
This 5th grade teacher had her kids sit in a circle on the floor for a lesson about bullying.
She showed them two apples and asked them to list the differences and similarities between the two apples. She had deliberately gotten two that were as similar in color, shape and size as possible, but one was very slightly smaller and a little bit discolored.
I held up the other apple that was only slightly discolored and smaller and I said, “Gross. This apple looks disgusting!” and dropped it on the ground. My kids all looked at me like I was INSANE! A couple laughed uncomfortably, but for the most part they thought I had lost my mind.
I then picked it up and passed it to the student sitting beside me and said, “Isn’t this apple just stupid?! You should say something mean to it and do this!” Again I modeled dropping it in front of me. “Now pass it to the person next to you so they can say something mean to the apple, too!”
Long story short, my kids got very into saying mean and hurtful things to this apple and dropping it in front of them. I hate your skin.” “You’re an ugly color of red” “Your stem isn’t very long” “You’re probably full of worms” on and on and on.
When that apple got back to the teacher, she had the kids talk about what had happened to it and why. They got the message.
Source:
http://www.danoah.com/2013/11/the-bruised-and-the-beautiful-apple-a-lesson-in-bullying.html