Skip to content

Page Segments: intro

ACTIVITY 4: Peer Power

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 4

ACTIVITY 4: Peer Power

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 4

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!

PRINT FINISH ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 3: Tobacco & Nicotine Use - The Health Consequences

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 3

ACTIVITY 3: Tobacco & Nicotine Use - The Health Consequences

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 3

TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE -
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

You've probably heard that using tobacco and nicotine is unhealthy. Take a look at some of the diseases and health problems smoking and nicotine use causes.15

START
X CLOSE

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: what it means to you.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004. Referenced 2012.

www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/
sgr/2004/pdfs/whatitmeanstoyou.pdf

ACTIVITY 2: It’s Your Health

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 2

ACTIVITY 2: It’s Your Health

For Teachers / Grades 8 & 9 / Activity 2

IT'S YOUR HEALTH

Shortness of breath. Heart disease. Cancer. These are just a few of the health consequences of using tobacco products.17
Think they can't happen to you if you use tobacco? Guess again. If you use tobacco or nicotine, you are at risk for many health consequences or diseases. Think you would quit before the consequences set in? Some of the effects happen fast. Young people who smoke report experiencing coughing, wheezing, and phlegm production.18 If you currently smoke, this may all sound familiar. If you don't smoke, don't start - it's that simple!

START
X CLOSE

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014. Referenced 2017.



https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/50th-anniversary/
X CLOSE

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; Washington, D.C., 2012. Referenced 2017.



https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/preventing-youth-tobacco-use/full-report.pdf

ACTIVITY 10: It’s Decision Time!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 10

ACTIVITY 10: It’s Decision Time!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 10

IT'S DECISION TIME!

While you may not think about it, your mind goes through a series of six steps, or questions, when you make a decision. These steps are listed below.

  1. Situations: Why do you need to make a decision?
  2. Goals: What do you need to happen?
  3. Choices: What are your options or the alternatives?
  4. Consequences: What could happen?
  5. Decision: What will you do?
  6. Think About It: Did you make the right decision?
Start

ACTIVITY 9: My Perception!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 9

ACTIVITY 9: My Perception!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 9

MY PERCEPTION!

START

ACTIVITY 8: Let Me Illustrate

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 8

ACTIVITY 8: Let Me Illustrate

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 8

TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

You've probably heard that using tobacco is unhealthy. Take a look at some of the diseases and health problems using tobacco and nicotine products causes.18.

START

ACTIVITY 7: Facing Tough Situations

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 7

ACTIVITY 7: Facing Tough Situations

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 7

FACING TOUGH SITUATIONS

Sometimes preparing for situations before they happen can help you deal with them when or if they do happen. For example, learning ways to say "no" to your friends who pressure you to do things you don't want to do can be helpful.

START

ACTIVITY 6: Thinking Your Way to Good Decisions

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 6

ACTIVITY 6: Thinking Your Way to Good Decisions

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 6

THINKING YOUR WAY TO GOOD DECISIONS

Imagine yourself in the two hypothetical situations you’ll see on the next screens. Read each one and then discuss the questions that follow with your group. Talk about what you think might be the consequences for the friendships, and how you might deal with the consequences if this were to happen to you.

START

ACTIVITY 5: What’s Important to Me!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 5

ACTIVITY 5: What’s Important to Me!

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 5

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME

On the next page, you will see a list of phrases that describe things people may value, or find important.

 

Low Importance        Medium Importance        High Importance

 

Where you put the phrases will show what you find important.

START

ACTIVITY 4: Peer Pressure and Influence—Do Your Friends Affect Your Decisions?

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 4

ACTIVITY 4: Peer Pressure and Influence—Do Your Friends Affect Your Decisions?

For Teachers / Grade 7 / Activity 4

PEER PRESSURE AND INFLUENCE:
DO YOUR FRIENDS AFFECT YOUR DECISIONS?

Peer pressure can influence a person's decisions. Friends might pressure you by teasing you or giving you a lot of attitude. Other times you might feel pressured to do something you don't want to do because you think your friends want you to do it, but they don't actually say or do anything to encourage you at all. This is peer influence — you make a decision to do something because you think your action will make you fit in better.

START