shows how to be more understanding. Hang the
posters around school to teach others about being understanding of other people’s feelings.
Elementary Grades

40. 40
Objectives
 Understand empathy
 Identify ways to be more understanding toward others
Essential Questions
 What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?
 What kinds of behaviors show that you understand someone’s feelings?
Materials
 How Would You Feel?
Activity
1. What are some words we could use to describe our feelings? (Note: Record student answers
on the board or chart paper.)
2. Read How Would You Feel? with your class. For each story, think about how you might feel
if the story happened to you and write that feeling on the line provided. You may use feeling
words that your class brainstormed or your own words.
3. Discuss each story with your class:
Finn thinks Jacob is bragging, but if he stopped to think about how he might feel in Jacob’s
situation, what might he realize about how Jacob is feeling? When we try to understand other
people’s feelings, we are putting ourselves in that person’s shoes. If Finn was really listening to
Jacob, he might have better understood that Jacob is proud to have gotten his first A+ after having
studied all weekend.
Durrell thinks that Mike is being mean to him, but if Durrell put himself in Mike’s place, what might
he realize? If you got into trouble for something a friend did, you might be angry. The same is
probably true for Mike.
Does Tina show Suri any understanding? What might have been a better way to talk to Suri? If
Tina had thought about how she would feel if her best friend had moved, maybe she would have
realized that Suri was feeling sad and would have treated her more nicely.
Valerie gets annoyed with Meegan because she is acting silly. If Valerie had thought about how
Meegan might be feeling about her trip, she might have realized what was causing Meegan’s
“weird” behavior. Why do you think Meegan was acting that way? Would you be happy and
excited if you were the one going on vacation?
4. Now, choose a partner and pick your favorite of the four stories you just read. Rewrite the
story so that it illustrates being understanding of someone else’s feelings (e.g., if you’re
rewriting story #1, you will change how Finn acts so that he is showing understanding

41. 41
toward Jacob). You may write the story in any format you wish (e.g., comic strip, skit script,
short story).
5. Share your rewrites with the class.
Extension Activities
Adapt the stories from How Would You Feel? into a skit that you can perform for other classes to
teach them how to be more understanding of other people’s feelings.
Middle Grades
Objectives
 Understand empathy
 Practice ways to be more understanding
 Reflect on the effects of empathetic listening
Essential Questions
 What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?
 How empathetic am I?
 How can I better show empathy toward others?
Materials
 Are You Empathetic?
 Someone Else’s Shoes
Activity
1. Can you think of a time—maybe during an argument with a friend or when the boy or girl
you liked hurt your feelings—when you wished that someone understood how you felt?
When we try to relate to what another person is going through, we are being empathetic.
2. Do you think you are an empathetic person? Respond to each statement on Are You
Empathetic? with “yes” if it describes something you do or “no” if you do not do what is
described.
3. If you answered mostly “yes”, you probably do a good job of showing empathy toward other
people. The statements you answered “no” to are things you could do to be more empathetic.
4. One way you can try to imagine what it feels like being in someone else’s shoes is to ask
yourself, “How would I feel in this situation?” How else can you try to understand how
others feel?
5. When you listen to others, making eye contact, not interrupting the speaker, and asking
follow-up questions can show that you are making a genuine effort to understand what they

42. 42
are going through. What other behaviors might show someone that you are being an
empathetic listener?
6. What can you do to be more attuned to other people’s feelings? For instance, when you talk
to your friends, how many “you” questions do you ask compared to the number of “I”
statements you make?
7. Now you are going to practice what you have learned about being empathetic. You will each
receive one character card from Someone Else’s Shoes. You are going to complete the rest of
the activity as this character, so take some time to think about how he or she feels in the
given situation.
8. Pair up with a classmate (be sure your partner’s character card is different from yours; if you
have the same character, you need to pair up with someone else). As your character, tell your
partner about your situation. Your partner should practice being empathetic as he is
listening to your story. Then, switch roles: practice being empathetic as your partner, as his
character, tells you what he is experiencing.
9. With your partner, discuss how she showed empathy toward you, how it made you feel, and
what you wish she had done differently. Use statements like, “I could tell you were really
listening to me because you maintained eye contact with me during the entire conversation,
and that made me feel like you care.”
10. Everyone in the class should now stand. Go around the room, sharing something you
learned about practicing empathy, sitting after you share. If someone else shares your
thought, sit down. Continue around the room until everyone is sitting.
Extension Activities
Create a way to teach others how to be more empathetic (e.g., perform a skit, create a comic strip, write a
short story, sing, or rap original lyrics).
High School
Objectives
 Understand empathy
 Practice ways to be more understanding
 Reflect on the effects of empathetic listening
Essential Questions
 What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?
 How empathetic am I?
 How can I better show empathy toward others?

43. 43
Materials
 Are You Empathetic?
Activity
1. Can you think of a time—maybe during an argument with a friend or when the boy or girl
you liked hurt your feelings—when you wished that someone understood how you felt?
When we try to relate to what another person is going through, we are being empathetic.
2. Do you think you are an empathetic person? Respond to each statement on Are You
Empathetic? with “yes” if it describes something you do or “no” if you do not do what is
described.
3. If you answered mostly “yes”, you probably do a good job of showing empathy toward other
people. The statements you answered “no” to are things you could do to be more empathetic.
4. As a class, use Are You Empathetic? to discuss how you can follow the behaviors suggested
to show empathy toward others:
5. One way you can try to imagine what it feels like being in someone else’s shoes is to ask
yourself, “How would I feel in this situation?” How else can you try to understand how
others feel?
6. When you listen to others, making eye contact, not interrupting the speaker, and asking
follow-up questions can show that you are making a genuine effort to understand what they
are going through. What other behaviors might show someone that you are being an
empathetic listener?
7. What can you do to be more attuned to other people’s feelings? For instance, when you talk
to your friends, how many “you” questions do you ask compared to the number of “I”
statements you make?
8. Now you are going to practice what you have learned about being empathetic. Pair up with a
classmate. Tell your partner one of the following: an embarrassing moment, a time you were
scared or something that made you sad. If you are not comfortable sharing a real-life
experience, you may pretend to be a fictional character and tell his/her story (e.g., as Juliet,
talk about how scared you were to drink the potion the Friar gave you). Your partner should
practice being empathetic as he is listening to your story. Then, switch roles: Practice being
empathetic as your partner tells you what he experienced.
9. With your partner, discuss how she showed empathy toward you, how it made you feel, and
what you wish she had done differently. Use statements like, “I could tell you were really
listening to me because you maintained eye contact with me during the entire conversation,
and that made me feel like you care.”

44. 44
10. Everyone in the class should now stand. Go around the room, sharing something you
learned about practicing empathy, sitting after you share. If someone else shares your
thought, sit down. Continue around the room until everyone is sitting.
Extension Activities
Make an effort to practice empathetic listening at home with a guardian or sibling.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/developing-empathy

45. 45
Place as a Mirror of Self and Community
Level: Grades 3-5
Subject: Social Studies
Overview
Students will understand difference and community by exploring a special place in their lives. We all
come from somewhere. Place is prominent in all of our lives, whether it’s the place we sleep, the
home we reside in, the street we live on, the section of the city we are from, the state we call our own
or the country of our grandparents. In this lesson, students will share an important place in their
lives as a way to bond with their peers.
It is often best for teachers to model what they require students to do, especially in these first days of
school when the classroom community is just getting to know each other.
In this lesson, the teacher takes the first risk by sharing several stories of places that are important to
him/her. This is most effective if the teacher takes the time to write these stories out and read them.
Understanding that children come from various socio-economic situations and that some students
are homeless, vary your examples so that they include places in nature, buildings, schools, cities,
states, geographic areas, or countries.
Objectives
 Students will identify a geographic place of importance to them and/or their family.
 Students will share why this place has prominence in their lives.
 Students will summarize what many different places have in common to those who hold them
dear.
Materials Needed
 Special Places Handout
 World Map for Extension Activity
Activity
1. Inform students that they are simply going to identify several places that hold prominence in their
lives or their families’ lives.
2. Give each student a copy of the Special Places Handout and have him or her fill out the top half
silently. Walk around the room, guiding students who might have difficulty.
3. As students finish the top part of the handout, have them identify one place that feels the most
important to them. Ask them to fill out the bottom half of the Special Places Handout.

46. 46
4. Have students share their special place in small groups of four.
5. Then have students switch partners and form a new group of four to do a second share. These
smaller groups will feel less risky for students opening up to their fellow students in the beginning
days of class. Do these small groups as many times as you like, or until students begin to lose
interest/focus.
6. Bring the class together and have a few students volunteer to share their special place with the
entire class.
7. Guide students in reflecting on what all of our special places might have in common. Answers will
vary, but may include things like nature, family, place of birth, home country, etc.
8. Finally, ask students to come up with a general statement that answers the thought of how these
many different places say something collectively about the class as a whole.
Extension Activity
 Get a local and/or world map so that students can put a stickpin on the location of their special
place.
 Have students look at this visual representation and reflect on what it might tell the class about
itself.
 Encourage students to bring in photographs of themselves and/or their family in this special
place and put them around the map. This will develop a sense that your classroom is a special
place as well.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/place-mirror-self-and-community

47. 47
Building Classroom Community through the
Exploration of Acrostic Poetry
Level: Grades 3-5
Duration: Three 45 to 60 minute sessions
Overview
Building classroom community is one of the most challenging yet most important tasks for any
teacher. It needs to be reinforced frequently throughout the year. This lesson gives students the
opportunity to be innovative, creative, and expressive while building a sense of community. In
this lesson, students explore the genre of acrostic poetry and participate in a shared writing
experience with acrostic poems. Using the Internet, students explore and investigate the
characteristics of acrostic poetry. They then brainstorm positive character traits about one of
their classmates using an online thesaurus and compose an acrostic poem. Students use an
interactive online tool to write and print the final draft and then share their poem with the class.
Objectives
Learn the structure of acrostic poetry by viewing examples on the Internet
Understand and apply knowledge of acrostic poetry by composing an acrostic poem about one of
their classmates
Build community in the classroom by focusing on peers' positive character traits and applying
them to poetry
Materials Needed
 Student Checklist
 Acrostic Poetry Web Explorer
 Brainstorming Template
 Computers with Internet access and connection to a printer
 LCD display monitor (optional)
 Several print thesauri (optional)
Activity Preparation
1. Gather some samples of acrostic poems using the Acrostic Poetry Booklist.
2. Preview online samples of acrostic poems by visiting Acrostic Poems for Children and
Acrostic Poetry Quilt from Ms. Birnbaum's Fourth Grade Class. Students will access these
sites independently during the lesson, so it is a good idea to bookmark them on your

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classroom computers.
3. Bookmark the Acrostic Poems tool on your classroom computers. This interactive tool will
assist students in writing their acrostic poems. (If you have trouble, make sure that
computers have the most recent version of the Flash plug-in, which can be downloaded free
from the ReadWriteThink Site Tools page.)
4. Photocopy a class set of the Acrostic Poetry Web Explorer worksheet, the Brainstorming
Template, and the Student Checklist.
Session 1: Exploring acrostic poetry
1. Lead a brief discussion with students about poetry and why authors choose to write poems
(e.g., poetry is a creative way to express feeling; poetry is an art form). Introduce the term
acrostic poetry to students and explain that an acrostic poem is one that uses the letters in a
word or topic to begin each line of the poem. All of the words or phrases in the poem relate
to the topic word.
2. Share the examples of acrostic poetry that you have selected. Ask students to comment on
what they notice about the poems and record their thoughts on the board or on chart paper.
Some thoughts might include:
 Each line starts with a letter of the word
 The lines are short, usually just a word or phrase
 Each line relates to the topic
 The topic word is usually in capital letters
 The poem does not have to rhyme
3. Pass out the Acrostic Poetry Web Explorer worksheet and review it with students. Allow
students to explore examples of acrostic poetry online, using this sheet as their guide. You
may have students fill out the sheet and hand it in. You may also choose to use an LCD
monitor to view the websites together as a class; if you do this, you may want to write the
questions from the sheet on chart paper or on the board and fill them out together.
4. Bring the class together for a shared writing experience. Choose another teacher or school
official all your students know as the subject of an acrostic poem written together as a class.
Using a transparency of the Brainstorming Template, write each letter of the person's name
down the left column of the template. (You might share a sample of a filled-out template with
students first.)
5. Work with students to brainstorm positive character traits about the person for each letter
of his or her name.
6. After you have three to five words for each letter of the name, work with students to
compose an acrostic poem. Model adding phrases and connecting verbs to the word lists.

49. 49
7. Have a student volunteer write a final copy of the poem (other students may wish to
illustrate it as well). The class can then share it with the poem's subject.
Session 2: Brainstorming
1. Review the process for writing an acrostic poem based on the activities in Session 1. Explain
to students that they are going to write acrostic poems for each other. Pass out the Student
Checklist and review expectations and guidelines.
2. Lead a brief discussion about why it would be important and thoughtful to write an acrostic
poem about a classmate. Talk about how it makes people feel good, it shows respect, and it
is a creative way to express friendship.
3. Talk to students about how the use of thoughtful, descriptive words makes acrostic poems
more effective and interesting to read. Explain that they will brainstorm positive character
traits about another student in the class and then write an acrostic poem about that person.
4. Pass out copies of the Brainstorming Template and ask each student to write his or her
name down the left column with one letter in each box.
5. Randomly distribute the templates to students so that each student ends up with someone
else's name.
6. Allow students to access one of the major online thesauri:
 Merriam-Webster Online
 Thesaurus.com
Demonstrate how to use the online thesaurus by typing in the word nice and viewing all of
the descriptive words that are synonymous for it. Ask students to use the Brainstorming
Template to come up with several words for each letter of the person's name. You may also
want to have print thesauri available for students to use. (A sample list of character traits is
available if you do not have access to multiple computers or print thesauri.)
7. After students have had sufficient time to brainstorm, ask them to look over their list and
compose a rough draft of their acrostic poem. They should keep the checklists and rough
drafts for Session 3.
Session 3: Publishing and sharing
1. Have students take out their Student Checklist as well as their drafts from Session 2. Review
the guidelines and expectations on the Student Checklist and explain that they should use
their checklist to make sure that they have all the necessary elements in their acrostic poem.
2. Give students time to revise their poems as necessary.

50. 50
3. Set students up on computers with the Acrostic Poems writing tool. Guide them through the
process of typing a final draft of their poem into the tool and have them print their poems.
4. Allow students to share their poems aloud and present them to their classmates. Students
should turn in their completed checklist and a copy of their poem.
Extensions
 Students can illustrate their acrostic poems and laminate them as a keepsake.
 Students can write acrostic poems about story characters or their favorite setting in a story.
 Students can write acrostic poems for science or social studies topics to demonstrate their
knowledge.
 Advanced students can test their knowledge of nouns, adjectives, and gerunds by rewriting
their acrostic poem as a synonym Diamante Poem.
Student Assessments and Reflections
Use informal observation to assess whether students participate and demonstrate
understanding of the acrostic poetry format. If you collected the Acrostic Poetry Web Explorer
worksheet, you can use this to assess student comprehension as well.
Use the Student Checklist to assess final copies of the poems. In addition, look at student
vocabulary in the completed poems. Did students use the reference materials you provided to
find original and creative words? Are the words applied correctly? Do the poems accurately and
creatively describe the person being written about?
Source
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/building-classroom-
community-through-807.html

51. 51
What’s So Bad About “That’s So Gay”?
Level: Grades 3-5, 6-8
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, ELL / ESL
Overview
Almost every teacher has heard students use the expression, “that’s so gay” as a way of putting down
or insulting someone (or to describe something). These lessons will help students examine how
inappropriate language can hurt, and will help them think of ways to end this kind of name-calling.
Objectives
 Explore how the phrase “that’s so gay” is hurtful to students
 Begin to understand and express their opinions, verbally and in writing, about how language can
be used in bullying
 Write letters expressing their viewpoints about bullying in schools
Essential Questions
 Why do students use language such as “that’s so gay”? What is the impact this kind of hurtful
language will have on others?
 How can we prevent the use of language such as “that’s so gay”, used to tease and bully?
 How can we use writing as a means of expressing our opinions about bullying and other
important social issues?
Materials Needed
 Definitions Handout
 Chart paper
 Markers
 Journals
Definitions
bullying |ˈboŏlē ing |
(noun) The act of purposely causing harm to others, through verbal harassment, physical assault or
other more subtle forms of meanness.
homophobia |ˌhōməˈfōbēə | (for older students)
(noun) Fear, dislike or hatred to homosexual (also bisexual or transgender) people.
prejudice |ˈprejədəs|
(noun) Negative judgment or opinion, often of a specific group of people, formed without knowledge
of the facts and sometimes leading to hatred or suspicion
Activity
1. In your journals, spend a few minutes responding to these questions:
 Have you ever been called a name?

52. 52
 How did that name-calling make you feel?
2. On tables or in different places around your classroom will be “graffiti boards”—pieces of chart
paper with questions at the top of the paper—displaying the questions below. Go to each board and
read the question at the top. Use a marker to write your answer to or thoughts about the question
somewhere on the board. If you don’t know an answer to one of the questions, that’s okay. Just write
whatever comes to mind. (Note: Graffiti boards should be prepared in advance; students may
circulate freely or, depending on space limitations, move around the classroom in a more
structured way.)
 What do you think of when you hear the word “gay”?
 In what ways have you heard the word “gay” used?
 Why do you think people sometimes use the phrase “that’s so gay”?
 How would you feel if someone said “that’s so gay” about something you were doing or about
something you liked?
 What would you do if you heard someone say, “that’s so gay” or another unacceptable
remark?
3. Once everyone has had a chance to examine each of the boards, circulate a second time, and read
other students’ answers. Make note of anything that stands out to you as surprising or informative.
4. As a class, come together to discuss the questions and the answers you read and wrote.(Note:
Clarify any definitions, and talk about why words like “that’s so gay,” “gay,” “fag,” “sissy” or
anything else that came up are inappropriate. Try to think about why these particular words are
used, and encourage students to discuss specific examples.)
5. In your notebook or journal, write a letter based on the discussion you had as a class. You may
want to imagine you are writing to a school newspaper, to the principal or to a bully. Write your
opinion about name-calling in school, why it happens, and how you and your classmates might be
able to put a stop to it.
6. In small groups, share and discuss the letters you wrote.
Extension
Develop a handbook of rules and guidelines for your school, with the goal of preventing name calling
and creating a safer school environment. Your handbook should include specific rules about using
appropriate language, such as the use of the phrase “that’s so gay.” You can also be creative with it,
incorporating stories, illustrations or even comics to communicate why “that’s so gay” is
inappropriate and how it, as well as other types of name-calling, can hurt others.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/thats-so-gay

53. 53
In-Group Favoritism
Level: Grades 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, ELL/ESL
Overview
This activity looks at the way in-group favoritism hurts instead of heals the conflicts we might have
with each other.
Objectives
 Understand and be able to define in-group favoritism
 Identify ways they participate in in-group favoritism
 Identify ways they can cross social boundaries and guard against in-group favoritism
Definition
According to Social Identity Theory, social groups influence inter-group relations because people
strive to maintain or enhance a positive social identity. The desire for positive self-esteem is thought
to lead to the tendency to evaluate one's own group favorably in comparison to other groups, or "in-
group favoritism”.
In-group favoritism at its best offers a positive sense of belonging and affiliations, i.e. debaters enjoy
debating with others who enjoy debating, and football players encourage each other's athletic best.
At its most insecure, however, in-group favoritism can lead to highly destructive and hurtful
behaviors: gossiping against others, scapegoating, bullying, and pressuring group members to do
what they individually do not respect or feel comfortable doing.
Activity
1. Slowly begin leading students from the global to the local using the following examples of in-
group favoritism. Be sure to make specific local connections based on your area. For example, if
you're from West Virginia, are you a West Virginia University Mountaineers fan or a Marshall
University Thundering Herd fan? The purpose of this activity is to slowly lead students to
identify their own in-group favoritism and then identify ways to cross these social boundaries.
 Global in-group favoritism – Nationalism is one kind of in-group favoritism that plays out on
our global stage. We see this when professional athletes compete against each other at events
such as the World Cup, the Tour de France or Wimbledon. We see it at the Olympics. We see
it at The Oscars when an actor from, say, Australia wins and that entire country cheers.
 State in-group favoritism – You see an example of state in-group favoritism play out in
national events like the Miss America Pageant, when people from a given state root for their
state representative.

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 City in-group favoritism – City in-group favoritism often manifests in people's sense of place
—where someone lives within the city. One side of town is generally known as the "right" side
to be from, and the other is "the wrong side of the tracks”. Sometimes family members want
their children to only play with children from a certain area.
 School in-group favoritism – Is there place in your school where only the seniors are
allowed? Does your school promote competitions where the juniors are against the seniors?
Do the athletes always sit together and appear easily identifiable"? Do Advanced Placement
(AP) students only hang out with other AP students?
2. Now that students have multiple examples of in-group favoritism, work with students to
brainstorm a list of in-groups and out-groups in your school and community.
3. Then ask these questions regarding the positive and negative impacts of in-group favoritism:
 What favors or special privileges do people in the same groups tend to give to each other?
 How do you think it makes them feel to support their own group members over others?
 How do you think it makes others who are outside their group feel?
 What negative peer pressure (ostracism), superiority/inferiority "storytelling” and hurtful
behaviors might be linked with in-group favoritism?
 How would you explain these behaviors?
 Do you know anyone who is popular, that has found a way to avoid, even transcend, in-group
favoritism, and can relate to many groups without problem?
 How have they done so?
 If you saw in-group favoritism playing out, what might you be able to do to confront or stop
it?
Extension Activity
 In-group favoritism may be a global phenomenon, but it plays out in schools across the
country. Mix It Up is a national program focused on getting groups to see the importance of
crossing social boundaries.
 Have students bring in articles and advertisements from their local newspapers that
demonstrate in-group favoritism. Make connections to national issues.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/group-favoritism

55. 55
Act it Out
Level: Grades 6-8, 9-12
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, ELL / ESL, Math and Technology, Science and
Health, Arts
Overview
“I teach writing and drama for seventh- through 12th-grade students who are home-schooled,
financially secure, and white. Racial and religious stereotyping issues frequently come up in the
classroom. The students seem to forget that I’m a minority (African American) when they say things
like, “Why don’t Mexicans ever take showers?” or, “A lot of Muslims are terrorists.” I used to
challenge the stereotypes and chastise the student. A year ago I decided to use my character
development and dialogue teaching sessions as an opportunity to explore and discuss these beliefs.”
Source: Angela Dion, College of Southern Maryland
Objectives
 Understand the danger of stereotyping
Materials Needed
 Index Cards
 Character Development Sheet
Activity
1. Give each student a different index card with a simple character description: friendly convict,
angry mom, playful toddler.
2. Tell them to develop a character in a race, culture, or ethnicity that’s different from their own.
3. Give examples: a Jewish, friendly convict; an Italian angry mother; an impoverished playful
toddler.
4. Hand out a Character Development Sheet for them to complete on their character. They write a
physical description of their character. The students invariably respond with basic stereotypical
behavior.
The Jewish convict is motivated by money. The Italian mother is demonstrative with her hands.
The impoverished toddler is dirty and disrespectful. We discuss these briefly, but then I take the
exercise a step further.

56. 56
5. Place the character in an environment. For example, the students write about the toddler facing a
fear. Alternatively, they act out the convict getting a speeding ticket (another student plays the
police officer).
6. Ask the students questions about why they portrayed their character as they did. Students will
start to realize that the media, their parents, their peers and their limited experiences shape the
way they view other races, ethnicities, and religions.
7. Suggest that their views are incomplete. Maybe family motivates the Jewish convict, or the
Italian mother cries and withdraws when she’s angry. During the discussion, students begin to
consider the danger of stereotyping based on limited information. More than that, they see the
importance of meeting a variety of people who are different from them so they can experience
more of the world.
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/act-it-out

57. 57
Establish Rules
While educators cannot prevent all instances of bullying, since so many times it occurs outside
the classroom, it is still important to establish rules and standards of behavior for students.
In the Florida Department of Education’s “Model Policy against Bullying and Harassment”, it
clearly states that:
The school district upholds that bullying or harassment of any student or school employee is
prohibited:
1. During any education program or activity conducted by a public K-12 educational
institution;
2. During any school-related or school-sponsored program or activity;
3. On a school bus of a public K-12 educational institution; or
4. With data or computer software that is accessed through a computer, computer
system, or computer network of a public K-12 education institution.
Source: "Model Policy Against Bullying and Harassment." Florida Department of Education.
Florida Department of Education, Web. <www.fldoe.org/safeschools/doc/modelpolicy.doc>.
While following school and statewide regulations, teachers should also work with students to
develop a list of rules for appropriate behaviors. This creates a sense of inclusion and encourages
students to treat each other with respect. Showing students that they care, earns teachers their
students respect. While showing warmth is important, teachers should never fail to establish
themselves as a clear and visible authority with responsibility for making the school experience
safe and positive. When bullying occurs, educators should immediately take action and use
consistent, non-hostile discipline. Quick, decisive action can break the cycle of bullying as it
begins, preventing the years of emotional damage one bully can leave a student with.
While rules are important, teacher should remember to reward their students for positive
behavior rather than falling back on only punishing the perpetrators. Holding class meetings not
only helps foster community, it keeps teachers informed about bullying practices and responses
in their classroom.
Although protecting students from bullying should be the primary goal, educators should not
forget that “bullies” need their help too. Many children bully because they are victims
themselves. Teachers should make sure that these children receive support and counseling at
the school.

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How to Respond to Bullying
1. Acknowledge the Incident
 “You were right to tell me.”
 “I understand how hard it was for you to tell me.”
 “I’m sorry this has happened to you.”
2. Gather Information
 “What else happened?”
 “Who is hurting you?”
 “Has this person or others from his/her group bothered you before?”
 “What has been done about it by you or anyone else?”
 “Who else have you told about it?”
3. Make a Plan to Ensure Safety
Help the student to brainstorm solutions and make a plan for staying safe. This plan should include:
• How to avoid further encounters with students who bullied
• What he or she can do if bullying continues.
• Who the student will tell if there is another incident
For each aspect of the plan consider:
• Is it safe?
• How might people feel?
• Is it fair?
• Will it work?
(Adapted from the problem-solving model used in Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum,
United States National Institute for Justice and the Committee for Children, 1998)

59. 59
5 Steps To Safer Schools
Level: Professional Development
Overview
How can educators and schools create learning environments free of anti-gay discrimination?
Objectives
 Create safe learning environments for all students
Activity
1. Provide explicit support systems for LGBT students.
Among the most effective ways to accomplish this in middle and high schools is through gay-straight
alliances (GSAs), extracurricular clubs that bring students of all sexual orientations together.
Research shows that students in schools with a GSA are less likely to feel unsafe, less likely to miss
school, and more likely to feel like they belong at their school than students in schools with no such
clubs.
2. Serve as allies and role models.
One day, middle school teacher Joann Jensen overheard a student saying, "This is so gay!" as she
passed out a homework assignment. Jensen turned to him and said, "Really? Is that piece of paper
homosexual?" The student didn't say it again, and the class got the message that such language
wouldn't be tolerated.
"Being able to identify a supportive faculty member is a huge factor in academic success and feeling
safe in school," says Eliza Byard of GLSEN. "Teachers have a crucial role to play simply by being
visible allies."
3. Employ inclusive and respectful curricula.
“You can have one opinion personally, but deal with an issue entirely different professionally," says
Bonnie Augusta, LGBT resource teacher for the Madison (Wisc.) school district.
Augusta shared an anecdote from a local elementary school. "We have a teacher who, from a
religious perspective, thinks homosexuality is wrong," she says. "But in her unit on the definition of
'family', she includes same-sex families as an example. She says, 'If my students can't see themselves
reflected in the curriculum, how are they going to learn to read?'"
4. Include anti-gay bullying in anti-harassment policies.
Identifying specific types of abuse and inappropriate behavior can provide guidance and clarity to
educators when a student is being harassed and can prevent anti-gay bullying from being excused as
"kids being kids”.
It's not just the existence of a policy that matters, but also how accessible it is, says Augusta. For
example, reporting forms should be available to students and staff, and a process should be in place
to monitor for both repeat harassers and repeat victims.
5. Advocate for statewide anti-discrimination laws.
Wisconsin was the first state in the country to enact a law guaranteeing equal access to curriculum
and extracurricular activities to all students, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation.

60. 60
"Statewide policy gives principals and districts the backup they need to do the right thing, even when
it's controversial," says Byard. "Because LGBT issues are controversial … it is hard to persist without
the backup that statewide policy and legislative protection provides. And when districts are not
proactive, statewide legislation can get the ball rolling."
Source
http://www.tolerance.org/activity/5-steps-safer-schools

61. 61
Bullying: Guidelines for Teachers
Level: Professional Development
Professional development: Classroom Strategies, School Climate
Subject: Social Studies, Science and Health
Overview
Some anti-bullying policies actually do more harm than good. Educators can use the following tips to
intervene appropriately when bullying occurs.
Instructions
THE DO's:
Stop the bullying immediately.
Stand between the bullied student and the bully(ies), blocking eye contact. Don't send any
bystanders away. To avoid escalating the tension, wait until later to sort out the facts. Talk to the
parties involved separately once they are calm.
Refer to school rules regarding bullying.
Speak in a matter-of-fact tone of voice to describe what you heard or saw. Let all students know
bullying is always unacceptable.
Support the bullied child.
Do this in a way that allows him or her dignity and to feel safe from retaliation. Make a point to see
the child later in private if he or she is upset. Increase supervision to assure bullying is not repeated.
Offer guidance to bystanders.
Let them know how they might appropriately intervene or get help next time. Tell them you noticed
their inaction or that you're pleased with the way they tried to help.
Impose immediate consequences.
Wait until all parties have calmed down. Do not require that students apologize or make amends that
may be insincere. The consequences should be logical and connected to the offense. A first step could
be taking away social privileges i.e. recess or lunch in the cafeteria.
Notify colleagues and parents.
Let the bully know he or she is being watched.
Follow up and intervene as necessary.
Support the bullied child and the bully, enabling them to vent feelings and recognize their own
behavior. The bully may need to learn new methods of using his or her power and influence in the
classroom.
THE DON'Ts:

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Do not confuse bullying with conflict. Bullying is a form of victimization, and addressing it as
a "conflict" downplays the negative behavior and the seriousness of the effects. Educators should
strive to send the message that "no one deserves to be bullied”, and to let the bully know the behavior
is wholly inappropriate.
Do not use peer mediation. It can be very upsetting for a child who has been bullied to face his
or her tormentor in mediation. Giving both parties an equal voice can empower the bully and make
the bullied student feel worse. In addition, there is no evidence that peer mediation is effective in
stopping bullying.
Do not use group treatment for bullies. Some schools use therapeutic strategies such as anger
management, skill building, empathy building, and self-esteem building to reach the bully. In
practice, group members can actually reinforce each other’s bullying and antisocial behavior.
Source
Adapted from "Misdirections in Bullying Prevention and Intervention”, and other tip sheets by Stop
Bullying Now! a website dedicated to helping youth "take a stand" and "lend a hand."

63. 63
A New Set of Rules
Level: Grades 5-8
Subject: Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, Math and Technology, Science and Health, Arts,
ELL / ESL
Overview
With the advent of a new school year, teachers everywhere are settling into classrooms full of new
faces and new voices. Moreover, in this setting, many educators are seeking to establish standards
that can guide student behavior and classroom interaction. This annual process of "rule-making"
provides teachers with a unique opportunity to introduce the youngest of students to the U.S.
Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
By working with students to develop their own "Class Constitution”, educators not only further civic
education but also give children ownership of the room's rules. When students build and agree on
their rights and responsibilities as members of a classroom community, they are much more likely to
abide by those rules and to keep one another in check, experts say. To follow are suggestions on how
to develop a Class Constitution.
Objectives
 Building a 'Class Constitution'
Materials Needed
 Titles such as Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz, A More Perfect Union, The
Story of Our Constitution by Betsy and Giulio Maestro, or If You Were There When They Signed
the Constitution by Elizabeth Levy
Activity
1. Introduce students to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights through stories. Ask students
what the words "constitution”“, right" and "responsibility" mean to them. Guide them toward
accurate definitions through brainstorming and discussion, emphasizing the reciprocal bond
between "right" and "responsibility”.
2. Building on the stories and definitions, invite students teams to write drafts of their own
constitutions. Start with rights first. Begin by asking them to fill in the blank: "In our class,
everyone has the right to?" If youngsters need a little help getting started, suggest important
classroom practices such as "play”, "work" or "be safe”. Bring all the teams together, ask them to
compare constitution drafts and then to consolidate them into a single document.