What to Do About Bullying
Grade 2 · Health · Study Guide
Learn what bullying is, how to recognize it, and what you can do if it happens to you or a friend.
Bullying happens when someone hurts, scares, or makes fun of another person on purpose, more than once. There are different kinds of bullying. Physical bullying is when someone hits, kicks, or takes another person's things. Verbal bullying is when someone says mean things, calls people names, or teases in a hurtful way. Social bullying is when someone leaves others out on purpose or spreads rumors.
Bullying is never okay, and it is never the fault of the person being bullied. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected at school and in their neighborhood.
If someone is bullying you, there are things you can do to help. First, stay calm and walk away if you can. Bullies often want to see you get upset. Second, use a strong, confident voice to say "Stop. That is not okay." Third, tell a trusted adult right away. This could be a teacher, a parent, a school counselor, or another grown-up you trust. Telling an adult is not tattling — it is asking for help.
If you see someone else being bullied, you can be an upstander. An upstander is someone who speaks up or helps. You can say "that is not nice" or walk over and stand with the person being bullied. You can also get an adult to help.
Being kind, including others, and treating everyone with respect helps make school a safe and happy place for everyone.
Key terms
- bullying
- Hurting, scaring, or making fun of someone on purpose more than once
- verbal bullying
- Using mean words, name-calling, or hurtful teasing to bother someone
- physical bullying
- Hurting someone's body or taking their things on purpose
- upstander
- A person who speaks up or takes action to help someone who is being bullied
- trusted adult
- A grown-up you feel safe telling your problems to, like a teacher, parent, or school counselor
- respect
- Treating others kindly and the way you would want to be treated yourself
Flashcards
- Bullying
- When someone hurts, scares, or makes fun of another person on purpose, over and over again
- Physical bullying
- Hurting someone's body — like hitting or kicking — or taking and breaking their belongings
- Verbal bullying
- Using mean words, name-calling, or hurtful teasing to make someone feel bad
- Social bullying
- Leaving someone out on purpose, spreading rumors, or trying to make others not like someone
- Upstander
- Someone who speaks up or helps when they see bullying happening — the opposite of a bystander
- Bystander
- A person who sees bullying happen but does not do anything about it
- Trusted adult
- A grown-up you feel safe talking to, like a parent, teacher, or school counselor
- Respect
- Treating others with kindness and fairness, the way you would want to be treated
Questions
What is bullying?
- Accidentally bumping into someone
- Hurting or scaring someone on purpose more than once
- Playing a rough game with a friend
- Disagreeing with a classmate
Show answer
Answer: Hurting or scaring someone on purpose more than once
Bullying is when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose and does it more than once — accidents and disagreements are not bullying.
If someone is bullying you, it is your fault.
Show answer
Answer: False
Bullying is never the fault of the person being bullied. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.
A person who speaks up to help someone being bullied is called an ______.
Show answer
Answer: upstander
An upstander is someone who takes action to help when they see bullying — by speaking up, standing with the person, or getting an adult.
What should you do if someone is bullying you?
- Bully them back
- Keep it a secret
- Tell a trusted adult
- Laugh along with them
Show answer
Answer: Tell a trusted adult
Telling a trusted adult is one of the most important and helpful things you can do when someone is bullying you.
Telling an adult about bullying is the same as tattling.
Show answer
Answer: False
Telling an adult about bullying is asking for help to keep everyone safe — that is different from tattling about small things to get someone in trouble.
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