Cassandra Hull
Profile Sheet
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Adaptations for Non Western Student:
1) Allow student to incorporate elements of their culture into their presentation
2) Bring in guests and other resources from the students culture
Adaptations for an ESOL student:
1) Provide instructions both verbally and in writing. This will give students exposure to
language in multiple ways. They will see the instructions as well as hear them. Directions
may also be provided in the student’s native language along with a translation.
2) Pair ESOL students with students who are more proficient with language so they have a
model to follow and they can work together to help each other.
Cassandra Hull
Title, Learner Characteristic, Sunshine State Standards
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations);
Learner Characteristics of High School Students:
Physical:
*Most students reach physical maturity, and virtually all attain puberty.
This characteristic is important to this unit because adolescence specifically the high school
years is a crazy time. Hormones are kicking in. Everything is changing. They’re just trying to
figure themselves out. It’s hard to maintain focus on school work. People start to notice more the
differences between ourselves and others and it’s those unique little quarks that are often the
target of bullying.
Social:
*Many high school students are employed after school.
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This characteristic is important to this unit because many students are working after school or
have other activities and may not have a lot of time to devote to working on this project at home
so I will need to make sure I allow plenty of opportunities to work on this project during class.
*Parents and other adults are likely to influence long range plans, peers are likely to influence
immediate status.
This characteristic is important to this unit because peers are a very important part in a student’s
life and they can influence academic performance. So many students just want to fit in and be
considered cool in the eyes of their fellow students.
Cognitive:
*High school students become increasingly capable of engaging in formal thought but they may
not use this capability.
This characteristic is important to this unit because I want my students to expand their horizons
and really think out of the box. They are capable of engaging in deeper thought and I want them
to do that in this unit. Coming up with solutions to our nation’s problem of bullying is going to
require them to not be lazy and really use their creativity and critical thinking skills.
Emotional:
*The most common type of emotional disorder during adolescence is depression.
This characteristic is important to this unit because many times bullying can lead to depression
and many of the students can relate to that extremely low feeling that comes from being bullied
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Learning Outcomes, Student Roles & Problem Situation, Meet the Problem Method
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill stated problem of bullying students will research public policy
on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Description of student Roles & Problem Situation:
Students will act as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board
members. They will report to Arne Duncan, the US Secretary for the Department of Education
Cassandra Hull
Meet the Problem Method:
Students will receive the following memo and documents related to bullying. One is an article in
the New York Times, the other is an article published in the Journal of the New Jersey
Psychological Association
Memorandum
To: Bill Husfelt, Superintendent of Bay County Schools
From: Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary, Department of Education
Date: May 21, 2012
Re: Student Bullying in Our Nation’s Schools
As you know, bullying is quite prevalent in our nation’s schools.
Bay County has been selected to participate in a task force to combat the issue of bullying in our
schools. I would like for you to assemble a team of local parents, teachers, students,
administrators and local school board members to research some possible solutions. We have a
budget of $2 million to implement these solutions nationwide
The task force committee will meet on June 29, 2012. We would like for your team to present
their recommendations to the committee at this meeting.
Cassandra Hull
Op-Ed Contributors
Bullying as True Drama
By DANAH BOYD and ALICE MARWICK
Published: September 22, 2011
THE suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, the 14-year-old boy from western New York who killed
himself last Sunday after being tormented by his classmates for being gay, is appalling. His story
is a classic case of bullying: he was aggressively and repeatedly victimized. Horrific episodes
like this have sparked conversations about cyberbullying and created immense pressure on
regulators and educators to do something, anything, to make it stop. Yet in the rush to find a
solution, adults are failing to recognize how their conversations about bullying are often
misaligned with youth narratives. Adults need to start paying attention to the language of youth if
they want antibullying interventions to succeed.
Jamey recognized that he was being bullied and asked explicitly for help, but this is not always
the case. Many teenagers who are bullied can’t emotionally afford to identify as victims, and
young people who bully others rarely see themselves as perpetrators. For a teenager to recognize
herself or himself in the adult language of bullying carries social and psychological costs. It
requires acknowledging oneself as either powerless or abusive.
In our research over a number of years, we have interviewed and observed teenagers across the
United States. Given the public interest in cyberbullying, we asked young people about it, only to
be continually rebuffed. Teenagers repeatedly told us that bullying was something that happened
only in elementary or middle school. “There’s no bullying at this school” was a regular refrain.
This didn’t mesh with our observations, so we struggled to understand the disconnect. While
teenagers denounced bullying, they — especially girls — would describe a host of interpersonal
conflicts playing out in their lives as “drama.”
At first, we thought drama was simply an umbrella term, referring to varying forms of bullying,
joking around, minor skirmishes between friends, breakups and makeups, and gossip. We
thought teenagers viewed bullying as a form of drama. But we realized the two are quite distinct.
Drama was not a show for us, but rather a protective mechanism for them.
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Teenagers say drama when they want to diminish the importance of something. Repeatedly,
teenagers would refer to something as “just stupid drama,” “something girls do,” or “so high
school.” We learned that drama can be fun and entertaining; it can be serious or totally
ridiculous; it can be a way to get attention or feel validated. But mostly we learned that young
people use the term drama because it is empowering.
Dismissing a conflict that’s really hurting their feelings as drama lets teenagers demonstrate that
they don’t care about such petty concerns. They can save face while feeling superior to those
tormenting them by dismissing them as desperate for attention. Or, if they’re the instigators, the
word drama lets teenagers feel that they’re participating in something innocuous or even funny,
rather than having to admit that they’ve hurt someone’s feelings. Drama allows them to distance
themselves from painful situations.
Adults want to help teenagers recognize the hurt that is taking place, which often means owning
up to victimhood. But this can have serious consequences. To recognize oneself as a victim — or
perpetrator — requires serious emotional, psychological and social support, an infrastructure
unavailable to many teenagers. And when teenagers like Jamey do ask for help, they’re often let
down. Not only are many adults ill-equipped to help teenagers do the psychological work
necessary, but teenagers’ social position often requires them to continue facing the same social
scene day after day.
Like Jamey, there are young people who identify as victims of bullying. But many youths
engaged in practices that adults label bullying do not name them as such. Teenagers want to see
themselves as in control of their own lives; their reputations are important. Admitting that
they’re being bullied, or worse, that they are bullies, slots them into a narrative that’s
disempowering and makes them feel weak and childish.
Antibullying efforts cannot be successful if they make teenagers feel victimized without
providing them the support to go from a position of victimization to one of empowerment. When
teenagers acknowledge that they’re being bullied, adults need to provide programs similar to
those that help victims of abuse. And they must recognize that emotional recovery is a long and
difficult process.
But if the goal is to intervene at the moment of victimization, the focus should be to work within
teenagers’ cultural frame, encourage empathy and help young people understand when and
where drama has serious consequences. Interventions must focus on positive concepts like
healthy relationships and digital citizenship rather than starting with the negative framing of
bullying. The key is to help young people feel independently strong, confident and capable
without first requiring them to see themselves as either an oppressed person or an oppressor.
Danah Boyd is a senior researcher at Microsoft Research and a research assistant professor at
New York University. Alice Marwick is a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft Research and a
research affiliate at Harvard University.
A version of this op-ed appeared in print on September 23, 2011, on page A35 of the New York edition with the headline: Bullying as True Drama.
Cassandra Hull
Youth Bullying: Incidence 1
Running head: Incidence, Impact, and Interventions
Citation for this Publication:
Boyle, D.J. (2005). Youth Bullying: Incidence, Impact, and Interventions. Journal of the New
Jersey Psychological Association, 55(3), 22-24.
Douglas J. Boyle, J.D., Ph.D.
Research Administrator
Violence Institute of New Jersey at the
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey 07103-1709 Youth Bullying: Incidence 2
Cassandra Hull
Youth Bullying: Incidence, Impact, and Interventions
While most research on bullying has been conducted in European countries, American
researchers have recently turned their attention to this subject. Researchers conducting the first
nationally representative survey in the U.S. estimated that nearly six million children (or roughly
30%) in grades 6 through 10 were involved in moderate or frequent bullying (i.e., as target,
bully, or both) during the school term in which they were surveyed (Nansel et al., 2001).
Bullying is generally defined as repeated negative actions (i.e., physical, verbal, and/or
psychological) directed at a target over time, where there is a power differential (either real or
perceived) between the target and the bully/bullies (Olweus, 1993; Olweus, Limber, & Mihalic,
1999).
The widespread and chronic nature of bullying suggests that the impact on children both short
and long-term can be considerable. Psychologists, given their skills and expertise in matters of
human behavior, are uniquely qualified to work with school systems to implement researchbased prevention programs, and with individual clients to address the adverse impact of bullying
on both targets and bullies.
In this paper, I further describe the incidence of bullying, including gender differences, as well as
characteristics of targets and bullies. Next, an outline of the short and long-term impact of
bullying is provided. Finally, I discuss assessment issues, and effective interventions, both at the
systems and individual levels. This article is intended to be an introduction to the subject with
particular focus on issues of concern to psychologists. Therefore, many issues which could be
discussed in much greater detail will only be briefly outlined with references to allow the reader
to further explore a subject. Youth Bullying: Incidence 3 Incidence and Characteristics
Boys are generally more likely to be involved in bullying as both bullies and targets, and are
more likely to both engage in and be subjected to physical violence (Nansel at al., 2001; Olweus,
1993). Alternatively, girls are more likely to use indirect or relational bullying which can
involve, for example, social isolation of the target and spreading rumors about the target. (The
topic of relational bullying is discussed in greater detail in the article by Carlson-Gotz and Berry
in this special issue).
Characteristics of Targets
There are two types of targets identified in the bullying literature (Olweus, 1993). The first, and
by far the larger subgroup, are passive targets. These children are generally characterized as
anxious, insecure, and unassertive. There is, of course, a reciprocal relationship between these
characteristics and being bullied. That is, for example, these individuals may be insecure and
anxious before being targeted, and these characteristics are likely to increase as a result of the
bullying.
A second, smaller subgroup of targets labeled “provocative” targets are characterized by both
anxious and aggressive behavior (Olweus, 1993). These children may also be characterized as
hyperactive. Frequently, they are bullied by and disliked by an entire classroom of their peers.
Provocative targets also often in turn bully other children. Thus, they can be both targets and
bullies.
Characteristics of Bullies
Contrary to popular belief, bullies are not more likely to have low-esteem, and are not
unpopular with their peers (Olweus, et al., 1999). They are, however, more likely to Youth
Bullying: Incidence 4 have positive beliefs about the use of violence, use alcohol and other
drugs, have lax parents, and have abuse histories (Limber, 2002; Olweus, et al., 1999).
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Short and Long-Term Impact
Impact on Targets
Targets of bullying often experience internalizing (e.g., sadness, distress, anxiety) and
somatic (e.g., stomach aches, headaches) symptoms, as well as physical injuries. Targets may
also experience confusion, anger, lowered self-esteem, and feelings of insecurity (Olweus, et al.,
1999). These students may also suffer academically, as they may avoid attending school, or their
psychological symptoms may negatively impact their ability to learn while at school (e.g., due to
decreased ability to concentrate resulting from anxiety and/or depressive symptoms). In extreme
cases, students may experience suicidal ideation, and may in fact attempt suicide, if they do not
receive support and treatment (Olweus, 1993).
Targets may also suffer long-term consequences of persistent bullying. Olweus (1993) followed
up with boys targeted by bullies from grades six through nine, and reassessed them at age 23. He
found that as adults, these individuals were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and
poorer self-esteem when compared to peers who had not been bullied.
Impact on Bullies
When bullies are allowed to engage in aggressive behavior at a young age, without
effective intervention from parents and/or the school system, they are at significantly greater risk
for negative outcomes later in life. In addition, the bullying behavior is often accompanied by
other conduct disordered behaviors. In fact, Olweus Youth Bullying: Incidence 5 (1993) has
found that bullies were more likely than non-bullies to engage in vandalism, shoplifting, truancy,
and substance abuse. This behavior pattern during childhood and adolescence greatly increases
the likelihood that these individuals will engage in antisocial behavior as adults. This assertion is
supported by one of the most consistent findings of longitudinal research: aggressive and
antisocial behaviors are among the most stable behaviors across the lifespan (Eron, 1994; Eron,
1997; Huesmann, Eron, Lefkowitz, & Walder, 1984; Olweus, 1979). Furthermore, Olweus
(1993) has found that individuals who bullied during grades six through nine, were significantly
more likely to have criminal convictions at age 23, when compared to individuals who had no
involvement in bullying.
Assessment and Interventions
When doing clinical assessments with children who are targets of bullying, it is important to
keep in mind that they are often reluctant to report what is happening because of concerns that
adults will only make the situation worse, and because of feelings of embarrassment for being
targeted (Limber, 2002; Olweus, et al., 1999). In particular, older children and boys are least
likely to report being bullied. Psychologists, parents, and others need to be aware of this and
specifically ask about the child’s experiences, since if we do not ask, children often will not
spontaneously report it.
The presence of some indicators suggests the need for further assessment for bullying
victimization. These include: torn, damaged, or missing belongings; unexplained cuts, bruises, or
other injuries; social isolation; fearfulness of going to, and avoidance of school; loss of interest in
school work; decrease in academic performance; somatic complaints such as headaches and
stomach aches; difficulty sleeping and/or Youth Bullying: Incidence 6 nightmares; depressive
symptoms; anxiety and/or low self-esteem; and passivity (Limber, 2002). The presence of any or
all of these factors should be followed by a more thorough assessment for bullying victimization.
There are also instruments designed for use in assessing involvement in bullying, either as
witness, target, or bully. These include: the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire
(Olweus, 1994; Solberg & Olweus 2003); the Bullying-Behaviour Scale (Austin & Joseph,
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1996); and the Participant Role Questionnaire (Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Bjorkqvist, Osterman, &
Kaukiainen, 1996). Information about these scales and others, including descriptions of the
scales, constructs assessed, psychometric properties, references, and author contact information
are available on the Violence Institute’s website at http://www.umdnj.edu/vinjweb/, at the link
for the Inventory for Aggression Assessment.
Interventions
Since bullying takes place within a social system (one in which students are mandated to
attend), interventions need to focus not just on individuals, but also on the system. That is,
because students often lack freedom to control their environment (e.g., whom to associate with
and when), systemic interventions are needed to provide a safe environment for all children.
System-Level. At the system-level, the most widely studied and empirically validated program is
the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (Olweus, et al., 1999). This program entails increased
positive involvement (e.g., increasing awareness of the extent of bullying, increased monitoring
and supervision of students) by adults (both teachers and parents) in the school system; limits to
unacceptable behavior (e.g., clearly Youth Bullying: Incidence 7 communicated rules against
bullying); consistent negative consequences for rule violation; and positive adult role models.
The Olweus program focuses on both prevention (for students not currently involved in bullying)
as well as intervention to reduce or eliminate current bullying.
While there is no shortage of bullying prevention programs, only the Olweus program has
been recognized as a national model and a Blueprint Violence Prevention Program by the Center
for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado, and as an Exemplary
Program by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services). It has been found to significantly reduce bullying behavior in replication studies in
Europe, and in the United States (Olweus, et al., 1999).
Individual-level treatments for targets. For treatment purposes, it is necessary to
distinguish between passive versus provocative subtypes, though there are some treatments from
which both will benefit. Both will likely benefit from assertiveness training. In particular,
provocative targets should be taught to generate appropriately assertive (as opposed to
aggressive) responses to frustrations and perceived provocations.
Both may also benefit from social skills training. Again, provocative targets may be particularly
in need of such training as they often provoke hostile reactions from entire classrooms of
children. Additionally, both groups may require treatment focusing on depressive and anxious
symptoms.
Individual-level treatments for bullies. Individual-level treatments for bullies should include
working with the bully, but also importantly with his/her parents. Bullies Youth Bullying:
Incidence 8 may engage in a range of conduct disordered behaviors, and these may need to be
addressed as well.
A key area for intervention with bullies is to focus on their positive attitudes toward the use of
violence. Cognitive restructuring should be employed to challenge these dysfunctional thoughts.
There should also be an emphasis on developing empathy toward others generally, and for
particular targets.
Work with parents should begin initially with education about the importance of changing the
bully’s behavior in order to prevent development of a long-term pattern of antisocial behavior.
Parent skills training and increased parental monitoring are important elements. It is necessary to
get support from parents and the school system since bullies get rewards (at times including
material rewards, e.g., by taking lunch money from targets) from their negative behavior.
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However, since some bullies have abuse histories, competent parental support may not be
available.
Treatments that do not work for bullies. Given recent findings regarding the potential for peer
contagion, it would seem that group treatment for bullies is not advisable (Dishion, 2004). That
is, group treatment for antisocial behavior often results in participants learning to more
effectively engage in negative behaviors, since interactions between participants allow for new
negative learning experiences.
Similarly, treating low self-esteem for bullies is not recommended, especially since
bullies do not generally suffer from low self-esteem. Such treatment may only lead to more
confident bullies (Limber, 2002; Olweus, 1993). Finally, mediation between targets and bullies is
also not recommended since it implies equality in power between parties, which by definition
does not exist in bullying (Limber, 2002). Employing Youth Bullying: Incidence 9 mediation
also suggests that the target shares blame for being bullied, since it frames the issue as a conflict
to be resolved. This sends the wrong message to both targets and bullies in that it appears to
lessen the responsibility of bullies for their aggressive behavior.
Concluding Comments
Bullying is a pervasive problem in U.S. schools, affecting almost a third of students in grades 6
through 10. Because of the significant negative consequences of this behavior for all involved, it
should not be viewed as just a normal part of growing up. To be addressed effectively, both
individual and system-level interventions are required. Psychologists should provide appropriate
individual and family therapy. In addition, psychologists should be advocates for evidence-based
approaches in their communities. There are literally dozens of programs that claim to prevent or
reduce bullying, but very few with any research support.
Developmental models (e.g., social-learning, and social-cognitive theory) are supported by
longitudinal research, which indicates that early intervention is critically important in preventing
the development of aggressive and antisocial behavior patterns. If we do not intervene with
bullies, we not only place targets at risk for physical injury, depression, anxiety, and low self
esteem, but also significantly increase the likelihood that bullies will develop into antisocial
adults. Youth Bullying: Incidence 10
References
Austin, S., & Joseph, S. (1996). Assessment of bully/victim problems in 8 to 11 yearolds. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 66 (4), 447-456.
Dishion, T. J. (2004, October). Features of Ineffective and/or Unsafe Interventions.
Paper presented at the NIH State-of-the-Science Conference, Preventing Violence
and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents, Bethesda, MD.
Eron, L. D. (1994). Theories of aggression, from drives to cognitions. In L.R. Huesmann
(Ed.), Aggressive behavior: Current perspectives (pp. 3-11). New York: Plenum.
Eron, L. D. (1997). The development of antisocial behavior from a learning perspective.
In Stoff, Breiling & Maser (Eds.) Handbook of Antisocial Behavior (pp. 140147). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Huesmann, L. R., Eron, L. D., Lefkowitz, M. M., & Walder, L. O. (1984). The stability
of aggression over time and generations. Developmental Psychology, 20, 1120-1134.
Limber, S. (2002, May) Addressing Youth Bullying Behaviors. Paper presented at the
American Medical Association’s Educational Forum on Adolescent Health,
Washington, DC.
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Nansel, R. N., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, W. J., Simons-Morton, B., & Scheidt, P.
(2001). Bullying behaviors among U.S. Youth. Journal of the American Medical
Association, 285(16), 2094-2100.
Olweus, D. (1979). Stability of aggressive reaction patterns in males: A review.
Psychological Bulletin, 86, 852-875.
Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School. Malden, MA.: Blackwell Publishers. Youth Bullying:
Incidence 11 Olweus, D. (1994). Annotation: Bullying at school: Basic facts and effects of a
school
based intervention program. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35,
1171-1190.
Olweus, D., Limber, S., & Mihalic, S. (1999). Bullying prevention program. Boulder,
CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
Salmivalli, C., Lagerspetz, K., Bjorkqvist, K., Osterman, K., & Kaukiainen, A. (1996).
Bullying as a group process: Participant roles and their relations to social status
within the group. Aggressive Behavior, 22, 1-15.
Solberg, M. E., & Olweus, D. (2003). Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the
Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Aggressive Behavior, 29, 239-268.
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Problem Statement, Know/Need to Know Boards, Possible Resources
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill structured problem of bullying students will research public
policy on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Problem Statement:
How can we as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board members,
generate solutions to the problem of bullying in our schools in such a way that
Cassandra Hull
We meet the deadline of June 29th, 2012
We don’t exceed the budget of $2 Million
We come up with a solution that can be applied nationwide
Our solutions are practical, will work, and address cause of the problem.
Know/Need to Know Board:
What is Known?
*Many people who are bullied cannot
emotionally afford to be identified as victims
What Do We Need to Know?
*How is bullying defined?
* Are there different levels of bullying?
*Young people who bully rarely see
themselves as perpetrators
* How do we get teenagers to see the
importance of bullying?
*Teenagers often use the term drama to
diminish the importance of bullying (ex: “It’s
just stupid drama”)
* Antibullying efforts cannot be successful if
they make teenagers feel victimized without
providing them the support to go from a
position of victimization to one of
empowerment
*How do we tackle bullying in a way that will
be practical for all ages?
* Why are boys more likely to be involved in
bullying?
* What can be done about bullying that goes
unreported?
* Researchers conducting the first nationally
representative survey in the U.S. estimated that
nearly six million children (or roughly 30%) in
grades 6 through 10 were involved in moderate
or frequent bullying (i.e., as target, bully, or
both) during the school term in which they
* What are the impacts of bullying in both the
short term and long term?
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were surveyed
* The widespread and chronic nature of
bullying suggests that the impact on children
both short and long-term can be considerable
* Boys are generally more likely to be
involved in bullying as both bullies and targets,
and are more likely to both engage in and be
subjected to physical violence
* Are there certain groups or characteristics of
people that are more likely to participate in
bullying?
* What about the cycle of bullying? Are people
who are victims of bullying more likely to
bully others?
* How can we tackle bullying done away from
school (i.e. cyberbullying)?
Possible Resources:
Printed Materials:
* “The bullies: understanding bullies and bullying” by Dennis Lines
ISBN: 9781843105787
* “Bullying: a practical guide to coping for schools” by Michele Elliott
ISBN: 0273626922
NonPrint Materials:
* Frank McKeithan- Bay County Sherriff
email: sherifffrank@bayso.org
* Dr. Patricia Sinicrope -Psychologist
Phone: (850)785-5325
Internet Resources:
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Note: the purpose of these websites is to provide information about bullying, who’s at risk and
what are its effects.
* www.stopbullying.gov
* http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html
* http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/bullying
* http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying
Cassandra Hull
Capstone Performance
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill structured problem of bullying students will research public
policy on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Problem Statement:
How can we as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board members,
generate solutions to the problem of bullying in our schools in such a way that
Cassandra Hull
We meet the deadline of June 29th, 2012
We don’t exceed the budget of $2 Million
We come up with a solution that can be applied nationwide
Our solutions are practical, will work, and address cause of the problem.
Capstone Performance Description:
The capstone performance for the problem contains two parts: an individual report and a group
oral presentation. Students will be assessed individually on both parts using 2 rubrics. Students
will have 2 weeks to assemble their individual reports and prepare for the oral presentation. They
will give their oral presentation on the 29th of June. Each group will have 20 minutes to present.
In the individual report, students will take on the roles of local parents, students, teachers,
administrators and local school board members presenting their solution ideas to the members of
their team (4 people). They will each research and generate solutions to the problem of bullying.
They will then prepare a report where they write two of their own possible solutions that they
want to share with other members and then choose one that is better and give 4 justifications why
the solution is best. They will then present their reports to the group and the group will decide
after hearing everyone’s ideas which they want to present in the group oral presentation.
In the oral presentation, one student will then present the team’s overall “best solution.” Each
member of the team must provide 1 justification for the team picking this solution. Each
member must participate in the presentation. A group of community members, parents, school
administrators, the superintendent and a representative from the DOE will join us to hear the
student presentations. The guests will be prepared to ask each member of the group a question.
The room will be arranged such that the guests sit at a table facing the front of the classroom.
The presenting team stands at the front of the classroom. Each student may use the class
podium, the projector, computer, the screen, the chalkboard, etc. The remainder of the class sits
behind the guests in their desks.
Student autonomy is incorporated as student will design his/her own method of
presenting the solutions and/or justifications during the presentation. Metacognition is
encouraged as each student will complete a “reflection” questionnaire after the group
presentation.
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Room Set Up
Chalkboard with screen
xxxx
Team presenters
Guest Table
Student Desks
Cassandra Hull
Rubric for Assessing the Capstone Performance
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill structured problem of bullying students will research public
policy on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Problem Statement:
How can we as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board members,
generate solutions to the problem of bullying in our schools in such a way that
Cassandra Hull
We meet the deadline of June 29th, 2012
We don’t exceed the budget of $2 Million
We come up with a solution that can be applied nationwide
Our solutions are practical, will work, and address cause of the problem.
Capstone Performance Description:
The capstone performance for the problem contains two parts: an individual report and a group
oral presentation. Students will be assessed individually on both parts using 2 rubrics. Students
will have 2 weeks to assemble their individual reports and prepare for the oral presentation. They
will give their oral presentation on the 29th of June. Each group will have 20 minutes to present.
In the individual report, students will take on the roles of local parents, students, teachers,
administrators and local school board members presenting their solution ideas to the members of
their team (4 people). They will each research and generate solutions to the problem of bullying.
They will then prepare a report where they write two of their own possible solutions that they
want to share with other members and then choose one that is better and give 4 justifications why
the solution is best. They will then present their reports to the group and the group will decide
after hearing everyone’s ideas which they want to present in the group oral presentation.
In the oral presentation, one student will then present the team’s overall “best solution.” Each
member of the team must provide 1 justification for the team picking this solution. Each
member must participate in the presentation. A group of community members, parents, school
administrators, the superintendent and a representative from the DOE will join us to hear the
student presentations. The guests will be prepared to ask each member of the group a question.
The room will be arranged such that the guests sit at a table facing the front of the classroom.
The presenting team stands at the front of the classroom. Each student may use the class
podium, the projector, computer, the screen, the chalkboard, etc. The remainder of the class sits
behind the guests in their desks.
Student autonomy is incorporated as student will design his/her own method of
presenting the solutions and/or justifications during the presentation. Metacognition is
encouraged as each student will complete a “reflection” questionnaire after the group
presentation.
Cassandra Hull
Rubric for Individual Reports:
Individual Report Rubric
Criteria
Content
Accuracy
Solutions &
Justifications
Superior
Adequate
Resubmit
30 Pts.
15 Pts.
0 Pts.
All content
presented in the
individual report is
100% accurate and
backed up by
evidence cited in at
least 3 sources.
Sources should
include at least one
internet source
Content is
accurate. Student
only cites 1-2
sources
Student presents
inaccurate
information and
fails to cite sources
40 Pts.
22 Pts.
0 Pts.
Written report
should include
documentation of
what the current
policy is on bullying
and how the student
views its
effectiveness. Using
the viewpoint of the
role assigned their
group; student
creates 2 well
researched solutions
(Students have used
a variety of
resources to help
them reach their
solutions.) Student
then chooses the
solution they feel is
Student only
documents 1
solution with 4
justifications
Student
documents only 1
solution and less
than 4 justifications
Cassandra Hull
the best along with 4
justifications for why
that solution is best.
Alignment to
Problem
Statement
Mechanics
Scoring Guide:
A = 90-100 Pts.
B = 80-89 Pts.
C = 70-79 Pts.
D = 60-69 Pts.
F = 0-59 Pts.
20 Pts.
12 Pts.
0 Pts.
The solutions and
justifications the
student presents are
in direct alignment
with the agreed
upon problem
statement and all
conditions.
The solutions and
justifications
partially align with
the agreed upon
problem statement
and 2-3 conditions
The solutions and
justifications do not
align with the
problem statement
and conditions
10 Pts.
5 Pts.
0 Pts.
Student adheres to
the standard rules of
American English.
There are no more
than 2 errors in
sentence structure,
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and word
choice
Student mostly
adheres to the
standard rules of
American English.
There are no more
than 4 errors in
sentence structure,
capitalization,
punctuation,
grammar, and
word choice
Student fails to
adhere to the
standard rules of
American English.
Cassandra Hull
Rubric for Oral Presentation:
Oral Presentation Rubric
Criteria
Superior
Adequate
Resubmit
20 Pts.
10 Pts.
0 Pts.
Student presents
one solution and
ties to current
policy. Cites only
1-2 sources.
No resources
given. Student fails
to tie their portion
to current policy
20Pts.
10 Pts.
0 Pts.
Presentation
includes the group’s
overall best solution.
At least 3
justifications are
included for this
solution. These
justifications should
address how the
solution: a) will work
Student cites only
1-2 resources
Student fails to cite
any resources and
tie in their
component to
current policy.
Student fails to use
visual aides
Quality of
Student presents a
Individual
tentative solution(s)
explanation of
to the problem of
solution criteria bullying. The content
the student presents
is backed up by
documented
research in at least
3 sources including
at least one internet
resource. Student
also relates their
portion of the
presentation to
current policy.
Student uses some
form of visual aide.
Quality of
Individual
justification
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to solve the problem
b) how the solution
is feasible c) how
the solution
addresses the cause
of the problem and
d) how the solution
could potentially
help solve other
problems. Each
student chooses one
of these
components (either
presenting the
group’s best overall
solution or one of
the justifications) to
present.
The content the
student presents is
backed up by
documented
research in at least
3 sources including
at least one internet
resource. Student
also relates their
portion of the
presentation to
current policy.
Student uses some
form of visual aide
Reflection
20 Pts.
10 Pts.
0 Pts.
Student accurately
completes the
reflection
questionnaire after
each group
Student partially
answers the
reflection
questionnaire for
Student fails to
complete reflection
questionnaire after
each group
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Response to
Guest
Questioning
Presentation
Delivery and
Time
Management
presents.
each group
presents.
30 Pts.
15 Pts.
0 Pts.
Student accurately
answers the
question(s) directed
at them from the
guests in attendance
and supports
answer with cited
research from a
variety of sources
including internet
and current policies
Student gives
partially correct
answers to guest
question. Answer
contains cited
research but also
contains
undocumented
speculation form
the student.
Student fails to
correctly answer
guest question.
Does not site any
research.
10 Pts.
6 Pts.
0 Pts.
Presentation is
smooth. There is
little hesitation.
Pitch is appropriate.
Very few um’s and
uh’s. Student is
comfortable working
the room. They
project confidence
and move about the
space. Voice is
projected where
everyone can hear.
Student adheres to
the time limit of 5
minutes for their
portion of the
presentation
Student is stiff but
the overall
presentation is
smooth .Student
mostly adheres to
5 minute time limit.
Goes over by no
more than 2
minutes.
Student is
incoherent.
Student fails to
adhere to time
limit. Goes over by
more than 2
minutes.
Cassandra Hull
Scoring Guide:
A = 90-100 Pts.
B = 80-89 Pts.
C = 70-79 Pts.
D = 60-69 Pts.
F = 0-59 Pts.
Cassandra Hull
Two Alternative Solutions & “Best” Solutions Analysis
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill structured problem of bullying students will research public
policy on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Problem Statement:
How can we as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board members,
generate solutions to the problem of bullying in our schools in such a way that
Cassandra Hull
We meet the deadline of June 29th, 2012
We don’t exceed the budget of $2 Million
We come up with a solution that can be applied nationwide
Our solutions are practical, will work, and address cause of the problem.
Solution 1:
We as local parents feel that in order to alleviate the problem of bullying in our nation’s schools
we need to increase parental awareness that bullying is not just physical and is not limited to on
campus. We need to make them aware of the signs of bullying and encourage them to talk to
their students frequently and be an active part of their lives. We can accomplish this through a
nationwide media campaign with radio, TV, and print advertisements.
Pros
Solution targets a wide range of people.
Solution can be implemented relatively
quickly.
Parents can’t really help their child if they
don’t know what to look for. This solution
would provide useful information for parents.
Solution could open the door for discussion
and help build strong parental relationships
Cons
In our advertisement rich society, not everyone
that sees the message may pay attention to it.
Depending on the medium, the campaign could
get expensive to run for a long time.
Could lead to overprotective parents wanting
to monitor everything their kids do.
Would require effort on the parents parts
Consequences:
1) One consequence of this solution would be awareness of bullying and placing it in the
minds of not only parents but teachers, staff, government officials. It gets it out there and
being talked about.
2) Another consequence would be the ads could spark discussion and get parents thinking
about their own ways to help their child.
Solution 2:
Another possible solution could be to increase teacher and administration training so that they
can better recognize the signs of bullying and better offer support for students.
Pros
Cons
Cassandra Hull
Teachers and administrators spend so much
time with students. They can serve as a first
line of defense.
Students tend to respect and trust their teachers
and school administrators. They may feel more
comfortable opening up to them.
Solution can be implemented everywhere.
Solution provides useful information that can
apply across grade levels
This solution would take some time to research
and put together the training materials so that
everyone receives the same information.
Would require time and energy on the teachers
and administrators parts.
May be costly.
May not completely be feasible to address
bullying outside of campus.
Consequences:
1) One consequence for this solution would be students would have additional resources to
go to.
2) Another consequence would be teachers would be more informed and could better notify
the appropriate people at the first signs of trouble.
Justification:
Best Solution:
Our best solution was solution 1. We felt this was a better solution because it allows for more
opportunities for reaching a broad audience. It was the quickest to implement. It gives parents
the opportunity for involvement. It also promotes awareness, which is key. Most people don’t
realize how prevalent bullying is and how easily it can go undetected if you don’t recognize key
signs. It can start as early as elementary school and parents should be the first line of defense.
However they can’t help if they don’t know what to even look for. Many victims of bullying hide
the fact that they have been bullied. They don’t want to talk about it because they may think it
makes them look weak.
Others may argue that this solution would be too hard to implement. They may say it would take
too long to design and edit the campaign. However, this is not necessarily the case. You can
create a professional campaign with a few professional resources. Every bullying situation is
different but if we create awareness and provide information we can really help the students out.
Cassandra Hull
Debriefing Plan and Coaching Questions
Teacher: Ms. Hull
Title: Concerned Citizens Tackle Bullying
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Honors Social Studies
Grade level: 10th grade
Sunshine State Standards & Learning Outcomes:
-SS.912.A.1.5: Evaluate the validity, reliability, bias, and authenticity of current events and
Internet resources.
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric and the problem of bullying to try to solve students will use
the internet to research information about the problem and generate solutions to the problem with
70% accuracy
- SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses of action to resolve a local, state, or
federal issue.
Learning Outcome: Given the ill structured problem of bullying students will research public
policy on bullying and analyze its effectiveness with 70% accuracy
- LA.910.5.2.2: The student will research and organize information for oral communication
appropriate for the occasion, audience, and purpose (e.g., class discussions, entertaining,
informative, persuasive, or technical presentations)
Learning Outcome: Given a rubric, students, working in groups, will organize a presentation of
their solutions to a problem with 70 % accuracy
Problem Statement:
How can we as local parents, students, teachers, administrators and local school board members,
generate solutions to the problem of bullying in our schools in such a way that
Cassandra Hull
We meet the deadline of June 29th, 2012
We don’t exceed the budget of $2 Million
We come up with a solution that can be applied nationwide
Our solutions are practical, will work, and address cause of the problem.
Debriefing Plan:
Students will present their solutions to local community members and representatives from the
Department of Education as well as other members of the class.
As each group presents, the teacher will record the characteristics of each group’s best solution
and record them on a handout to be given to the students.
The day after the class presentations, students will use the handouts to rank each solution on a
scale of 1-5 with 5 being “the best of the best.” A 5 is absolutely perfect. It meets all criteria
(It’s feasible, addresses the cause of the problem, and can be implemented nationwide. It can be
implemented quickly and it can help solve other problems. It’s also backed by research) A 3
meets most of these criteria but may be missing some areas. A 1 does not meet any of the
criteria. They will rank them on the basis of the following criteria:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Does the solution address the cause of the problem?
Is the solution feasible?
Can the solution be implemented nationwide?
Is the solution affordable?
Can it be implemented quickly?
Would the solution actually work to solve the problem?
Could it potentially solve other problems?
Is there sufficient evidence to support it?
The two highest will be evaluated together as a class to see if they can be combined to form an
even better solution.
Five Essential Concepts:
The “best” solutions must utilize
1) Research into current policies on bullying
2) Internet/database research skills
3) Practicality & usability
Cassandra Hull
4) Use of technology
5) Affordability
6) Distribution techniques
I will make sure these concepts are addressed even if not covered in the presentations
through a class discussion on each solution. Students will also complete a reflection report
and in that report they will cover their thoughts on these issues.
Coaching Questions:
C – Cognitive
M – Meta-cognitive
E – Epistemic
Type of
Question
C
M
E
C
M
E
C
M
E
C
M
E
C
M
E
Question
Meet the Problem
What is the student role in this particular problem?
What do you already know about bullying?
Have you ever encountered this problem or a similar problem?
Know/Need to Know Board
What defines bullying?
How do you “know” this?
What is at stake when this solution is implemented?
Problem Statement
What types of bullying are out there?
Do you agree or disagree with the group’s problem statement? Justify your
answer
What conditions are there?
Research
Where is the best place to begin your research?
How would you evaluate whether a resource is legitimate or not?
What key terms need to be used?
Generating Possible Solutions
What evidence do you have to support your solution?
Which of your two solutions was better? Why was this?
Is this solution applicable in the real world?
Cassandra Hull