Activity 6: Saying “No”

• Skills: Refusal Skills
• Suggested Time Consideration: 20 minutes

• Rationale

  In this activity, students will examine two illustrations demonstrating peer pressure and peer influence to use tobacco. They will answer questions about what a character might be thinking and ultimately will do in each situation.

• Getting Started

  Share the digital activity link below with your students. They can complete this activity independently or in groups.

  Launch Activity

• Talking About It

  Once everyone has finished, meet as a class to discuss the pictures and students’ answers. Point out the good feelings that might be had by the student who refused the temptation/pressure to participate, and just walked away instead. Reinforce the feeling of inner strength and self-control this student would have for refusing. Ask students to think about how they would handle themselves in each case.

• Wrapping Up

  Ask students to share the advice they would give to the boy about not smoking. Write these answers on chart paper so that you can keep it on display as a reminder to your students about why they should stay tobacco free.

  In addition to trying to determine what characters might think and do, students will be asked to determine which illustration is an example of peer pressure (#1) and which peer influence (#2). Encourage students to talk about the differences between the two illustrations so they are able to ascertain that some pressures are self-generated. They would also do well to explore why they feel these pressures.