Novel, Loser by Jerry Spinelli "Bullying" Commercials

Objectives: TLW:
- Determine the author's purpose for writing this novel
( i.e., to inform, to describe, to explain, to persuade)
- Identify the audience for which the text is written
- Identify the kind of conflict present in a literary plot
(i.e., person vs person, etc.)
- Select descriptions and/or facts to support key ideas
- Recognize and demonstrate the functions and responsibilities of the
individual roles within an organized group (Co-operative group).
(i.e., reporter, recorder, information gatherer, leader, timekeeper)
- Create and write a skit to perform to demonstrate "bully" techniques.
- Create and write a skit to resolve "bully" techniques in a "bullying" situation
- Organize ideas in the most effective order for a visual demonstration of
"bullying" techniques and resolutions techniques

Lesson Description:

My school was selected to pilot a bullying program this year. We have been teaching weekly "bullying/character" lessons in our Literature classes. During our weekly discussions we have been identifying bullying techniques and learning how to prevent/resolve these situations.

1. Read: Loser by Jerry Spinelli
2. After reading this novel, we had a Socratic discussion about this novel identifying
and discussing the bullying scenes. We backed up what we said with
scenes from the novel.
3. Instead of a book report, I assigned a book project to be completed in a Co-
operative group setting. I explained each role and assigned one to each student.
I encouraged good participation of each student by explaining that their role would
be rated by their other group members when the project was completed.
I ended up with 4 groups.
4. They worked daily in their groups for a week and a half. They had to choose one
bullying scene from the novel, then create and write a script for a skit for them to
perform to demonstrate this scene. They had to plan what and how to use their
props, scenery, and costumes, etc. Next, they had to write and perform a scene
to demostrate how this scene could have been prevented or resolved.
5. Each group performed their skits to the class and was filmed by a flip camera.

These skits may be run daily on our monitors in the hall as a reminder of how to deal with different types of bullying situations.