1. Organize students into small groups seated around a table or desk.
2. Place a strip of masking tape across the length of a desk and provide each group with a tube of toothpaste.
3. Little by little, they are to squeeze the paste out along the masking tape, stuck to their table.
4. Once they’ve made a line along the tape, ask the students to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Give them a minute or so to discover that this is impossible.
Discuss: The toothpaste is like hurtful words or actions that just 'slip out,' you can't just take back something once it has been said. The effect must inevitably remain. A Russian proverb says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never swallow it again." Bullies say or type hurtful words before they've really thought through how it will affect the person at the other end.
About: Cue Courage’s National Bullying Prevention Month Activity Kit is designed by educators for educators and reflects the best available research and activities on bullying prevention. If you would like a copy of our activity kit, please email us ([email protected]).