SENDING SIGNALS
People’s perceptions of us and our perceptions of others are based largely on what we do or say. Take a look at the picture on the next page. How would you describe each person?
Grades: grades-8-9
Do you sometimes do things you don't want to do because of your friends? Maybe your friends get you to do something good, like work out. Or maybe they get you to do something that's not so good, like skip class. Friends can have a lot of power—but only if you let them.
Pressure vs. Influence—What's the Difference?
If your friends coax you into doing something you don't want to do because of their words or actions, that's peer pressure.
If you convince yourself to do something because you think your friends want you to, or you think it will make you part of the group, that's peer influence. You friends don't push you—you push yourself.
With your group, write a skit that depicts peer influence or peer pressure. You may choose from one of the following general themes.
Themes
- tobacco and nicotine use
- lying
- cheating
- bullying
- gossiping
- betraying
When you write your skit, keep in mind some of the key elements of peer pressure or influence.
Key elements
- the desire to be liked by others
- the desire to be accepted by a particular group
- the desire to exhibit behavior that is similar to others'
- the embarrassment of being ridiculed for not doing something
- the pain of feeling excluded
- the need to sort out one's choices
- the need to understand the consequences of each choice
- the price we sometimes pay for making what we believe to be unpopular choices
Planning Your Skit
With your group, brainstorm ideas before you start your skit. You should prepare two endings—one in which the character gives in, and one in which the character withstands the pressure or influence.
Topic:
Characters:
Situation:
Choices:
Possible consequences:
Resolution #1 (character gives in):
Resolution #2 (character withstands pressure or influence):
Final Steps
Now, talk with your group to finalize the details of your skit. Then, act it out for the class. Have fun!
SKILLS: Comprehending / Analyzing Data
Suggested Time Consideration: 25 mins
RATIONALE
The quiz will help you assess your students’ understanding of the content of the “Right Decisions, Right Now: Be Nicotine Free” program.
GETTING STARTED
When you are done with the lessons and your students have completed the activities, have your class break into small groups and face the interactive whiteboard. You may also opt to project this onto a screen from your computer.
Display the digital activity link to the main page of the quiz on the interactive whiteboard or projector screen.
TALKING ABOUT IT
Emphasize that the point of the Unit Quiz is for students to have an opportunity to share what they’ve learned about being tobacco and nicotine free.
Note the questions students struggle with most and consider discussing them with students after the quiz.
ANSWERS
| Points | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Questions/Prompts in “True/False” Category | ||
| (100) | 36% of middle schoolers are current cigarette smokers. | What is “False”? Only about 1 of every 100 middle school students (1.0%) reported that they had smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days, and 1 out of every 30 middle school students (3.3%) reported that they had used electronic cigarettes (vapes) in the past 30 days. [8] |
| (200) | Most high schoolers are not current cigarette smokers. | What is “True”? |
| (300) | Nicotine addiction can occur after as few as 100 cigarettes/vapes. | What is “True”? |
| (400) | Nicotine does not affect or change the brain the same way heroin and cocaine do. | What is “False”? |
| (500) | The younger a person is when he or she starts to smoke cigarettes or vape, the more likely he or she is to become addicted to nicotine. | What is “True”? |
| Questions/Prompts and Answers in “Multiple Choice” Category | ||
| (100) | What is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.? a) alcohol b) drugs c) cigarette smoking d) none of the above | c |
| (200) | Young people who smoke cigarettes can experience_______. a) shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing b) nausea and phlegm production c) only A d) both A and B | d |
| (300) | Which statement is the most accurate? | c |
| (400) | Using smokeless tobacco can cause______________. a) cancer b) gum disease and mouth sores c) both A and B d) none of the above | c |
| (500) | Nicotine found in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco changes a tobacco user’s______________. a) heart and breathing rates b) heart rate and the brain’s reaction c) heart rate, breathing rate, and the brain’s reaction d) none of the above | c |
| Questions/Prompts and Answers in “Fill in the Blanks” Category | ||
| (100) | Three health consequences of tobacco use are ___________, _____________, and __________. | What are:
|
| (200) | (Double Your Points—Worth 400 Points!) Two nicotine withdrawal symptoms are ____________, and ___________. | What are:
|
| (300) | When making a decision, three things to consider include ___________, ______________, and _________. | What are:
|
| (400) | Two ways of handling conflict: ___________________ and ____________________ | What are:
|
| (500) | Read the following scenario. Then fill in the blanks in the follow-up statement.Carlos’s friend Mike started smoking cigarettes because his older brother does. They’re all hanging out one day, and Mike offers Carlos a cigarette. Carlos does not want to smoke. He’s not sure what to do because everyone is watching him to see how he reacts. Three ways Carlos could say “no” and be tobacco free are _________, ___________, and ____________. | What are:
|
| Prompt and Answers for the Final Question | ||
| TBD by Students | Category: Interpersonal SkillsA scenario that is an example of peer pressure is____________________.A scenario that is an example of peer influence is____________________.(Students will be asked to create their own scenarios to fill in the blanks.) | What are:Answers will vary, but examples should reflect the differences between peer pressure and peer influence:
|
WRAPPING UP
When the Unit Quiz is completed, congratulate students on what they’ve learned about being tobacco and nicotine free!
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD POWERPOINT
For your convenience, we have created this same activity in two formats. The optimized interactive whiteboard PowerPoint includes additional audio and visual effects to engage your students. Click here to download the PowerPoint. You’ll also find it in the “Materials” section below.
SKILLS: Conflict Management
Suggested Time Consideration: 30 mins
RATIONALE
Students might have conflicts with their parents, siblings, friends, or even internal conflicts with themselves. Internal conflicts your students experience may be the result of peer pressure and peer influence – or just wanting to fit in.
GETTING STARTED
Begin this activity by brainstorming with your students about what they think of when they hear the word “conflict.” Write their answers on the board. If there are only negative answers, ask students to consider whether having tickets to two events on the same night is a conflict. It is, but it is not necessarily negative.
Explain to students that some conflicts can involve other people, such as a disagreement with your parents about your curfew; while others can be internal, such as feeling conflicted about how you want to settle a misunderstanding with a friend.
Share the digital activity link and go over the tips for conflict resolution with your students. You may wish to walk through the activity together by presenting it on an interactive whiteboard. Have students take turns reading the conflict resolution tips aloud.
TALKING ABOUT IT
Open the class for discussion and have students talk about how they would manage each conflict presented in the first four “You Decide!” situations.
Then, ask students:
- What kind of conflicts might students encounter related to tobacco and nicotine? (Students might feel pressured by friends to use tobacco and nicotine. It can also cause a conflict between friends. It can also cause an internal conflict as the student being pressured tries to figure out how to handle his or her friends.)
- What are some ways you could handle conflict if you were in this type of situation?
- How could you handle your friends?
- What can you to do to make yourself feel better if you have a conflict with a friend? (Encourage students to keep in mind their goals and what’s important to them if they have a conflict with a friend. For example, they should remind themselves why they chose to be tobacco and nicotine free and focus on that while they resolve the conflict with their friend.)
Have students role-play the situation in Scenario 5. Then, ask the class to discuss the skits by focusing on the questions above.
In discussions with students, encourage them to be imaginative in devising positive resolutions to conflict. Recap what works and what doesn’t work. Discuss the role of anger in an argument and how things like raised voices can impede the resolution of a conflict.
WRAPPING IT UP
Wrap up by pointing out that the existence of conflict is not necessarily a bad thing; two people who work through their conflicts creatively and peacefully are demonstrating just how much their relationship means to them.