What Would I Do?

What is it all about?

Use youth appropriate scenarios for students to explore how to respond to different situations they may face related to online bullying or harassment, peer pressure to take risks or use substances, setting their personal limits, dealing with a stressful situation, or to practice problem solving, decision making, and communication skills in a safe space during a unit of learning.

Curriculum Connections

Grade 9: C1.2, C2.2, C2.3, C3.3, C3.4

Grade 10: C2.3, C2.4, C2.5

How is it done?

• Select and provide students with various scenarios that depict youth characters involved in a conflict with others such as bullying, sexual harassment, teasing, peer pressure, an issue affecting their family, or dealing with an internal moral or ethical conflict.
• Have students work in small groups and analyze the scenario to determine what the situation is, reflect on how the situation is handled by the character(s), and how the situation may be resolved differently to lead to a healthier outcome.
• Have students select one of the scenarios to re-create and provide an alternative ending.
• Have groups present their version of their scenario to the class.
• Facilitate a group debriefing session. Have the students reflect on what they learned, their and others’ reaction to the work of their peers, and what the group as a whole can take away from the session.

What may be needed?

• Scenarios related to the healthy living concepts explored as identified in the selected curriculum expectations for your chosen grade.
• Opportunities for assessment
• Observe small group conversations to assess students’ application of problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution, and communication skills.
• Have students complete a self-assessment of their ability to use their problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution, and communication skills to respond to situations related to the healthy living concepts explored.

Ideas for Extension

• Use clap-freeze to stop the action and have different students step into roles to re-enact the scenario in different ways.
• Have students consider what they would do if they were the character involved in the situation.
• Have students create their own scenarios to perform for the class and have the class generate alternative endings to each scenario.
• Provide students with an opportunity to reflect on how they can apply their learning to other situations.

Educator notes

• Encourage students to practice assertive communication, which includes the following:
  • Describe the situation, stating facts (no blaming or accusing).
  • Express how they feel about the facts or situation, using I statements and non-verbal communication.
  • State what they want or need, using language.
  • State any consequence to their action(s).
• Encourage students to pay attention to non-verbal cues (e.g., posture, tone of voice).
• Encourage students to reflect on why people may not always choose the best course of action (for example, stay in an abusive relationship, succumb to peer pressure).
• Encourage students to reflect on their own boundaries and how they may apply new skills to their own lives.
• The educator should moderate the post-performance discussion, ensuring class feedback remains constructive correcting any misinformation presented in the scene, and answering any questions that may arise, referring to relevant resources as needed.
• If any inappropriate content or gestures come up in a performance, do not react in a disciplinary manner, but correct it.
• Acknowledge humour as a useful tool that increases memory, confidence, and self-efficacy and helps to combat stigma and diffuse awkwardness.