SEL: Cyberbullying Prevention and Response
Recognizing harm, making safe choices, and getting support online
SEL: Cyberbullying Prevention and Response
Recognizing harm, making safe choices, and getting support online
SEL - Grade 6-8
- 1
Define cyberbullying in your own words. Include at least two examples of online behavior that could be cyberbullying.
Think about online actions that are meant to hurt someone or make them feel unsafe.
Cyberbullying is using digital tools, such as texts, social media, games, or group chats, to repeatedly hurt, threaten, embarrass, or exclude someone. Examples include spreading rumors online, posting mean comments, sharing private photos without permission, or sending threatening messages. - 2
Maya receives several mean messages in a class group chat. The messages make fun of her clothes and tell others not to sit with her at lunch. What are three safe steps Maya can take?
A strong response protects the person being targeted and creates a record of what happened.
Maya can avoid replying with insults, save screenshots of the messages, block or mute the people sending them, and report the messages to the app or school. She should also tell a trusted adult, such as a parent, guardian, teacher, or counselor, so she does not have to handle it alone. - 3
Explain the difference between a one-time rude comment online and cyberbullying. Why can both still be harmful?
A one-time rude comment is hurtful behavior that happens once, while cyberbullying often involves repeated or targeted behavior meant to harm someone. Both can still be harmful because online messages can be shared widely, saved, and seen again, which may make the person feel embarrassed, anxious, or unsafe. - 4
Jordan sees classmates posting an edited photo of another student to make the student look silly. Jordan does not post it, but laughs and likes the post. How might Jordan's actions affect the situation, and what could Jordan do instead?
Bystanders can make harm worse or help stop it.
Jordan's like and laughter can encourage the people posting the photo and make the targeted student feel more hurt or alone. Instead, Jordan could avoid liking or sharing it, report the post, privately support the student, and tell a trusted adult if the post is harmful or humiliating. - 5
Create a short respectful message someone could send to a friend who posted a cruel comment online. The message should ask the friend to stop without starting an argument.
A respectful message could say, 'That comment could really hurt someone. Please take it down and do not keep sharing it.' This message is direct, calm, and focused on stopping the harmful behavior. - 6
List four types of evidence someone should save if they are being cyberbullied. Explain why saving evidence is important.
Evidence should show who was involved, what happened, and when it happened.
Someone should save screenshots, usernames, dates and times, links, messages, photos, or videos connected to the cyberbullying. Saving evidence is important because it helps trusted adults, schools, or platforms understand what happened and take action. - 7
A student wants to respond to a hurtful post by posting an embarrassing secret about the person who started it. Explain why this is not a safe response and suggest a better choice.
Posting an embarrassing secret could make the conflict worse, hurt another person, and possibly break school or platform rules. A better choice is to take a screenshot, avoid revenge posting, block or report the person, and ask a trusted adult for help. - 8
Match each response to its purpose: block, report, screenshot, tell a trusted adult. Then explain how these actions can work together.
Each action has a different job, but they can be used in the same situation.
Block helps stop the person from contacting you. Report tells the platform or school that harmful behavior is happening. Screenshot saves evidence. Telling a trusted adult brings support and help with next steps. Together, these actions can reduce contact, create a record, and involve people who can help keep everyone safer. - 9
Write two ways to be an upstander if you see cyberbullying happening to someone else. Include one action you could take online and one action you could take offline.
Online, an upstander could report the harmful post, refuse to share it, or send a kind private message to the person being targeted. Offline, an upstander could check on the person, invite them to sit together, or tell a trusted adult what is happening. - 10
Explain why privacy settings, strong passwords, and thinking before posting can help prevent cyberbullying or reduce harm.
Prevention means making choices before a problem starts or before it grows.
Privacy settings can limit who sees personal information and posts. Strong passwords help keep accounts from being misused. Thinking before posting helps prevent sharing something hurtful, private, or easy to misuse. These habits reduce risk and help people stay safer online.