Content Area: Career Education and Consumer, Family, and Life Skills
Index: 9.2C Grade 8 CPI 3
Standard: 9.2 - Consumer, Family, and Life Skills
Strand: C - Interpersonal Communication
Cumulative Progress Indicator: 3 - The student will work cooperatively with others to solve a problem.
Grade: 8
Sample Activities:
· Earth is becoming uninhabitable
· Current transportation systems consume natural resources and add to pollution and congestion.
· Comparison of Three Types of Milk in a Recipe
· Our Town
· TAKING CARE IS COMMON SENSE: In small groups, students develop a health and grooming checklist for the care of teeth, eyes, and ears. Groups use a variety of resources to identify sources of information and services for each and create a pamphlet or poster.
Variation: Invite a high school student with a vision or hearing problem to
visit the class and share how he/she has adapted. A hearing impaired person
might be accompanied by an interpreter.
· STRESS
TEST:
Start this activity by administering a short pop quiz. Include questions that
are difficult to answer. Tell the class that this is a real test. After the test
is completed, ask the class what they thought about the test. (Expect some
negative responses.) Assure students that this was really a stress test,
designed to create some degree of anxiety. Ask volunteers to share their
physical and emotional feelings when you announced the test. “Did those feelings
change the longer the quiz went on? How did you feel when I announced that it
wasn’t a real test after all?” Define stress and stressor and write the
definitions on the board. Discuss ways people adapt to stressful situations.
Divide the class into small groups and give each group an example of a stressful
situation. Examples of situations might include:
· You
left your permission slip for the class trip at home. It’s due today.
· You
have two papers and three tests this week.
· Try-outs
for the softball team are this Saturday; you really want to make the team.
· The
teacher always calls on you.
· Your
parents and your older brother are always yelling at each other.
Each group develops a list of ways to deal with the stress produced by the
problem and then shares the strategies with the rest of the class. Finish the
lesson by explaining that the pop quiz did not count towards their grade!
Variation: Students generate positive and negative ways to address
stress-producing situations. From the list, students design a poster or comic
strip that emphasizes positive ways to deal with stress.
Variation: Discuss factors that children with special needs or living under
special circumstances must face. For example, what stressors impact children
with physical disabilities? How do they deal with day-to-day situations along
with any added stressors? How can students help their classmates?
· WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT: Ask students: “Could you tell if a friend had an eating disorder? How would you know? If you suspected that this friend had such a problem, what would you do?” Explain that eating disorders have received a lot of publicity because so many famous people have come forward with the problem. Explain that not only the rich and famous suffer from these problems. Put two headings on the chalk-board: “Normal Eating Behavior” and “Eating Disorder Behavior.” Brainstorm ideas for both categories and discuss them. Show pictures of models and celebrities that have come forward with the disease. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a case study where the individual may be exhibiting signs of an eating disorder or unhealthy eating pattern (see samples below). Each group discusses the situation, lists the possible symptoms and contributing factors, and offers resources for assistance. Groups share with the entire class.
SAMPLE CASE STUDIES
Case Study #1: Dale - Dale has gained 20 pounds in the last 18 months but has
also grown 4 inches. Dale feels fat and is constantly trying to lose weight.
Dale skips breakfast and lunch and only eats salad for dinner.
Case Study #2: Pat - Pat can’t get enough exercise. Pat works out 4-5 hours
every day and judges success by the scale. Pat is trying to maintain 110 pounds.
Each time the scale shows more, Pat adds more exercise to the daily routine.
Case Study #3: Sean - Sean doesn’t eat meat, milk products, or eggs. Sean eats
mostly fresh vegetables and fruits.
Case Study #4: Leslie - Leslie won’t eat very much for days and then “pigs out” on junk food. Leslie has been seen vomiting in the school lavatory. When questioned, Leslie says, “I’m fine.”
Variation: Students investigate national organizations, agencies, and other
resources for information on eating disorders. Students contact the agencies for
information on treatment programs and compile information for a resource guide
or poster.
Variation: Invite a panel consisting of two or three individuals with an eating
disorder, a psychologist, and a nutrition specialist to discuss issues regarding
the increased incidence of eating disorders and how to develop a positive body
image.
Variation: Students write a story about a young person with an eating disorder.
Include in the conclusion ways the young person should deal with the issues that
contributed to the condition.
Variation: Students investigate the potential long-term health effects of
unhealthy adolescent eating patterns (e.g., osteoporosis, cancer, obesity).
· WHEN WE GET SICK: Students brainstorm the top 10 reasons students are not in school, then invite the school nurse to confirm or reveal the reasons. (Students may cite reasons other than illness, such as religious observances, family trips, and dental appointments; clarify to focus on illness-related absenteeism.) Divide the class into groups and assign each group one of the top 10 reasons. Students research the health problem, outlining the incidence in this age group, the causes and contributing factors, the signs and symptoms, and what methods can be used to prevent or lessen the impact of the disease. Students use this information to develop a mini-presentation on school attendance policies for younger students about to enter middle school.
· WHO'S IN CHARGE?: Ask students to describe the organization of a major corporation. Explain to the class that the human body is much like a major corporation: the chief executive officer is rarely seen but has a great deal of influence on how well the company functions. The chairperson or CEO of the human body is the pituitary gland. Since this gland is frequently called the master gland, this organ becomes the chairperson for what we call “adolescent restructuring.” Divide the class into teams. Each team designs a company, with the pituitary in charge that shows how hormones regulate many bodily functions. Team members define their tasks during puberty, determine what body systems must work together to accomplish these tasks, and describe what adaptations can be made to ease the adolescent restructuring. Teams present their ideas to the class.
Variation: Use CD-ROM and interactive computer technology (e.g., A.D.A.M., 3-D
Human Body) to allow more advanced students to study the intricacies of body
systems.
Variation: Use models of organs and body systems, (e.g., the brain, heart,
skeletal system) to reinforce information found in books and videos. Take
students on a field trip to a science center or health education center (e.g.,
Liberty Science Center, Franklin Institute, CentraState Medical Center’s Health
Awareness Center) to experience interactive displays.
· THE BODY SYSTEMS GAME: Prior to class, print the names of the body systems and associated organs on index cards. Inform the class they will be playing a game that requires them to associate a body organ with the correct body system. Tape one of the index cards to each student’s back. (Obviously the student cannot know what is on the card.) Students circulate around the room and can ask each student one yes or no question in an attempt to identify the system or organ on their card. When the student correctly identifies the card, the card is removed from his/her back and taped to the front of the student’s body. As students guess their identities, they join other class members associated with the same body system. Finally, when all the cards are guessed, students in each group develop a poem, rap, or song about the body system and ways to keep it healthy.
Variation: Students develop skits that describe the functions of the body
systems and perform the skits for younger students. Costumes can be designed to
appropriately reflect the characters.
Variation: Students create a diary of a body system or organ entitled “A Day in
the Life.”
Variation: Students create a pyramid graph that illustrates the various
components of a body system. Cells occupy the point of the pyramid and the
systems the base.
· YOU GOTTA HAVE FUEL: Ask students to describe how a car converts fuel to energy. Point out that a car needs gasoline, and explain how the engine works to produce power. Ask students to describe how the body is like a car and relate the role of proper nutrition to fuel intake. Divide the class into groups and have each group design a “car” that operates on a healthy diet.
· IT'S NOISY OUT THERE!: Brainstorm responses to the following question: “How can too much noise affect your health?” Chances are students will give the obvious answers regarding hearing loss but lead students to answers such as increased stress, less privacy, high blood pressure, and structural damage to one’s house. In small groups, students develop a list of ways to reduce their exposure to loud noises and share their list with the class.
Variation: Brainstorm kinds of sounds and provide students with a decibel scale.
Students match each sound with the appropriate decibel. Discuss the impact of
continuous exposure to excessive decibel levels on hearing and general health.
Review community laws about noise.
· TEEN MAGAZINE: Provide a wide variety of current magazines that appeal to teenagers. Ask students to identify common elements in each. Divide the class into several groups. Each group selects a target audience for a newly created teen magazine that promotes adolescent health (e.g., younger teens, males, high school females, college students, student athletes) Each group determines the topics for their magazine based on their review of magazines currently in print (e.g., advice columns; features on foods, makeup and fashion; real life stories; music and movie reviews). Groups write and design articles; put the magazine together; illustrate it with drawings, graphics or photos; and develop a marketing plan to reach the desired audience. Each group presents the finished magazine to the class.
Variation: Instead of designing a teen magazine, students develop a magazine for
families or parents using the same preparation and format. Students might also
design a magazine targeting elementary students.
· MOVING FORWARD: Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with a different trigger word related to adolescent growth and development. (e.g., growth, puberty, hormones, dating, independence, moods). Each group develops a list of five questions related to its trigger word. Reconvene the class and collect the questions. The next day, the teacher answers each question.
Variation: Assign questions to small groups for responses.
Variation: Invite a panel of adolescent health specialists to present accurate
information on common health concerns of young adolescents. The speakers should
emphasize positive adolescent health behaviors.
· FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH: Brainstorm factors that influence one’s personal state of health (e.g., dietary patterns, exercise, heredity). Divide the class into small groups, and give each group a case study that describes a student their age. The student in the scenario has a health problem (e.g., diabetes, asthma, myopia, a growth disorder). Each group identifies the problem(s), the possible causes or contributing factors, treatment, and prevention methods and then describes the impact of the problem on the hypothetical student’s daily life. As part of a presentation to the entire class, one student assumes the role of the young person in the scenario. Other group members interview the student about his/her health condition and how it impacts being an adolescent. Students complete the activity by writing a journal entry describing things they can do to reduce their risk of illness or injury.
SAMPLE CASE STUDY: ROB
Rob has always been athletic. Last winter, Rob got sick and was diagnosed with
asthma. His doctor explained that he would have to use medication several times
a day and that he might not have the stamina to play sports like he used to. Rob
really wants to play basketball this year.
SAMPLE CASE STUDY: ELLEN
Ellen had been feeling extremely tired and had lost interest in school. Her
parents thought she was bored. At her last physical exam, the doctor drew some
blood and discovered she had diabetes. She needs to take insulin several times
per day, but Ellen is feeling much better.
· COMMUNITY PROFILE: Explain that experts can predict health problems in a population by looking more closely at the community. Divide the class into small groups to design a community. Each group chooses a name for its community and describes the population, the location of the community, and other distinguishing features. Be sure students do not leave out factors such as primary sources of employment, local industry, community history, and environmental concerns as well as positive factors that support health such as recreation areas, community hospitals, or other health agencies. After the groups have written a description of their community, each group separates factors into positive influences on community wellness and negative influences on community wellness. Students should try to predict health problems that might be common in the town and develop preventive measures that will reduce the risk of health problems in the community’s population. Each group presents their community via a role-play panel: one student serves as mayor of the town and the other panel members are key citizens, business leaders, or healthcare providers.
Variation: Provide students with current information about towns in the county
or region. Use public health data to have students draw conclusions about the
health of the community. A visit from the local health officer or representative
from the county health department supports this activity.
Variation: Provide students with current data to include in the community they design.
· DESIGN A HEALTHY COMMUNITY: Read aloud a profile of an unhealthy community (e.g., noise, pollution, crime, poor sanitation, crowded conditions, toxic waste). Explain how a healthy community contributes to the overall health of an individual. Divide the class into small groups to design a healthy community. Students include access to healthcare services and describe ways the community addresses issues such as violence and drug use. Students design a healthy community using computer simulation or models and present their community to the rest of the class.
Variation: Students survey their community for evidence of healthy and unhealthy
conditions and compile a class list of the observations. Divide the class into
small groups, each group addressing one unhealthy aspect of the community.
Groups describe the conditions and develop action plans to remedy or improve the
conditions. Groups share their plans and the class votes on the best plan. The
entire class presents the plan to community officials at a town meeting.
· NONPROFIT AGENCIES:Students identify local nonprofit agencies and organizations that provide health information and assistance and invite agency representatives to a panel discussion. Each agency representative presents an overview of his/her organization and addresses student questions. Following the presentations, students design a public relations campaign for one of the non-profit agencies.
· BEING
THE BEST: Ask students to define assertiveness. Write the various
definitions on the board and develop an accepted definition of the term. Explain
that there are four important factors to consider when communicating with
others. The factors can be remembered by the acronym BEST:
Body posture
Eye contact
Speech
Tone of voice
Model examples of each factor and ask volunteers to assist with examples.
Provide small groups with scenarios to practice assertive responses, emphasizing
the BEST principles. Group members rate each scenario response using a
teacher-designed checklist. Groups present their responses for class discussion
and critique.
Variation: Students use the BEST model and ASSERT model to respond to various situations. ASSERT stands for:
Assertive communication is to:
State the situation (What and how do I feel?)
Show understanding for the other person’s position (What is his/her role?)
Explore a fair option (What would you like to see done?)
Respond to the other person’s reply (How can you respond?)
Treat yourself and others with respect.
Variation: Define passive, aggressive, and assertive behavior and provide
examples of each. (A simple response matrix can be found in Project TNT, a
research-based tobacco education program, available from ETR Associates.)
Solicit examples of each type of behavior from students. Select volunteers
to participate in role-plays that illustrate each type of behavior. Students
guess the behavior based on the skit and discuss possible alternative behaviors
for the situation
Variation: Play a modified version of charades. Create a number of situation
cards. Pairs of students select a card and portray a situation or emotion using
only body language. Classmates guess the situation and the behaviors based on
the body language viewed.
Variation: Divide the class into teams of five students. Each team is given a simple phrase or statement. Each team member must say the same words but provide different meaning through intonation, body language, tone, or volume.
· TEAM
PROBLEM SOLVING: Write the following statement on the board: “Two heads are
better than one.” Ask students what the statement means. Explain that they will
“put their heads together” to solve a problem. Show an open-ended video vignette
(e.g., “Cooling a Hot Situation” or “Triggering Positive Health Choices” from
Met Life or any of several Project Alert videos). After the video, divide the
class into small groups, and allow approximately 20 minutes for each group to
discuss and solve the problem portrayed in the vignette. Students write an
ending to the vignette based on group discussion. View the ending of the
original video and discuss the following:
· What
criteria were used to write the ending?
· Was
the group’s ending similar to the commercial video ending? Why or why not?
· What
other choices did the character(s) have?
· Was
problem solving easier with a group? Why?
· How
did you reach a decision?
Variation: Provide students with an unfinished story. Students create an ending to the story, showing how the teen used effective decision-making and communication skills to solve the problem.
· MINE FIELD: For this activity, you need a large open area in the gym or on the playground. Use rope to outline a large rectangle. Within the roped area, spread out objects that represent land mines. Organize the class into pairs, with one member remaining outside the rectangle and the other staying inside the rectangle but wearing a blindfold. The partner on the outside guides his blindfolded teammate from one end of the rectangle to the other through the minefield. Partners cannot touch and can only communicate verbally. The object is to guide your partner through the minefield without stepping on an object. After all pairs have successfully navigated the course, discuss the communication skills that worked best during the exercise.
Variation: Replace the minefield with a maze.
Variation: One partner is blindfolded. The other partner verbally guides him/her
through a series of simple tasks such as completing a math problem, writing a
sentence, or navigating a school hallway.
· PEER
MEDIATION: Students investigate and develop a program to provide peer
mediation services in the school. Working with the school counselor, students
visit a school already engaged in a successful peer mediation program. Students
develop the rules for the program and assist in the development of a training
program for prospective peer mediators. Students collect information about the
program and report to
the school administration at the end of the school year.
· IDENTIFYING VIOLENCE: Ask the students: “What does violence looks like?” Brainstorm a definition and description of various forms of violence (e.g., fighting, domestic violence). Use an excerpt from a television show, movie, or video that clearly illustrates several kinds of violent acts and conflicts. Students count the number of acts of violence in the show and discuss what they observed. Divide the class into small groups to discuss one of the acts seen in the film clip. As the groups discuss the elements of violence, explain that the audience doesn’t see what happens after a violent scene. Each group predicts what might occur after the act of violence, focusing on the aggressor and the victim, their families, friends, and employers and considering the effects of the violent act on the community. Groups share their predictions with the rest of the class.
Variation: What does violence cost society? Using some of the same acts of violence noted above, students examine the real cost of damages, lost income, incarceration, and increased police patrols. How does violence impact local taxes and the community’s quality of life? Invite community leaders to discuss violence prevention efforts.
· ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND OTHER DRUGS: IMPACT ON YOUR HEALTH: Create a large grid on the chalkboard or on newsprint, similar to the one below.
Create a deck of cards with facts about the four substances listed and the ways they impact four areas of health (listed at the top of the chart). Divide the class into several teams. Give each team an even number of cards (each team gets different colored cards). Students discuss the information on the cards and decide where the cards fit on the grid. Teams are given a chance to place a card on the correct spot on the grid and justify their answer. Another team can challenge the placement or justification, but they will lose a card if they challenge incorrectly. Only correct responses stay on the grid. At the end, tally the number of correctly placed cards for each team and offer a reward.
· REASONS NOT TO USE: Share statistics on the number of teenagers who do not use drugs. Talk about how the media often focuses on teenagers who use drugs, rather than the majority of teens who do not. Divide the class into small groups to discuss the risks and consequences of substance use, looking at short-term and immediate risks and consequences. Each group develops a list of reasons not to use drugs and then must reach consensus on the top three reasons. A spokesperson for each group summarizes the discussion and presents the top three reasons to the class. (Have a scribe record the top three reasons from each group on a large sheet of newsprint.) The entire class ranks the reasons and comes to consensus on the top three. In a brief journal entry, students predict if these reasons will change as they get older.
· SHARING INFORMATION: Brainstorm groups that might benefit from a short pamphlet on a topic such as alcoholism or chemical dependency (e.g., parents, parents of teens, teens, elementary students) and list on the board. Divide the class into small groups. From the list, each group selects a target audience, develops a pamphlet using a variety of print and technological resources, and creates a distribution plan for the appropriate audience.
Variation: Students take an existing pamphlet or fact sheet and with appropriate
assistance, translate it into Spanish or another world language spoken in the
community. Students develop a list of community agencies and locations for
distribution.
· SOLVE
THE PROBLEM: GETTING HELP: Brainstorm a list of community agencies and
programs that provide health and social services for teenagers. Ask: “Why do
teens use these services? Why do teens not use these services? What are the
barriers that prevent teens from using these services?” Discuss what actions can
be taken to help students overcome the barriers and make effective use of
available services. Discuss state and federal laws regarding parental
notification and confidentiality for substance abuse treatment. Divide the class
into four groups to develop role-plays illustrating how others assist a
character with a problem Each group presents its role-play to the class for
comment and discussion. Students complete
the lesson by writing a response to the following statement: “I have a friend
who drinks. I can...”
Variation: Using a variety of resources, students create an annotated brochure
or directory of community health and social services for adolescents. With the
assistance of staff from the community agencies, students design and print the
product and develop a marketing plan for community distribution. Engage the
school district’s public relations specialist or a volunteer from the community
to assist in the development of the campaign.
· BE SAFE, NOT SORRY: SAY NO!: Students may find themselves in situations that pose a threat to their safety. Other situations may ultimately get them into trouble with authority figures (e.g., parents, school officials, police). Divide the class into small groups. Each group develops a role-play that addresses one of the following situations:
· You’re
at a party where the parents serve alcoholic drinks to the teenagers.
· You
need a ride home from a party. The only person who offers you a ride is drunk.
· You
get a ride home with one of your brother’s friends. You notice several empty
liquor bottles on the floor of the car.
· At
a party, you accidentally knock over a vase and find a stash of marijuana.
Students rate each role-play for the effective use of decision-making, refusal,
or negotiation skills or the appropriate use of assertiveness. (Students use a
teacher-designed rating chart for this part of the activity.) Each student
writes a short story about a potentially threatening situation focusing on the
character’s use of skills to safely diffuse or resolve the situation.
Variation: Videotape the role-plays and have each group critique its own skill
performance. Groups rewrite the role-plays to more effectively demonstrate the
skills, then tape the revised version. Students critique the second version
using the same criteria and compare the two versions.
· ADVANTAGES OF...: Divide the class into three groups. One group represents children, one group represents teenagers, and the third group represents adults. Each group brainstorms the advantages and disadvantages of being the age of its assigned group and develops an ad campaign to promote the advantages. Students share the ads and discuss.
Variation: Students write an essay entitled “The Advantages of Being Me.”
· TEEN PANEL: Invite a panel of high school students to address the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during the transition from middle school to high school. The teens should focus on strategies to cope with peer pressure, parents, and the rapid changes that occur in body and mood. Students write a reaction to the presentation.
Variation: Invite a panel of senior citizens to speak about the significant events and milestones of their lives. The panel should stress ways to keep young at heart and healthy. Students plan a social event for the senior citizens, such as a dance or luncheon, to thank them for their participation.
· ANATOMY ALPHABET: Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students with one person serving as recorder for the team. Each group brainstorms the names of various parts of the body and lists them in alphabetical order on a teacher-designed worksheet. Award one point for each body part listed that both males and females have, and award five points for every body part listed that only males have or only females have. The team with the most points wins. If slang words appear on the lists, help the teams replace them with the appropriate names. Review the lists by proceeding through the alphabet, calling upon each group to read its contributions aloud.
· IF YOU ARE IN LOVE: Solicit responses to this statement: “If you are in love, you...” Each student prioritizes his/her top fifteen answers. Divide the class into small groups, each with an equal number of males and females, to compare lists. Pose the following questions to each group: “Are there differences in response by gender? What are the differences? What are the similarities? What are the most common responses?” Groups discuss the similarities and differences and then share their observations with the entire class. To complete the activity, students select one statement and write an essay justifying their selection.
· DEFINING LOVE: Divide the class into two groups. One group represents visitors from another planet and the other group represents inhabitants of Earth. The Earthlings must answer the visitors’ questions about love. (All the visitors know are the images of love they have seen in Earth satellite transmissions, which are mostly television shows.) The Earthlings must explain, in as simple terms as possible, what love is, how love is expressed, and the role of love in human life. Students may role-play, mime, or create illustrations to support their explanations. After the activity, ask both sides: “How difficult was it to define love? How hard was it to ask the right questions? How often was love confused with sex?”
· WELL-ADJUSTED
AND HEALTHY: Brainstorm what constitutes a well-adjusted and healthy
marriage. List all the responses on the board. In a healthy relationship,
partners:
· Agree
on critical issues
· Share
common interests
· Show
affection and shared confidence
· Have
few complaints
· Are
not lonely or irritable
Divide the class into small groups. Provide each group with a description of an
imaginary couple. Each group discusses whether the couple has a chance at a
healthy relationship. Case studies should include couples with religious,
economic, and educational issues. Be sure to include ethnic, racial, and
cultural factors in the case studies. After discussing the imaginary couple,
each group rates the potential for a healthy marriage on a scale of 1 to 10 (1=
unlikely, 10= highly likely). Each group defends their position based on the
information provided.
Variation: Divide the class into groups of four, preferably mixed gender groups.
Provide each group with a different magazine article that focuses on finding the
perfect mate or having the perfect marriage or relationship. After reading the
article, each group considers the following questions: “Do the
readers agree with the article? Is the information accurate? Does the article
speak to the issues or was the title of the article misleading? Do the male
readers look at the article the same way as the female readers?” After
discussion, each group selects a spokesperson to summarize the article and
present the viewpoints of the group.
· MATURITY
AND COMMITMENT: People entering into a long-term, committed relationship
must display certain actions in order for the relationship to be healthy. Divide
the class into small groups, and assign each group one of the following factors
that contribute towards a healthy marriage or relationship. Each group discusses
the factor and then develops examples of how that factor contributes to a
healthy relationship. Each group develops several examples of the factor within
the context of the relationship and then presents their ideas to the class. Use
the ideas to develop a graphic organizer that can be used to generate further
discussion. Participants in a healthy marriage/relationship must be able to:
· Give
and receive.
· Compromise.
· Be
flexible.
· Be
responsible for his/her own feelings.
· Use
all their abilities and skills to establish and maintain the relationship.
· Remain
stable.
· Establish
and meet goals and plans.
· Articulate
his/her values.
· Meet
his/her emotional needs in healthy ways.
· MEETING HUMAN NEEDS: Explain that parents play an important part in our development as human beings. Everyone has certain human needs that must be met in order for that person to be successful. Introduce Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs and describe each section. Divide the class into groups for each section to list ways parents help their children meet the basic human needs. Reconvene the class and identify other influences that may help meet the needs. Students develop a large chart or bulletin board display that describes ways basic human needs are met.
Variation: Students summarize Maslow’s Hierarchy in a pamphlet or flyer and
produce it for distribution to parents in the community.
· RISKS AND REWARDS: Write the words risk and reward on the board to form two columns (leave room for a third column later). Brainstorm a definition for each and solicit examples. Pose the following questions:
· Are
there degrees of risk? Explain.
· How
many of you would take little risks? Why?
· How
many of you like to take bigger risks? Why?
· What
makes a risk worth taking?
Explain that a piece of the puzzle is missing: consequences. Ask students to
define the term. (Add it as a third column on the board.) After the class works
together to analyze several risky situations, divide the class into small
groups. Each group analyzes one situation and presents its ideas to the class
for discussion. Sample situations might include:
· A
middle school student goes to a party with high school students.
· A
middle school student dates a person more than two years older.
· A
middle school student invites his/her girlfriend/boyfriend over when parents
aren’t home.
· ADVANTAGE/DISADVANTAGE: This activity requires students to decide if there are advantages and disadvantages to early sexual activity. Divide the class into small groups, and give each group a chart like the one below. After completing the chart, groups compare the results and discuss.
Variation: Invite high school peer leaders to facilitate each group’s discussion.
· PEER
PRESSURE: A peer educator reads the following monologue to the class: “I’m
at my first real party. The lights are low, the chaperones are upstairs watching
TV, and the party-goers want to play a game. I was afraid this was going to
happen. I’ve heard about some of these games. But I really want to be invited to
more parties, so let’s see what happens. Well, the game begins and just as I
thought, guys and girls are pairing off and going into a closet to play the
game. Actually, they go into the closet and take off some of their clothes while
they are making out. Well, not only do I feel weird about taking off my clothes,
I’m not real experienced in the making out department. Did I hear someone call
my name? Where can I hide? I really don’t want to do this but...” Peer educators
discuss the scenario with small groups of students, using the following
questions to frame discussion:
· What
is happening in the story?
· Why
did the character go to the party?
· What
is the role of peer pressure?
· Why
does the character feel uncomfortable?
· How
can the character say no to the game and save face with his/her friends?
After discussion, each group creates a role-play ending for the scenario that
illustrates strategies to say no. Each group performs its role-play and the
class votes on the best ending.
Variation: Students write a conclusion to the story that illustrates ways to
make a positive healthdecision.
· SAFE AND UNSAFE SITUATIONS: Begin the class by posing the following: “How many of you have found yourself in a situation where you felt just a bit uneasy? Maybe you went someplace you weren’t supposed to go or you followed the crowd to a place that made you nervous. Most teens find themselves in similar situations as they become more independent. What places or situations might be considered unsafe?” (See samples below.) After the introductory discussion, divide the class into small groups, and assign each group a situation. Students develop a role-play illustrating ways to handle such situations and present it to the class.
SAMPLE SITUATIONS: BEING SAFE
· Situation
#1: A 13-year old goes on date with 19-year old.
· Situation
#2: A 12-year old goes to an unchaperoned high school party.
· Situation
#3: A 14-year old joins a gang; the initiation involves having sexual
intercourse.
· Situation
#4: A 13-year old drinks alcohol with a group of older kids he/she doesn’t know
very well.
· Situation
#5: A 14-year old is asked to work late and alone with the assistant manager,
who offers him/her a ride home.
Variation: Invite a panel of high school peer educators to talk about difficult
situations they have faced and how they handled them.
Variation: Students interview a parent or adult about safe and unsafe settings
for adolescents. What rules should parents establish? What safeguards should be
in place in case a teen needs assistance?
· HUMAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE: Draw a line on newsprint or the blackboard similar to the one below.
Prompt students to think about how a human being progresses through the life
span. Ask students: “What does it take to become a healthy, sexually-functioning
adult; that is, someone who is capable of enjoying a mature sexual relationship
and of making responsible decisions about sexual behavior?
How can an individual maintain that life style into later adulthood? What must
take place from infancy to adolescence?” Brainstorm the major developmental
tasks (listed below). Individuals must:
· Possess
a basic identity as a male or female.
· Learn
how to act like a male or female—however one’s culture defines these behaviors.
· Develop
a sexual attraction.
· Develop
a willingness to share oneself with another person in a loving, intimate
relationship.
· Acquire
some basic information about how to give and receive sexual pleasure and how to
conceive and not conceive.
How does a child, an adolescent, or an adult accomplish these tasks? Lead the
discussion to the following key points:
· By
watching how adults behave
· By
responding to inner urges for genital pleasure (leads to sexual responsiveness)
· By
exploring and experimenting with others of a similar age
· By observing the media
Variation: Focus the discussion on the developmental tasks of adolescence. Ask
students: “What must happen from adolescence to adulthood?” Explain that
adolescence is probably one of the most difficult stages for both parents and
children. Ask: “What issues do children grapple with as they begin
the transition from childhood to adulthood?” Research identifies certain
developmental tasks, things that must happen along the way in order for growth
to occur. List the following words on the board:
Independence --- Identity --- Intimacy --- Integrity --- Intellect
Divide the class into five groups to research one developmental task. Each group
develops a graphic organizer, chart, or frequently asked question (FAQ) sheet
that describes the developmental task. Groups present their materials as they
engage the class in a discussion of the various developmental
tasks.
Variation: Students interview individuals from at least three different life
stages. The interview focuses on the person’s likes and dislikes, self-image,
goals, and aspirations. Students develop the interviews into a booklet,
accompanied by a collage, pictures, or a video of the individual. Students share
the booklets and discuss the individual’s responses to the interview questions.
Students discuss the following: “Are the responses predictable by age or gender?
What factors may have influenced the responses? Were you surprised at any of the
answers?”
Variation: Students research the development of gender identity and how the
awareness of one’s sexual orientation develops during adolescence. As part of
the research, students list potential adolescent concerns about gender
development and identify support groups and community resources to
help address the concerns.
· SOUNDTRACK
· Students watch a
videotape of a school-produced drama, with no music. Working in small groups,
students choose appropriate music (not original) to go with the drama.
· Students
discuss/resolve limitations for recording the music to correlate with the drama
and then record the soundtrack.
· Students explain how
the music affected the intent of the drama.
· REFINING CRITIQUE
· As a group, students
identify and list appropriate elements used as criteria to judge live and
recorded musical performances. They use the computer to design a rubric.
· Using the
student-created rating sheet, the class critiques live and recorded performances
of various genres. Students write a critique of two contrasting musical groups:
e.g., classical music, chamber orchestra, and a rock/pop musical such as
“Tommy.” When critiquing each musical group, students discuss the following:
· balance/blend; ensemble; technical precision; tone color;
intonation; and stage presence.
· Critique each other’s
vocal and instrumental musical works based on the same rating sheet used for
critiquing the professional performances. They share the criticisms.
· Students respond to the
question, “Why is it important to analyze the artistic process?”
· MUSIC, LYRICS, AND
SOCIETY
· In small groups,
students choose lyrics from a current popular music song. They read and study
the lyrics, then discuss how their meaning relates to the music and to society.
· Each group arrives at
consensus and produces and presents an oral report on their song to the class
using a music video or audio equipment. The class critiques the presentation and
offers dissenting opinions regarding the lyrics’ meanings.
· Consider using one
video presentation without actually viewing it. Students discuss the lyrics,
then view the visual portion and discuss how this may change the
viewer/listener’s perception of the meaning.
· Students write their
own lyrics with original music they audiotape. They discuss the lyrics of the
original songs as the lyrics relate to society and culture. They incorporate
dance or visual arts to the original music and lyrics. The dance movement and/or
art work will correspond to the music and lyrics.
· CLAP IT
· Students memorize and
use CLAP IT! Brainstorming, students select an act from a play for which they
will design a stage set using the
C-L-A-P method:
· Collect
Information
· Look at your Limitations
· Consider your Audience
· Develop a Plan
· Students collect
information about what items must be on stage (i.e., items mentioned in the text
or discovered through researching the historical period).
· Brainstorm what their
limitations are: size of space, time dead-line, budget, materials, etc.
· Determine what they
want the audience to know about the play through the set design.
· Singly or in small
groups, students plan a set design for the chosen act.
· COSTUME MUSEUM
· Working in small
groups, students select from a varied group of historical periods e.g.,
Victorian, the 1960s, Renaissance, or Medieval, to identify a fashion style or
outfit from the period (for male or female). Each group researches the
costume/style and reports on the social class, mores, and events of the time,
etc., and how they contribute to style and design.
· Each group constructs a
“boardwalk” (faceless, with oval cutout), life-size, standing image wearing the
period costume, hairstyle, etc. Brainstorm solutions to design problems. For
example, discuss the use of technology in re-creating the details of the
costumes: overhead enlargements, copy machine for repetitive pattern,
computer-generated parts, addition of collage materials, etc. The images can be
used to produce photographs of students in the costumes by adding their faces to
these constructions. Use heavy appliance-box cardboard or lightweight wood.
· Display the above as a
Costume Museum. Discuss museum-related careers such as fashion/costume designer,
fashion historian, historical films consultant, museum docent, and photographer.
If added to, annually, the museum will grow to serve other educational needs.
Display the exhibits in other schools or in the community.
· See the World Language - Framework according to the following titles:
· Let’s
Play
· The
Music Maze
· Rocking
Around the World
· Crazy
Olympics
· Hey,
AESOP, What’s Up?
· On
the Fast Track
· Say
It With A Card
· World
Languages…Who Needs Them?
· Justice
for All
· 2050:
A School Odyssey
· Getting
Around the Capital
· Students will work in small groups to develop a new dress code for their intermediate school. The students will assume the role of school administration. They will research current policies in other school districts, health and safety issues, and district policies. Each group will present their dress code to the class with their rational and a plan for implementing the new dress code including any action that will be taken in the event that a student does not adhere to the code.
· Students will read the case studies – Healthy Kids on the USA Today Education web site. The class will divide up into two groups to discuss the discussion questions posed at the conclusion of the case studies. They will then develop a plan that can be implemented in their school to address the problem. Their plan should include, but not be limited to exercise and nutritional choices such as the meals that are served in the cafeteria, vending machines, etc. They should also consider the student population’s attitude regarding eating habits. Each group will present their plan to the class.
· FBLA, offers middle school students the opportunity to apply this indicator in several of its competitive events. The competitive event program gives students the chance to apply this indicator in events such as Computer Slide Show Presentation, Desktop Publishing Application, and Web Page Creation. Guidelines for these can be found at its website, www.fbla-pbl.org.
· Students will attend a meeting of the local school board or watch a taped meeting. As a group the class will list the issues that the school board members had on the agenda and discuss how each of the issues was handled. They will then discuss how the members of the board worked cooperatively to solve the problems on the agenda. Students should also discuss what happens.
