Laughing Leopard Blog

My Upstander Handbook

10/23/2019

Be an Upstander...It’s a phrase we give to students and encourage regularly--and for good reason. Studies show that 57% of the time, bullying stops within 10 seconds of peer intervention. Students standing up for other students has proven more effective than any other kind of intervention.

However, for a young child, standing up to a bully is anything but easy. In the heat of the moment, things like fear, uncertainty, shyness, and self-consciousness can quickly take over and render the bystander motionless.

Every child is different, which means some upstander strategies may work for one student and not the other. Children are not one-size-fits-all, so why should the strategies we teach them be any different?

In today’s post, we will be sharing instructions for how to put together a personalized Upstander Strategy Handbook with your students so that when they are faced with bullying, they know exactly what to do!

Scroll to the to download the FREE TEMPLATE!

Section 1: Definitions

The first section of the upstander handbook is a quick reference guide for students to help them remember the differences between bullying, joking, mean, and rude behavior so that they know when it is necessary to step in or find help.

Left page of handbook is titled 'Is It Bullying?'. There are 4 quadrants: bullying, joking, mean, and conflict. Examples of each behavior are written in the matching quadrants. The right hand page is titled 'when people bully...' There are 4 quadrants: the target, the person who bullies, the bystander, and the upstander. Each quadrant shows a drawing depicting the person and lists negative effects of bullying on that person.

This section also highlights the 4 roles in a bullying scenario-- the target, the person who bullies, the bystander, and the upstander--and lists some of the effects each of the behaviors can have on an individual.

Section 2: Upstander Strategies

This is the section of the book where students can really personalize the resource to meet their needs. The first page includes a basic list of upstander strategies that students can flip to for a quick reference. In the following pages, students have the opportunity to list their own personal reasons for being reluctant to intervene in a bullying scenario. As a class, choose a few of the most common reasons for being a bystander and talk through some ways to overcome students' fears.

The left hand page of the open upstander handbook is titled 'When I see bullying I can...

In the third part of this section, students identify places where they have seen bullying occur. There is space to draw the scenario along with space to write a description of what is happening. Students should choose an upstander strategy that they think would be appropriate for the scenario described above. If they have any concerns about what might happen if they intervene, they should list those in the space provided.

The next page leaves space for students to draw a new scenario--one where they are an upstander! What do they predict will happen if they try the upstander strategy? How will things change for the better? If they are concerned something might go wrong, how can they prepare?

Space for 3 scenarios is included in the template provided, but students can create as many pages as they desire.

Left hand page of open upstander handbook is labeled 'Bullying Situation'. There is a box at the top to draw a bullying situation. Underneath are lines to describe the scenario. There is a space to write the upstander strategy to use and list concerns about what might happen. The right hand page is titled 'Upstander Strstegy'. There is a box at the top to draw a picture of the strategy. There are blank lines underneath to describe the strategy and concerns.

Now, each of your students has a book filled with upstander strategies made just for him or her! The books are small so that they can easily fit into a folder or backpack and be readily accessible if needed.

Would you try this in your classroom? Let us know in the comments!

My Upstander Handbook FREE Template

Like this craft? Check out some of our other bullying prevention activities!

Bullying Prevention Across 5 Subjects Blog Cover and link

I Can Be an Upstander Book extension activity blog cover and link

Turn Over a Good Attitude Book Extension Craft Blog Cover and Link

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

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!

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

Before it was on a bus, A. Blob was on the playground. This first installment of The Blob Series follows the antics of A. Blob, as it wreaks havoc on the elementary school playground with its bullying ways. As the story progresses, however, readers learn that A. Blob may have more 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 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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I Can...Be an Upstander: 'A. Blob on a Bus' Companion Craft

10/2/2019

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It’s October, which means it’s also National Bullying Prevention Month! This month, we join with communities all over the country to raise awareness about bullying and equip schools and families with the tools to prevent it. Today, 1 in 5 children between the ages of 12 and 18 experience bullying. Sadly, the effects of such treatment can last a lifetime.

In 2006, PACER’S National Bullying Prevention Center founded National Bullying Prevention Month, initially as a one day event, to bring awareness to this national epidemic and begin working towards a solution. The event took off and became so popular that in 2010, PACER expanded it to encompass an entire month of activities. Today, thousands around the nation rally together each October to continue the crusade for kindness.

Books can be powerful tools to help us see life from the perspective of others, begin conversations, and broach serious topics in an approachable manner. This month, we hope to help you harness the tool of literature by sharing a few of our favorite book-based crafts and activities that broach the topic of bullying. We’ll also include a few ideas for ways to integrate bullying prevention into what you are already doing each day.

Image via PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center Facebook

Today, we tackle the issue of bystanding--what should you do when you see bullying occurring. Or, a better question, what can you do? Standing up for what is right is rarely easy. This fun and simple craft helps children confront and discuss their concerns about standing against bullying and empowers them with tactics they feel comfortable with.

This craft is paired with the picture book, A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, but could easily be used with other books on bullying.

I CAN BE AN UPSTANDER

Children learn positive ways to be upstanders

You will need:
A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos
‘I Can’ template
Colored pencils
Pencil, pen, markers, or other writing utensils

Lesson

Step 1: Read A. Blob on a Bus out loud

Step 2: Begin a discussion on the importance of treating one another with respect and standing up for others.

Why do you think it took so long for anyone to stand up to A.Blob? What do you think would have happened if no one had said anything to A.Blob? What are some helpful ways to stand up to bullying? What are some unhelpful ways to stand up to bullying?

Step 3: Sometimes people don’t intervene when they see someone else being hurt because they don’t know what to say or do.. Today we are going to talk about some positive and helpful ways we can stand up to bullying, encourage others, and make our community a safe, welcoming place.

Begin by asking the students to offer suggestions of ways to stand up to bullying. Some ideas include:

Tell a teacher or trusted adult if you see someone being bullied or if you are being bullied
Befriend anyone who is being targeted by a bully. Walk with them, invite them to play with you at recess, ask them how they are doing.
Include those who are being left out
Eat lunch with someone new
Refuse to spread rumors
Don’t laugh or join in when you see someone being bullied. Let those who are bullying know you don’t think their actions are funny.
If you or someone around you is being bullied, tell them to stop in a calm, clear voice. If they refuse, walk away. Find an adult if necessary.
Be careful about what you post online.
Treat others the way you want to be treated--including online!

Expand the list to acts of kindness that students can do to make their community a better place:

Give someone a compliment
Write a thank you note to your school custodian or other person serving the school
Hold the door open for someone
Leave a nice note for someone to find

Step 4: Once you have compiled your list, have students draw a picture of themselves being upstanders or being kind to others on the ‘I Can’ template. Around the portrait, have students write “I can…” statements that communicate ways they can make their community a better and safer place. Use the lists you made as a class to guide the I can statements.

I can be an upstander template. 8.5 by 11 paper with a large oval in the center. Above it says 'I Can..

Step 5: Hang the pictures up around the classroom as a reminder that the students CAN impact their communities for the better!

Will you be participating in Bullying Prevention Month? If so, share how in the comments!

If you liked this craft, check out these activities, designed to help children be upstanders!

Every Hero Has a Story: Helping children choose to be heroes instead of bullies. Blog cover and link.

When the mask won't come off blog cover and link.

Orange Slime Celebrating Unity Day Book Extension Craft blog cover and link

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Making an Impact: An A. Blob on a Bus Companion Craft

8/30/2019

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Making an impact. It’s something we all strive towards, especially when talking about bullying. Research states that 1 in 5 children experience bullying and making an impact on this statistic is something towards which teachers, parents, and leaders have been working for many years. Along with equipping students with tools to deal with conflict and emotion from a young age so that they do not become bullies, educators have striven to also provide tools to those adjacent to the bullying--the bystanders.

While studies show that 20% of children are bullied, it also reveals that nearly 71% of children witness bullying. The encouraging news is that 57% of the time, that bullying ends within 10 seconds of peer intervention. This means that a large population exists which can be leveraged as a force for good.

But what happens when standing up to bullying (often referred to as being an upstander) goes wrong? Like fighting fire with fire, things can quickly go from bad to worse. While standing up to bullies is vital, doing so through the use of violence, mocking, or returning the bullying will only cause more trouble. So, as we teach children to be upstanders, it is just as important to teach them how to be upstanders.

In the picture book A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, we once again meet A. Blob, the purple bully introduced in the 3-book series inaugural book, This is A. Blob. In this new tale, A. Blob is back to its bullying ways and, for a while, it seems like the children will never be able to ride the school bus in peace. That is, until one brave girl decides to take a stand. A. Blob on a Bus introduces the idea of being an upstander to young readers and opens the door for conversations on what to do when they see bullying occur. The companion craft below is designed to help leaders begin discussions about why it is important to stand up to bullying along with how to do this in a positive way.

The kids will love making their own "A. Blobs" and you will love the learning happening along the way!

***

MAKING AN IMPACT

A companion craft for A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos

You will need: cornstarch, water, mixing bowl, spatula or other stirring device, measuring cups, funnel, purple balloons, scissors, black permanent marker

Basic Ratio
1 part water
2 parts cornstarch
*1 cup water to 2 cups cornstarch will make 2 balloon balls

Craft Instructions:·

Mix cornstarch and water into a bowl until combined
Using your funnel, pour mixture into balloons
Draw the face of A. Blob on the filled balloon if desired

The Lesson:

Step 1: Read A. Blob on Bus out loud

Step 2: Open a discussion about the story. How did A. Blob’s presence change the environment of the bus? If no one liked the way A. Blob was behaving, why did it take so long for anyone to stand up to it? What are some helpful ways to stand up to others? What are some not-so-helpful ways?

Step 3: Craft time! As you make the craft, continue the discussion on being an upstander.

Begin mixing your ingredients. As you mix, talk about some of the “ingredients” that create a bully. Why do some people bully others? Talk about what it means to have empathy and why it’s important to put ourselves in the shoes of others. Even though some people bully others because they have been bullied or hurt themselves, does that make their behavior ok?

Kids sitting happily on a school bus ilustration from A. Blob on a Bus by L.A. Kefalos

A. Blob walking down the aisle of a school bus sliming kids with purple slime. Illustration from A. Blob on A Bus, by L.A. Kefalos

The school bus before and after A. Blob's arrival. Which bus would you rather be on?
-Images from A. Blob on a Bus, by L.A. Kefalos, illustrated by Jeffrey Burns

Using examples from the book, remind children that the way we treat one another has an impact on them and the situation. We have the power to change and so it is important to stand up against bullying, even when we aren’t the ones being bullied. We must be upstanders, not bystanders!

However, there are helpful ways to be upstanders, and not-so-helpful ways. When we react to bullying with more bullying, the problem only becomes worse. Show the students how when we hit the mixture, it becomes hard and resistant. However, when we treat it gently, it is soft and pliable. Discuss positive ways to stand up against bullying.

Purple balloon cornstarch stressball with eyes and mouth drawn on

Using the funnel, fill up the balloons with the cornstarch mixture. As the kids play with their “A.Blob” balls, tell your students to remember that the way they treat one another has an impact. They have the power to affect change!

The “blob” also acts as a great stress ball!

***

If you use this craft in your classroom or home, we’d love to see! Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and use the hashtag #ABlobCraft.

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My Upstander Handbook

Section 1: Definitions

Section 2: Upstander Strategies

I Can...Be an Upstander: 'A. Blob on a Bus' Companion Craft

I CAN BE AN UPSTANDER

Lesson

Making an Impact: An A. Blob on a Bus Companion Craft

MAKING AN IMPACT

The Lesson:

About Laughing Leopard Press

Archives

Categories

My Upstander Handbook

Section 1: Definitions

Section 2: Upstander Strategies

I Can...Be an Upstander: 'A. Blob on a Bus' Companion Craft

I CAN BE AN UPSTANDER

​Lesson

Making an Impact: An A. Blob on a Bus Companion Craft

MAKING AN IMPACT

​The Lesson:

About Laughing Leopard Press

Archives

Categories

Lesson

The Lesson: