Digital Literacy Grade 2: Cyberbullying What It Is and What to Do

Grade 2 Digital Literacy Study Guide: Cyberbullying – What It Is and What to Do

1. The Driving Question

"If someone keeps sending mean messages to your tablet or saying hurtful things in a game, how do you know if it’s just being rude or if it’s cyberbullying? And what can you actually do about it without making things worse?"

2. The Core Idea – Built, Not Listed

Imagine you’re playing Minecraft with your friends at recess, and one kid keeps breaking your blocks on purpose, laughing, and telling everyone else to ignore you. That’s already not nice—but what if they did the same thing every day, even when you asked them to stop, and then told the whole class to block you from their games? That’s what cyberbullying feels like, but it happens online instead of on the playground.

Cyberbullying is when someone uses phones, tablets, or computers to be mean on purpose, over and over, and it makes you feel scared, sad, or left out. It’s not just one mean message—it’s a pattern, like a bully who won’t stop. The tricky part? Online, the bully might hide behind a fake name or think they can’t get in trouble because no one sees their face. But just like on the playground, you have the power to stop it.

Key Vocabulary: - Cyberbullying – Using technology to hurt someone on purpose, over and over. Example: A classmate keeps sending you messages like "No one likes you" in a group chat, even after you tell them to stop. - Bystander – Someone who sees bullying happen but doesn’t do anything. Example: Your friend watches someone post a mean meme about you but doesn’t say it’s wrong. - Upstander – Someone who stands up for others when they see bullying. Example: You tell a teacher when you see someone being left out of an online game. - Block – Stopping someone from sending you messages or seeing your posts. Example: You tap "Block" on a classmate who keeps sending you angry emojis.

3. Assessment Translation (Grade 2 Formative Assessment)

How it appears in class: - Exit ticket: "Draw or write one thing you would do if someone sent you a mean message online." - Role-play: The teacher acts out a scenario (e.g., "Someone keeps calling you a name in a game"), and students practice what to say or do. - Short response: "True or False: It’s okay to send a mean message if you’re just joking. Explain your answer."

Proficient vs. Developing Responses: - Proficient: "I would tell a trusted adult and block the person. It’s not okay because it hurts feelings." - Developing: "I would tell them to stop." (Missing the "block" step or why it’s wrong.)

What the teacher looks for: - Naming one safe action (tell an adult, block, be an upstander). - Explaining why cyberbullying is different from a one-time mean comment. - Using vocabulary like "block" or "upstander" correctly.

Model Proficient Response: Prompt: "What would you do if someone kept sending you messages like ‘You’re bad at this game’ in Roblox?" Response: "I would tell my mom or my teacher because it’s cyberbullying if they keep doing it. I would also block them so they can’t message me anymore. It’s not nice to say mean things even if you’re not in the same room."

4. Mistake Taxonomy

Mistake 1: Thinking "It’s just a joke" means it’s okay. - Prompt: "Your friend sends you a message: ‘LOL you’re so bad at Fortnite.’ Is this cyberbullying? Why or why not?" - Common wrong response: "No, because they said ‘LOL’ so it’s a joke." - Why it loses credit: Doesn’t recognize that repeated meanness (even with "LOL") can be bullying. - Correct approach: "It could be cyberbullying if they keep saying it and it makes me feel bad. Jokes should be funny for everyone, not just the person saying it."

Mistake 2: Saying "Just ignore it" without telling an adult. - Prompt: "What should you do if someone keeps posting mean comments about you in a group chat?" - Common wrong response: "Just ignore them and don’t look." - Why it loses credit: Ignoring alone doesn’t stop the bully or protect others. - Correct approach: "Tell a trusted adult and block the person. Ignoring might not be enough if they keep doing it to other kids too."

Mistake 3: Retaliating with meanness. - Prompt: "Your classmate sends you a mean message. What do you do next?" - Common wrong response: "I would send a mean message back so they know how it feels." - Why it loses credit: Makes the problem worse and could get you in trouble. - Correct approach: "I would not reply. Instead, I’d show the message to my teacher or parent and block them. Fighting back online can make things worse."

5. Connection Layer

• Within Digital Literacy: Cyberbullying-Digital Footprint — Every mean message or post you send stays online forever, even if you delete it. Understanding cyberbullying helps you see why your digital footprint matters.
• Across Subjects: Cyberbullying-Empathy in ELA — In stories, characters who bully often don’t think about how their words hurt others. Recognizing cyberbullying helps you spot those moments in books (and real life).
• Outside School: Cyberbullying-Online Gaming Communities — In games like Among Us or Roblox, players sometimes gang up on others. Knowing how to block and report helps you stay safe while having fun.

6. The Stretch Question

"If you see someone being cyberbullied but you’re scared to speak up, is it still your responsibility to do something? What’s one small thing you could do that wouldn’t put you in danger?"

Pointer toward the answer: Even if you don’t want to confront the bully directly, you can still be an upstander in small ways—like sending a kind message to the person being bullied, telling a teacher privately, or not liking or sharing the mean posts. The key is to not stay silent, because bullies often stop when they realize others don’t support them. What’s one safe way you could help without putting yourself at risk?