![]() Objective Background Adolescents begin to feel at ease with others in similar positions – their friends. Friendships during this time period are often intense although they may be very short-lived. Best friends today may not be speaking to each other tomorrow. But these youths want to be with each other to learn about themselves (Am I normal?), to try new things and test the limits of others, and to gain support while growing up. The need for friends is so strong that sometimes this desire controls them and causes them to do things they know are wrong just to belong to a particular group of friends. Experimentation with substances is high during this time period. Experimenting with the gateway drugs (tobacco, alcohol and marijuana) is particularly troublesome. Children of this age may know drug use is illegal and harmful, but the desire to belong is so great that friends may control clear thinking and appropriate behavior. Since friendships are important, it is necessary to help youth negotiate the risk-strewn path of gaining and keeping good friends. Activities Divide the class into groups of six. Each group should separate into two groups of three. Each group of three will choose one person to be the official friend of the official friend from the other group. Allow the small groups time to prepare a scenario in which one friend will try to get the other to do something new and good, such as trying a new sport. Next, the group should prepare a scenario in which one friend will try to get the other to do something wrong, such as stealing a candy bar from the grocery store. Then role-play the scenarios with the goal of learning new and different ways to say yes or no to the good and no to the bad. After completing the role-playing situations, each group should report to everyone what they learned, what worked in saying no, and how difficult it was to say no. The importance of having friends on your terms — terms that allow appropriate, safe, and legal behavior — is the emphasis of this lesson. Resources Teacher tips Divide the class into groups of six. Each group should separate into two groups of three. Each group of three will choose one person to be the official friend of the official friend from the other group. Allow the small groups time to prepare a scenario in which one friend will try to get the other to do something new and good, such as trying a new sport. Next, the group should prepare a scenario in which one friend will try to get the other to do something wrong, such as stealing a candy bar from the grocery store. Then role-play the scenarios with the goal of learning new and different ways to say yes or no to the good and no to the bad. After completing the role-playing situations, each group should report to everyone what they learned, what worked in saying no, and how difficult it was to say no. The importance of having friends on your terms terms that allow appropriate, safe, and legal behavior is the emphasis of this lesson.
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