Allison+Boike

How to Say 'No' To Peer Pressure

“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.” ― [|Bruce Lee]

__What is Peer Pressure? __  Peers influence your life, even if you don't realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It's only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group, which can be positive or negative. This lesson plan's objective is to educate 10th graders on peer pressure and show them how to deal with it. This is something that is very prevalent in a high schooler's life and believe it needs to be addressed.

It is important to be open with students and educate them on the fact that peers can have a positive influence on each other. For instance, it's possible that another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system, or someone on the soccer team taught you a cool trick with the ball. You might admire a friend who is good at a sport or in school, and strive to be more like him or her. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day. On the contrary, peers can also influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to skip class with them, your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to shoplift with them. It is my job as a teacher to address these social issues that students are experiencing and demonstrate how to avoid making poor decisions. I will be writing with them everyday to motivate them and share stories from my past to learn from. I want students to know they are not alone and peer pressure has been around for ages... we have all experienced it.



__Why Do Kids Fall for Peer Pressure? __ -To be Liked -Gain a sense of acceptance from peers -Fit in -Want to try something new -"Everyone's doing it" -"I'll get made fun of if I don't go along with the group"

“It takes nothing to join the crowd. It takes everything to stand alone.”- Hans F. Hansen



UNIT PLAN DESCRIPTION/ OVERVIEW: Throughout the duration of four weeks, 10th grade student's will learn about peer pressure though the means of different genres, while keeping a journal to write reflections in. The main objective of this unit is to show students the power of peer pressure surrounding them. After this lesson students will be able to recognize peer pressure, know it's effects (positive and negative), how to say NO to peer pressure, and which advice to give to others who are being peer pressured. __WEEK ONE: __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">MONDAY: Student's will begin the class period taking a non-graded [|Intro Quiz]. This quiz will get the student's thinking about peer pressure and its effects. After taking this quiz I want to talk to the student's and have a class discussion on what they thought of the quiz. They will then take the remainder of the class period to free write in their journals about the quiz, their feelings relating to this topic, and their encounters with peer pressure. I too, as a teacher, will take this time to write in my journal about peer pressure in order to encourage students and set the mood for writing.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">TUESDAY: Class will begin by me sharing my journal entry to the class. This will create a relationship and a safe environment for students to feel comfortable sharing their personal entries as well. After reading my entry, students will have the option of sharing theirs too. I will then show a [|video] of a Full House episode demonstrating a real life scenario of peer pressure. After the video they will have the remainder of class to write a reflection in their journals.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">WEDNESDAY: Students will choose one of the following books to read throughout this lesson. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- [|Star Girl] by Jerry Spinelli <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- [|Jake Reinvented] by Gordon Korman <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- [|Pretty Little Devils]by Nancy Holder <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- [|Muchacho] by LouAnne Johnson

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">After choosing the book they will read quietly for the rest of the class period.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">THURSDAY: Class will begin by showing two videos <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- [|Positive or Negative?] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">-[|Saying No]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">After these videos they will have the choice to either read their book silently or write in their journal.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">FRIDAY: Student's are required to get into groups with their peers who are also reading the same book as them. They will discuss the novel they are currently reading, then write a response in their journal.



__<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;">WEEK TWO: __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">MONDAY: Class will begin by listening to popular songs that pressure listeners into doing wrong things. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Shots By LMFAO] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">As a class we will identify and discuss what the artist is peer pressuring the listener into. It is important that student's identify peer pressure in their everyday lives. They need to know that it is all around us, including in the media, and we are in charge of our own decisions. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Student's will then go look for songs on their own that pressures listeners into making the decisions they are idolizing. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Class will conclude with the option of reading their book or writing in their journal.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">TUESDAY: Student's will get into their book club groups while I hand out scenarios of peer pressure. Their assignment is to role-play, creating a short skit implementing the ways they have learned how to say "no" to peer pressure. The first half of the class will present their skits in front of the classroom. Then everyone will write in their journals, I will present them with prompts of writing ideas: What did you like about other group's presentations? Describe your experience roleplaying.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">WEDNESDAY: The second half of the class will present their skits. We will have a discussion focusing on what they learned from roleplaying and their experience. I will share a personal story about peer pressure and the negative effects it had on me when I was younger. I want the students to learn from my mistakes and know that I am also human and can relate to their issues as well. Student's will then write in their journal about an experience they have encountered with peer pressure.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">THURSDAY: Student's will enter the class and immediately begin silent reading. They are required to come up with questions and comments they want to discuss in their book club for the following day.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">FRIDAY: Half of their book should be finished. This will be monitored by their contribution to the class discussion and participation in groups. Student's will get into their book club groups and discuss the book with the questions and comments they came up with the previous day. They will then write a response in their journals.



__<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;">WEEK THREE: __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">MONDAY: I will hand out scenarios on slips of paper of peer pressure. I will read one allowed and verbally respond to it in front of the class. I will then invite other student's to do the same. After a few student's share their advice on how to say no to this peer pressure, they will then write in their journals describing why they suggest that advice.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">TUESDAY: Student's will come into class and begin reading silently. They will then get into their book club groups, and in front of the class each group will talk a little bit about their novel, the characters, and describe the peer pressure that is occurring.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">WEDNESDAY: Class will begin with a [|video] on how to over come peer pressure. I will ask them what they thought of the video and to share an incident where they said "no" to peer pressure. They will then write about this experience in their journals.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">THURSDAY: Student's will begin class by reading silently. After roughly 20- 25 minutes I will tell them to get into their book club group where they will take turns reading allowed to each other.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">FRIDAY: Student's will get into their book club and write a letter to a character in their book, giving them advice on the peer pressure they are experiencing. I want them to create a book jacket for their novel. On the front there can be a scene where the character is experiencing peer pressure, and on the back will be a letter of advice.



__<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;">WEEK FOUR: __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">MONDAY: Class will begin with two short videos to recap on our lesson. These YouTube clips discuss how to avoid peer pressure.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Peer Pressure Advice] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Things To Think About]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">I will then present the upcoming final project. Each book club group will create a poster about their novel and set up a stand in the cafeteria for the middle schoolers to come look at.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The poster board must include: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">-Character growth: Write and describe the character's transition and what they have overcome or learned. Provide page numbers where the events take place. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- 2 meaningful events in the book: Write detailed descriptions about these events. Please include colorful pictures with captions, and page numbers. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">-What the student's think is important to share about the book. (This is anything else you want to include in the poster. Could be dialogue, how this book impacted you as a high schooler, advice to the character, would you recommend this book? etc.) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">-Their book jacket they created <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">- Journal entries they have written throughout this lesson (optional)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">After explaining the project I want the book club groups to meet and begin an outline/ game plan for their project.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY: Students will be working in their book club groups creating elaborate posters with much detail. Supplies will be provided in the classroom. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The book should be finished by Tuesday.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">FRIDAY: The student's will set up their stands in the cafeteria for middle schoolers to come look at. Students are required to bring their books and put them on display with their poster. Answer any questions the middle schoolers have and talk to them about the book and peer pressure in general.



<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;">Common Core Standards Addressed in this Unit: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">-Analyze in detail the development and refinement of a theme or central idea in a text, including how it emerges and how it is shaped and refined by specific details. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Analyze how complex characters, including those with conflicting motivations or divided loyalties, develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> In grade 10, read literature independently, proficiently, and fluently in the grades 9–10 text complexity band; read “stretch” texts in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band with scaffolding as needed. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">-Cite evidence in the text that most strongly supports a specific analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Analyze in detail the development and refinement of a central idea in a text, including how 2. it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Analyze the interactions between and among ideas and events, including how ideas and 3. events influence one another.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">//Craft and Structure// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Evaluate how an author’s use of language, including formality and type of diction, shapes meaning and tone in a text (e.g., the formality of a court opinion or a newspaper). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">-Produce writing in which the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">-Strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific task and context.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;">-Initiate and participate effectively in group discussions on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues being studied in class. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Prepare for discussions by reading and researching material under study and explicitly draw on that preparation in discussions. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Cooperate with peers to set clear goals and deadlines and to establish roles. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 110%;"> -Build on essential information from others’ input by asking questions and sharing comments that enrich discussions. Acknowledge the ideas and contributions of others in the group, reach decisions about the information and ideas under discussion, and complete the task. Evaluate whether the team has met its goals.

[|More information on Common Core Standards Here]