Introduction

Picture this: you and a team of learners are presented with the task of describing an elephant. But instead of looking to an encyclopedia or a zoo exhibit, you are each blindfolded and guided to a real elephant. Each of you touches a different part of the animal: one, the soft and delicate tip of the elephant's trunk; another, the hard tusk of ivory; and a third, the wrinkled hide around the elephant's belly.

Based upon what each of you learned, one thinks an elephant is smooth and soft, another would say an elephant is smooth and hard, while the last would conclude that elephants are rough and soft. What's the truth? When we study complex topics, we are often like the elephant examiners: there's usually a lot more to a topic that we don't learn about after only a quick exploration.

This is particularly true when we use the Internet for our research because many people post their personal opinions or only know a sliver of the whole story. In the following WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about Bullying. Each person on your team will learn one piece of the puzzle and then you will come together to get a better understanding of the topic and how to create a safer environment at school.

The Quest

Your group's job is to create a written report and oral presentation that defines bullying, identifies the role of four different people involved with bullying (the bully, the bullied, an observing student, and a school administrator), and make a plan to make your school a safer place.

Your group will write a collaborative paper, no longer than 2 pages long, as well as prepare a 10 minute class presentation using 1 type of classroom technology (i.e. Power Point or Inspiration).

The Process and Resources

The class will be divided into groups of four. Each member in the group will assume a role (either the bully, the bullied, an observing student, or the school administrator). Two class periods will be used to research the affects, factors leading to, and responsibility of bullying in each role using the internet websites listed in this WebQuest. Each student is responsible for taking their own notes for their individual role and then collaborating the information from each role into a two page paper. Each group will prepare a 10 minute oral presentation using one type of technology (i.e. Power Point or Inspiration).

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Use the Internet information linked below to answer the basic questions of who? what? where? when? why? and how? Be creative in exploring the information so that you answer these questions as fully and insightfully as you can.

 

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals from your larger WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.

2. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying / pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.

3. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.

4. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Task based on what you have learned from the links for your role.

5. Your grade will be based on this Writing Rubric and this Presentation Rubric.

 

 

Bully

Use the following internet linked information to answer the following questions...

1. What is a bully?
2. Why does a bully bully?
3. What are the effects of bullying on the bully?

 

• Bullying
• Teen Bullying

 

Bullied Youth

Use the following internet linked information to answer the following questions...

1. What are the different types of bullying?
2. How does bullying affect the bullied youth? Long term/short term effects.
3. Where can a bullied youth go for support?

 

• Bullying in Schools - What to Do
• School Bullying
• Anti-Bullying Network

 

Other Student at School

Use the following internet linked information to answer the following questions...

1. How do other students in the school react to bullies?
2. What can other students do?
3. What are the effects on other students who observe bullying?

 

• Stop Bullying Now
• Bullying in Schools - Intervention

 

School Administration

Use the following internet linked information to answer the following questions...

1. What is the responsibility of School Administration when dealing with bullying?
2. What are the effects on Administration?
3. How can the Administration intervene?

 

• Stop Bullying
• Take Action Against Bullying
• Bullying Policies

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

You have all learned about a different part of Bullying. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone on the team can live with.

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:

1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.

2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.

STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.

3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).

4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.

Your Contact is: Kimberly Shevlin

Conclusion

So is an elephant smooth, rough, soft, or hard? Well, when you're blindfolded and only *looking* at one part, it's easy to come up with an answer that may not be completely right. It's the same for understanding a topic as broad or complex as Bullying: when you only know part of the picture, you only know part of the picture. Now you all know a lot more. Nice work. You should be proud of yourselves! How can you use what you've learned to see beyond the black and white of a topic and into the grayer areas? What other parts of Bullying could still be explored? Remember, learning never stops.