Laughing Leopard Blog

September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part II: Art

9/14/2016

Welcome back to our September Blog Series-Integrating Bullying Prevention Throughout the Classroom! We started the series off with a doozy—math! Through activities such as “Counting on Kindness” and mathematical mystery messages of kindness, we learned that neither math nor bullying prevention needs to be intimidating.

This week we’ll be focusing on the more popular subject of art. Art is a beautiful tool of self-expression and exploration. Through art we are able to say and understand things that words alone simply could not convey, making it an excellent subject for learning about kindness and bullying prevention.

Here are some easy ways that you can integrate these topics into the art education you are already doing:

Compliments for Complements

In art, we have complementary colors. Complementary colors are colors opposite one another on the color wheel. When placed next to each other, they create the strongest contrast for those colors. It is this intense contrast which makes these colors pair so beautifully.

The object lesson here is clear: just because two people are different from one another, does not mean they must necessarily clash. Sometimes we can find our greatest friends in those that are most unlike us; they can teach us new skills and ways of thinking and vice versa. If we take the time to learn about the differences of others, we can enrich our lives and see things we could never have seen on our own.

To practice this lesson in art as well as kindness, gather construction paper of complementary colors. Pass the papers out to your students. Next, they must find other students holding their complementary colors. The students then exchange papers and write compliments on them.

For older students, pair partners who don’t typically work together. Instruct your students to interview one another to discover what they have in common and what is different. What is one thing they can learn from their partner? After the interviews, have students create a piece utilizing two complimentary colors to reflect what they have learned. The project can be a painting, drawing, collage, or any other medium with which you are currently working.

Creating For Kindness

Who doesn’t love to treasure the work their little ones (and not so little ones!) create throughout their school days? However, the attic can only hold so many turkey hands. What if, instead of making art that will be admired for a bit and then added to the storage box to be looked at every 10 years or so, that art was created to give away for someone else to enjoy?

Choose a few projects out of the year to create with a specific audience in mind, such as hospital patients, the elderly, or even another teacher in the building. As students work on their art, they are building the skill of empathy so vital to bullying prevention.

Art Therapy

Art has a powerful ability to speak where words fall short. Demonstrate this by having students draw or paint various bullying situations. The situations can be real or imagined. Encourage the use of colors to represent feelings and tone. Later, discuss what is happening in each picture, why it might be happening, and what can be done to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

To make students more aware of the emotional impact of bullying, have them draw or paint how bullying makes them feel. Again, encourage the use of colors to help represent those feelings. If the students are too shy or frightened to present their work in front of the class, simply display the projects where everyone can see them. Sometimes those who bully are not fully aware of the deep impact they are having on others. The artwork of their peers may speak to them in a way that words alone never could.

Another option would be to create visual representations of the words spoken in bullying situations and words that can combat bullying. Help students see that words can be just as powerful as physical actions.

Building Awareness

Art has a long history of acting as a catalyst for change. As a class, create bullying awareness posters. The posters can have statistics, words of encouragement, drawings, etc. Have students discuss what they want their posters to accomplish and how they think the words and pictures in the posters will help them to accomplish this goal.

image found at: http://www.stcs.k12.oh.us/BullyingPreventionPosterContest.aspx

And don’t forget that art isn’t limited to paper. Make a video to educate others on bullying and bullying prevention or make a video celebrating the differences of individuals in the class.

Going Classic- Art History

History is filled with examples of artists using their gift to make a difference in the world. Discuss famous examples and then recreate famous works of art that have helped people be more understanding and tolerant or made a difference. For an additional twist, alter the famous pieces to educate about bullying, or simply mimic the artist’s style.

Stronger Together

We often think of art as an individual discipline, but some of the most influential art pieces have been created by groups. Here are a few teachers and counselors who have embraced the power of many to teach their students powerful lessons about differences and unity:

Random Acts of Kindness Tree

Administrators at Allenstown State School wanted to encourage and celebrate kindness, so they created a school wide ongoing art project. The school’s main hallway features a tree. Students are encouraged to write down random acts of kindness they do or witness throughout the year on paper leaves and pin them on the tree. Teachers hope to show students that kindness breeds kindness and helping others is worthy of celebration.

Wall of Kindness

What began as a way to celebrate National Bullying Prevention Month became something that would impact the lives of students for months to come. In October, art teacher Drew Jones wanted to focus on being positive. With his students, he created an interactive mural of cardboard in which students place and take encouraging notes from small cubbies in the piece. As they worked, they discussed bullying, his students opening up as they created.

Months later, students continued to fill the cubbies and take a message when needed, their faces beaming as they read the note of encouragement. It became so popular, Jones said it now has to be refilled daily!

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With art, the possibilities are nearly endless. Art has the ability to reach across languages, cultures, and ages to connect people and ideas. I hope these ideas have inspired you! If you try any of these projects, please feel free to share them on our Facebook or Twitter pages so they can inspire others!

Check back here next week for a new installment in the September series-Integrating Bullying Prevention Throughout the Classroom!

Integrating Bullying Prevention Part 1, Math, blog cover

5 easy ways to integrate bullying prevention across the classroom, blog cover

Integrating Bullying Prevention, Part 3, History, blog cover

This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos picture book cover

At Laughing Leopard Press, books are one of our favorite forms of artistic expression. Our newest book, This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos combines powerful text with vibrant illustrations to help children learn that bullies come in all shapes and sizes-- and there is usually more to people than meets the eye. The first in a series of picture books, This is A. Blob introduces young children to vital topics such as empathy, kindness, and differences. Find it on Amazon.com or right here on LaughingLeopardPress.com!

A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos picture book cover

BOOK 2 NOW AVAILABLE!
A. Blob is back, and this time it's on a bus! As the slimy bully pokes and pesters the children of Lincoln Elementary School, it seems like they will never be able to ride the bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl takes stand.

Can one act of bravery change everything--including A. Blob? Find out in this second installment of The Blob Series!

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September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part I: Math

8/31/2016

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Now that it’s September, the school year has officially begun and Bullying Prevention Month is just around the corner! While all teachers know bullying prevention is important, many feel overwhelmed with the logistics of putting together and making time for a separate program. However, bullying prevention doesn’t have to be a huge production. In fact, it’s probably better if it’s not. When social skills are worked into the lessons already being taught, students are able to see that bullying prevention isn’t an activity done a couple times a year; it is a lifestyle and important enough to be included into everyday routines.

That is why we decided to create a month-long blog series all about easy ways to integrate bullying prevention into classroom activities you’re already doing. Each week of September, we will focus on a different area of the classroom and discuss lessons, activities, and books you can use to teach kids about bullying, kindness, and empathy while they also learn about science, math, and history.

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Today we’re kicking things off with everyone’s favorite subject: Math. Math can be tricky under the best circumstances, so integrating a topic as complex as bullying education may seem impossible. However, with a little creativity, both subjects can work hand in hand to improve interest and understanding.

Below are listed some core math skills and a few kindness and bullying activities to go along with them. The majority can be scaled up or down depending on the age and skill level of your students. Let us know if you try any of these activities in your classroom!

Shapes and Geometry

Two of a Kind: Each student is given a shape to tape to their shirt. They must then locate the other student in the room with their same shape. Once they find their match, they sit down together. Go around the class and ask the students to identify their shape and say one kind thing about their shape buddy.

For older students, have them count the sides and/or angles to the shape and then list the corresponding number of kind words for their partner.

This activity can be adapted to practice a number of other skills, such as identifying similar and congruent shapes, matching angles (one person has the word “acute” while someone else has a picture of an acute angle), or matching ratios to fractions.

Counting and Number Recognition

Kindness Jars: This is a twist on The Compliments Project, an incredible project of encouragement developed by a middle school teacher in New York. Begin by filling a jar with beads. The number will depend on the skill level of your students. Once a week (or more if you have the time), choose a student to be the student of honor. As a class, count the beads in the jar and have a student draw the number on the board.

Next, challenge students to write that number of kind things about the student of honor. Finally, bundle up the notes for the student to read later!

For students still mastering writing, have them raise their hands and say the compliments out loud while you write them down for the student of honor.

Another option is to have your students think of a corresponding number of random acts of kindness to do as a class that week.

Counting on Kindness: Another fun way to practice counting is to put together treat bags for faculty members that work primarily behind the scenes, such as the janitors and the office staff. Choose a small, countable treat, such as mini tootsie rolls or caramels. Give each student a plastic baggie and instruct them to place a certain number of candies into the baggies.

Include a note that says something such as “Thank you for all you do to make our school great! Enjoy these ___ candies from your friends in classroom 4!” Have each student write the correct number in the blank. If you have the time, walk the students around to deliver the treats in person so they can see the effect their kindness has on others.

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

A Message of Kindness: This is a fun idea adapted from a lesson created by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Students must solve equations to read messages that review bullying prevention facts. The skill level of the students will determine the equations used.

Worksheet from http://sde.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/say-goodbye-to-bullies.pdf

This activity can also be adapted to encourage kindness and build up student confidence. As the instructor, create an encouraging message for each student to decode. To take it a step further, challenge your students to do the same for one another. Give them a key and assign partners. Each student must then create an encouraging note for their partner using the code and building equations the partner must solve to read the message.

Fractions and Ratios

Fractions and ratios can seem abstract. Providing visual aids and real-world examples can help make these concepts more concrete. As a class, gather and report statistics on bullying. Then, use your class to help them visualize the results. For example, if 1 in 4 students are bullied, how many students in your classroom does that represent?

*Also see “Two of a Kind” activity above*

Charts and Graphing

Students can practice making charts and graphs using the information just gathered. They can also create diagrams on what type of people are bullied, who bullies, and how bullying has changed throughout the years.

Charts and fractions can also help students understand how much they have in common with one another. Survey the class on topics such as favorite music and food, career goals, fears, hobbies, and anything else you want to compare.

As a class or individually, have the students translate the survey data into fractions, ratios, charts, and graphs. At the end of the assignment, hold a discussion on what they learned about their classmates over the course of the project.

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These activities do not cover each and every math skill, but I hope they gave you some new ideas and inspired you to begin searching for ways to integrate bullying prevention into your own classroom.

Stick with us through the rest of September to learn even more fun and easy ways to bring a little more kindness into each day!

Integrating bullying prevention, part 2, art, blog cover

Looking for a classroom resource to help introduce your students to concepts such as bullying, empathy, and differences? Check out This is A. Blob, by L.A. Kefalos.

This is A. Blob is a masterfully illustrated picture book suitable for children ages 4-8. Written by Lori Kefalos, author of several award-nominated animated shorts, This is A. Blob is the first of a series following this bully. This first installment follows the antics of A. Blob, a slimy, purple, blob-like creature who wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that there might be more to A. Blob than meets the eye. Along with its powerful illustrations and rhymed verse for early readers, this story invites children to put themselves in the shoes of another. The book demonstrates that a bully can come in any shape, size, or color and encourages readers to consider why bullies behave the way they do – and start to consider what can be done to help.

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September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part II: Art

Compliments for Complements

Creating For Kindness

Art Therapy

Building Awareness

Going Classic- Art History

Stronger Together

Random Acts of Kindness Tree

Wall of Kindness

September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part I: Math

About Laughing Leopard Press

Archives

Categories

September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part II: Art

Compliments for Complements​​

Creating For Kindness

​Art Therapy

​Building Awareness​​

Going Classic- Art History

​Stronger Together

Random Acts of Kindness Tree

​​Wall of Kindness

September Series: Integrating Bullying Prevention Part I: Math

About Laughing Leopard Press

Archives

Categories

Compliments for Complements

Art Therapy

Building Awareness

Stronger Together

Wall of Kindness