TEEN LIVING – SOCIAL REJECTION

OBJECTIVE: STANDARD:
Explain the difference between feeling lonely, being Students will discuss the dynamics of
alone and being rejected. Identify circumstances that peers and friends.
might lead to social rejection and examine ways to cope
positively with these situations.

BELL RINGER DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:

Bell Ringer Question Bell Ringer Cards
TIME: 5 min.

CONTENT:
1. Have the students answer the following question on their bell ringer cards, “Have you
ever felt alone?”
2. When done, have the students return their cards to the class basket.

MOTIVATOR DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:

Where’s My Group? Activity WHERE’S MY GROUP HANDOUTS
TIME: 10 min. Social Rejection PowerPoint (slide 2)
Need at least 10 students to participate
CONTENT:
1. Pass the “Where’s My Group” papers out face down to your students.
2. When everyone has their paper, have them turn it over and silently read what it says.
Tell them not to share what is on their paper with anyone until instructed to do so.
3. Now tell them to get up and move around the room. Without talking, they are to show
their paper to one person at a time. When they find someone who has the same saying
on their paper as they do, then they work as a team to see if they can find anyone else
who has the same saying. Give the students enough time that everyone will have found
their group.
4. Announce to the class that time is up and that you want everyone who is in a group of
two or more to go to the front of the room. Have the entire room clap for those people
who found their groups.
5. Note to the teacher: You should set this activity up so that the people who will end up
without groups have enough self-confidence that this will not be a threatening
experience for them.
6. Discussion:
a. How hard was it to find your group?
b. How many were in your group?
c. How did it feel when you found someone with the same saying?
 d. What can this activity teach us about cliques?
e. How did it feel when we clapped and you were in a group?
f. How did it feel when we clapped for those who were in a group and you weren’t
one of them?
g. How do some people feel when they are not in a group?
h. Does everyone want to be a part of a group? Explain.
i. How can you help people who seem to have no where to belong?
j. What should we do when a new person enrolls at our school?
REFERENCES:
“Where’s My Group” activity by Tom Jackson. Found in the book, “Still More Activities That
Teach” pp. 247-250.

ACTIVITY 1 DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:

(Individualistic) Social Rejection Discussion SOCIAL REJECTION STUDY GUIDE
TIME: 10 min. Social Rejection PowerPoint (slides 3-6)

CONTENT:
1. Discuss with the students the basic concepts of social rejection.
2. Discuss with the students what it means to be alone.
3. Discuss with the students what it means to feel lonely.
4. Discuss with the students what it means to experience rejection.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. Define being alone.
2. Is being alone good or bad?
3. Define feeling lonely.
4. Define rejection.
REFERENCES:
Information found in the Teen Living Curriculum – Utah State Office of Education.

ACTIVITY 2 DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:

(Cooperative) Case Studies Feeling Lonely or Being Alone Case Studies
TIME: 10 min. Social Rejection PowerPoint (slide 7)

CONTENT:
1. Read the four case studies to the class.
2. After each case study, have the students identify if teens were being alone, feeling
lonely, or experiencing rejection.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. What situation constitute being alone?
2. What situation constitutes feeling lonely?
 3. What situation constitutes rejection?
REFERENCES:
Information found in the Teen Living Curriculum – Utah State Office of Education

ACTIVITY 3 DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:

(Cooperative & Left Out Activity None
Competitive) Social Rejection PowerPoint (slide 8)
TIME: 20 min.

CONTENT:
1. Have the entire class stand up and gather in a circle. Explain that the object of this
activity will be to follow the commands you give. You will call out a number and they
will have to form themselves into groups that are made up of that number. Between
each command, be sure that the class mills around. If they don’t, then the same
students will always group together.
2. For the first few times let them practice and see how fast they can do it. If there are any
students left over after the groups have been formed, they are to just stand still and
jump back in the game during the next command.
3. As an example, you will call out the number three. Everyone in the class has to find two
other people to form a group of three people.
4. Give the students only about 3-5 seconds to find a group. Before you call out another
number, be sure that the group mills around. Then you might call out five, no one may
stay in the same group so everyone goes looking for a new group of five people.
5. After a few practice rounds, explain that from now on if you do not get in a group then
you must go to the side and stand. These people are out of the game.
6. The game continues until you have only a few people left and you call out the number
two. Someone loses and the couples that are left are the winners.
7. Play this elimination round through at least twice before you stop.
8. Discussion:
a. Was there anything hard about this activity? What was it?
b. How did you feel when you were not able to join a group and were out of the
game?
c. What words can we use to describe these feelings?
d. How easy was it to keep finding a new group to join every time a new number
was called out?
e. Why do you think it is hard to join certain groups?

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. How do you feel when you are not able to join a group?
2. Why do you think it is hard to join certain groups?
REFERENCES:
“Left Out” activity by Tom Jackson. Found in the book, “Activities That Teach” pp. 151-152.
ACTIVITY 4 DESCRIPTION: MATERIALS:
(Individualistic) Reasons for Rejection and SOCIAL REJECTION STUDY GUIDE
TIME: 10 min. Ways to Cope with Rejection Social Rejection PowerPoint (slides 9-10)
Reasons for Rejection Teacher Information
Ways to Cope Teacher Information
CONTENT:
1. Discuss with the students some reasons why we feel rejection from others.
2. Discuss with the students positive ways to cope with rejection.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. List some reasons why teens feel rejection.
2. List some ways that teens can positively cope with rejection.
REFERENCES:
Information found in the Teen Living Curriculum – Utah State Office of Education.

SUMMARY:
Being alone, feeling lonely and feeling rejection are all very different experiences. If you are
feeling lonely or rejection there are positive ways to cope with your situation. Don’t ever give
up!

STUDENT EVALUATION:
Make sure the students are participating in the activities and recording notes on their study
guides.
Homework: Rejections in the News. Hand out the assignment to the students. Review and
answer any questions they may have. It will be due next class period.

TEACHER EVALUATION:

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY:
1. Personal Prejudices Activity (see attached instructions).
2. Read the story “Lisa” and have a discussion with the class (see attached instructions).