Is peer pressure “making you do things”?

 

Ms. M. Kozi

The FORWARD School

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

You are an eighth grader in the FORWARD School. You are focused on your education and you want to get good grades and do the right thing. Your best friends Emma and Ana however, think that they are now in eight grade and need to “loosen up a little”. They are missing classes, and instead of coming to school they are meeting their boyfriends during school time. They are smoking and buying alcohol from a local store who is “cool with them”. As a result, their grades are going down and they might even fail some classes. They are pressuring you to follow them saying that you think you’re “too cool now”. They are telling you that you have been good friends since fifth grade and you should continue to be even in high school. Everybody is doing it-they say. What’s the big deal? A couple of times you have given in and smoked and missed a few classes just to please them. You know however, that this is wrong but you don’t want to lose your best friends.

 

 

 

TASK:

As a group you will research the positive and negative effects of peer pressure. After you conclude your research, you will produce a 7-10 slide PowerPoint presentation and a 5-7 minute oral presentation on your findings. 

 

 

PROCESS:

1.         You will work in groups of three or four people

2.        Use the PPA steps to analyze the peer pressure problem

·       Define the Problem: Worksheet#1

·       Gather the Evidence: Worksheet #2

·       Identify the Causes: Worksheet #3

·       Evaluate an Existing Policy: Worksheet #4

·       Develop Solutions: Worksheet #5

·       Select the Best Solution: Worksheet#6  (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)

3.        Visit the following websites to help you learn about some positive and negative effects of peer pressure and how to deal with the issue. 

4.        Summarize each side of the issue and how to deal with it in as much detail as possible.

·       http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/peer-pressure.html

·       www.safeteens.org/relationships/peer-pressure/

·       http://headsup.scholastic.com/students/the-science-of-decision-making-and-peer-pressure

·       www.scientificamerican.com/article/peer-pressure-has-a-positive-side/

·       www.thecoolspot.gov/pressures/aspx

5.        Prepare a 7-10 slide PowerPoint presentation and a 5-7 minute oral presentation on your findings. 

6.        Prepare to share your findings with your class

 

 

EVALUATION:

Your PowerPoint presentation and your oral presentation will be graded accorded to the following chart:

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:   

You have now studied the issue of peer pressure and its effects. You have learned that that peers set plenty of good examples for each other. Having peers who are committed to doing well in school or to doing their best in a sport can influence you to be more goal-oriented, too. Peers who are kind and loyal influence you to build these qualities in yourself. Even peers you've never met can be role models! For example, watching someone your age compete in the Olympics, give a piano concert, or spearhead a community project might inspire you to go after a dream of your own.

On the other hand, the pressure to conform (to do what others are doing) can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it (or say they are). Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless — or something that has more serious consequences. Giving in to the pressure to dress a certain way is one thing — going along with the crowd to drink or smoke is another. 

 

 

Standards:

New York ENL-ESL Standards

·       E1.c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

·       E2.a: Produce a report of information speaking, listening, and viewing.

·       E3.  Speaking, reading and writing in English for information and understanding