Focus 1

Stepping Up - Saying "I do" to respecting all people and "I don't" to cyberbullying and unkind online behaviors.

What does it mean to be an upstander? Please step up to our global microphone and speak out!

For a full-size version of this VoiceThread, click here.

Note: Once you register with VoiceThread for a free account (a process that takes only a couple of minutes), you will be able to post a comment via voice, text, or webcam. Your comment will go "live" as soon as we approve it.

NEWS FLASH: For teachers who would like to integrate the Upstanders, Not Bystanders VoiceThread into a Common Core Standards-aligned lesson, Common Sense Media is now hosting our complete Upstanders, Not Bystanders lesson plan on their Graphite site.

Thanks to our growing partnerships and collaborations with others, here are some more great participating and publishing opportunities for you:

• Upstanders Not Bystanders - Digital ID joins the California Writing Project and Common Sense Media in inviting students in grades K-University to step up to a call to action and share your digital stories - via a digital genre of your choice - on what it means to be an upstander.
• Upstanders Together - This collaborative project from GCTs (Google Certified Teachers) is an invitation to students in grades K-12 to combine an image and no more that 25 words to create a digital slide that illustrates what it means to be an upstander. Visit our Student-Created Contentpage to see some sample digital slide stories.

Student Voices

• Gr 4-6 Student Voices: Here are some compelling insights from students in grades 4-6 reflecting on cyberbullying
• From Natalie Bernasconi's 8th graders, a few shared stories of everyday heroes -
• Gallery of Heroes presentation - to give you an overview of what Stepping Up looks like in the 8th grade ELA curriculum.
• Invisible Hearts Project - A group of Australian students whose mission is to try and leverage social media to raise awareness to the issue of cyber bullying in society. You are invited to take part in our video/project, please take a picture of yourself making 'heart hands.'
• I'm American Too: A story from behind fences- The forced relocation of thousands of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast during World War II represents the greatest violation of rights guaranteed to all citizens by the U..S. Constitution. This injustice stands as a reminder of the need to stand up and speak out. Students at several California school sites have created projects to document a chapter of history that happened in their communities during the war years:
  • I'm American Too - "Found" Poetry from Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School - Jen Hammond's 8th grade Humanities classes:
    • Period One Poetry
    • Period Two Poetry
  • I'm American Too - Poetry in Two Voices from St. Patrick's Succeed Academy - Tosha Tillotson's 8th grade ELA students have connected the internment interviews with other pieces of literature (a work in progress):
    • Period One Poetry in Two Voices
    • Period Two Poetry in Two Voices
• #UnfollowBullying - If you are looking for ideas on how to start a student-led campaign on cyberbullying, check out what middle and high school students in the Elk Grove School District have put together. Their campaign launched in 2012 with each site sponsoring events to promote and support students in stepping up and taking a stand against cyberbullying.

General Resources

"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones." Wired Kids

• Online Bullying Among Youth 8 - 17 Years Old - World Wide(PDF) - A new study by Microsoft shows (in 2 pages) shows how pervasive and universal a problem cyberbullying has become.
• Bullying: A Case Study in Ostracism: From Facing History and Ourselves, a powerful window into cyberbullying through authentic student voices of middle school students.
• Anti-Bullying PSA - The Price of Silence: From the Museum of Tolerance, good piece to compare and contrast traditional bullying to cyberbullying.
• Cyberbullying: Understanding and Addressing Online Cruelty - From the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), a growing list of cyberbullying resources and lessons.
• Teaching Tolerance: Bullying - Guidelines and tips for teachers and students.
• Define the Line - From Canada, resources and activities "for clarifying the blurred lines between cyber-bullying and socially responsible digital citizenship."
• Education.com: Bullying - Dozens of resources for addressing bullying in school and online.
• Cyberbullying Research Center Videos (Good resource for teachers/staff - Cyberbullying topics broken out into short 30 second - 5 minute increment
• Netsmartz - Cyberbullying2:19 (Many videos available in Español as well) While you are visiting Netsmartz, we also recommend
  • Broken Friendship - 1:50 - A friendship is broken when a teen gives her best friend's password to some other girls at school.
  • Your Photo Fate - 2:25 - Once you send a photo online, there’s no way to control it. It’s out of your hands.
  • Cyberbullying - You Can't Take It Back - 1:37 - A teen regrets his participation on a website created to rate others at his school.
• YouTube Team: Detecting Lies and Staying True - Digital Citizenship tips from the YouTube team.

Teacher Notes

Cyberbullying Research:

• Cyberbullying Research Center - Researchers Justin Patchin and Sameer Hinduja regularly update this site to provide "information about the nature and extent of online aggression among adolescents." We recommend starting with their Cyberbullying Quiz: What the Research Says. Be sure to scroll down and check out the Related Posts section, which provides more content and activities on cyberbullying.
• Cyberbullying Is a Serious Problem, But It It an Epidemic? - Technology journalist and Internet safety advocate Larry Magid advises that we approach cyberbullying programs based on research rather than media hype.
• Embrace Civility in a Digital Age - In addition to the resources on the site, we recommend checking out Educational Technology and Change Journal's interview with Nancy Willard, in which she references a downloadable Cyberbullying Survey for students (this link is aimed at middle school, but she also provides a survey high school students).
• Bully Bystanders: You Can Make a Difference - This 41-second PSA from Human Relations Media, similar to the CSRIU's Nancy Willard, questions the role of the "bystander"; instead suggesting that you are either part of the problem or part of the solution:

Stand Alone Curriculum

Common Sense Media: Digital Literacy and Citizenship Classroom Curriculum - Excellent selection of lessons, such as the one below, and resources for educators and parents.

• Connected Culture - What's Cyberbullying?
• Essential Question: What is cyberbullying, and how do you deal with it?
• Common Sense Media has also created Lesson Alignment Charts with Common Core State Standards.
• New York Times Learning Network - Site includes resources and lessons - More for middle and high school students.
• Netsmartz' Real-Life Stories - Powerful stories shared in short videoclips - with accompanying activity cards. Some videos are available in both English and Spanish.
• Curriculum Connections: For lessons woven into the core curriculum around a theme of stepping up, visit our Curriculum Collaborations page.

Parent Resources

• Parent Tip Sheets - Includes Cyberbullying Tips
• 5 Ways to Stop Cyberbullying Video
• Digital Harassment Tips
• Helping Young People Stand Up to Online Bullying - Microsoft's PowerPoint and brochure to accompany Online Bullying Among Youth 8 - 17 Years Old - World Wide (PDF) research findings. Great pieces for a parent night presentation.

Resources and Support for LGBTQ Youth

In light of the many senseless, tragic suicides like Leelah Alcorn's and other LGBTQ youths as a result of bullying / cyberbullying, we felt it was past due to dedicate a section of Resources and Support that reaches out to these vulnerable young people the world over. We want to let them know they are not alone, and yes, It Gets Better!

A conversation starter - When Did You Choose to be Straight? Street interviews conducted by Travis Nuckolls and Chris Baker in Colorado Springs prove that asking the right question can be more important than anything you can tell someone.

We warmly invite you to contribute to the Messages of Hope VoiceThread, initiated by students at Alisal High School and dedicated to LGBTQ youth. It is our hope that the messages shared on this VoiceThread by teens for teens, as well as from LGBTQ adults, and adult and teen allies will empower youth to stand strong against homophobic bullying, and to be proud to Be Yourself.

GLSEN Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is proud to support student organizers in schools across the country. As a student, you have the power to make change in many ways in your school and community.

http://www.glsen.org/participate/student-action

The GLSEN Jump-Start Guide

This resource is for new and already-established Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or similar clubs. Learn how to establish or re-establish your group, identify your mission and goals, and assess your school's climate. Jump Start your school and your GSA to create safer schools for all.

http://glsen.org/jumpstart

The It Gets Better Project was founded in September, 2010 after the initial It Gets Better video was posted on YouTube, igniting a worldwide phenomenon. That first video offered a needed message of hope to lesbian, gay, bisexualand transgender (LGBT) youth. It urged young people to stay true to themselves even through the bullying and other challenges that confronted them in their adolescent years. It described the positive future they could experience as adults.The message was simple: that no matter how difficult things may be, it gets better.

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest family and ally organization. Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality and full societal affirmation of LGBTQ people through its threefold mission of support, education, and advocacy.

http://community.pflag.org/

As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide. HRC envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

http://www.hrc.org/

GLAAD (Gays & Lesbians Alliance Against Defamation) rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.

http://www.glaad.org/

GLADD - I #GotYourBack Campaign - http://www.glaad.org/gotyourback

Gay-Straight Alliance Network (GSA Network) is a next-generation LGBTQ racial and gender justice organization that empowers and trains queer, trans and allied youth leaders to advocate, organize, and mobilize an intersectional movement for safer schools and healthier communities. GSA’s work with students focuses on leadership development and activism that prioritizes building alliances not only across sexual orientation and gender identity lines, but also across race, ethnicity, and class lines, and our resources and trainings are designed to facilitate coalition building.

http://www.gsanetwork.org/

ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union

Know Your Rights! A Guide for LGBT High School Students

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students face discrimination and harassment at school all too often. Unfortunately, many school officials know very little about how the law requires them to protect LGBT students.

YouthResource is a website created by and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) young people.

http://www.youthresource.com/

LGBTQ Resources for Teachers & Parents

Advocates for Youth (AFY): GLBTQ Resources for Professionals

Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Groundspark - Igniting Change Through Film