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

Do the Right Thing: Finding Solutions for the Causes of Gang Violence
Grade(s): 6-12
In this lesson, students will consider the relationship between gang violence and the factors that can contribute to its increase. After researching the issues behind one such factor, students will make recommendations for implementing changes in local government, law enforcement, and other local agencies, that may help reduce gang violence.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021025
Free

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

In the Mix: "Suicide Prevention"
Grade(s): 7-12
This Lesson plan is designed for students in middle school and all the way up through high school.  Students will use cards to sort and understand a large quantity of information regarding suicidal teens, then apply what they learn to analyses of case studies.
http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/lessons/depression2/index.html
Free

"Peer Pressure"
Grade(s): 6-8
At ages 12 to 14, youths are aware of drugs and may already have been offered or pressured to use drugs by older siblings and friends, or by their own peers. This lesson helps students recognize peer pressure and decide how to refuse drugs.
http://www.acde.org/educate/78plan2.htm
Free

Samaritans: "Aggression and Bullying"
Grade(s): 8-10
In this lesson students will be able to appreciate the motivations behind aggressive behavior, and to discuss how to avoid a build up of frustration and an aggressive outburst.  These values will be taught by being able to put into practice ways of managing aggression, and dealing with people who bully.
http://www.samaritans.org/pdf/B5AggressionBullying.pdf
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

S.O.D.A.T.: "Peer Pressure"
Grade(s): 7-8
At ages 12 to 14, youths are aware of drugs and may already have been offered or pressured to use drugs by older siblings and friends, or by their own peers. This lesson helps students recognize peer pressure and decide how to refuse drugs.
http://www.sodat.org/Lesson%20Plan%207&8.htm
Free

Tough Truces: A Lesson on the Causes and Prevention of Gang Violence
Grade(s): 6-12
In this lesson, students will learn about the factors contributing to the growth of gangs and gang violence. Groups will discuss causes for gang violence and suggest measures that can be taken by various community groups to reduce such activity.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020412
Free

"With a little help from my friends?"
Grade(s): 7-8
To learn that having friends is an important part of growing up, but being in charge of the friendship rather than allowing it to control you is also important.  In this lesson students learn to not get caught up in peer pressure.
http://www.acde.org/educate/78plan1.htm
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• Avoiding Gangs and Bullies – http://www.healthteacher.com/lessonguides/injuries/middle
• Blueprints for Violence Prevention, the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence - http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/
• Bullying Resources compiled by the California Department of Education - http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/bullyres.asp
• Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence – http://www.colorado.edu/cspv
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control – http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc
• Children’s Safety Network – National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource – http://www.childrensafetynetwork.org
• Drug and Violence Prevention – http://dave.esc4.net
• Guidance Counselor
• Health Textbooks
• How Assertive Are You? - http://www.theoaktree.com/assrtquz.htm
• Kansas Bullying Prevention Program, Statewide Bullying Campaign - http://www.kbpp.org/
• Life Skills Program National Bullying Prevention Campaign Webcast - http://www.mchcom.com/archivedWebcastDetail.asp?aeid=250
• National Crime Prevention Council – http://www.ncpc.org
• National Youth Gang Center – http://www.iir.com/nygc/maininfo.htm
• National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (NYVPRC) –http://www.safeyouth.org
• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention –http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org
• Olweus Bullying Prevention Program - nationally recognized model program to reduce opportunities and rewards for bullying -http://www.clemson.edu/olweus/
• A Parent's Guide for Preventing Gangs – http://www.lunaweb.com/pargang.htm
• Partnership Against Violence Network – http://www.pavnet.org
• Peer Pressure and Choices – http://www.doitnow.org/pages/163.html
• Preventing Violence – http://www.Colorado.EDU/cspv/index.html
• Prevention Pathways Online Courses, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention - http://pathwayscourses.samhsa.gov/bully/bully_intro_pg1.htm
• PREVENT, Preventing Violence Through Education Network and Technical Assistance, University of North Carolina -http://www.prevent.unc.edu/
• School Resource Officer
• Stop Bullying Now! Campaign, Human Resources And Services Administration - http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) – http://www.saddonline.com
• U.S. Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program – http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Criminal Justice Reference Service – http://www.ncjrs.org
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention – http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org
• Youth Violence Fact Sheet, Center for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/yvfacts.htm
• Virginia Best Practices in School-Based Violence Prevention, Virginia Department of Health - http://www.preventviolenceva.org
• Virginia Center for School Safety – http://www.virginiaschoolsafety.com
• Virginia Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program – http://www.safeanddrugfreeva.org
• Virginia Youth Violence Project, University of Virginia - http://youthviolence.edschool.virginia.edu/
• What New Zealand Police are doing about bullying - http://www.police.govt.nz/service/yes/nobully/whats_bullying.html

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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