Assess how being assertive, using refusal skills, and evaluating peer influence can affect decision making and problem solving

Standards Alignment

• TEKS.HEALTH.5.19A primary
  assess how being assertive, using refusal skills, and evaluating peer influence can affect decision making and problem solving;
• TEKS.HEALTH.5.19B primary
  identify a variety of scenarios and the different types of refusal skills that can be used to avoid the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; and

Lesson Overview

This Grade 5 health education lesson helps students understand how being assertive, using refusal skills, and evaluating peer influence can affect their decision making and problem solving, especially related to avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Students will learn to recognize different refusal skills and practice applying them in various scenarios to make healthy choices.

Learning Objectives

• Explain how being assertive can influence decision making and problem solving.
• Identify different refusal skills that can be used to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
• Evaluate how peer influence can affect decisions about substance use.
• Demonstrate refusal skills in role-play scenarios involving peer pressure.
• Assess the importance of assertiveness and refusal skills in making healthy choices.

Success Criteria

• Students can describe what it means to be assertive and why it helps in decision making.
• Students can name and explain different refusal skills.
• Students can identify examples of positive and negative peer influence.
• Students can successfully role-play refusal skills in given scenarios.
• Students can explain how assertiveness and refusal skills help avoid substance use.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Students should understand basic concepts of peer pressure and the importance of making healthy choices. They should be familiar with what alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are and why avoiding them is important for health.

Key Vocabulary

• Assertive
• Refusal skills
• Peer influence
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Substance use
• Peer pressure

Materials and Resources

• Scenario cards describing different peer pressure situations
• Role-play prompt sheets
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers
• Reflection journals or paper for writing

Teacher Preparation

• Prepare scenario cards illustrating various peer pressure situations involving alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
• Review examples of refusal skills appropriate for Grade 5 students.
• Set up space for role-playing activities.
• Prepare guiding questions to facilitate discussion on peer influence and assertiveness.

Detailed Lesson Notes

Understanding Assertiveness

Assertiveness means expressing your thoughts, feelings, and decisions in a clear, confident, and respectful way. It helps people stand up for themselves without being aggressive or passive. Being assertive allows students to say no firmly when they are pressured to do something unhealthy, like using alcohol or tobacco. Assertiveness supports good decision making by helping students communicate their choices clearly and solve problems by setting boundaries.

Refusal Skills to Avoid Substance Use

Refusal skills are strategies people use to say no to things they do not want to do, especially when pressured by others. Examples include saying "No, thanks," giving a reason or excuse, changing the subject, walking away, or suggesting an alternative activity. Different scenarios may require different refusal skills. Practicing these skills helps students feel prepared and confident to avoid using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

Evaluating Peer Influence

Peer influence is the effect that friends or classmates have on a person's decisions and behavior. It can be positive, encouraging healthy choices, or negative, pressuring someone to do something harmful. Students need to recognize when peer influence is affecting their decisions and decide whether to accept or resist that influence. Evaluating peer influence helps students make decisions that are best for their health and well-being.

Applying Assertiveness and Refusal Skills in Scenarios

Using role-play scenarios, students practice being assertive and using refusal skills in situations where they might be offered alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. For example, a friend might say, "Come on, just try it once!" The student can practice saying, "No, I don’t want to," or "No thanks, I have sports practice tomorrow." This practice builds confidence and prepares students for real-life situations.

Common Misconceptions and How to Address Them

Some students may think being assertive means being rude or mean; clarify that assertiveness is respectful and clear communication. Others might believe that refusal skills are only about saying "no" and not realize there are many ways to refuse. Also, students might underestimate the power of peer influence or think they cannot resist it; emphasize that they have control over their choices and can seek help if needed.

Worked Examples

Classroom Activity

Students read scenarios, talk about possible responses, and identify refusal skills that fit each situation.

Guided Practice

Independent Practice

1. Foundational: What does it mean to be assertive?
2. Developing: Name two refusal skills you can use to say no to peer pressure involving alcohol or tobacco.
3. Application: In a scenario where a friend says, "Try this cigarette, it’s not a big deal," what is one refusal skill you could use and why?
4. Analysis: How can positive peer influence help someone avoid using alcohol or drugs?
5. Challenge: Describe a situation where being assertive and using refusal skills might be difficult. How can evaluating peer influence help in that situation?

Independent Practice Teacher Answer Key

1. 1. Being assertive means expressing your thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, standing up for yourself without being rude or passive.
2. 2. Two refusal skills are saying "No, thanks" firmly and giving a reason like "I want to stay healthy."
3. 3. You could say "No, I don’t want to," firmly and confidently because it clearly communicates your decision and helps you avoid unhealthy choices.
4. 4. Positive peer influence encourages healthy choices by supporting and respecting decisions to avoid substances, which helps a person feel confident and less pressured to use alcohol or drugs.
5. 5. It might be difficult if many friends are pressuring you or if you want to fit in. Evaluating peer influence helps by recognizing if the pressure is negative and deciding to trust your own healthy choices or seek help from a trusted adult.

Guiding Questions

• What does it mean to be assertive?
• How can refusal skills help you say no?
• What kinds of peer influence can affect your decisions?
• How can you make healthy choices when pressured?
• Why is it important to practice refusal skills?

Common Misconceptions

• Being assertive means being rude or mean to others.
• Refusal skills only mean saying "no" without other ways to refuse.
• Peer influence always leads to negative decisions.
• It’s impossible to resist peer pressure.
• Saying no will always make friends upset.

Differentiation

Assessment

• Observe students during role-play to see if they use refusal skills assertively.
• Ask students to explain refusal skills in their own words during discussions.
• Use exit tickets with scenarios asking which refusal skill to use.
• Given a scenario where a friend offers tobacco, write one refusal skill you would use.
• Explain why being assertive is important when making decisions about substances.
• Create a poster showing different refusal skills and when to use them.
• Write a short paragraph about how peer influence can affect your choices and how to handle it.

Answer Guide

• What does it mean to be assertive?
  Answer: It means expressing your thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, standing up for yourself without being rude or passive.
• Name two refusal skills you can use to say no to peer pressure involving alcohol or tobacco.
  Answer: Saying "No, thanks" firmly and giving a reason like "I want to stay healthy."
• In a scenario where a friend says, "Try this cigarette, it’s not a big deal," what is one refusal skill you could use and why?
  Answer: Say "No, I don’t want to," firmly and confidently because it clearly communicates your decision and helps you avoid unhealthy choices.
• How can positive peer influence help someone avoid using alcohol or drugs?
  Answer: It encourages healthy choices by supporting and respecting decisions to avoid substances, helping a person feel confident and less pressured.
• Describe a situation where being assertive and using refusal skills might be difficult. How can evaluating peer influence help in that situation?
  Answer: When many friends pressure you or you want to fit in, evaluating peer influence helps recognize negative pressure and decide to trust your healthy choices or seek help.

Real-Life Application

Encourage students to talk with family members about times they have used refusal skills or been assertive. Ask them to share what they learned about peer influence and healthy decision making at home.

Homework or Home Connection

• Encourage students to talk with family members about times they have used refusal skills or been assertive. Ask them to share what they learned about peer influence and healthy decision making at home.

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, students learned that being assertive means clearly and respectfully expressing their choices, which helps them make good decisions and solve problems. They explored different refusal skills to say no to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, practiced these skills in role-play scenarios, and evaluated how peer influence can affect their decisions. Using assertiveness and refusal skills empowers students to make healthy choices and resist negative peer pressure.

Teacher Notes

Use the exact standards alignment and retrieved-source provenance stored with this enrichment.

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