CROSSING

THE LINE
Cyberbullying lesson plan
FILM 1: “GONE TOO FAR”
Film 1:
“Gone too far”

Key words: cyberbullying, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGB &T), hate crimes,
bystander, threatening messages, school anti-bullying policies, gender stereotyping

Topic: Cyberbullying with

a LGB&T focus Intended learning
outcomes
• Students can define cyberbullying and
recognise examples of it
Time: 20–60 minutes • Students can identify which actions cross the
(educators can pick and line between ‘banter’ and cyberbullying
choose activities) • Students can find help and know who to
speak to if they’re worried about
something online
• Students can give advice about how to
prevent or stop cyberbullying
Resources: worksheets at
• Students can understand how using the term
end of lesson, projector, ‘gay’ can be offensive to others and what the
WiFi, blue tack, space to school anti-bullying policy says about it
walk around, powerpoint
FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING

* Suitable for KS2

Lesson outline Description Time Resources Class set up

Starter Define cyberbullying and explain

school policy *
5 mins Whiteboard Whole class

Film Watch the film “Gone too far” * 6+ mins Projector,

whiteboard,
Students watch

WiFi
CROSSING THE LINE

Discussion Discussion questions –

Explore the themes of the film
10 mins n/a Whole class

more in detail *

Follow on activities
Activity A Role-play – What happens next? 10 mins Worksheet 1.1, Group work
1.2

Activity B Triangle Six Activity –

Banter -v- bullying *
10 mins Worksheet 1.3, Group work
1.4
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Activity C Moral thermometer – Where is
the line? *
10 mins Worksheet 1.5 Whole class

Plenary Review starter and hand out

exit slip
5 mins Worksheet 1.6 Whole class
For more guidance on the definition of
At the beginning cyberbullying, look at the lesson plan
of each lesson, guidance on page 7 or in the educators’
r of
Reminde briefly go guidance section.
les!
ground ru through your
agreed ground
rules to ensure
“Cyberbullying is long term and
everyone knows what is expected
persistent. If you get one bad
of them during the discussions and
comment, you can just ignore it, some
activities that follow. Explain that this
people are too sensitive. Sometimes
lesson may explore some sensitive
it is just mean comments and friends
issues. Review the guidelines for
joking around but they don’t realise it
a successful PSHE lesson in the
is bullying.”
educators’ guidance section or on
Young person, Childnet focus group
page 13.

Starter: onsider:
them to c
Things for
Defining atch a
ey will w llied.
Cyberbullying to the s tu d e n ts that th
ne who
is c y b e rbu
n
Explain
a b o u t someo b e in g u sed as a
o rt fi lm rd ‘g a y ’ .
sh e wo gatory
l hear th ing dero
They wil m e a n someth
to
5 minutes insult, or at this ty
pe of
th e s tu dents th n d m essages
e to a
• Outlin n o t a c ceptable t ople
p e
Whiteboard languag
e is irected a race or
a n d v iolence d , d bility, , as
is a
of hate e x u a li ty
the law
of their s against
because a c tually be c ident,’ o
r
c a n te in
religion
e d e e m ed a ‘ha c ri m e ’. For
yb ate
they ma ases, a ‘h nd how
to
As this lesson is all about cyberbullying, it is serious c crimes a
in more o n h a te
rmation ision at

FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
important to establish what young people more info , contact True V
th e m
believe cyberbullying is. Ask students what report rg.uk
port-it.o school
www.re what the
they understand by the word ‘cyberbullying’ s tu d e n ts
is type o
f
in to the
and record their ideas using a spider diagram, • Expla it h re g ards to th
w
policy is guage.
post-its or a mind map to create a class obic lan
homoph
definition.

Follow up questions could include:

• What is cyberbullying? Can you give

examples of how it could happen?
• How is it different to physical bullying?
CROSSING THE LINE

Is it worse?
• Why would someone be cyberbullied?
• Can you name some adjectives that
would describe someone who is
being cyberbullied?
• What would happen in our school if we
found out you had been cyberbullying
another student?
• What would be the consequences for you,
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others involved or your friends and family if
it was brought to the school’s attention?
Suggested answers: He could have told
a trusted adult sooner, blocked the users,
Watch the film reported the comments and not retaliated
“Gone too far”
6. What advice would you give to someone if
they are being cyberbullied? For potential
6 minutes answers, look at the educator guidance
for this lesson plan. Make sure you record
Projector, whiteboard, WiFi students’ answers on the board as they will
need this in later activities.

Further discussion points

Jason Charlie Ben Jenna

The bystander effect

Discussion 1. In this film we see Jason being cyberbullied.

questions How many people bullied Jason? Are
those who laughed along at the memes/
“funny” pictures also involved
10 minutes in cyberbullying Jason?

2. Leah stands up to Charlie and tells him to

stop. However there are many others in the
1. Is this film realistic? Could a similar situation film who see what is happening to Jason
happen in this school? but say nothing to help him. They are called
bystanders. Who were the bystanders in
2. The title of this toolkit is ‘Crossing the Line.’ this film? Why do you think they
In this film, where do you think the line remained quiet?
was crossed?
Suggested answers: When Charlie called Suggested answers: Bystanders: Jason’s
FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING

Jason a gaymer, when they took pictures of other friends – Jenna, Ben, others in school
him, when they spread pictures around that have seen the images. Why remain
quiet? For fear that Charlie might target
3. Why do you think Jason was bullied? them, not to seem like a snitch, not to be
Why do you think anyone is bullied? seen like you can’t take a joke?
Suggested answers: Jason was new,
Charlie was threatened by him, Jason
seemed different

4. How did Jason respond to the

cyberbullying? What could he have done
differently? What did he do well?
CROSSING THE LINE

Suggested answers: He should have

screenshotted the mean message online,
he should have told someone sooner,
he should have remained calm and not
retaliated; he ignored the messages after,
he eventually told his sister

5. Could Jason have done something to

stop the bullying? If yes, what could he
24 have done?
Homophobic language and bullying

Gender stereotypes
1. Charlie says the word ‘gay’ a lot. He calls
Jason a ‘gay-mer’ and he insinuates that 1. At the beginning of the film, Jenna uses a
Jason and Ben are boyfriends. Why does male username (HELLBOYYY) when she
he call Jason gay? What does he mean plays games online. Can you think of any
by it? reasons for why she might do this? Do you
Stonewall, a LGBT charity, says that think that the internet is a welcoming place
“Charlie doesn’t know if Jason is gay, for girls?
he just wants to make him feel ashamed Suggested answers: Some girls may
and thinks saying he is gay is a good choose to have a male username to prevent
way to do that. Someone can experience unwanted attention or to be accepted into
homophobic bullying for all sorts of the gaming community, or to prevent males
reasons which may have nothing to do ‘going easy’ on them in games
with being gay.”
2. Although Jason is cyberbullied in this film,
2. Charlie also speaks about Jason’s ‘gay research from Net Children go Mobile
shoes’. If you use the word ‘gay’ to mean 2014 says that across Europe, cyberbullying
something bad or rubbish, what impact has increased in recent years and that girls
might it have on others, especially those are more likely to experience cyberbullying.
who might be questioning their sexuality? In 2010, 8% of girls questioned experienced
What does the word ‘gay’ actually mean? cyberbullying and in 2014, 15% had

FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
Stonewall, a LGBT charity, says that experienced cyberbullying. For the latest
“Homophobic language sends the stats on Childline counselling sessions
message that being gay is like being relating to cyberbullying please refer to their
something ‘rubbish’. This is offensive to most recent annual report. Do you think
gay people and it is also using a word girls have a harder time online? Why is this?
incorrectly – shoes can’t be gay!”

3. What could you do next time you overhear

someone say the word ‘gay’ to mean
rubbish or uncool?
Suggested answers: Call it out, or correct
the person by offering other adjectives like
CROSSING THE LINE

‘rubbish’ or ‘sad’ instead of ‘gay’

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Follow up activities
Further
resources
to tackle
homophobic Activity A
bullying Role-play – What
happens next?
For more information on how schools
can support LGBT students, have
a look at Stonewall’s educational 10 minutes
resources: www.stonewall.org.uk/
education-resources Worksheet 1.1

• Tackling Homophobic Language

materials – a guide for teachers,
pupils and posters for display in This activity asks young people to imagine
classrooms and corridors solutions to the cyberbullying incident from the
• Getting Started Toolkit – provides film and to role-play how the last scene in the
a set of practical tools to help film might play out. Some young people may
schools get started in their work to find role-play challenging as perhaps the topic
tackle homophobic, biphobic and is personal to them. Ensure there is enough
transphobic bullying time at the end of this activity to de-brief.
• An introduction to supporting LGBT
young people – a guide for schools
FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
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How to run the activity:
Activity B
1. Divide the class into groups of 3. Triangle
2. Explain to each group that you will be Six activity:
handing out scenario cards to each group
(see Worksheet 1.1 or differentiated
Banter -v-
worksheet 1.2) and they will need to act bullying
out how they feel this situation should
resolve itself. There are two different
scenarios: the conversation that Alex 10 minutes
(Jason’s sister) has with Ben and Jason and
the conversation that happens between the Worksheet 1.3
Year Head, Jason and Charlie. Ask each
group which scenario they would like to
act out.
This activity asks young people to judge
3. Hand out the scenario cards and assign different examples of cyberbullying incidents
each person in the group a role or allow and rank them in order of seriousness.
each group to decide amongst themselves Remembering the advice about cyberbullying
who plays each role. Ask each group to from the discussion section, they will also
write out a rough guide to a conversation
need to give advice and solutions to each
that might take place between these
cyberbullying incident.
characters. Then, allow groups to role-play
the conversation to see if the situation
gets resolved.

4. Allow 5-7 minutes for this role-playing

exercise, depending on your class. If time
allows, ask one group to act out their
discussion for the class.

5. Ask the class the feedback discussion

points below:

FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
Feedback discussion points

• Was this situation resolved?

• How was it resolved?
• Could anything else have been done?
• What will life be like for Jason and Charlie in
6 months to a year?
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How to run the activity:
Activity C
1. Split the class into groups of 5 and hand
out worksheet 1.3 or differentiated
Moral
worksheet 1.4 to each group. thermometer:
2. Ask each group to cut out each scenario
where is
and explain they are to complete a triangle the line?
six activity.

3. They will need to read all scenarios and 10 minutes

then rank them in order of seriousness,
using the three questions at the top of the Worksheet 1.5, large space
preferable, powerpoint
sheet as guides. They need to put the most
serious example of cyberbullying at the top
of the triangle, and the least serious at the
bottom. See example below. The film ‘Gone too far’ concerns cyberbullying
and outlines how jokes can sometimes go
4. Feedback from each group which incident too far. This activity asks young people to
they placed first, and discuss why, using the
judge for themselves if and when certain posts
three questions on the post-it.
‘cross the line’ for them, from ‘just a joke’
5. After this discussion, in groups, they will to bullying.
then need to give advice and solutions for
each incident.
How to run the activity:
6. Leave 3 minutes at the end of the activity
to hear what advice each group gave to
each incident. 1. Put up two large signs (worksheet 1.5)
in opposite ends of the room. One will say
‘CYBERBULLYING’ and the other will say
Most ‘JUST A JOKE’. Ask all students to stand
serious
together on an ‘invisible line’ in the middle
of the room.
FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING

2. Explain to the class that they will see

examples of fake social media posts on
Least
serious the board (cyberbullying powerpoint)
and they need to determine if any of these
posts ‘cross the line’ into cyberbullying. If
they believe it is cyberbullying, they need to
ider:
r them to cons stand close to the ‘CYBERBULLYING’ sign.
Things fo
eople wh
o 3. Context is not always clear from these
th e a m ount of p a post posts, however ask your students to read
• Does ent on
or comm e cyberbullying the examples as if they didn’t know the
see, like o u s th
w seri
affect ho
CROSSING THE LINE

people mentioned, that they have just come

is?
incident be cyberb by
ullied across them online.
ri o u s to
ore se ou, or
• Is it m n e w h o knows y
o 4. Students will need to justify why they
by some us?
anonymo
someone against th
e moved and to give reasons for it. It will
y o f th e se posts d u c a to rs hopefully be clear that some things ‘cross
• Are an u id a n c e for e 5
law? See
g ge 1 the line’ for some, but not for others.
e on pa
b o u t la ws onlin ’ guidance Encourage your students to ‘think before
a rs
educato
or in the they post’ and be considerate to others
section. when they post online.
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Extended
Plenary
Activities

5 minutes
• Know how to report
Explore the safety centres of the different
social media service providers as part of
1. Review the cyberbullying definition the the lesson so that students know where to
class wrote at the beginning of the lesson. go to block or report any offensive material
After having watched the film, and taken they come across online. This could be
part in the activities, would they add any done as a class or an individual assignment.
information to it? Check with the class that See the signposting section on the next
they know who to chat to in the school page for more information.
if they are ever worried or upset about • Start an anti-cyberbullying campaign
anything online. To assess how people in their school may
be affected by cyberbullying, students
2. Review the intended learning outcomes could create an anonymous survey about
of the lesson and hand out the exit slip to cyberbullying. Students could be asked
each student. Ask each student to write how they would like cyberbullying to be
down 3 things they learned from the lesson, dealt with in school and this could be
2 things they already knew and 1 further shared with senior management. They
question they have. If students don’t have a may wish to raise awareness of reporting
question, they can leave it blank. To ensure routes or deliver messages about being a
each question is answered, encourage good online friend.
all students to tear off the question from
the sheet and to put it in the anonymous
question box. These questions can be r:
conside
answered at the beginning of the next them to
PSHE lesson. Th ings for
it is
d s tu d e nts that
3. You can also signpost to other Remin ed in
get involv

FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
organisations such as the ones listed on the s t n o t to ings
be n line as th
next page. e n ts o text
argum n o ut of con
ta k e -
can get to c h at face-to
be s t
and it is p le to sort
out
h p e o
face wit
blems.
your pro

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Signposting

Learn how to report and block offensive users and messages on the
different service providers
Snapchat: www.snapchat.com/safety

Facebook: www.facebook.com/safety/tools

Instagram: https://help.instagram.com/285881641526716

Twitter: https://support.twitter.com/articles/20169998

For more help

Childline: Call 0800 11 11 or chat with a counsellor online – For anonymous support and
advice on dealing with cyberbullying and other issues – www.childline.org.uk

The Diana Award Anti-Bullying Campaign: A charity that helps people get involved to tackle
all forms of bullying – www.antibullyingpro.com

True vision: If you receive hateful messages or a crime has been committed against you
because of your race, sexuality or disability, this could be considered a hate crime. This is
illegal and can be reported to the police through True Vision – www.report-it.org.uk

YoungMinds: This website has lots of information for young people about their wellbeing
and mental health, and also has information for teachers and parents –
www.youngminds.org.uk

Contact the police if the messages you receive pose a threat to your personal safety.
Remember a death threat online is illegal.
FILM 1: CYBERBULLYING
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