Beyond Bullying

People aren't always nice to each other. Sometimes, they can be downright mean. Bullying is using words or actions to hurt someone more than once.

Bullying happens everywhere. It happens to more people than you may think. More than two in five students report being bullied.

The PACER Center is in Minnesota. The organization has run the National Bullying Prevention Center since 2006. The center teaches students, parents, and schools about the effects of bullying. It encourages communities to help prevent bullying. And it promotes kindness.

"Bullying is an issue that impacts all kids," says Bailey Lindgren. She works at PACER. Often, kids are bullied for things that make them unique. "Bullying is about power," she says.

If you see someone being bullied, speak up. Researchers have found that when a peer steps in, more than half of bullying situations stop within 10 seconds.

Spreading kindness can also help. It happened at Marshall Elementary School in Wexford, Pennsylvania. About 20 fourth-graders formed an anti-bullying club. This happened about five years ago.

Older students are buddies to younger students. They write letters and read stories. They also created a buddy bench on the playground. Students can go there if they want someone to play with. The older students' work won a national award from the PACER Center. They got the award last May.

"Together we can help create a world without bullying," says Lindgren.

Why can you make a circle graph from the information in the chart “Fraction of Students Who Reported Bullying”?

A. because there are two fractions

B. because the fractions are different parts that make up the same whole

C. because it’s about bullying

D. There is not enough information to answer.

What do you notice about the percentages in the chart “Schools That Report Bullying Happening At Least Once a Week”?

A. They decrease over time.

B. They increase over time.

C. They stay roughly the same.

D. There is not enough information to answer.

Where does most bullying occur?

A. in the hallway or stairwell

B. on the school bus

C. in the cafeteria

D. inside the classroom

Where does most bullying occur?

A. in the hallway or stairwell

B. on the school bus

C. in the cafeteria

D. inside the classroom

What is different about the two bar graphs?

According to the graphs, does bullying happen more often to elementary students or middle school students? How do you know?

According to the graphs, does bullying happen more often to elementary students or middle school students? How do you know?

A student wants to find out how much bullying occurs in her school. What are some ways she can collect this data? Choose all that apply.

A. She can talk to students at the school about bullying.

B. She can talk to teachers at the school about bullying.

C. She can survey students at the school about bullying.

D. She can watch a TV program about bullying.