Kids and teens face pressures from their peer group on a regular basis. These pressures can lead kids to experiment with activities and behavior they might not otherwise consider. Through teaching refusal skills, we help them learn to stay strong and do what they know is right.
1. Discuss kinds of things friends may encourage us to do that go against or own beliefs/values. List student suggestions on the board.
2. Discuss different styles of those who try to pressure. Do they threaten to withhold a friendship? Do they insult you or call you names? Do they try to make you feel that you have to do it in order to “be cool?” Do they keep bugging you about it even after you’ve said no? Get examples from the class.
3. Discuss different ways that kids can respond to peer pressure.
- Say no over and over
- Say no and leave
- Change the subject
- Ignore the person and walk away
- Suggest an alternative.
- Suggest they do it alone.
- Say you’re not allowed.
- Give a reason why you can’t.
- Give a reason why it’s a dumb idea.
- Go hang out with someone else.
4. Divide into groups of six. Each pair of students within a group of six is assigned one of the following scenarios. Students role play situations for their group. The group then identifies the type of pressure shown and discusses whether or not they agree with the response. Each pair can act out as many scenes as time allows.
Possible Scenarios
- You are at school taking a test. The person sitting next to you is cheating and offers the test answers to you.
- Your friends decide they are mad at the teachers and are not going to study for the social studies test. They are also not going to do homework for the rest of the week.
- You are on your way home from school. Your best friend shows you a pack of cigarettes and says, “Let’s go over here behind the building and smoke one.
- You are walking to school. Your friend, who skips school a lot, tries to get you to cut with him.
- You are going to the store for your mom and you see two of your older friends hanging around the store. They try to get you to steal a bag of chips for them and promise you a ride on their motorcycle in return.
- It’s after dark and you’re playing outside. Some of your friends decide it would be fun to throw rocks at some cars.
Discussion Questions
- Which kind of pressure is hardest for you to resist?
- How can you prepare yourself for these situations?
- Is it harder to resist friends or people you don’t know?
- Have you ever tried to pressure a friend? Why?
- Would you risk losing a friend over something you felt strongly
- about?
- What are some factors that influence your decisions?
- What consequences are you thinking of when someone tries to pressure you?
You may also be interested in Positive Thinking Lesson Plan, Problem-Solving Lesson Plan, or Identifying Feelings Lesson Plan.
