Healthy Living Initiative: Bullying!



What is Bullying?
Bullying – Behavior that is repetitive and done with the intent to harm someone. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).

Bullying and cyberbullying has taken center stage in the media. A recent case is a YouTube video of a group of middle school students bullying an elderly bus aid. These videos and scenarios show that bullying comes in many and some unexpected forms. 

Discussion Questions
With a group of friends and an adult, discuss the following questions.

  • What do bullies do? Do you know anyone who is like this? How did it feel?
  • Have you ever felt very sad or angry? What did you do about it?
  • When you see someone being mean or bullying, what can you do about it?


Activity
Research bullying and cyberbullying. Find examples on YouTube, in TV Shows and on the internet. Once you have researched and discussed bullying, create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that explains what bullying is and why you shouldn’t bully others. Your PSA can be in the form of a video, PowerPoint presentation or poster. 

Here are some possible points to raise awareness and increase understanding of bullying and cyberbullying.

  • Discuss the different methods of bullying.
  • Discuss ways girls can try to prevent bullying and cyberbullying
  • Discuss morals, ethics, and responsibility.
  • Discuss differences in people: cultures, weight, different ways kids and teens act and dress, disabilities and other differences. Talk about the fact that it's okay to be different, but it's not okay to make fun of or harass someone if they are different.



For more information about relational aggression and to see how Girl Scouts of Nassau County helps the community deal with it, go to www.gsnc.org/criticalissues.





U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). What is Bullying? Retrieved June 2012, from StopBullying.gov: http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/index.html

 

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