SAMPLE SNIPPET LESSON PLAN TO:
The Psychology of Bullies
Using "17 Again"
Subject: Health; Bullying
Ages: 14+
Length: Snippet: 4 minutes, 15 seconds; Lesson: 30 minutes
Overview: The short snippet and the suggestions for classroom activities contained in this Snippet Lesson Plan are intended to be part of a larger lesson on bullying. They will provide a change of pace and incorporate media into the larger unit.
Learner Outcomes/Objectives: Students will be introduced to the psychology of bullies.
Rationale: 15 - 25% of students report being bullied. Considered by some to
be an epidemic, bullying is often commonplace in school settings. It can cause physical, mental and emotional damage. The first step in building a school culture that resists bullying is to help students understand the psychology of bullies.
Description of the Snippet: The best time of Mike's life was when he was the star of the high school basketball team, on track to earn a college scholarship, and totally in love with his girlfriend. Except that he got her pregnant; they got married; and he had to get a job. No scholarship and no college for Mike. Now, about seventeen years later, Mike is out of shape, unemployed, and alienated from his high school aged son and daughter. In addition, his wife has filed for divorce. One day, as Mike bitterly regrets his decision to forgo the basketball scholarship and continue his education, an angel appears and offers him the opportunity to do it all over, to be "17 Again".
Back in his 17 year old body and with a new identity, Mike re-enrolls in his old school, now attended by his children. However, Mike soon realizes that the second chance he has been given is to be the father that he never was and to help his kids out of their various difficulties. Specifically, his son is being bullied by the star of the basketball team who is also dating and trying to seduce Mike's daughter.
The snippet shows a scene in which Mike confronts the bully in the cafeteria, humiliating him and providing an introduction to the psychology of bullies.
