Metaphors (bullying): Where Do I Stand?

TITLE: Metaphors (bullying)

GRADE: 4 – 12

MATERIALS/TIME REQUIRED: You will need to make signs on 11×8 ½ paper; 20-40 minutes.

PROVIDE FOR INCLUSION – A You Question, Energizer, or Linking Strategy: (After you have taught the concept of “metaphor”) Ask students to share…”How can colors represent feelings?” Discuss how colors are metaphors for feelings. (You could even ask, “what color are you today?”)

IDENTIFY THE OBJECTIVES:

Content Standard: Literary response and analysis: define figurative language. This learning experience is also strongly social/emotional learning, as the topic is “bullying”

Collaborative: Listen attentively, value diversity, resolve conflict (to some degree)

Personal: share personal feelings and experience, express empathy

IDENTIFY THE STRATEGY: Where Do I Stand. p. 376 Tribes… p. 381 Discovering Gifts… p. 470 Engaging All…High School… (see extension that follows)

Make up papers to hang in the four corners of room

First set: bully, victim, bystander (who does nothing), and bystander (who does something)

Second set: lion, sheep, monkey, and parrot

Third set: angry, sad, scared, apathetic

Then ask students to move to the area they most relate to for the following statements or questions:

For the first set:

1. Usually, I am the _______.

2. Who do you relate the most with?

3. Who do you relate the least with?

4. What type of person would you like to be?

For the second set:

1. When I am being bullied, I feel like a ______.

2. Victims often act like _______.

3. Bystanders often act like _______.

For the third set:

1. When I see someone being bullied, I feel _______.

2. I think a victim feels ________.

3. My parents would be very _______ if they knew I was a silent bystander to a bully.

4. The emotion I least like to feel at school is _______.

After the students move to a corner, have them discuss with the others in that corner, the reason they chose that particular corner (2 minutes).

Then, have each corner share ideas and feelings that were discussed in their corner with the whole class.

Then, go onto the next question!

REFLECTION:

Content: How did answering through metaphors help or hinder your answers? What other metaphors could be used?

Collaborative: How did you make your decision as to where to stand? Describe your thought process.

Personal: What surprised you? How has your understanding of bullying changed? How honest were you in your responses? What did you learn?

PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR APPRECIATION: Invite statements.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: Have each student write about the lesson. How did it make them feel? What do they think of bullying? What could they do to prevent bullying?

LEARNING COMPONENTS

►Group Development Process (Influence)

►Cognitive Theory (making connections safe environment)

· Multiple Intelligences

· Cooperative Learning

►Constructivism (5 E’s)

· Reflective Practice

· Authentic Assessment

Extend: Continue with the strategy Put Yourself on the Line. p. 319 Tribes… , p. 335 Discovering Gifts…p. 422 Engaging All…High School…(another 15-20 minutes)

Have an invisible line going through the center of your classroom. At on end, have a sign that says “never”, and on the other end, have a sign that says “always.”

Then, have your students think where they would fit on the line to the following statements. Make sure you give students time to discuss and share their feelings as to where they are standing after each question.

1) I am a bully.

2) I am a victim to bullying.

3) I am a bystander who does nothing when a bully is bullying.

4) I am a bystander who walks away when I see a bully in action.

5) I am a bystander who stands up for the victim.

6) I am a bystander who wishes I had the courage to stand up to the bully.

7) At lunch, bullying occurs.

8) In the halls, bullying occurs.

9) In class, bullying occurs.

10)At home, bullying occurs.

Reflect (see above) and/or use a written response as reflection. You can always use poetry as the written response!