Wednesday: Bully Tough

2nd Grade
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 45 Minutes
STATE STANDARD:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3

Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence

of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal
words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
GOAL OF THIS LESSON: The students will write a story and apply their knowledge
of bullying.
OBJECTIVE(S):
The students will work together to complete a short story, receiving at least a
3 out of 4 in each category on the rubric.
The students will write a short story, including the topic of bullying receiving
at least a 3 out of 4 in each category on the rubric.
MATERIALS/MEDIA: Paper, Tough by Erin Frankel, Youtube link, PowerPoint,
Projector, Pencils, ToothPaste, Paper Plates, Napkins, Spoons, Laminated Vocabulary
Prepare the Environment:
The lessons will start with students sitting at their desks. The teacher will primarily
stand at the front of the classroom during the lesson and move around for support
and pulse checks during worksheets and activities. There will be a PowerPoint
during the lesson to include visual support and help guide students in discussion.
During discussion, students will raise their hands to ask or answer a question. When
working on seatwork, students may use pencils or colored pencils to complete their
papers. Utensils will be provided for students who are without. Journals will be used
everyday and kept on the back of their chair. The classroom door will be closed to
keep the hallway from being a distraction. Students will be allowed a bathroom and
water break after each lesson. Those students that do not complete their journal
may finish it during lunch. The journals are to be left in the classroom and not taken
home.
PROCEDURES
Introduction.
The teacher will start reading the book to the students. They are sitting in a semi
circle at the front of the room. The teacher will go in order around the semi circle
asking students to help her read. During the reading the teacher will ask questions
and ask if the students have any questions they want to ask.
What do you think of the way Sam introduces herself?
Why does Sam think people need to be tough?

 Do you think Sam will continue to bully others?

Lesson Content.
Tough by Erin Frankel
Vocabulary words: tough, practice, behavior, enough, mean
Charlie Brown YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrqgyjp6GT0
Lesson/Activity.
The five new vocabulary words will already be printed and labeled. Five students
will be chosen to add the new words to the word wall.
The teacher will separate the students into groups. Together there will be two
groups of seven who work in smaller groups on a story that includes bullying. The
students will be grouped together to write a story about friends. Two groups of two
students will write the beginning of a story, which will include the characters and
the setting. Two groups of two students will write the middle of the story, which will
include the project or conflict of the story. Two groups of three students will resolve
the conflict and end the story. In the end, there will be two completed books. They
must include bullying in their stories.
The students will sit quietly in their seats and wait to be given all materials. Toothpaste,
paper plates, spoons and napkins will be given to each student by the teacher. The
students must squeeze all of the toothpaste out of the tube and onto the paper plate. Then
they must try to get all of the toothpaste back into the tube. They will find that they
cannot and this symbolizes that once you say or do something mean, you cannot take it
back. Students will be allowed to go to the bathroom after the assignment to wash their
hands before moving onto writing in their journals.
Wrap-Up.
Students will get their journals and answer the prompts for five minutes.
What did you learn today?
What happened in the story you wrote today?
Write the five new vocabulary words.
Homework: No homework.
Assessment:
3.1 Table: Group Work Rubric.
3.2 Table: Short Story Writing Rubric
3.3 Table: Journal Rubric

Almost always
listens to, shares
with, and supports
the efforts of others.
Tries to keep
people working well
together.

Usually listens to,

shares, with, and
supports the
efforts of others.
Does not cause
"waves" in the
group.

Often listens to, shares

with, and supports the
efforts of others, but
sometimes is not a
good team member.

Rarely listens to,

shares with, and
supports the
efforts of others.
Often is not a
good team player.

Focus on
the task

Consistently stays
focused on the task
and what needs to
be done. Very selfdirected.

Focuses on the
task and what
needs to be done
most of the time.
Other group
members can
count on this
person.

Focuses on the task

and what needs to be
done some of the time.
Other group members
must sometimes nag,
prod, and remind to
keep this person ontask.

Rarely focuses on
the task and what
needs to be done.
Lets others do the
work.

Attitude

Never is publicly
critical of the project
or the work of
others. Always has
a positive attitude
about the task(s).

Rarely is publicly
critical of the
project or the
work of others.
Often has a
positive attitude
about the task(s).

Occasionally is publicly
critical of the project or
the work of other
members of the group.
Usually has a positive
attitude about the
task(s).

Often is publicly
critical of the
project or the work
of other members
of the group.
Often has a
negative attitude
about the task(s).

CATEGORY
Working
with Others

Title is creative,
sparks interest and
is related to the
story and topic.

Title is related to
the story and
topic.

Title is present, but

does not appear to
be related to the
story and topic.

No title.

Problem/Conflict

It is very easy for

the reader to
understand the
problem the main
characters face
and why it is a
problem.

It is fairly easy for

the reader to
understand the
problem the main
characters face
and why it is a
problem.

It is fairly easy for

the reader to
understand the
problem the main
characters face but
it is not clear why it
is a problem.

It is not clear
what problem
the main
characters face.

Creativity

The story contains

many creative
details and/or
descriptions that
contribute to the
reader's
enjoyment. The
author has really
used their
imagination.
The entire story is
related to the
assigned topic and
allows the reader
to understand
more about the
topic.

The story contains

a few creative
details and/or
descriptions that
contribute to the
reader's
enjoyment. The
author has used
their imagination.

The story contains

a few creative
details and/or
descriptions, but
they distract from
the story. The
author has tried to
use their
imagination.

There is little
evidence of
creativity in the
story. The author
does not seem
to have used
much
imagination.

Most of the story is

related to the
assigned topic.
The story wanders
off at one point,
but the reader can
still learn
something about
the topic.

Some of the story

is related to the
assigned topic, but
the reader does
not learn much
about the topic.

No attempt has
been made to
relate the story
to the assigned
topic.

There are 2-3

spelling and
punctuation errors
in the final draft.

The final draft has

more than 3
spelling and
punctuation errors.

The final draft

has more than 5
spelling and
punctuation
errors.

CATEGORY
Title

Focus on
Assigned Topic

Spelling and
Punctuation

There is one
spelling or
punctuation error
in the final draft.
Character and
place names that
the author
invented are
spelled
consistently
throughout.

CATEGORY
Support for
Topic
(Content)

Relevant, telling,
quality details give
the reader
important
information that
goes beyond the
obvious or
predictable.

Supporting details
and information are
relevant, but one
key issue or portion
of the storyline is
unsupported.

Supporting details
and information are
relevant, but several
key issues or
portions of the
storyline are
unsupported.

Supporting details
and information are
typically unclear or
not related to the
topic.

Accuracy of
Facts
(Content)

All supportive facts

are reported
accurately.

Almost all
supportive facts are
reported
accurately.

Most supportive
facts are reported
accurately.

NO facts are
reported OR most
are inaccurately
reported.

Word Choice Writer uses at least

Writer uses at least

two vocabulary
words successfully.

Writer uses at least

one vocabulary
word successfully.

Writer uses at least

one vocabulary
word
unsuccessfully.

three vocabulary
words in their
journal
successfully.