Being an Upstander: Standing Up to Bullying

GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School

Bullying impacts every classroom and every student, be they the target, the witness or the bully—and educators have the opportunity to move students beyond simply knowing that bullying is wrong and toward understanding what they can do about it. By building this awareness and skill set early, students become more confident, empathetic and responsible members of their school community who are prepared to stand up for others rather than remain bystanders.

In this activity, students will:

• Better understand what bullying is and how to be an upstander.
• Evaluate a variety of possible responses to bullying scenarios and determine which actions reflect upstander behavior.
• Recognize that there are multiple appropriate ways to act as an upstander and that the right choice may depend on the situation.