Course C

Chapter 1: Digital Citizenship

Lesson 1: Screen Out the Mean

What is this lesson about?

This lesson teaches you what to do if something online makes you feel angry, sad, or scared.

You will learn that some people act like bullies when they are online. This is called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying means doing something on the internet, again and again, to make someone feel angry, sad, or scared. Online means connected to the internet.

You will read a story about someone being mean online. Then you will talk about what cyberbullying is, how it feels, and what to do about it. At the end, you will write some tips about cyberbullying in your journal.

Why are we learning this?

You might never have cyberbullying happen to you. But it's good to know about it, just in case you ever see it happen. You will learn how to spot cyberbullying and what steps to take to make it stop. This can help later when you share your own work online. If someone is mean about your work, you will know what to do.

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Getting Started: What is Bullying?

First, think about what you already know about bullying.

• What counts as bullying? Bullying is being purposely mean or scary to someone. This could be making fun of how someone looks, telling lies about them, or saying you will hurt them.
• How does bullying make people feel? It can make people feel hurt, angry, upset, or scared.
• What should you do if you are bullied, or see someone else being bullied? Always tell a trusted adult.

Now you will learn about a kind of bullying that happens online.

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What Is Cyberbullying?

Some kids don't go online much. Others go online to talk to friends or play games. Most of the time, going online is fun. But sometimes, people are mean to each other online. This is cyberbullying.

Think about this: Have you ever seen someone be mean to another person online?

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What To Do About Cyberbullying

Here are two stories to think about:

Kyle keeps getting mean messages from someone online. The person doesn't use their real name. But Kyle can tell it's someone who is also mean to him at school.

Sasha is new at school and is making lots of friends. Then she finds out another girl sent an email with a funny picture and Sasha's name on it, to make fun of her.

Think about these questions:

• How do you think Kyle and Sasha felt?
• How can you tell if someone is cyberbullying you?
• Why is it important to stop using the computer if someone starts cyberbullying you? (If you stay online, the cyberbullying might get worse.)

There is also a story about a girl named Jada. Something happened to a game she liked. Here is what Jada should do:

1. Jada should STOP using the computer.
2. Jada should TELL an adult she trusts what happened.
3. Jada should not go back online until an adult says it's okay.
4. If a friend was the one being mean, Jada could talk to him about it later, after getting help from an adult. If he keeps being mean, Jada should play with other kids instead.

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The Four Steps to Stop Cyberbullying

If cyberbullying happens to you or someone you know, remember these four steps. They spell the word STOP:

• S – Stop using the computer until it is safe.
• T – Tell an adult you trust.
• O – Go Online again only when a trusted adult says it's okay.
• P – Play online only with kids you know who are nice.

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What Did We Learn?

• Cyberbullying is any online behavior that makes people feel sad, scared, angry, or upset.
• Remember the four steps: Stop, Tell, Online (only when safe), Play (with nice friends).
• The most important step is always to tell a trusted adult.

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Journal Time

Write about these questions in your journal:

1. What was today's lesson about?
2. How did you feel during today's lesson?
3. Write down the names of some trusted adults you can go to if you ever feel bullied.
4. What are the four steps to take if you or someone you know is being cyberbullied?