Lesson Plan

Lesson Title:Shark BaitGroup:Date:

National Curriculum Key Stage and Targets: KS3, PSHE Conflict Resolution

Cross-Curricular Elements

Further Learning Opportunities

Timing / Teaching and Learning
Creating a Safe Environment: Establishing the rules / 10 mins /

Establish classroom rules for discussion activities as democratically as reasonably possible (pupils always respect rules and regulations if they have a part in deciding them). These are negotiable but respectful language; giving people space and time to speak; respecting that some things are private and revealing things about friends and relatives without them knowing would not be right.

The rules should be observable to the whole class throughout the lesson.

The film Shark Bait contains some graphic bullying scenes: including nudity (pixelated out) and spitting. A trigger warning and a message about the health consequences of spitting may be advisable
Focus the Learning - Learning Objectives: Tell students what they will learn, how it relates to their experience, the standard at which they are working and write key vocabulary on the board. / By the end of the Lesson:
•All students must; understand homophobia and recognise its consequences; understand that you don’t have to be gay, lesbian or bisexual to be on the receiving end of homophobia
•Most students should; recognise that ‘getting your own back’ is not as realistic solution to systematic bullying ; examine other forms of conflict resolution
•Some students may; discuss why bullies exist and the role of the bully’s ‘assistants’.
Extend / Reinforce the Learning:
Homework: / SUGGESTIONS:
  • See Plenary

Begin the Learning – Starter: Present new information using Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic methods. / 15
mins / Activity 1. Discussion point 1: What is bullying? Establish that it is about isolating, humiliating and depriving of friends.Discussion point 2: What is homophobia? Does it only affect lesbian, gay and bisexual people or can anyone suffer as a result of homophobia?
Continue the Learning - Activities: This is the main part of the lesson. Provide a variety of challenging, differentiated VAK tasks / activities, meeting the needs of all students and all abilities.
Activity / Apply / Review
New activity / Apply / Review / 50+
mins / Watch the film Shark Bait.

Briefly discuss responses to the film.
Repeat the first bullying scene. Discuss:
Discussion point 3: Why is Erlend being bullied? Is it because he is sensitive; or because his brother is gay; or because the chief bully has to prove something?
Discussion point 4: At one point Erlend retaliates verbally. Was it the right thing to do? Or did it make things worse?
Discussion point 5: What could Erlend do?
Repeat the scene where Erland talks to his brother on the way to school.
Discussion point 6: What does Erlend’s brother want him to do?
Discussion point 7: Why is the rabbit-fish important?
Show the film to the end
Discussion point 8: Why do you think Erlend hugs his brother at the end?
Discussion point 9: What do you think the following people learn from this experience?
•Erlend?
•His brother?
•The boy that ran away?
Discussion point 10: How often do you hear the phrase “getting your own back” or “an eye for an eye”? Think of a film or story in which someone gets their own back on someone who has made them suffer? Was it realistic? Was the outcome satisfying? Is revenge the same as justice?
Supporting / Developing the Learning – Differentiation:
Where appropriate, identify students and the methods of support and extension to be used. Include support staff meeting notes. / Students / Target groups likely to need support.
Liaise with teacher to ensure additional support is targeted to specific pupil needs / Students likely to need extension work:
Extension activity: why does Erlend’s brother tell him the story of the rabbit-fish? Is there a moral to this story?
For an extended activity the teacher might choose to examine the fish and the shark as a metaphor for the bully (as the predator) and the victim (as the prey). This is played out in the game of ‘Shark bait’ at the beginning and its weighty symbolism. Paradoxically, Erlend is cast in the role of ‘shark’, but this only serves to increase his sense of isolation. Erlend always looks from side to side when he is about to be attacked and his attackers look directly ahead. Does this reflect the behaviour of animals of prey and their predators in nature? Is ‘bullying’ an inherited trait that we, as humans, need to challenge in order to develop?
Celebrating the Learning - Plenary: Students demonstrate in some way what they have learned. Recognition of progress. Refer back to Learning Objectives. / 10
mins / Imagine you are: the bully; one of the bully’s assistants; the teacher; Erlend; Erlend’s brother.
Why did you behave as you did?
What might you have done differently?
Management of Resources
Identify which resources are to be used and how. Include the use of new technology and the use of other supporting adults. / Slideshow
Flipchart or means of recording group responses.
Equal Opportunities & Social / Moral / Cultural considerations
Identify any relevant aspects of the lesson which develop pupil understanding, skills and knowledge in these areas. / The whole lesson works on developing understanding of gender identity and sexual orientation including gender role stereotypes and discrimination. The lesson aims to raise awareness through presentation, case studies and activities.
Health and Safety Considerations
Identify the major Health and Safety considerations and what needs to bedone to ensure maximum safety. / Usual KS3 classroom H&S risk assessments apply

*This lesson and the subsequent lesson is reproduced with the kind permission of RAINBOW – Films; a project of the European Union to which Schools OUT UK (then Schools OUT) contributed.