This week (January 20-24th) is No Name Calling Week!
Here are some ideas from all across the country on activities you can use in your classrooms:
Daily Announcements
• Don’t Laugh at Me Song played over morning announcements each day.
• Student council read peaceful messages.
• Morning Announcements stressing the importance of kindness and positive problem solving.
• Daily quotes on intercom with daily announcements.
• Thought of the day.
• On morning announcements 4th graders gave facts each day from their anti-bullying
curriculum.
• Announced No Name-Calling Week on our organization newsletter.
• Created a special section about No Name-Calling Week on our web site with a link to the
NNCW site.
• Singing over PA — song re: self-esteem.
• Students reading essays over intercom in the morning at one school.
• Morning News Commercials.
• Daily announcements-motivational thoughts.
• Public-service announcements over the TV’s in our school.
• Teacher announced in their individual room.
• Had a show on community access TV.
• Information center displayed in the cafe during lunch providing facts about name-calling.
Message was changed daily. Used as awareness.
• Students presented daily positive statements re: bullying during AM & PM homeroom with
non-violent messages.
• Our student leadership group had No-Name-calling reading over morning announcements
each day of the week.
• Word of the day that dealt with bullying/name-calling.
• Students wrote Public Service Announcements and read them to other classes.
• Guest Readers over PA.
• Monthly school district paper.
• Radio PSA’s.
• Made a newscast — all stories revolved around name-calling and “The Misfits” — gave
entire school a survey about name-calling.
• No bullying essays during morning announcements.
• Student council read a prepared statement on the intercom to inform everyone about the
week.
• Special daily Words of Wisdom announcements created by students and read by students to
entire student body.
• Announcements were made at lunch to remind students to report inappropriate behavior
concerning calling names.
• Announcements were put in the school bulletin encouraging staff to discuss this topic with
students.
• Skits on Morning Video Announcements.
• Poems read over PA for 2 1/2 weeks we ran our program.
• One of the kids wrote up a little essay on name-calling and read it over the loud speaker to
advise kids to use nice language and avoid name-calling.
Art Activities
• Made and displayed posters school wide.
• “Stomp out name-calling” [and had] shoes hanging from ceiling.
• No Name-Calling posters displayed throughout school.
• Poster Contests.
• Bulletin board display re. Kindness and quotes on friendship.
• Promoted by our student council members to all students in homeroom class time — each
classroom had a quote/poster for the week as well.
• Peer Leaders made and hung posters throughout the building.
• Homemade pins.
• No Name-Calling murals.
• Kids made posters with ties on them; colored in ties; poster said “We are all tied together.”
• About 100 slurs taped to walls in front foyers with lines through them like on the back cover
of “The Misfits”.
• Short video made by students.
• Sing Along.
• No Name-Calling banner in gym.
• Students presented poems and reading in an assembly.
• All children decorated cards with a picture showing how it feels when someone calls you a
name.
• The librarian displayed pertinent books.
• Anti-Bulling Club sponsored a creative writing/artwork contest.
• Posters for the school designed by art classes.
• Nurse presentations with puppets.
• Students designed their own stickers.
• Homework assignment for the children to listen to things that were being said in the hall.
They had to write them down and then create a story or poem about them.
• Door Decoration Contest.
• Poster & Essay Contest.
• We created reproducible flyers that could be used as a model for TV announcements,
articles, etc.
• Posters in different languages about negative effects of name-calling.
• Made a Kindness chain in which each student wrote a Kind Deed upon the link.
• Media campaign.
• Door decorating contest for each grade level.
• PTA Cultural Arts sponsored program on character traits.
• No Name-Calling Paper Quilt.
• Boomerang Act of Kindness Chain — we looked for the positive graffiti wall of kind words.
• paper quilt squares representing our idea of a Safe Space.
• Created wall of Kindness — bricks symbolize what we can do to make our school a kinder
place.
• Distributed posters defining violence and stating that this is a NPD Zone (No Put-Down).
• Designed and ordered t-shirts.
• Large banner that stated I support a dis-free [school]. Hundreds of kids signed it during lunch
period. Then displayed in a prominent place.
• Modified the Declaration of Tolerance from Teaching Tolerance materials; had students and
staff read sign and make a paper chain link to have a visual representation of all the names.
• Kindergarteners made hanging mobiles about ways to get along.
• Posted graffiti walls to have places where students could express their opinions without
major censorship.
• Peer conflict managers made mini posters for hallway display.
• 7 & 8 grade art students carved their names and ugly names they had been called into sticks.
6 - 7 - 8 art students constructed an installation of the sticks and (mock) stones — shaped
like a fire-circle with burning flames (mock) in the center — because name-calling BURNS.
The installation has been put on permanent display in front of the main office — a continued
reminder to students.
• PE classes made their own no name-calling posters and put up around school especially in
the locker rooms.
• Trash the Trash Talk wrote down names that kids have been called on slips of paper and put
them in a trash bag. The bags were displayed in a display case.
• Make friendship bracelets.
Assembly Activities
• End of week assembly.
• Performed a skit at school-wide assembly.
• A parent visited all the lunch periods and did a comedy act on name-calling and followed up
with discussion.
• Students presented poems and reading in an assembly.
• Assembly where the story the Sneetches by Dr. Seuss was read to the student body.
• Discussion was held after [reading a story about name-calling] with the student body (K–2
then 3–5) about how painful names can be using the saying from the book “sticks and stones,
names will break our spirit.”
• Pep rally
• Skit Assembly (teachers portrayed bullies). guest speakers on bullying and diversity. Student
role play assembly
• Bon-fire of names
• Focus at School Council Meeting. Torn Heart lesson at Town Meeting.
• We asked [a local GLSEN chapter and LGBT youth group] members to develop a lunchtime
No Name-Calling Workshop for us.
Reading Activities
• Read poetry each day at dismissal.
• “The Misfits” placed in the library — announcement made.
• “The Misfits” novel will be integrated into the 7th grade Lit class beginning fall 2004.
• Used the book “The Misfits” in speech therapy with approximately 30 5th and 6th grade
students.
• All seventh graders read “The Misfits” wrote poetry or did activities and discussed novel.
• ESL Language Arts class is reading “Blubber” and discussing the bullying in the book.
• Read “The Misfits”.
• Student leaders read the book and initiated activities.
• Read some of “The Misfits” book during their homerooms and English class.
• Students identified characters in stories that had to cope with teasing and name-calling.
• Students read “Primer Lesson” by Carl Sandburg and “A Word” by Emily Dickinson to
discuss the power of hurtful words.
• Read picture books about bullies.
• Read “A Duck So Small” and “Band-Aid Chicken.” We read “We Dream of a World” and
designed additional pages.
• We read “We Dream of a World” and designed additional pages. (With 6th Graders) read
“The Misfits” aloud and discussed . Used The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill in every
class.
• Read “The Misfits” twice a week; classroom chart on Misfit Names. Teachers read
children’s literature pertaining to bullying and teasing. “Chicken Soup for the Soul”
readings.
• Used “The Berenstein Bears and Too Much Teasing”. “The Misfits” Book and Role Playing.
Writing Activities
• Written letters to pretend bullies.
• 26 students were given a written assignment to share what names they were called and how
they felt and what names they called people and how they thought the other person felt.
These were read aloud .
• Conflict pics were shown on TV and children wrote stories about the pics.
• 8th graders wrote personal essays to be read at the assembly.
• Appreciation statements written by students in each classroom focusing on positive aspects
of our school.
• Creative writing assignment in which kids answered their own questions about prejudice.
Classroom Activities
• Self-esteem boosters.
• [Had students] write down nice words about a student in class. Slip of nice comments given
to student so every student received one.
• Cooperative games in PE class.
• Civil Rights Team members spoke to classes.
• A secret message game was held. 10 words were displayed thru school when all were
identified by students and put together they read “Believe in yourself” and “Name callers
will always fail.”
• In Physical Education students were engaged in specific team building activities and
discussed the potential for saying hurtful words.
• Had a compliment day on Thursday after a discussion in each room about a meaningful
compliment vs. others.
• One of the elementary schools had their students pick a name of someone in their class. They
then drew a copy of their hand on a piece of paper cut it out and wrote the students name in
the palm; Then they wrote 5 nice things about them on each finger. Staff members did this
too.
• Student workshop on homophobia.
• Top 10 reasons not to call names complied by 5–6 grades.
• We started secret pal activities where complimenting and kind deeds were offered
anonymously to secret pal.
• Principal met with each individual class and talked to them about the week.
• Weekly Conflict Resolution Lessons.
• Weekly Culture Lessons.
• Weekly Diversity Lessons.
• Weekly Identity Lessons.
• Weekly Prejudice and Discrimination Lessons.
• Peace Train.
• Anti-Bullying Workshop (7th grade).
• “Mirror Mirror” — Lesson about inside/outside of people.
• Had older kids write down a value statement and then asked if they had ever gone against it.
• Teacher conducted individual activities such as rap sessions.
• Played a song of the day each day: “Don’t Laugh at Me,” “Shining Star,” “Help,”
“Beautiful,” “Where is the Love?” The advisory teachers had copies of the lyrics and had
class discussions.
• Discussion of how to react if you witness someone else is being bullied.
• Teacher activity for class — squeeze toothpaste out of tube try to get it back in — can’t. Just
like names and words once they are said can’t take them back. Need to think about what you
say.
Parent and Community Activities
• Put an article about No Name-calling Week in our parent newsletter.
• Had newspaper come out and do a story.
• Parent presentation.
• Speaker met with PTO.
• Local news coverage.
• Hosted a Press Conference in partnership with the State Division of Criminal Justice.
• We wrote a guest column for the local newspaper.
• Name-calling homework for parents.
Contests
• Poster Contests.
• Anti-Bulling Club sponsored a creative writing/artwork contest.
• Violence Prevention Coordinator & Social Worker went out into the community to solicit
gifts for the writing contest presenting a letter to proprietors explaining No Name-Calling
Week.
• Student Essay Contest.
• Homeroom contests—homeroom with least amount of name-calling for the week won a
prize — teachers kept a count of name-calling.
• “How Would You Stop A Bully” Contest.
• Poetry competition.
• Coloring contest (primary grades).
• No Dissing Day-Every student got 3 safety pins. Every time a student is caught by another
student dissing someone else he/she had to give 1 pin to the person who pointed it out.
School Counselor Activities
• Anti-Bullying efforts continue throughout the school year such as one to one intervention
with bullies and victims. Victims are referred to a Friendship Group run by a guidance
counselor.
• Counselor presentations to classes.
• Counselor led lessons on resisting bullying in K and 1st.
• PE teacher and counselor taught K–2 identification of bully behavior and resistance skills.
• group work/team building activities teaching students to focus on the positive.
Faculty/Staff Activities
• Made a presentation to faculty.
• Sponsored slogan contest among faculty.
• Staff viewed the movie the week prior to the start.
• Teacher workshop on homophobia.
• Developed on-going committee to look at problem/strategies.
• The Bully Bullied and the Bystander — book presented to staff.
• Teachers received a script with discussion questions.
• Staff development on bullying.
Recognition and Reward Programs
• Blue ribbons with students’ names on them posted in cafeteria for no name-calling, antibullying
and sticking up for one another.
• Our peer helpers conducted a secret tally of students in grades 6-8 who said or did nice
things for others; we are rewarding the class with the highest numbers of marks with an ice
cream sundae party.
• “Caught Ya Being Nice” nominations.
• Teachers looked for ways to recognize kids through the day.
• Extra Free Time for those students with no discipline referrals.
• The committee gave out Caught you Red-Handed awards to students who were helpful.
Skits and Role Plays
• Role Plays led by students on various issues.
• Live play regarding Bullying.
• Puppet Show over the school telecast.
• Skit in Drama class to be presented in an assembly.
• Skit Assembly (teachers portrayed bullies).
• Film Club and GSA merge to make mini movies about hate in the hallways.
• Performing a play entitled “Alice In Sexual Assault Land.”
• Students were encouraged to…write skits and poems.
Stickers, Ribbons and Other Signs of NNCW Awareness
• Wearing the [NNCW] stickers.
• Visual reminders. Stickers worn by staff and students every day.
• Students wore ribbons in recognition of no name-calling week. .
• A local button shop made buttons for every teacher and child in the building with a cool
design and slogan on it. We all pointed to the button instead of name-calling.
• Purchased a watch for everyone in school that says “Stop the violence now.”
• Students wore buttons with put-ups on them and a number — had a daily raffle — had to be
wearing their button to claim their prize.
• “Proud to Be” stickers. Students bought stickers for a quarter and wrote something they were
proud of that no one could tell by looking at them. “Proud to be a Christian.” “Proud to be a
soccer player.”
• Monday-wear red white and blue with the idea United we stand divided we fall as a theme
• Tuesday-wear two different shoes with the theme of walking a mile in another’s shoes can be
difficult and eye opening
• Wednesday-wear mismatched clothing to express we are all different and we should
appreciate our differences
• Thursday-wear your clothing backwards with the idea that words can hurt and you can’t take them back and that a good person always has another’s back. Friday-wear sport’s team
regalia because we are all good sports if we treat each other like we are on the same team
• Give Name-Calling the Slip — slipper day
• Put a cap on name-calling — hat day
• Tattoo Day — Everyone wore a “We Rock” tattoo to celebrate a successful [No Name-
Calling Week].
Surveys
• Conducted a pre no name-calling survey. Conducted a post no name-calling survey.
• Selected students tracked name-calling that they heard for a week.
• Chalkboard available for students to write the names they were hearing in the school. Used
as a way to do mini survey.
• At end of year we will re-distribute violence surveys to see if there is an improvement in
school climate. We are really focusing efforts on the bystanders.
• Conducted a survey about students’ experience and feelings about name-calling/bullying and
how it applies to them and our school.
• Gave entire school a survey about name-calling.
• School climate survey.
• Conducted surveys 5th and 6th grade.
• Pre- and post-tests with 25 students counting numbers of name-calling events before and
after no name-calling week.
• The Bullying Survey.
• Bully survey given in all English classes.
• The No Name-Calling survey.
• Gave the survey to all 4th–8th graders. Results of the survey will be reviewed with each
grade. Summary…will be sent to all staff. Survey results will be put up in Cafeteria for all to
see.
Videos & Music
• With small group of students had them watch a self-esteem video and write a list of all the
negative phrases and words they’ve heard and or used and then shredded them up! With the
same group of students (5) I had them write a list of positive words and phrases they’ve used
and heard and we pasted them up.
• Showed “Don’t Laugh at Me” video.
• Deaf Bully Video from the Texas School for the Deaf: “The Shadows’ Resolve”.
• Friday Night at the Movies showing “Radio” to promote no name-calling.
• We showed the video in all of our study halls during the week and discussions.
• Show/discuss “Broken Toy” video.
• Used the song “Don’t Call Me Names” by Mark Wills.
• Video, “It’s Not Okay to Bully” [and] “Words Hurt”.
• “Don’t Laugh At Me” song taught in music class.
• Viewed clips from movie Pay It Forward.
• “Dealing with Bullies” and “Trouble Makers” video.
Other Activities
• Students got bookmarks for 3 of the days with messages about dealing with name-calling.
• Made a school cheer. The cheer was said each morning.
• Sponsored a week called a Kindness Crusade.
• Bully Busters set up stations throughout the school to discuss No Name-Calling Week and to
answer questions.
• Invited 2 other elementary schools in our district to join us to make it district wide.
• Random Acts of Kindness.
• Anti-Bullying Club promoted upcoming anti-bullying dance.
• Students and Staff wore red and black (colors from the posters) on No Name-calling Day.
• “Dear Abby” box for student letters and our student newspaper is dedicating the next issue
to No-Name-calling.
• Positive week promotions.
• Lunch Room Discussions.
• Special lunch with Assistant Principal.
• 6th and 7th graders created anti-slur policies to be read at the assembly.
• Any student sent to the office for name-calling was given double the punishment.
• MLK Kindness and Justice Challenge — ongoing.
• No Names Just Games Activity Night.
• Developed a district wide discipline matrix.
• Launching the District wide Bullying Prevention Campaign aligned with the National
Campaign.
• New lunch/recess behavior plan introduced.
• It was self-control month at school and we discussed steps for this.
• Three teachers are getting a summer grant to develop a one-week interdisciplinary unit for
the entire middle school to implement during the first week of school in September.
• Bullying phone Hot Line.
• Bullying box for anonymous notes.
• “March Against Bullying” with parents and students.
• Have students create lessons to be used in lower grades.
• High School students spoke to elementary students.
• High school students from the schools’ GSA, SAFER and SADD clubs organized and
presented workshops about name-calling/no name-calling.
* The mention of any program, activity or materials in this document does not indicate endorsement
© 2013 GLSEN NO NAME-CALLING WEEK
Find even more activities here:
http://glsen.org/nonamecallingweek
