INTENT VS. IMPACT
"True or False: If you didn't mean to hurt someone, they shouldn't be upset."
FALSE — impact on the person matters regardless of intent.
"This type of bullying involves hitting, pushing, or physical intimidation."
Physical bullying
"A bystander who does nothing while someone is being bullied is sometimes called this."
A passive bystander (or silent bystander)
"True or False: Every conflict between students is bullying."
FALSE — conflict is normal disagreement between equals. Bullying involves a power imbalance and is repeated.
"Every day on the bus, the same group blocks all the empty seats so one student has to stand. What type of bullying is this?"
Social/relational bullying — it is deliberate, repeated, and uses the group's social power to isolate one person.
"You accidentally run into someone in the hallway and they get hurt. Who is responsible for helping them?"
You are — even accidents require us to take responsibility and make it right.
"Sending mean messages, spreading rumors online, or posting embarrassing photos falls under this type."
Cyberbullying
"Name one safe thing a bystander can do to help someone being bullied without directly confronting the bully."
Any of: Tell a trusted adult, sit with the victim, walk away with them, send a supportive message later, distract the bully.
"Name the THREE things that must be present for something to be considered bullying."
Intentional harm, repetition, and a power imbalance.
"You send a funny photo of a classmate mid-bite to a few friends. By the end of the day, the whole school has seen it. What should your FIRST step be?"
Apologize directly and sincerely to the person in the photo — acknowledge the harm, not just the intention.
"Someone shares a 'funny' meme about a classmate without thinking it would hurt them. The classmate cries. Does intent change the outcome?"
No — the classmate is still hurt. Intent doesn't erase impact.
"Leaving someone out on purpose, turning friends against them, or damaging their reputation is called this."
Social or relational bullying
"Research shows bullying stops within how many seconds when a bystander steps in?"
Within 10 seconds — bystander intervention is one of the most powerful tools to stop bullying.
"Two friends argue about whose turn it is in a game. Is this bullying? Why or why not?"
No — this is a conflict. Both have equal power, it's a single incident, and there's no intent to cause ongoing harm.
"The most popular kid in PE always makes two specific students get picked last and sighs loudly about it. Everyone laughs. What element of bullying does this demonstrate most clearly?"
Power imbalance — the popular student uses their social status to humiliate others in front of an audience.
"What is the difference between saying 'I didn't mean to' and actually taking responsibility?"
Taking responsibility means acknowledging the harm caused and working to fix it — not just explaining your intentions.
"Name all FOUR main types of bullying."
Physical, Verbal, Social/Relational, and Cyberbullying
"What is the 'bystander effect' and why does it make bullying worse?"
When more people are present, individuals feel less personal responsibility to act — so bullying continues because everyone assumes someone else will handle it.
"A popular student repeatedly mocks a quieter student's clothes in front of the class. Break down why this IS bullying using the three criteria."
Intentional (done on purpose to humiliate), repeated (happens regularly), and power imbalance (popular vs. quiet student with less social standing).
"A student spreads a rumor starting with 'I don't even know if it's true, but...' By the end of the week, it's all over school and it's false. Is the student responsible? Why?"
Yes — knowingly sharing unverified information that could harm someone is irresponsible. 'I didn't know it was true' does not remove responsibility for the impact.
"A student says 'It was just a joke' after publicly embarrassing a classmate. Explain why this phrase can be harmful."
It dismisses the victim's feelings and shifts blame onto them for being 'too sensitive,' rather than addressing the real harm done.
"This type of bullying is often the hardest for adults to see but can cause the most lasting emotional damage. What is it and why is it hard to detect?"
Social/relational bullying — it happens through exclusion, rumors, and manipulation, often without any visible incident adults can witness.
"You see a student being cyberbullied in a group chat you're in. List THREE specific actions you could take."
Any 3 of: Don't laugh or react, privately message the victim support, tell a trusted adult, report/screenshot the messages, leave the chat, call out the behavior directly.
"A student is excluded from lunch tables every single day. The students doing it say 'we just don't want to sit with them, it's not bullying.' Are they right? Defend your answer."
No — deliberate, repeated exclusion designed to isolate someone is social bullying. Not wanting to sit with someone occasionally is different from systematically excluding them every day.
"A student is left out of a birthday party that all their friend group attended. It happened once and was an honest oversight. Is this bullying? What if it happened every time for a whole year?"
Once: Not bullying — likely an accident or conflict. Repeatedly over a year: Yes — it becomes intentional exclusion with a pattern, meeting the criteria of social bullying.