Standard of Learning

8.2   The student will apply health concepts and skills to the management of personal and family health. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the risks associated with gang-related activities;
2. the benefits of using resistance, problem-solving, and decision-making skills for addressing health issues;
3. the importance of developing relationships that are positive and promote wellness;
4. the benefits of developing and implementing short- and long-term health and fitness goals that are achievable and purposeful.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand benefits of using the resistance, problem-solving, and decision making skills to manage personal and family health and the risks associated with gang-related activities.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define
  • negative peer pressure;
  • resistance skills;
  • problem solving; and
  • decision making.
• describe gang-related behaviors.
• discuss risks associated with gang-related activities.
• discuss how resistance, problem-solving, and decision-making skills can lead to healthier decisions.

Sample Lessons

"Creative Coloring"
Grade: 8
This lesson is implemented for eighth grade students to learn how to make decisions and  ask for help when needed.  The main goal in this lesson is for students to hopefully recognize that in certain situations you must rely on family in friends for the outcome to be successful.
http://www.csee.net/LessonPlans.asp?id=1
Free

"Decisions in a Lifetime"
Grade: 8
This lesson involves creating an imaginary character's life from birth to death, with students contributing the significant events along with the age at which the events occur.  From this lesson students learn that life comes with both its ups and downs and that decisions made in their teenage years can affect them for the rest of their lives.
http://www.csee.net/LessonPlans.asp?id=9
Free

Discovery Education: Reality Matters, Big Decisions
Grade(s): 6-8
As the lesson goes on students will learn about influences of health, choices, and risk taking.  The middle-school students will be able to gain this knowledge by role-playing and answering questions amongst one another.
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/bigDecisions/
Free

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Grades: 6-8
Substance abuse prevention program for youth. Teaches youth how to resist peer pressure and live drug and violence-free lives.
Contact: http://www.dare.com

Group Rope Squares
Grades 5-12
This lesson will further reinforce group cohesion and communication skills as well as problem solving and cooperation. In teaching a drug prevention program, it is important to introduce activities like this that illustrate to students that Together they can help solve each other's problems, depend on one another, and communicate their needs to others.
Sponsor: Ask Eric
Contact: http://www.eduref.org (select lesson plans – health – substance abuse prevention)
Free

Intel Education: "Creative Kids Go Pro"
Grade(s): 6-8
In this lesson students learn about community businesses and service organizations, and choose one to help by producing informational brochures. As a public relations "agency," students assess the needs of their client and produce a brochure that heralds an upcoming event or publicizes the organization’s contribution to the community.
http://www97.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/UnitPlanIndex/CreativeKidsGoPro/
Free

Intel Education: "Don't Trash the Earth"
Grade(s): 6-8
In this lesson students learn how they can be a part of helping the environment and what their responsibility in doing so is.  Students will find a local area where they have places for individuals to place recyclable items.  In a final show of social responsibility, student entrepreneurs turn trash into treasure as they divert materials from the waste stream and turn them into attractive merchandise they sell at a holiday business fair.
http://www97.intel.com/en/ProjectDesign/UnitPlanIndex/DontTrashEarth/
Free

LifeSkills Training
Grades: 6-8
Model substance abuse prevention and competency enhancement program focusing on the major social and psychological factors causing substance use and abuse. Teaches drug resistance skills, personal management skills, and general social skills. Includes self-image, self-improvement, decision-making, anger management, assertiveness, communication, media, and conflict resolution issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Project Towards No Tobacco Use (TNT)
Grades 5-10
Model program to prevent or reduce tobacco use in youth. Ten core and 2 booster lessons. Includes effective refusal and coping skills; effects of media and advertisers; methods to build self-esteem; and strategies for advocating no tobacco use.
Sponsor: Department of Preventive Medicine, USC
Contact: http://www.etr.org
Cost

Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP)
Grades 6-8
Model 3-year violence prevention program. Includes importance of significant friends or adult mentors; relationship between self-image and gang-related behaviors; conflict resolution; and effects of environmental influences on personal health.
Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University
Contact: ameyer@saturn.vcu.edu
Cost

Samaritans: "Dealing with Conflict"
Grade(s): 8-10
This is the first of two lessons in citizenship on the theme of conflict. The focus here is on understanding conflict and responding assertively to it. This will prepare students for the next lesson which looks at personal and global conflict.
http://www.samaritans.org/pdf/C4DealingWithConflict.pdf
Free

Samaritans: "Emotional Health Awareness"
Grade(s): 8-10
This lesson plan is designated to teach eighth through tenth grade students to understand what emotional health is, and how it may vary over time.  The skill they hope to learn will be to challenge the stigma associated with poor mental health, and to be able to discuss ways of maintaining good mental health.
http://www.samaritans.org/pdf/A1EmotionalHealth.pdf
Free

Samaritans: "Stress Management and Problem Solving"
Grade(s): 8-10
In this lesson students will be able to understand the term stress and be able to describe how level of demand, control and support affect how much stress a person feels.  Through some of the exercises they will see how other people experience feelings differently, and to appreciate how stress is the result of differing reactions to situations.
http://www.samaritans.org/pdf/B4StressManagement.pdf
Free

Social Emotional Learning Lesson
Grade(s): 5-8
Students will learn to recognize own anger and develop appropriate responses
http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/internal/SELWebPg/COP5-8Oregon.htm
Free

Social Emotional Learning Lesson
Grade: 8
Students will gain an understanding of the novel and make connections between the novel and one’s own experiences.
http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/internal/SELWebPg/COP8KillaMckg.htm
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• A Parent's Guide for Preventing Gangs – http://www.lunaweb.com/pargang.htm
• Avoiding Gangs and Bullies – http://www.healthteacher.com/lessonguides/injuries/middle/
• Drug and Violence Prevention – http://dave.esc4.net
• Guidance Counselor
• Health Textbooks
• How Assertive Are You? - http://www.theoaktree.com/assrtquz.htm
• Life Skills Program
• Peer Pressure and Choices – http://www.doitnow.org/pages/163.html
• Preventing Violence – http://www.Colorado.EDU/cspv/index.html
• School Resource Officer

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• role play the use of resistance, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to manage personal and family health.
• identify reasons teens should avoid gangs.
• design problem-solving vignettes suitable for use by eighth grade students.

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