CBSE Class IX Teachers Manual For Life Skills

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Teacher’s Manual on
Classes IX-X
AglaSem Schools
Teacher's Manual on
Life Skills
Classes-IX-X
AglaSem Schools
Teacher's Manual on Life Skills for Classes - IX-X

PRICE : Rs. 246/-
FIRST EDITION :
December, 2010
© CBSE, India
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Preface
T
he Central Board of Secondary Education believes
that the school should help to develop Life Skills in
children which are essential abilities that help to
promote positive behaviour in individuals to deal with the challenges
of everyday life. Life Skills can be applied in the context of Self and
Social Awareness, Environmental Education, Peace Education,
Education for Development, Consumer Education, Adolescence
Education and Physical Education among others. In short Life- Skills
empower learners to take positive action for self growth and
promotion of healthy and positive social relationships.
Life-Skills Education is a means of empowering all domains of the

learners so that they are able to develop Life-Skills such as Self
Awareness, Empathy, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Decision
Making, Problem Solving, Effective Communication, Interpersonal
Relationships, Coping With Stress and Coping with Emotions.
Self Awareness, Self Esteem and Self Confidence are essential tools
for understanding our strengths and weaknesses. Consequently the
individual is able to develop social awareness in the context of
family, society and the nation. This helps an individual to identify
problems, explore alternatives, weigh options and make rational
decisions in solving problems as soon as they arise. It also helps to
establish-productive interpersonal relationships with others. Critical
Thinking Skills and Decision Making Skills help to evaluate the actions
being taken by the individuals.
The CBSE has introduced Life Skills Education as an integral part of

the curriculum of Classes VI-X and has brought out `Teachers' Manual'
which focuses on guidelines for teachers in each of the ten skills. It
also has a few exemplar activities which help to develop the Life-
Skills identified. These activities are merely suggestive and a
resourceful teacher can definitely think of many more activities to
promote a particular Life-Skill.
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It is hoped that the schools will adopt an interdisciplinary approach

for transacting the curriculum of Life-Skills Education through the
curriculum plus mode. Components of Life-Skills are also integrated
in the formal modes of learning such as Language Textbooks, Science-
Textbooks and Social-Science Textbooks. However, it is more
important to promote Life-Skills through an informal approach and in
an activity mode.
I am extremely grateful to Prof. Udai Pareek, IIHMR, Jaipur for his

insight guidance and inspiration and also the members of NGOs
Muskaan (Jaipur) and Pravah (New Delhi) who have helped to shape
this book. I would also like to acknowledge the effort of
Dr. Sadhana Parashar Head (Innovation and Research) for bringing out
this Teacher's Manual – Classes IX-X and editing it.
I do hope that the teachers will use this Manual and conduct these
activities in the time available within the larger school curriculum.
The fact is that Life Skills will have to be assessed in the
continuous and comprehensive evaluation format. The Board has
developed CCE card and also guidelines for assessment. Teachers will
need to go through different modes of assessment provided and use
the tools to grade students. The importance and need of empowering
the young children today with thinking skills, social skills and
emotional skills cannot be undetermined and I see this as a step in the
right direction. Any other suggestions are always welcome and will be
incorporated in future editions.
Vineet Joshi, IAS

Chairman
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Acknowledgements
ADVISORY BODY
Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE
Prof Udai Pareek, Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Jaipur
Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, Consultant Psychiatrist, VIMHANS, New Delhi
MATERIAL PRODUCTION
Ms. Neha Sharma, Amity International School Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, UP
Dr. Veena Sabherwal, Ex Health EO, Min. of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi
Ms. Kalpana Kapoor, Principal, DPS Vasundhara, Ghaziabad
Pravah (NGO) - based at Kalkaji, New Delhi
Muskan (NGO) - based at 45, Hathroi, Jaipur
Stray Relief and Animal Welfare (NGO)- based at Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
EDITOR ART WORK THEME PAGES

Dr. Sadhana Parashar Courtesy :
Head (Innovation & Research) Art & Craft Faculty
Ms. Poonam Chowan
Dr. Indu Khetrapal
Salwan Public School, Gurgaon
CO-ORDINATION
Dr. Sadhana Parashar Pramod Kumar T.K.
Head (Innovation & Research) Assistant Education Officer
Dr. Sneha Singh Ms. Harjot Kaur
Research fellow (AEP) Consultant (AEP)
ASSESSMENT TASKS
Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, Consultant Psychiatrist, VIMHANS, New Delhi
Dr. Deepali Sharma, Asstt. Professor, Govt. Home Science College,
Punjab University, Chandigarh
Dr. Rakesh Sachdeva, Principal, DAV Model SChool, Sec-15A, Chandigarh
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THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

PREAMBLE
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a1 SOVEREIGN
SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens :
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the 2 [unity and integrity of the Nation];
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT
ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
1. Subs, by the Constitution (Forty-Second Amendment) Act. 1976, sec. 2, for "Sovereign Democratic Republic (w.e.f.
3.1.1977)
2. Subs, by the Constitution (Forty-Second Amendment) Act. 1976, sec. 2, for "unity of the Nation (w.e.f. 3.1.1977)
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

Chapter IV A
Fundamental Duties
ARTICLE 51A
Fundamental Duties - It shall be the duty of every citizen of India-

(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the
National Anthem;
(b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;
(c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
(d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;
(e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India
transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices
derogatory to the dignity of women;
(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
(g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, wild life and to
have compassion for living creatures;
(h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
(i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation
constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.
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Contents
Page No.
INTRODUCTION (i)
UNIT 1 : LIFE-SKILS 1-50
Introduction to Life Skills 3
Activity 1 : Exploring Life-Skills 28
Activity 2 : What Use are Life-Skills ? 30
Activity 3 : My Say on Life-Skills! 32
Activity 4 : When are Life-Skills required? 33
Activity 5 : Analyzing My Relations with the Environment around Me! 35
Activity 6 : Story time! 39
Self Assessment 48
UNIT 2 : SELF - AWARENESS 51-82

Activity 1 : Discover-Yourself ! 54
Activity 2 : Understanding the Inner-Self! 57
Activity 3 : My Inner-Self! 63
Activity 4 : “If I Were” 64
Activity 5 : Staying in Tune 65
Activity 6 : “I Explore” 72
Activity 7 : As I think 'I am' 75
Activity 8 : My Name Is Me! 75
Self Assessment 78
UNIT 3 : CRITICAL THINKING 83-120

Activity 1 : Case Study on “I Care for Senior Citizens” 86
Activity 2 : Gender Stereotypes 89
Activity 3 : Analysing Self-Perception “I am not beautiful” 94
Activity 4 : Safe behaviour on the road 98
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Activity 5 : My Subject, My Career, My Choice 101

Activity 6 : Beauty is not Skin Deep 104
Activity 7 : What Size is it? 107
Activity 8 : You Tell Me! 109
Self Assessment 111
UNIT 4 : CREATIVE THINKING 121-150

Activity 1 : Squiggly Squiggles 124
Activity 2 : Around Me 127
Activity 3 : Let’s Make Things Better 130
Activity 4 : Metaphorically Speaking 134
Activity 5 : Take a Second Look 140
Activity 6 : Picture Stories 143
Activity 7 : A Thousand Words 145
Self Assessment 147
UNIT 5 : EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 151-190

Activity 1 : Actions Speak-Louder than Words! 157
Activity 2 : I Understand What You Say 159
Activity 3 : Beautiful-Communication 162
Activity 4 : Fire, Aim, Ready 164
Activity 5 : Using Assertive Message 'I Really Mean It' 168
Activity 6 : Let's Talk 173
Activity 7 : Hearing And Listening 175
Activity 8 : Appreciating others 'I like you' 179
Self Assessment 182
UNIT 6 : INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 191-216

Activity 1 : Appreciating Family and Friends 194
Activity 2 : My Relationship Chart – 'My Magic-Wall!' 196
Activity 3 : Healthy-Relationships 198
Activity 4 : My Relationship-Scale! 200
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Activity 5 : Web of Relationships 202

Activity 6 : The Buyer And The Seller and The Goods 207
Activity 7 : People Around Me 209
Self Assessment 212
UNIT 7 : MANAGING EMOTIONS 217-252

Activity 1 : Dealing with Emotions 221
Activity 2 : Managing-Emotions 224
Activity 3 : Role-Play 227
Activity 4 : Handling Emotions 229
Activity 5 : My Feelings 231
Activity 6 : My Emotional Worksheet 237
Activity 7 : What Would I Do If...? 241
Activity 8 : Unexpressed Emotions 243
Self Assessment 246
UNIT 8 : COPING WITH STRESS 253-280

Activity 1 : Coping with Emotions 261
Activity 2 : Just Chill Out! 263
Activity 3 : Positive Stress and Stress Snap! 265
Activity 4 : Coping with Stress! 268
Activity 5 : How to Handle your Anger? 270
Activity 6 : Take Care 272
Self Assessment 276
UNIT 9 : EMPATHY 281-312

Activity 1 : I Will Manage 284
Activity 2 : Working Together 287
Activity 3 : Mirror Exercise 290
Activity 4 : If the Shoe Fits 291
Activity 5 : The Emotion Relay 293
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Activity 6 : Reading Without Seeing 296

Activity 7 : Who needs My help? 299
Activity 8 : An Experiment in Unfair Treatment /Bias 302
Activity 9 : Empathy Towards Animals In Captivity 306
Self Assessment 309
UNIT 10 : DECISION MAKING 313-342

Activity 1 : Decision-Making ! 317
Activity 2: Why We Decide on What We Decide? 319
Activity 3 : Decision-Making Steps 325
Activity 4 : My D3 (Dear Decision Diary) 328
Activity 5 : Decision Making Scale 331
Activity 6 : The Deciding Factor 332
Activity 7 : What should I Purchase? 335
Self Assessment 338
UNIT 11 : PROBLEM SOLVING 343-380

Activity 1: Conflict Management 347
Activity 2 : The Problem Solving Approach 349
Activity 3 : Puzzle Game 351
Activity 4 : Dr. Me 353
Activity 5 : Helping Friends 'I Can Help You' 354
Self Assessment 358
CIRCULARS 381-384
Circular 1 381
Circular 2 382
Circular 3 383
ANNEXURE 385-390
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Introduction
Life-Skills Education as defined by the UNICEF is “a behaviour change or behaviour
development approach designed to address a balance of three areas; knowledge,
attitude and skills”. The world bodies such as UNICEF, UNESCO and WHO list the ten core
Life Skills as Empathy, Self Awareness Building Skills, Creative Thinking, Critical
Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Effective Communication, Interpersonal
Relationship Skills, Coping with Stress and Coping with Emotions.
Life-skills are essentially those abilities that help promote mental well-being and
competence in young people as they face the realities of life. Most development
professionals agree that Life-Skills are generally applied in the context of health and
social events. The definition extends into consumer education, environmental
education, peace education or education for development, livelihood and income
generation, among others. In short, Life-Skills empower young people to take positive
action to protect themselves and promote health and positive social-relationships.
The various Life-Skills being covered in the Manual are enumerated below :
Thinking-Skills :
Critical thinking skills/Decision making skills – include decision making/ problem solving
skills and information gathering skills. The individual must also be skilled at evaluating
the future consequences of their present actions and the actions of others. They need to
be able to determine alternative solutions and to analyze the influence of their own
values and the values of those around them. This also includes Creative Thinking and
Critical Thinking skills which allow for alternate modes of thinking.
Social-Skills :
Interpersonal/Communication skills – include verbal and non-verbal communication,
active listening, and the ability to express feelings and give feedback. Also in this
category, are negotiation/refusal skills and assertiveness-skills that directly affect ones'
ability to manage conflict. Empathy, which is the ability to listen and understand others'
needs, is also a key interpersonal-skill. Teamwork and the ability to cooperate include
expressing respect for those around us. Development of this skill set enables the young
person to be accepted in society. These skills result in the acceptance of social norms that
provide the foundation for adult social behaviour.
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Emotional-Skills :
Coping and Self-Management skills refers to groups of skills used to increase the internal
locus of control so that the individual believes that they can make a difference in the
world and affect change. Self esteem, Self awareness, Self Evaluation skills and the
ability to set goals are also part of the more general category of self-management skills.
Anger, grief and anxiety must all be dealt with and the individual learns to cope with loss
or trauma. Stress and time management are key as are Positive-Thinking and relaxation
techniques.
Skills-based education cannot occur when there is no interaction among participants. It

relies on groups of people to be effective. Interpersonal and psycho-social skills cannot
be learned from sitting alone and reading a book. If this approach is to be successful, all
three components, Life-Skills, content and method should be in place. This effectively
means that Life-Skills can be learnt through the use of certain methods and tools.
Some objectives of Life-Skill education are given below :
• It should not only address knowledge and attitude change but more importantly,
behaviour change.
• Traditional "information-based" approaches are generally not sufficient to yield

changes in attitudes and behaviours. For example, a lecture on “safe behaviour”
will not necessarily lead to the practice of safe behaviour. Therefore, the lecture
should be substantiated with exercises and situations where participants can
practice safe behaviour and experience its effects. Most learning theories
emphasize that learners learn best that which they can associate with their
experience and practice.
• It will work best when augmented or reinforced. If a message is given once, the
brain remembers only 10 percent of it one day later and when the same message is
given six times a day, the brain remembers 90 percent of it. Hence the need to
repeat, recap, reinforce and review.
• It will work best if combined with policy development, access to appropriate

health services, community development and media.
The Central Board of Secondary Education has felt it is an important area and therefore
the focus is on developing Life-Skills among young learners. The Board had introduced
Life-Skills Education in Class VI way back in the year 2003-2004 and subsequently in
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Class VII and Class VIII. Subsequently there was a need to revise the document with a
focus on activities related to different Life-Skills. The Board is now extremely pleased to
bring the revised Manual for Classes IX & X which is addressed to all teachers teaching
these classes.
The Manual is organized in a way that it dwells on the theoretical understanding regarding
the concept of a particular Life-Skill followed by a few activities which will help to
enhance that particular Life-Skill. Most activities have an attached Student Worksheet
where the learners are required to do an activity. This is because the Life-Skills approach
emphasizes “Learning by Doing”. The objective of the entire Manual as well as the
activities is to bring about desirable change in behaviour by focusing on reinforcement of
positive skills and attitudes. The pedagogy for transacting Life-Skills Education has to be
interactive and experiential. The spirit of the subject is such that it necessarily must go
beyond the classroom and enough provision should be made by the school to integrate it
across the curriculum plus activities. The subject will be evaluated in the context of
continuous and comprehensive evaluation on a 5-point scale. The details regarding the
Indicators of Assessment are placed as an Annexure?
It is hoped that the teachers of all subject areas will use this Manual in their classroom
transaction. The activities suggested are merely take off points for the teacher and many
more can be devised. Any suggestions for further improving upon this Manual are always
welcome.
Dr. Sadhana Parashar

Head (I&R)
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Life
Skills
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Life-Skills
Life–Skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable
individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of
everyday life. They are abilities that facilitate the physical, mental and
emotional well-being of an individual (WHO).
'Adaptive' means that a person is flexible in approach and is able to
adjust to different circumstances.
'Positive behaviour' implies that a person is forward looking and finds a
ray of hope, solution and opportunities even in difficult situations.
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UNIT
Life-Skills
A Value Based Conceptual Framework
1
Know thyself”
“
-Socrates
INTRODUCTION TO LIFE SKILLS

A Value Based Conceptual Framework
Life Skills-based education is good quality education per se and good quality health
education in particular. It relies on relevant and effective content and participatory or
interactive teaching and learning methods (WHO).
When planning a value based conceptual framework in education, it is important to
consider first the goals and objectives, then the content and methods. The goals of Life
skills-based education describe in general terms a health or related social issue to be
influenced in some particular way. The objectives describe in specific terms as follows:
• To create awareness regarding concept of life skills.
• To help to identify and develop skills needed for empowering learners to
make informed decisions.
The Life skills-based education involves a specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills,
including life skills, that young people will be helped to acquire so they might adopt
behaviours or create the conditions described in the objectives. Once these are
delineated, method of teaching is chosen that are most suitable to the student. For
example, lectures are suitable methods for helping students acquire accurate
knowledge; discussions are suitable for influencing attitudes; and role plays are
suitable for developing skills. A wide range of teaching and learning methods can and
should be used in enabling students to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills (WHO).
EXAMPLE
Let's suppose the goal is preventing health problems from the use of tobacco.
Objectives for this goal might include reducing young people's use of tobacco products
and changing conditions that affect tobacco use, such as the number of smoke-free
environments and the cost and accessibility of cigarettes.
Content might therefore address (1) knowledge of the health risks of smoking; (2)
awareness of the insidious tactics employed by the tobacco industry to persuade young
people to use tobacco and make them addicted; (3) attitudes that afford protection
against harming one's health and the health of others; (4 ) critical thinking and decision-
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UNIT : 1 - Life-Skills
making skills to assist in choosing not to use tobacco; communication and refusal skills
to withstand peer pressure; and skills to advocate for a smoke-free environment.
Teaching methods for this content might include (1) a presentation that clearly and
convincingly explains the harmful effects of tobacco and how companies use
marketing to make tobacco use seem attractive; (2) a discussion and small group work
using audio-visual materials to convey the dangers of smoking; (3 ) an exercise to
research strategies that the tobacco industry uses to gain youth as replacement
smokers; (4 ) role plays to practise refusal skills; and (5) a school-wide activity to gain
support for a smoke-free school environment.
Therefore, a planning pyramid can be used to delineate the processes of Life skill based
education.
(source: WHO, Information series on school health, document-9)
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Objectives of the Module.

• To create awareness regarding concept of Life-Skills.
• To help to Identify and develop skills needed for empowering learners to make
informed decisions.
What are Life-Skills?

The word Life Skills has come to be popularly used in the context of emerging health
issues for young people in different parts of the world.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Life-Skills education
refers to “a behaviour change or behaviour development approach designed to address balance of
three areas: knowledge, attitude and skills”. The UNICEF definition is based on research
evidence that suggests that shifts in risk behaviour are unlikely if knowledge,
attitudinal and skill based competencies are not addressed.
Adolescence is a critical period for the development of self-identity. The process of
acquiring a sense of self is linked to physiological changes and also learning to
negotiate the social and psychological demands of being young adults. Responsible
handling of issues like independence, intimacy and peer group dependence are
concerns that need to be recognized and appropriate support needs to be given to cope
with them.
These physiological changes have ramifications in the psychological and social aspects
of an adolescent's life. Most adolescents deal with these changes without full
knowledge and understanding which could make them vulnerable to risky behaviour.
It is a time when the given and internalized norms and ideas are questioned, while at
the same time the opinions of the peer-group become very important. It is important to
recognize that adolescents need social and emotional support that may require
reinforcement of norms of positive behaviour, acquisition of skills essential to cope
with the risky situations that they encounter in their lives, manage peer-pressure and
deal with gender stereotypes. The absence of such support can lead to confusion and
misunderstanding about these changes and affect their academic performance and
social behaviour.
History of Life-Skills :
Life-Skills Based Education (LSBE) has a long history of supporting child development
and health promotion. In 1986, the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion recognized
Life-Skills in terms of making better health choices. The 1989 Convention on the Rights
of the Child (CRC) linked Life Skills to education by stating that education should be
directed towards the development of the child's fullest potential. The 1990 Jomtien
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Declaration on 'Education for All' took this vision further and included Life-Skills
among essential learning tools for survival, capacity development and quality of life.
The 2000 Dakar World Education Conference took a position that all young people
and adults have the human right to benefit from "an education that includes learning to
know, to do, to live together and to be", and included Life-Skills in two out of the six
EFA Goals.
Life-Skills Based Education is now recognized as a methodology to address a variety of
issues of child and youth development and thematic responses including as expressed
in UNGASS on HIV/AIDS (2001), UNGASS on Children (2002), World Youth Report
(2003), World Program of Human Rights Education (2004), UN Decade on Education
for Sustainable Development (2005), UN Secretary General's Study on Violence
Against Children (2006), 51st Commission on the Status of Women (2007), and the
World Development Report (2007).
Every nation, society and community has to work towards promoting adolescent
health. When young people acquire Knowledge, Attitudes, Value Enhanced Life-
Skills (KAVELS), they benefit in a variety of ways. These Life-Skills help young people
to make informed decisions, solve problems, think critically and creatively,
communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, cope
with stress and manage their lives in a healthy and productive manner. Such
knowledge and skills can lead to behaviours that prevent disease and injury, foster
healthy relationships and enable young people to play leadership roles.
Moreover, the knowledge and Life-Skills education imparted to students are likely to
be passed on to their own children, thus influencing future generations.
Global and Indian experiences have shown that educational interventions that focus
on Life-Skills development have proven very effective in empowering adolescents to
manage their concerns, including avoidance of risky behaviour.
The approach that is being followed by the Central Board of Secondary Education is to
provide accurate, objective and scientific knowledge keeping in mind that the content
should be age –appropriate and directed towards the sensitivity of young minds. The
process of transfer is made simpler through the KAVELS approach.
(Knowledge, Attitude, Value Enhanced Life Skills)
A positive attitude is essential to cope with the rapid changes which happen in the life
of a young adolescent in the areas of body, mind and soul. Different values need to be
experienced at different levels and internalized through development of appropriate
expression. Social-skills are needed to use values throughout the day.
Young people need to think about them, reflect on them and carry them into their
personal and social lives. They need to be able to see the effect of their behaviour and
choices and develop socially conscious Decision-Making Skills. One can develop
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reflection points for value enhanced Life-Skills such as 'Everyone in the world has the
right to live with dignity and respect' including myself. (Values : Respect ,
Life-Skills : Critical-Thinking Decision-Making). 'Tolerance is being open and
receptive to the beauty of differences'. (Value : Tolerance, Life-Skills : Interpersonal-
Skills Communicative-Skills). One can also add sayings from the local culture, bring
in local role models and learning gleaned from historical figures.
In addition to enhancing knowledge, the focus of the modules is on development of
value enhanced Life-Skills in students which would help them in resisting peer-
pressure, taking informed decisions and making healthy choices.
Objectives of the Life-Skills Programme:
• To develop concept of Life-Skills with respect to everyday life.

• To create awareness about the ten core Life-Skills and their inter-relatedness.
• To develop Life-Skills of Creative-Thinking, Critical-Thinking, Empathy,
Coping with Stress, Coping with Emotions, Inter-personal Relationships,
Communication-Skills, Decision-Making Skills, Self-Awareness and
Problem-Solving.
• To apply these Life-Skills in all spheres of life.
Vision
Nurturing ...
Aware, Responsible and Empowered Learners
We seek your active cooperation in making this vision a reality.

Life-Skills are essentially individual abilities that help to promote mental well-being
and competence in young people when they face the realities of life. Most
development professionals agree that Life-Skills are generally applied in the context of
health and social issues of concern.
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Objectives of the Life-Skills Manual :

• To create awareness regarding the ten Life- Skills.
• To develop the various skills and competencies associated with Life-Skills.
• To develop a non-judgemental and compassionate attitude.
• To manage adolescence and examination related stress and anxiety.
• To be well-informed on various Adolescent-Education related issues.
These can be utilized in many content areas like:

• Relationship-Management • Gender Concerns
• Professional-Communication • Process of Growing up
• Consumer Education • Education for Development
• Livelihood and Employability • Social-Communication
• Environmental- Awareness
In short, Life-Skills empower young people to take positive action to protect them and
promote their health and positive social-relationships.
National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and Life-Skills
Social-Values
National Educational
Curriculum Aims
Framework (NCF)
Life-Skills
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The guiding principles in National Curriculum Framework (NCF) provide the

landscape of social values and Life-Skills within which we locate our educational aims.
These are:
• Commitment to democracy and the values of equality, justice, freedom,

concern for others' well-being, secularism, respect for human dignity and
rights.
• Independence of thought and action points to a capacity of carefully
considered, value-based decision making, both independently and
collectively.
• Sensitivity to others' well-being and feelings, together with knowledge and
understanding of the
world.
• Learning to learn and
the willingness to
unlearn and relearn are
important as means of
responding to new
situations in a flexible
and creative manner.
• Choices in life and the
ability to participate in
democratic processes
depend on the ability to
contribute to society in
various ways.
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• Appreciation of beauty and art forms is an integral part of human

life. Creativity in arts, literature and other domains of knowledge is closely
linked.
• Education must provide the means and opportunities to enhance the child's
creative expression and the capacity for aesthetic appreciation.
(NCF-2005)
Ten Essential Life-Skills
ing
with
Cop otions
Solv
n g
lem
Em
ss
i
tre i ng
Prob
nk
S
hi
th
wi T
ng i ic al-
op it
C Cr
Empathy Life Effective Communication Skills

Skills
Se De
lf- cis
Aw io
n
Crea
re a M
Rel person
ak
Inte
ne
ss in
g
tive
a t
r
i o
Thin
nsh l
ip
king
a
Source : WHO
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What are the main Components of Life-Skills?

These ten Life-Skills can be further segregated into three core groups as depicted
below:
Life-Skills
Thinking-Skills Social-Skills Emotional-Skills

• Self-Awareness • Interpersonal- • Managing
• Problem-Solving Relationships Feelings/
• Decision-Making • Effective- Emotions
• Critical-Thinking Communication • Coping with

• Empathy Stress
• Creative-Thinking
Thinking-Skills
These include decision-making/problem-solving skills and information gathering
skills. The individual must also be skilled at evaluating the future consequences of their
present actions and the actions of others. They need to be able to determine alternative
solutions and to analyze the influence of their own values and the values of those
around them.
Social-Skills
These include verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening and the ability to
express feelings and give feed back. Also in this category, are negotiation/refusal-skills
and assertiveness skills that directly affect one's ability to manage conflict. Empathy,
which is the ability to listen and understand others' needs, is also a key interpersonal-
skill. Team work and the ability to cooperate include expressing respect for those
around us. Development of this skill set enables the adolescent to be accepted in society.
These skills result in the acceptance of social norms that provide the foundation for
adult social behaviour.
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Emotional-Skills
These refer to skills to increase the internal locus of control, so that the individual
believes that s/he can make a difference in the world and affect change. Self-esteem,
self-awareness, self-evaluation skills and the ability to set goals are also part of the
more general category of self-management skills. Anger, grief and anxiety must all be
dealt with, and the individual learns to cope with loss or trauma. Stress and time
management are key areas of focus, as are positive thinking and relaxation techniques.
How do Life-Skills help ?
Thinking-Skills Social-Skills Emotional-Skills

With the enhancement Social-skills help a person With enhanced emotional
of thinking skills, an to demonstrate the ability skills an individual is able
individual demonstrates to identify, verbalize and to identify causes and
the ability to be original, respond effectively to effects of stress on oneself
flexible and imaginative. others' emotions in an and develop and use
Instead of taking all that empathetic manner. Along multi-faceted strategies to
comes her/his way, s/he with this s/he gets along deal with it. As and when
raises questions and thinks well with others without required, the person is also
critically, identifies and prejudices. S/he also takes able to express and
analyses problems. While criticism constructively respond to emotions with
deciding on a thing s/he and reflects, listens actively an awareness of the
implements a well thought and communicates using consequences.
out decision and takes appropriate words,
responsibility. It makes intonation and body
one comfortable with language.
one's own self at the same
time accepting or trying to
overcome weaknesses
while building on the
strengths for positive self-
concept.
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Enhanced Life-Skills in an individual thus help in developing:

• Improved Self-Esteem
• Self- confidence
• Assertiveness
• Ability to establish relationships
• Ability to plan and set goals
• Acquisition of knowledge related to specific content areas
Detailing of Ten Core Life-Skills:
1. Self-Awareness includes our recognition of 'self', of our character, of our

strengths and weaknesses, desires and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can
help us to recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is also often
a pre-requisite to effective communication and interpersonal-relations, as well
as developing empathy for others. We all have different attributes/qualities.
2. Critical- Thinking is an ability to analyze information and experiences in an

objective manner. Critical-thinking can contribute by helping us to recognize
and assess the factors that influence attitudes and behaviour, such as values,
peer-pressure and the media.
3. Problem-Solving enables us to deal constructively with problems in our lives.

Significant problems that are left unresolved can cause mental-stress and give
rise to accompanying physical strain.
4. Creative-Thinking contributes to both decision-making and problem-solving

by enabling us to explore the available alternatives and various consequences of
our actions or non-action. It helps us to look beyond our direct experience and
even if no problem is identified, or no decision is to be made, creative-thinking
can help us to respond adaptively and with flexibility to the situations of our
daily lives.
5. Decision-Making helps us to deal constructively with decisions about our lives.

This can have positive consequences for the health of young people when they
actively make decisions about their own health practices by assessing different
options and the effects of different decisions.
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6. Interpersonal-Relationship Skills help us to relate in positive ways with the

people we interact with. This may mean being able to make and keep friendly
relationships, which can be of great importance to our mental and social well
being. It may mean keeping good relations with family members, which are an
important source of social support. It may also mean being able to end
relationships constructively.
7. Effective-Communication means that we are able to express ourselves, both

verbally and non-verbally, in ways that are appropriate to our cultures and
situations. This means being able to express opinions and desires, but also
needs and fears. And it may mean being able to ask for advice and help in a time
of need.
8. Empathy is the ability to imagine what life is like for another person, even in a
situation that we may not be familiar with. Empathy can help us to understand
and accept others, who may be very different from ourselves. So this skill can
improve social interactions, for example, in situations of ethnic or cultural
diversity.
9. Managing-Feelings and Emotions includes skills for increasing internal locus of

control for managing emotions, anger and stress.
10. Coping with Stress means that we take action to reduce the sources of stress, for
example, by making changes to our physical environment or lifestyle. It also
means learning how to relax, so that tensions created by unavoidable stress do
not give rise to health problems.
The various Life-Skills work best in conjunction. Many Life-Skills are required to
manage a particular situation and cope with it effectively. One particular skill may be
effectively utilized in diverse situations. The appropriate combination of Life-Skills at a
given moment is an art. Adolescents learn their Life-Skills from parents/teachers
/ significant others who act as role models.
Integration of Life-Skills in Text-books

The learning process becomes most effective when a balance is achieved between
knowledge, skills, attitude and values.
That is why practically all the national policy documents issued in India in recent years
have emphasised the development of Life Skills though skill development has not so
far, become a part of classroom transaction.
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There are two ways of incorporating the concept of Life – Skills in text-books.
a) By emphasizing the importance of a particular Life-Skill in the text, one can at
least, create the necessary awareness among young boys and girls about certain
Life-Skills, which would ensure a healthy life for them. For instance, while
discussing the needs and concerns of young adolescents the importance of
developing among them the skill of firmly saying 'NO' to eating Junk food or
going out for late night parties.
b) The second way to incorporate Life-Skills in text-books is to include a few
meaningful questions or activities in the text. The purpose is to motivate
children to critically think and decide for themselves what safe and responsible
behaviour is.
Theories For Developing Life Skills

Each of these theories provides a piece of the foundation for justifying life skills
development and differing perspectives on why these skills are important. Some focus
more on behavioral outcomes, justifying skills development as a way to move
adolescents towards the behaviors that developmental expectations, cultural context
and social norms find appropriate. Others focus more on the acquisition of life skills as
the goal itself, since competency in problem-solving, interpersonal communication,
and resolving conflicts can be seen as crucial elements of healthy human development.
Finally, some theoretical perspectives view life skills as a way for adolescents to actively
participate in their own process of development and the process of constructing social
norms. By teaching young people how to think rather than what to think, by providing
them with the tools for solving problems, making decisions and managing emotions,
and by engaging them through participative methodologies, skills development can
become a means of empowerment. The following chart pulls out the implications of
each theory for life skills programs:
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Figure 4 : Implications of Theories for Developing Life Skills
Child and • Early adolescent (10-14) is singled out as a critical moment

Adolescent of opportunity for building skills and positive habits, since
Development at that age there is a developing self-image and ability to
Theory think abstractly to solve problems.
• The wider social context of early and middle adolescence
provides varied situations in which to practice new skills
with peers and other individuals outside of the family.
• Developing skills and competencies are recognized as
critical to a child’s developmental pathway and sense of
oneself as an autonomous individual
Social Learning • Teaching life skills needs to replicate the natural processes
Theory by which children learn behavior (modeling, observation,
social interaction)
• Children need to develop the internal skills (self-control,
stress reduction, self-management, decision-making) that
can support positive outward behaviors
Problem - • Behaviors are influenced by an individuals’ values, beliefs

Behavior Theory and attitudes, and the perception of friends and family
about those behaviors. Therefore, skills in values
clarification and critical thinking (to evaluate oneself and
the values of the social environment) are important aspects
of life skills programs
Social Influence • Peer and social pressures to engage in unhealthy behaviors

Theory can be diffused by addressing them before the child or
adolescent is exposed to those pressures, thus pointing
towards early prevention, rather than later intervention
• Teaching children resistance skills is more effective at
reducing problem behaviors than just providing
information or provoking fear of the results of the behavior
Cognitive • Poor problem-solving skills are related to poor social

Problem Solving behavior, indicating the need to include problem - solving
as an aspect of life skills programs
• Teaching interpersonal problem-solving skills at earlier
stages in the developmental process (childhood, early
adolescence) is most effective
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Multiple • A broader vision of human intelligence points towards

Intelligenes using a variety of instructional methods to engage different
(Including learning styles.
Emotional
• Managing emotions and understanding one’s feelings and
Intelligence)
the feelings of others are critical to human development and
can be learned by children in the same way as reacting and
arithmetic.
Resilience and • Social-cognitive skills, social competence, and problem-

Risk solving skills can serve as mediators for behavior.
Theory
• The specific skills addressed by life skills programs are part
of the internal factors that help young people respond to
adversity and are the traits that characterize resilient young
people.
Constructivist • The learning process occurs through social interaction in

Psychology peer learning, cooperative groups, or open discussion
Theory situations
• Developing life skills in adolescents, like other processes of
teaching and learning, is infused with layers of cultural
beliefs and values
• Developing skills through the interaction of the individual
and the social/cultural environment can lead to changes
both in the individual and in the environment (peer group,
classroom, family, youth group)
(source: WHO, Information series on school health, document-9)
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Teaching and Learning Methods for Life Skills-Based

Education
Effective skills-based education replicates the natural processes by which children
learn behaviour. These include modelling, observation, and social interactions.
Interactive or participatory teaching and learning methods are an essential part of
skills-based health education (WHO).
Life Skills are learned best when students have the opportunity to observe and actively
practise them. Listening to a teacher describes skills or read or lecture about them does
not necessarily enable young people to master them. Learning by doing is necessary.
Teachers need to employ methods in the classroom that let young people observe the
skills being practiced and then use the skills themselves. Researchers argue that if
young people can practise the skills in the safety of a classroom environment, it is much
more likely that they will be prepared to use them in and outside of school (WHO).
The role of the teacher in delivering Life skills-based education is to facilitate
participatory learning (that is, the natural process of learning) in addition to
conducting lectures or employing other appropriate and efficient methods for
achieving the learning objectives. Participatory learning utilises the experience,
opinions, and knowledge of group members; provides a creative context for the
exploration and development of possibilities and options; and affords a source of
mutual comfort and security that aids the learning and decision-making process
(CARICOM & UNICEF, 1999).
Setting positive standards in the school environment is key; making students aware of
those standards and then model them can lead more students to behave in health-
promoting ways. Figure describes a model of skills development that can serve as a
guide for structuring classroom lessons.
Defining and Promoting Specific Skills

• Defining the skills : What skills are most relevant to influencing a targeted
behaviour or condition; what will the student be able to do if the skill-
building exercises are successful?
• Generating positive and negative examples of how the skills might be
applied
• Encouraging verbal rehearsal and action
• Correcting misperceptions about what the skill is and how to do it
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Promoting Skill Acquisition and Performance

• Providing opportunities to observe the skill being applied effectively
• Providing opportunities for practice with coaching and feed back
• Evaluating performance
• Providing feedback and recommendations for corrective actions
Fostering Skill Maintenance/Generalisation

• Providing opportunities for personal practice
• Providing opportunities for practice with coaching and feedback
• Evaluating performance
• Providing feedback and recommendations for corrective actions
Fostering Skill Maintenance/Generalisation

• Providing opportunities for personal practice
• Fostering self-evaluation and skill adjustment
(source: Mangrulkar et al., 2001, p. 27)
Participatory Teaching Methods

Active participatory learning activities for students are the most effective method for
developing knowledge, attitudes, and skills together for students to make healthy
choice.
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Specific advantages of active participatory teaching and learning methods, and

working in groups, include the following:
• augment participants' perceptions of themselves and others
• promote cooperation rather than competition
• provide opportunities for group members and their trainers/teachers to
recognise and value individual skills and enhance self-esteem
• enable participants to get to know each other better and extend relationships
• promote listening and communication skills
• facilitate dealing with sensitive issues
• appear to promote tolerance and understanding of individuals and their needs
• encourage innovation and creativity
(Source: CARICOM, 2000; CARICOM & UNICEF, 1999)
Participatory teaching methods for building skills and influencing attitudes include
the following (WHO):
• class discussions
• brainstorming
• demonstration and guided practice
• role play
• small groups
• educational games and simulations
• case studies
• story telling
• debates
• practising life skills specific to a particular context with others
• audio and visual activities, e.g., arts, music, theatre, dance
• decision mapping or problem trees
Effective programmes balance these participatory and active methods with
information and attitudes related to the context (Kirby et al., 1994). Following figure
describes content, benefits, and how-to processes for some major participatory
teaching methods. In the following case study, young students used advocacy and
action skills to change conditions in the environment and promote health.
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Each of the teaching methods in the figure can be used to teach life skills.
TEACHING DESCRIPTION BENEFITS PROCESS

METHOD
CLASS The class examines a Provides opportunities • Decide how to

DISCUSSION problem or topic of for students to learn arrange seating for
(In Small or interest with the goal from one another and discussion
Large Groups) of better practise tuning to one
• Identify the goal of
understanding an another in solving
the discussion and
issue of skill, reaching problems. Enables
communicate it
the best solution, or students to deepen
clearly
developing new ideas their understanding of
and directions for the the topic and • Pose meaningful,
group. personalise their open-ended
connection to it Helps questions
develop skills in • Keep track of
listening, discussion progress
assertiveness, and
empathy.
BRAIN- Students actively Allows students to • Designate a leader

STORMING generate a broad generate ideas quickly and a recorder
variety of ideas about a and spontaneously.
• State the issue or
particular topic or Helps students use
problem and ask
question in a given, their imagination and
for ideas
often brief period of break loose from fixed
time. Quantity of ideas patterns of response. • Students may
is the main objective of Good discussion suggests any idea
brain storming. starter because the that comes to mind
Evaluating or debating class can creatively • Do not discuss the
the ideas occurs later. generate ideas. It is idea that comes to
essential to evaluate mind
the pros and cons of
each idea or rank ideas • Record idea in a
according to certain place where
criteria. everyone can see
them
• After
brainstorming,
review the ideas
and add, delete,
categorise
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METHOD
ROLE PLAY Role play is an Provides an excellent • Decide how to

informal dramatisation strategy for practising arrange seating for
in which people act skill; experiencing how discussion
out a suggested one might handle a
• Select role players
situation. potential situation in
real life; increasing • Give instructions to
empathy for others role players
and their point of • Start the role play
view; and increasing
insight into one’s own • Discuss what
feelings. happened
SMALL For small group work, Useful when groups • State the purpose
GROUP/ a large class is divided are large and time is of discussion and
BUZZ into smaller groups of limited. the amount of time
GROUP six or less and given a available
Maximises student
short time to
input. Lets students • Form small groups
accomplish a task,
get to know one
carry out an action, or • Position seating so
another better and
discuss a specific topic, that members can
increases the liklihood
problem, or question. hear each other
that they will consider
easily
how another person
thinks. Helps students • Ask group to
hear and learn from appoint recorder
their peers. • At the end have
recorders describe
the group’s
discussion
GAMES AND For small group work, Useful when groups Games :
SIMU- a large class is divided are large and time is
• Remind students
LATIONS into smaller groups of limited.
that the activity is
six or less and given a
Maximises student meant to be
short time to
input. Lets students enjoyable and that
accomplish a task,
get to know one it does not matter.
carry out an action, or
another better and who wins.
discuss a specific topic,
increases the
problem, or question.
likelihood that they
will consider how
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METHOD
another person thinks. Simulations :

Helps students hear
• Work best when
and learn from their
they are brief and
peers.
discussed
immediately
• Students should be
asked to imagine
themselves in a
situation or should
play structured
game or activity to
experience a
feeling that might
occur in another
setting.
SITUATION Situation analysis Situation analysis • Guiding questions

ANALYSIS activities allow allow students to are useful to spur
AND CASE students to think explore problems and thinking and
STUDIES about, analyse, and dilemmas and safety discussion
discuss situations they test solution; it
• Facilitator must be
might encounter. Case provides opportunities
adept at teasing
studies are real-life to work together, share
out the key points
stories that describe in ideas, and learn that
and step back and
detail what happened people sometimes see
pose some ‘bigger’
to community, school, things differently. Case
overarching
or individual. studies are powerful
questions
catalysts for thought
and discussion. • Situation analyses
and case studies
Students consider the
need adequate time
forces that converge to
for processing and
make an individual or
creative thinking
group act in one way
or another, and then • Teacher must act as
evaluate the the facilitator and
consequences. By coach rather than
engaging in this the sole source of
thinking process, ‘answers’ and
students can improve knowledge
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METHOD
their own decision-

making skills. Case
studies can be tied to
specific activities to
help students practice
healthy responses
before they find
themselves confirmed
with health risk.
DEBATE In a debate, a Provides opportunity • Allow students to

particular problem or to address a particular take positions of
issue is presented to issue in-depth and their choosing. If
the class, and students creatively. Health too many students
must take a position on issues lend themselves take the same
resolving the problem well; students can position, ask for
or issue. The class can debate, for instance, volunteer to take
debate as a whole or in whether smoking the opposing point
small groups. should be banned in of view.
public places to defend
• Provide students
a position that may
with time to
mean a lot to them.
research their
Offers a chance to
topic.
practise higher
thinking skills. • Do not allow
students to
dominate at the
expense of other
speakers.
• Make certain that
students show
respect for the
opinions and
thoughts of other
debaters.
• Maintain control in
the classroom and
keep the debate on
topic.
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METHOD
STORY The instructor or Can help students • Keep the story

TELLING students tell or read a think about local simple and clear.
story to a group. problems and develop Make one or two
Picutres, comics and critical thinking skills. main points.
photonovels, Students can engage
• Be sure the story
filmstrips, and slides their creative skills in
(and pictures, if
can supplement. helping to write
included) relate to
Students are stories, or a group can
the lives of the
encouraged to think work interactively to
students.
about and discuss tell stories. Story
important (health- telling lends itself to • Make the story
related) points or drawing analogies or dramatic enough to
methods raised by the making comparisons, be interesting. Try
story after it is told. helping people to to include
discover healthy situations of
solutions. happiness, sadness,
excitment, courage,
serious thought,
decisions, and
problem-solving
behaviours.
(Source : Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) Life Skills Training, Barbados,
March/April 2001, compiled by HHD/EDC, Newton, Mass.)
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The Life Skills Programme - objectives and key elements

The key elements of the life Skills Programme are:
(Source: Mangrulkar, Whitman, Posner 2001)
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Assessment, Evaluation and Improvement

Each chapter is divided into three parts, i.e. introduction to the particular life skill,
activities and the assessment of the related life skill. This will facilitate in providing a
holistic knowledge and development of life skill among the readers. Assessment
inculcates tests that are standardized by some author. Also it includes test that have
statements with a purpose to empower the adolescent or the reader with his/her
positioning or direction of functioning related to each life skill. Therefore it should not
be judgemental or response-biased.
Assess students' Increase awareness of

performance on a student’s
test/scale/inventory
Improve Students
Healthy child learning to enhance
development the deficit area/Life
Skill
These tests provide guidance in terms of degree and direction of weakness of particular
skill in students and enhance those skills leading towards comprehensive life skill
education and healthy development.
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Activity 1 : Exploring Life-Skills
Time Required : 1 hour.

Materials required :
• Flash Cards, markers, flip charts, gum/tape.
Mode : Individual
Life Skills to be enhanced :
• Self awareness, Critical thinking
Objectives :
• To explore the concept of Life-Skills.
• To acquaint learners with the Life-Skills they can use in their day to day life.
Process :
• Invite the learners to sit (in a circle). Ask them if they have heard of the term
'Life-Skills'? What do they know about it?
• Explain that all of us possess certain skills that enable us to live our lives. For
example, the skill to write, work with others or make a decision.
• Pass out one flash card to each participant and ask him/her to write the most
important skill he/she possesses.
• Allow the participants to do this exercise within five minutes.
• Invite the participants to display their cards on the floor and then ask them to
group similar cards.
• Ask if the cards represent most of the skills required for leading a healthy and
productive life. If not, ask them to add the remaining skills.
• While the participants are busy doing their work, prepare three flash cards with
the headings – “All of us have”, “Some of us have” and “None of us have”
• After the participants finish writing and grouping the flash cards, ask them to
arrange the flash cards in a horizontal line on the floor.
• Place the three cards, which you have prepared, in a vertical line next to the
horizontal line of cards. Once this is done, you should be able to draw a matrix of
rows and columns on the floor.
• You should have four rows and as many columns as there are skill cards.
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• Now, ask the participants to start from the top and fill the matrix. Move from the
left to the right.
• Once the matrix is complete, ask the participants to discuss the reasons for its
outputs. For example, why is it that only some people have certain skills and
why are certain skills absent?
• Request volunteers to copy the matrix on a chart, and put it up on the wall.
• Summarize and close the discussion by using the definition of Life-Skill given at
the beginning of this Unit.
Notes for the Facilitator

1. This simple exercise creates a mutual understanding of the concept of Life-Skills
and ascertains the level of Life-Skills available within the group. The
categorization of Life-Skills is given at the start of the module can be used for the
summarization of the exercise and as a handout.
2. Expected outcome in terms of Life-Skills
• Reading • Dancing
• Writing • Doing / working
• Speaking • Painting
• Co-operation • Singing
• Helping • Sporting Activities
• Logical - Thinking • Listening
• Coping • Creativity
3. Let the participants write as many skills. The next activity focuses on the ten core
Life-Skills and then regroups and classifies them under three major heads.
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Activity 2 : What Use are Life-Skills ?
Time required : 45 minutes

Materials needed :
• Flash Cards, markers, Flip charts, Gum/Tape.
Mode : Group Work
• Critical thinking, Effective communication
Objective :
• To learn about the importance of Life-Skills in our lives.
Process :
• Ask the participants to take the matrix chart off the wall and place it on the floor.
• Divide the participants into three groups- Social-Skills (Communication/
Interpersonal Skills group), Thinking-Skills (Decision-Making/Critical-
Thinking Skill Group) and Emotional-Skills (Coping/Self-Management Skills
group).
• Ask the three groups to look at the matrix and record skills pertaining to their
group.
• Explain the task to the groups as follows :
• Discuss and list the benefits of possessing the Life-Skills that have been
noted by each group.
• Discuss and list the problems one would face if she/he did not have these
Life-Skills?
• Then, ask the three groups to sit in three different locations. Give them flip
charts and markers.
• Allow thirty minutes to do this exercise.
• Invite the group to display their work and make presentations.
• Encourage discussion and cross questioning within the groups.
• Summarize and close the exercise by emphasizing the importance of Life-Skills.
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Note for the Facilitator

This useful exercise emphasises utility and the importance of Life-Skills. You can use
the information given at the beginning of this module. Point out why Life-Skills are
important for young people. These Life-Skills include Problem-Solving, Critical-
Thinking, Communication-Skills, Decision-Making, Creative-Thinking,
Interpersonal-Relationships, Self-Awareness Building-Skills, Empathy, Coping
with Stress and Managing Emotions.
Key Messages
Life-Skills
l are an integral part of life.
Managing Life-Skills is the ability to identify and express ourselves in life.
l
Life-Skills
l in varied contexts empower young people to take informed
decisions.
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Activity 3: My Say on Life Skills!
Time required: 30 Minutes

Materials Needed:
• White-board/ Black-board, Markers, Chalks
Mode:
• Whole Class
Life Skills to be enhanced:
• Critical thinking, Effective communication, Self-awareness, Assertiveness,
Creative thinking, Interpersonal Relationships
Objective:
• To enable participants to agree on the definition of the term Life Skills
Process:
1. Provide each participant with a card or a piece of paper.
2. Ask each person to write his or her own understanding of the word Life Skills.
3. Ask the participants to bring the cards to the front of the room and place them
on the floor.
4. Ask 2 people to group the cards into thematic areas (related definitions) or draw
out common or related words.
5. Agree on a working definition
Sample Life Skills definition: Special abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that
enable us to deal effectively with the challenges and demands of every day life.
Key Messages
• The final working definition that is agreed upon through Brain Storming and
Consensus reaching should focus on a number of key words. (Skill, Life,
Adaptive and positive behaviour)
• The learners should understand the fact that Life Skills are learned over time.
• Any definition that readily crafts the above mentioned points is good.
• The discussion involves everyone and the final definition is derived with
consensus and leaves the majority happy.
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Activity 4: When are Life Skills required?

Materials Needed:
• White-board/ Black-board, Markers, Chalks
Mode:
• Whole Class
• Critical-thinking, Effective-communication, Self-awareness, Creative-thinking,
Interpersonal-Relationships
Objective:
• To help explore how Life Skills relate to every day situation of a student/ learner.
Process:
1. Divide participants into four different groups.
2. Give each group a list of Life Skills from the list below
• Critical thinking • Effective Communication
• Self-awareness • Empathy
• Coping with stress • Coping with Emotions
• Decision Making • Problem Solving
• Creative thinking • Interpersonal Relationships
3. Ask participants to review different types of Life Skills and how they can be
applied in day to day situations that students go through.
4. In each group the people should tell a true story of
How the skill can be used in their own personal experiences
l
How it can be applied appropriately by a student in handling situations like-

l
Goal Setting, Making Friends, Respecting Elders, Body Image, Developing
Study Skills, Physical Fitness etc.
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Key Messages
• Participants are clear about the definition of a skill, as exhibited from
their case studies and testimonies.
• They should be able to relate Life Skills with real life.
• Learners will form a clear concept and understand Life Skills. They are
able to carry out self reflection and later pass on skills to peers.
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Activity 5: Analyzing My Relationship with

the Environment around Me !

Materials Needed:
• White-board/ Black-board, Markers, Chalk of different colours/ Chart Papers,
Student Worksheet.
Mode:
• Whole Class
• Critical-thinking, Decision-making, Effective-Communication, Self-awareness,
Creative-thinking, Interpersonal-Relationships
Objective:
• To enable analysis of one's environment
• To learn analytical skills and develop critical thinking skills.
Process
1. Explain to the participants that they will be undertaking an exercise to analyze
their environment.
2. This analysis will be done with the aid of a Venn diagram. This diagram has two
main elements – circle and distance. Participants can use circles of varying sizes
to show the importance of something and they can use distance to show their
relationship with the circles.
3. Explain that with the aid of this diagram they will analyze their relationship
with other groups, institutions and organisations in the society.
4. Divide the participants into small groups.
5. Ask them to
a. Make a list of groups, organizations and institutions that exist in their social
environment. For example, family, peer group, relatives, library, school,
college, etc.
b. Assign a circle to each. If the group is very important, make the circle big, if it
is of little or no importance make the circle small. If many are of equal
importance, make similar size circles.
c. Tell participants to put the chosen group at the centre and place the different
sized circles around it. Decide on the distance based on their relationship
with the circles.
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6. Ask each group to use chalk and the floor for this exercise. Alternatively they
could use chart-paper.
7. Observe the groups as they proceed with the diagram.
8. Invite the groups to visit each other's diagrams. Each group should present their
diagram to the others.
9. Ask all the participant students to fill in the student worksheet.
Key Messages
• Participants will understand that the environment plays an important role in
their lives.
• Participants will understand that the environment influences their Life
Skills and life choices.

This can be a very stimulating exercise for the participants, as they learn to
examine the reasons behind the choices they make. It also teaches them to work
in a group and to work through consensus. You could alternatively use this
exercise for analyzing personal relationships. You could ask each participant to
draw his/her own Venn diagram. This time they could use the circles for
showing the importance of a person (avoid the use of names) and distance for
showing their relationship with the person. In a large group, individual Venn
diagrams could be very time consuming. You could ask the participants to do it
at home and bring it back the next day for display and discussion.
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Student Worksheet
1. Who have you mentioned in the Venn Diagram and why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why did you make the circles the sizes you did?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. Why did you place the circles the way you did?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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4. What roles do these institutions, groups, organizations play in your life?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
5. Which Life Skills are required to maintain positive and healthy relationships
between you and your environment?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
6. What did you learn from this exercise?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Activity 6 : Story Time

Materials Needed:
• Handouts, Student Work Sheets
Mode:
• Individual Students
• Critical-Thinking, Decision-Making, Problem-Solving, Being Assertive,
Creative-Thinking
Objective:
• To enable participants to understand story narrative in terms of Life Skills
Process:
• Read out the given story to the class or give them the story narrative Handouts
and make them read it.
• After they have finished reading the story narrative give them the Student
Worksheet and ask them to fill it.
• Discuss the general responses
Handout-1
Long ago, there was a man named Khek who with his son raised a donkey's calf.
When the calf grew up, it became a handsome and plump donkey with brown
and smooth hair.
On seeing the fine grown-up donkey, the man said to his son, "Now our
donkey has become fat and nice. If we sell it now, we can get a good price for it.
But in our village there is no one who needs a donkey, and the village where
someone needs one is very far from here. If we make the donkey walk to that far
away village, it may get thin by fatigue, and its price will go down. How can we
get a good price for it?"
Finally, the man and his son decided what to do. They caught the donkey,
fastened each pair of its feet tightly together, passed a pole between the pairs of
feet, and shouldered its two ends. Thus they began to carry it to the far away
village where they hoped to get a good price.
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While going on their way, they were seen by villagers who were much
amused to see such a sight. They burst into laughter and said, "Hey, what a
strange thing! Two men carrying a donkey!" They chided the man: "Old man, do
not do so. The horse, the ox, the elephant and the donkey have never been carried
by men. It is they which have to carry men on their backs."
On hearing this, the father and the son took down the donkey and untied it.
The father then said to the son, "We cannot ride all at once, for our donkey is not
strong enough to carry both of us. So, ride alone on it and I will follow you." And
so the young man did.
As they were passing through another village, the young man was asked,
"Where are you riding, boy?"
"I ride to a village called Kompang," answered the young man.
And pointing to the old man, they asked, "Who is this old man behind you?"
"He is my father," the young man replied.
On hearing this, the villagers became angry and said, "What an ungrateful
son you are! You are strong enough to walk while your old father is not so. You
had better get down at once and let your old father ride the donkey."
On hearing this sharp remark, the young man at once got down from the
donkey and the old man took his place. Then they continued their journey. The
young man walked behind the donkey carrying his father.
After some time, they came near a well at the end of a certain village. Around
this well there was a throng of young women who came to draw water from
there. Some were noisily pouring water on their body for a bath.
Looking at the handsome young man walking slowly behind the donkey,
they felt a great sympathy for him. They envied the old man who was riding so
comfortably on the donkey while the young man walked behind him with much
hardship.
The young women approached the donkey and said roughly to the old man,
"This young donkey is fat and pretty; it is worthy of the young man who is in the
same happy state; an old man like you is not fit to ride on it!"
When the old man and his son heard such unkind words, they discussed the
matter. "We will both ride together on the donkey, you in front and I behind you,"
decided the old man. And sitting like that, they continued the journey.
After crossing some distance, they reached a customhouse. They were then
seen by the officer of the customhouse, who asked, "Where are you going, men?"
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"We are going to the village of Kompang," they answered.

And the officer scolded them: "Your donkey is not strong and old enough to
carry both of you. If you keep on riding along as far as the village of Kompang, it
will become thin and its price will go down. How foolish you are! Why don't you
let it walk?"
Again, they got off the donkey and led it by means of a rope. When they
arrived at a field, there was no
road for them to go any further.
So they began to cross it to find
another way. The owner of the
field who was working there
cried out from a distance,
"Walk carefully, old man! My
field is full of thorns for it is not
yet cleaned up. But you have a
donkey, why don't you ride it to
avoid the thorns? Why do you
treat it as your ruler? How
foolish you are!"
The father and son looked
at each other. "We cannot be in
agreement with all people.
Whatever we do, we get a
scolding from someone." At
last they agreed: "We will just
have to travel as we see fit, and
put up with the blame as it
comes."
They went on and finally
reached the village of
Kompang. There, they sold
their donkey for a very good
price and returned home
without further loss of time.
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Student Worksheet
Answer the questions about the story:
1. Which are the Life Skills you suggest should have been there in the farmer
and his son for handling the things better?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. "We will just have to travel as we see fit, and put up with the blame as it comes."
Which Life Skills are reflected in this statement ?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Tell about a time when different people gave you different ideas about how
to do something. How did you decide what to do?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Imagine if the farmer and his son met someone else. What new crazy idea
could the person give them?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. What if the farmer met all the different people at the same time? What would
he do?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. Have you ever tried to make everyone happy at once? What happened? Did
it work? Who were they?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. When would it be better not to make someone happy?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
8. Give a title to the story based on Life Skills.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Handout - 2
Know the Cleaning Lady
During the last year of the school a teacher gave his student a questionnaire.
There was one conscientious student who had breezed through the questions,
until he read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans at
your floor in the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. He had seen the
cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how
would he know her name? He handed in his paper, leaving the last question
blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count
toward the questionnaire grade and affect their CCE grades. "Absolutely", said
the teacher. "In your career, you will meet many people. All are significant. They
deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello." He
never forgot that lesson. He also learned her name was Suman.
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Student Worksheet
1. What is your learning from the first story?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. What are the Life-Skills involved in this narrative?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Write down the names of 25 people who have influenced you in your life.
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Handout - 3
A The Obstacles in Our Path
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself
and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's
wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many
loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything
about getting the stone out of the way.
Then, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the
boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side
of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the
peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying on the road
where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note
from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the
boulder from the road way. The peasant learnt what many of us never
understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our
condition."
B Giving When It Counts
Many years ago, there was a girl who was suffering from a rare and serious
disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from
her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and
had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor
explained the situation to her little brother and asked the little boy if he would be
willing to give his blood to his sister. He hesitated for only a moment before
taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."
At the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as they
all-did, seeing the colour returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his
smile faded. He looked up at doctor and asked with a trembling voice. "Will I
start to die right away?" Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the
doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order
to save her and yet for sake of love, a selfless and unconditional love he had
agreed to lay his life for her.
C The carrot, the egg, and the coffee bean
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things
were so hard for her, She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted
to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that, as one
problem was solved, a new one arose.
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Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed
each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in
the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she
turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She
pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and
placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what you see?"
"Carrots, eggs and coffee", the young woman replied. The mother brought her
closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted the they were soft. She
then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling out off the shell, she
observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The
daughter smiled as she tasted it rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What
does it mean mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity -
boiling water - but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and
unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and
became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its
liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its thin inside became
hardened!
The ground coffee beans were unique. However, after they were in the boiling
water, they had changed the water. "Which are you?" the mother asked her
daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you
a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?" Think of this; Which am I? Am I a carrot that
seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my
strength? Am I the egg that starts with a break up, or a financial hardship, does
my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit a
hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot
water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change
the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their
greatest, do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity? - So Are
you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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Student Worksheet
Answer the questions about the story:
1. Which are the Life-Skills you feel emerge strongly in the stories above?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Which story touched you most? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. How will you handle a difficult time in your life? Which all Life Skills do you
think you will need to support you then?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Do you agree to the premise that "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to
improve our condition"? Explain.
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. What is the need of positive inter-personal relations in our lives?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. Have you ever realized that the real power is in you? If yes, then what is that?
If no, what do you think it can be?
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Self-Assessment
Life-Skills : An Introduction
Directions: Read each statement below and indicate whether you think each is
True or False by (√) in the appropriate column.
A. Read the following statements and mark T or F.
True / False
1. Always being positive towards life is the right attitude.
2. Life-Skills can never be acquired.
3. Only few students can develop Life-Skills.
4. Life-Skills come in water tight compartments.
5. Life-Skills are integrated.
6. What we believe about ourselves affects the way we act or behave.
7. It is almost impossible to develop a more positive self-image.
8. It is important to measure how far you have come towards reaching
your goal.
9. It's a good idea to make a decision and then think about the
consequences later.
10. You can avoid misunderstandings by assuming the other person
knows what you mean.
11. Effective communication is when both sender and receiver interpret a
message in the same way.
12. Relaxation techniques are of no use when meeting people.
13. A compliment is more effective when it is said sincerely.
14. A nice way of ending a conversation is to tell the person you enjoyed
talking with him/her.
15. Sense of humor is an unnecessary attribute.
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I Have Them ALL!

B. Here is a word bank for the some good qualities that you should have
to lead a good life. Find at least fifteen in the maze given below. If you
find eighteen you are very good and if you find all twenty you are
outstanding.
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C. What was your learning from this Unit?
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________
D. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal
life?
1. ________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________
Suggested activities
Peer Educators can
Prepare stories as medium for developing Life Skills
v
Collect
v stories reflecting Life Skills and they can be used by the language
teachers for comprehension passages
Collect more resources from the print media that can be used to reflect upon
v
Make picture books, comic strips and flash cards based on stories
v
Technology
v can be used to prepare resources on stories compiled from
different regions
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Self
Awa ren ess
2
AglaSem Schools
Self-Awa ren ess

Self-Awareness includes our recognition of 'Self', of our character, of
our Strengths and Weaknesses and Desires and Dislikes. Developing
Self-Awareness can help us to recognize when we are stressed or feel
under pressure. It is also often a prerequisite to Effective-
Communication and Interpersonal-Relations as well as developing
Empathy for others.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Self - Awa ren ess 2

Objectives:
• To develop the concept of Self-Exploration and Self-Awareness among Students.
• To help in identifying and sharing Students' interests, aspirations, strengths,
weaknesses and concerns.
• To enhance understanding of self and others.
Process:
This session explains the importance of Self-Awareness and Self-Exploration as a value.
The focus is on the process of Self-Reflection and sharing about the students' interests,
thoughts and/or concerns regarding themselves and the world. It is conveyed to
students that such sharing helps in developing self-confidence.
The way in which a person talks about her/himself, defines for others and oneself, the
sort of person s/he chooses to be. If you do not define yourself, others may define you in
ways that meet their own rather than your needs.
Self-Introspection also helps in making an assessment of oneself with respect to one's
aspirations and helps in charting a course of action or assesses one's progress.
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UNIT : 2 - Self-Awareness
Activity 1 : Discover-Yourself !
Materials needed:
• Paper, Pens, Colours and Crayons, Worksheet - Discover Yourself: Who Am I?
Mode : Individual
Life-Skills to be enhanced
• Self-Awareness, Critical-Thinking, Empathy, Creative-Thinking
Objectives:
• To enhance students' understanding of their 'self' in a creative manner

• To inculcate the ability of critical and creative thinking
Process:
• If you were to answer the question “Who am I”, what are ten different things
that you will write about yourself in the Worksheet given?
• Use the category chart given at the back of the Worksheet.
Key Messages
Knowing your Inner-Self builds confidence and Self-Esteem.
You begin to :
• Like yourself and feel good about the way you are.
• Realise that you are a worthwhile, competent and a unique person.
• Have the confidence to try-out new challenges and feel you can achieve the
things you set out to do.
• Trust your parents, teachers, friends and seek their advice.
• Be confident and optimistic about the future.
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Worksheet - Discover Yourself : Who Am I ?
S. No. Sentences about Yourself Category
10
I am
Unique !
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Let us examine what you have written about yourself and put
them under these three groups:
Group 1 : External-Me (EM)
All sentences that describe your physical self like age, gender, appearance are about
your physical self. For example, “I am tall.” Put EM against such sentences.
Group 2 : Social-Me (SM)

All sentences that you have written about your parents, brothers and sisters,
relatives, school and country etc. are about your social-self. For example, “I study in
School.” Put SM against such sentences.
Group 3 : Inner-Me (IM)

All sentences that describe qualities or talents that you possess and are valued by
yourself or others reflect your inner self or nature. For example, “I am good in
English.” Or “I love Theatre”. Put IM against such sentences.
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

External-Me (EM) Social-Me (SM) Inner-Me (IM)
Age, Gender (Boy/Girl), Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Talents, Qualities etc.
Appearance etc. Relatives, School,
Country etc.
Category 1 : External-Me (EM) Category 2 : Social-Me (SM)
Category 3 : Inner-Me (IM)
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Activity 2 : Understanding the Inner-Self
Time : 40 Minutes
Materials required :
Pen, Pencil, White-Board, Marker, Duster, 'Worksheet : Understanding the Inner-
Self-Reading Worksheet A'.
Mode : Individual and Group
Life-Skills to be enhanced :
Self awareness, Effective Communication.
Objectives :
• To enable the students to understand their own self

Process :
• Facilitator will divide the class in groups.

• Individually read Worksheet A.
• Each group will work on two role models and complete Worksheet B.
• Facilitator will brainstorm the session.
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Worksheet A
1. Read about three of the greatest achievers of modern
times.
Mahatma Gandhi
Inner - Purpose of Strength and Overcoming Achievements

Nature Life Drive difficulties and Benefits
to Society
Deep •Bring • Travelled the • Was put in • India got her
belief in dignity and length and jail several freedom
the self-respect breadth of country times, but after long
equality to all talking and continued years of
and Indians inspiring people. the struggle British rule
dignity of for
• Free India • Set an example for independen • Taught the
an
from the others by living a ce from world non-
individual
domination life of simplicity, there violent ways
of British love and to fight
rule truthfulness • Had the violence and
through courage to domination
non-violent be always in
means. the forefront
in leading
demonstrati
ons, like the
Dandi -
March,
facing riots,
etc
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Mother Teresa

Nature Life Drive difficulties and Benefits to
Society
Heart Dedicated • Boundless • She never •With the help of
overflowing her life to the faith in God. lost heart in thousands of
with love service of the absence dedicated
• Love for all
and “the poorest of financial volunteers and
compassion of the poor” • Hard work resources, spread over 120
• Perseverance and made countries, she
by -
up for it set up
• Working • Selfless service with love establishments
for the • Abiding and service. like:
poor, sick courage in the • Started her “Missionaries of
and face of misery, work with Charity”
unwanted poverty and just Rs. 5/- “Nirmal Hriday”
-the disease in hand
orphaned “Nirmal Shishu
and Bhawan”
abandoned
“Prem Niwas”
children
• She received
• Taking care several awards,
of the including the
victims of Nobel Prize in
leprosy 1979
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Kalpana Chawla

Nature Life Drive difficulties and Benefits to
Society
• Curious • Dedicated • Her clear- • She broke • She was truly a
with a her life to mind about stereotypes. global citizen,
sense of her dream her ambitions (She was the and earth
values of flying only girl at person who
• The will to
and that time to wanted to
• Consciou- pursue them
reaching join the explore her
sly with single
out to the aeronautical neighbourhood
explored minded
stars and engineering in the outer
and dedication
planets. As stream at space!
broadene
she said • She worked the Punjab
d her • In 1944, her
"don't go hard towards Engineering
horizons efforts paid
after the her goal. She College)
in her when out of
fleeting would say, "If
areas of • Her sights 2962 applicants
pleasures you look up
interest were so for space
of life, go to the top of
completely mission, NASA
for more the mountain,
focused on chose 19 and
permanent then climbing
her goals Kalpana's name
things it may seem
that even figured in it.
an impossible
her small
task. But if • In 1997, she
town
you focus on went on her
maiden sortie in
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AglaSem Schools
the next step trappings the space

and take it were no shuttle STS - 87
one step at a constraint Columbia as a
time, then for her mission
you certainly specialist
•She crossed
will be able to
continents • She was chosen
do it." That is
and high for the second
exactly what
seas to an time round for
she did
alien the next
• She very culture. She Columbia
dedicatedly fought and mission STS-107
charted out overcame as a flight
her course, opposition engineer and
stuck to the from her mission
path and took parents and specialist
it in stride, migrated to
• In all she logged
one step at a USA for
30 days, 14
time further
hours and 54
studies
minutes in
space
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Worksheet B
In groups of your own develop two more profiles of people who have inspired you and
are role models for the group.
Inner - Purpose Strength Overcoming Achievements

Nature of Life and Drive difficulties and Benefits
to Society
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Activity 3 : My Inner-Self

Materials needed
• Blank sheets of paper
Mode : Group
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking
Objective:
• To help students gain a better understanding of themselves
Process:
• Ask students to think and write about themselves on a blank sheet of paper. It
can be in the form of free writing.
• Follow it up with a discussion in a group.
• Each student can think of something to symbolise his/her own self and draw or
paint it on a blank sheet of paper. It can be anything, a physical object such as a
flower or a car or an abstract painting with a free flow of colours.
• Discuss the symbolism only in individual sessions if possible.
Key Messages
• All of us are a blend of the External-Me, the Social-Me and the Inner-Me.
• Doing things closest to us gives us immense satisfaction.
• Using our latent talent brings us near to the Inner-Me.
• Each of us is unique and has a unique Inner-Me.
• The Inner-Me is the source of energy and inspiration.
• We need to focus on the inner qualities of people and not their physical
appearance.
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Activity 4 : “If I Were”

Materials needed
• Whiteboard, Marker, Duster etc.
Mode: Individual Students
Life-Skills to be enhanced:
• Self-Awareness, Creative-Thinking, Critical-Thinking
Objectives:
• To gain a better understanding of self and others
• To develop a positive psycho-social attitude towards self
Process:
• Ask the students to sit in a circle.
• Tell them that in this activity, they will have to complete the sentences that you
have given them. They are to complete the sentences aloud, and give reasons
(e.g., 'If I were a bird, I would be flying high in the sky because I would be free').
• Begin the game by calling out the sentences.
Some examples are given below:

1. If I were to re-live a day it would be ........................................................................
2. If I were a famous person, I would be ....................................................................
3. If I were to spend a day, it would be with ...............................................................
4. If I were the head of the school I would .............................................................
...................................................................................................................................
5. If I were the Prime Minister of the country I would ..........................................
....................................................................................................................................
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Activity 5 : "Staying in Tune"
Time required: 40 minutes

Materials needed:
• Chart-papers, Sketch-pens, White-board, Markers.
Mode : Individual
• Self-Awareness, Critical-Thinking, Creative-Thinking
Objective:
• To understand self and others
Process :
• Distribute the worksheet to each student.
• Ask them to complete the worksheet in 15 minutes.
• Discuss importance and inter-linkage between needs, values and beliefs.
Key Messages
You have many needs, values and beliefs in life. These must be in harmony in order
for you to feel good about yourself.
Needs :
• Whatever you require to feel good about yourself. Examples : respect, health,
safety, acceptance and love, knowledge, skills, food, clothing, shelter.
Value :
• Ideas or things those are important to you. Examples : health, freedom, money,
self-respect, a good job
Beliefs :
• The thoughts and opinions you think are true
Your Self-Concept is affected by your needs and beliefs. When your needs, values
and beliefs are in harmony, you can feel good about yourself. When they are out of
tune, you do not feel good about yourself.
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Worksheet – "Staying in Tune"

My Personal Inventory
Needs Beliefs
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Values
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Do you think your needs, values and beliefs are in harmony? Yes/No
If your needs, values and beliefs are not in harmony, which needs, values and
beliefs are in conflict?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Milestones for Improving Self Concept

Feel I am GREAT!
• You can improve your self-concept by taking action.
Way to take action
• Do something positive to feel better.
• Give and receive advice to improve your self-concept.
• Change you thinking from negative to positive.
Some of the actions you can take:
1. Believe you can feel better about yourself.
2. Accept yourself as you are.
3. Believe that your future can be better.
4. Act positively and feel positive.
5. Treat yourself as a special person
1. Believe You Can Feel Better About Yourself
Regardless of how you have felt about yourself in the past, you can feel better now and
in the future. Remember people never reach perfection. Everyone can always improve.
When you are not feeling good about yourself, you act in a way that does not help you.
When you have positive thoughts, you feel better about yourself.
Think of a time when you
• felt proud of yourself
• got a gift long wanted
• passed a test
• acquired a new skill
• worked hard on something
• helped a friend
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List some of things you've done that you are proud of.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2 Accept Yourself as You Are.
Now is the time to start accepting yourself. Accepting yourself means saying, "I'm
okay." Accepting yourself means knowing that you can improve, but you do not have
to be perfect. You are a unique and special human being. Put your self acceptance first ;
then decide if you want to change anything. When you accept your self, an amazing
thing happens; other people accept you, too.
Think about the things you like about yourself right now,
• I am clean and neat
• I can draw well
• I am a good son/daughter
• I am a good cook
• I listen to others
• I have one good friend
List some of the things you like about yourself.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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3 Believe That Your Future Can Be Better.
Because you have acted in certain ways in the past does not mean you have to act the
same way in the future. If you think your actions hurt your self-concept, you can
change.
If you have the habit of putting yourself down, not accepting yourself, rejecting
compliments, bragging or insulting other people, you may want to change. Your past
conditioning does not have to affect your future. Perhaps you have allowed others to
determine how you feel about yourself. Now is the time to begin controlling your self-
concept.
The way you feel about yourself tells other people how to feel about you. If you put
yourself down and reject compliments, other people will begin to do the same. If you
respect yourself and feel lovable and capable, others will usually see you in the same
way.
You can determine your future and your future can be brighter!
First, evaluate what you presently do to feel better by completing these statements:
Recently, I felt better when I _________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
To feel better, I ____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Then, imagine your future in positive way. What are some of the things you might
want to change about yourself to make your future better?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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4. Act Positively and Feel Positive.
When you are trying to improve your self-concept, you must remember that negative
action causes negative feeling and positive action causes positive feeling. Try to act
more positive and you'll soon begin to feel more positive.
Think about a positive action you took that made you feel positive about yourself.
Examples of positive actions
• Taking decisions
• Giving and receiving love
• Asking for and receiving help
• Accepting responsibility
• Finishing a task
• Helping someone else
• Speaking up for yourself
• Being on time
List some positive actions.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5. Treat Your self as a Special Person.
Most people have secret cures for feeling bad about themselves. In the past, you might
have gone window shopping, gone to bed early, ate a healthy diet, saved some money,
got yourself your favourite music collection, or hugged a friend to improve your self-
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concept. Just one thing could have made you feel differently. You can change the way
you feel about yourself through your own positive action.
When you treat yourself as a special person, you feel better. Personal care is important
because no one else can take care of you. You need to be kind and good to yourself.
When you care about yourself, your self-concept improves.
Doing something special for yourself will improve the way you feel. These are things
you might do to treat yourself as a special person :
• Listening to the stereo
• Going out for pizza with friends
• Buying some new clothes
• Going to a counseling session
• Buying a new CD
• Going for a dinner with family
• Exercising
• Playing your favorite game
List activities you consider to be treats.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
There are actions you can take to change your thinking and improve your concept.
Remember you're in control of your thinking. You can reject negative messages and
replace them with positive thinking because you feel better when you have positive
thoughts.
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Activity 6 : “I Explore”
Materials needed :
• Chart-papers, sketch-pens, white-board, markers, 'Worksheet – My Experiences'
Mode : Individual students.
• Self-Awareness, Critical-Thinking, Creative-Thinking
Objective:
• To understand self and others
Process:
• How do five senses help us to observe something beautiful and to absorb its
meanings?
• Close your eyes and take yourself to one of the scenes given in the work sheet-
"My Experiences" and note them in the space given.
Key Messages
• Self-Learning happens every day in our interaction with people and
environment.
• We learn and explore new things in our experiential world.
• We construct meaning based on our experiences.
• Learning to Learn is a key skill.
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Worksheet – My Experiences !
Recall all the experiences of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch when you had visited
some of these places, and write or draw what you recall.
• A village • A forest
• A crowded market place • A railway station
• A beach • A fair or a mela
• A wedding
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Worksheet - My Experiences !
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Activity 7 : As I think “I Am”

Materials needed :
• Chart papers, Colour pens, Blank sheet of papers, Black-board marker etc.
Mode : Individual
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Creative Thinking
Objective :
• To have a better understanding of self
Process :
• Please depict yourself as you think you are, by either writing or drawing.
• You could write a paragraph, a poem or a song or paint a picture or an
abstract form to depict yourself.
Key Messages
• Self-awareness is an important Life-Skill.
• Awareness about self helps in making an assessment of oneself with respect
to one's aspirations and helps in charting a way of action.
• Self-awareness help students to understand the Inner-Self, identifying
strengths and weaknesses and looking at ways of becoming a better human
being.
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Activity 8: My Name is ME!

Materials Needed: Paper, Pencil, White board, Marker, Duster etc
Mode:
• Individual Students or Pairs
• Managing Emotions, Inter-Personal skills, Empathy, Creative-Thinking
Objective:
• To promote the students' awareness and appreciation about themselves.
• To help students reflect on their self-worth.
• To enhance students self-esteem.
Process:
• Each student will print his or her name vertically down the left-hand side of a
sheet of lined paper, writing each letter separately.
• The student will try to think of a self-descriptive word or phrase that matches
each letter of their name.
• Students are to write a descriptive paragraph or story about themselves, using
the words or phrases they have selected or any others they can think of as they
are writing their paragraphs.
• The students are to share their writing selections with the class.
Key Messages
• Students use their knowledge and metacognitive skills.
• Students demonstrate pride and self-esteem.
• Students exhibit an improvement in writing and vocabulary.
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Sample Handout
P- Perfect A- Achiever V- Versatile
U- Understanding N- Neat A- Achiever
N- Neat K- Kind-hearted G- Gutsy
E- Eager I- Impressive M- Magnificent
E- Excels T- Terrific I- Intelligent
T- Terrific A- Affectionate
My name is Vagmi. I am an intelligent young girl with a magnificent mind. My
friends like me because I am a very versatile person. I am an achiever
throughout. I am brave and gutsy. I am not afraid to try new things and go to
new and different places.
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Self-Assessment
A. Read the following statements and mark T or F.

True/False
• Self-Awareness cannot be developed.
• Becoming aware of one's own strengths builds Self-Esteem.
• Self-Respect is not an important part of Life-Skill.
• Self-Awareness helps to overcome the weak areas.
• Do you think this session will help you to develop your personality?
B. Evaluate Yourself
Do you feel irritated while waiting at the stop signal or in a queue?
l
Do you feel shy while speaking about yourself?

l
Do you try to steer the conversation to your own area of interest?

l
Do
l you feel guilty while taking rest while preparing for your
examination?
Do you
l believe that only good marks in examination can decide your
future life?
Do you
l eat, speak & walk rapidly?
Do you
l tend to complete sentences for people who speak slowly?
Do you
l always schedule more activities than time allows?
Do you
l believe that things can be achieved only if one works with a few
people?
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C. What was your learning from this Unit?

1. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
C. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal life?
1. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Questionnaire on Self Esteem

Are you wondering how much self-esteem you have or how much your child has?
Would you like to know how strong your self-esteem is?
Then please take a moment to complete the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale is a 10-item self-report measure of global self-esteem.
It consists of 10 statements related to overall feelings of self-worth or self-acceptance.
The items are answered on a four-point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly
disagree.
Self-Esteem Quiz
Simply complete the self esteem Quiz questions below.
Rate each statement based on how much you agree. Rate your responses as follows:
Strongly Disagree SD
Disagree D
Agree A
Strongly Agree SA
1. I feel that I'm a person of worth, at least on an equal basis with others.
2. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.
3. All in all, I am inclined to think I'm a failure.
4. I am able to do things as well as most other people.
5. I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
6. I take a positive attitude towards myself.
7. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
8. I wish I could have more respect for myself.
9. I certainly feel useless at time.
10. At times I think I'm no good at all.
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Scoring Procedures for the Rosenberg Self Esteem Test

Scores are calculated as follows,
For items 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7:
Strongly agree (SA) 3

Agree (A) 2
Disagree (D) 1
Strongly disagree (SA) 0
For items 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 (which are reversed in valence):
Strongly agree (SA) 0

Agree (A) 1
Disagree (D) 2
Strongly disagree SD) 3
The scale ranges from 0-30.

A score below 15 suggests low self-esteem and above indicates that self-esteem is
healthy and intact.
Those with high self-esteem have an unusually positive self image. Most people with
low self-esteem do not have a negative, but rather a neutral self-image.
Suggested activities
Peer Educators can
Create
v or help to design self awareness checklists, diaries, portfolios,
questionnaires
Do similar
v activities with other class students, e.g. positive strokes, SWOT
analysis etc
Activity on simplified version of Johari Window
v
Create opportunities for students to ask/ seek help

v
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AglaSem Schools
Critica l
Thin kin g
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Critica l Thin kin g

Critical Thinking is the ability to analyse information and experiences in an
objective manner. Critical Thinking can contribute to health by helping us to
recognize and assess the factors that influence attitudes and behaviour, such as
Values, Peer-Pressure and the Media.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Critica l - Thin kin g 3

Objectives:
• To help students understand the importance and need of critical-thinking.
• To help them analyse and evaluate situations/actions/thought rationally.
Process
This session explains the importance and need of critical-thinking as a value. The focus
is on the process of evaluating and rational thinking about the situations, actions,
thoughts and/or concerns regarding themselves and the world. The critical-thinking
helps us to view things pragmatically. It introduces an objective way in which a person
analyses the happenings around him/her.
A critical thinker :
lasks relevant questions
lassesses statements and arguments
lhas a sense of curiosity
ltries to find alternatives and solutions
llistens carefully and gives feedback
lexamines problems closely
llooks for evidence
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UNIT : 3 - Critical-Thinking
Activity 1 : Case Study on “I Care for Senior Citizens”

Material needed :
• Copies of the Case-Study
Mode : Group
• Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Empathy, Self Awareness, Problem
Solving
Objectives:
• To help students to critically analyse a situation
• To help them empathize with elderly people
Process :
This
l session will start with distribution of photocopies on Case-Study “I Care for
Senior Citizens".
Students will fill the worksheet
l
Students
l will exchange their worksheet with their partners and discuss the
responses.
On the blank worksheet they will, in a group, give five ideas on how to make senior
l
citizens happy, peaceful and contented.
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Worksheet - I Care for Senior Citizens!
Read the following questions and answer in the space provided.

1. How do you associate yourself with senior citizens (your grand-parent or
elderly people known to you)?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Do you include them in your celebrations and vice-versa, If so, how?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Have you ever sought advice from your grand-parents or elderly people
close to you about your problems in school/friends/health?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Initiate a discussion with the class/your group focusing on following
specific questions:
5. (a) What are the lack of facilities elderly people face in cinema-halls,
parks, markets and banks or roads? List the facilities they must have
at these places.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(b) Do you think it is the lack of facilities that makes them dependent on
others?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(c) How do you connect their anger, depression, irritation with the above?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet
In your groups give five ideas on how you can make senior citizens of your
home/ country happy, peaceful and contented. Be as creative as you like.
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Activity 2 : Gender Stereotypes
Time : 40 min
Materials : Black-board/White board/Flip-chart and Markers
Mode : Individual
Life Skills to be enhanced : Critical-Thinking, Self-Awareness
Objective : To make students aware of the dangers of gender stereotypes and the
media's role in perpetuating gender stereotypes and critically examining them
• An understanding of the potentially damaging effects of living up to stereotypes

and how they can lead to abuse and violence against ourselves and others
• An understanding of the media's role in perpetuating these stereotypes
• An understanding that "going along with the crowd" can involve sacrificing
one's own principles, as well as infringing on the rights of others
Process :
Gender Stereotypes
• Write 'Act like Man' at the top of the flip-chart paper or board and record student
responses. Make specific prompts by asking what it means to "Act like a man" in
sports, business, etc
Ask students :
• What does it mean to act like a man? What words or expectations come to
mind?
(e.g., men don't cry, men are tough, men are strong)
• Draw a box around the entire list.
• Call this 'Act like a Man' box. Inside the box is a list of attitudes and behaviours
that boys are pressurized to adopt in the process of becoming men in our society.
Men and boys are not born this way; these roles are learned.
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• Next, write 'Be Ladylike' at the top of another sheet of flip chart paper and record
student responses. (As with the boys, begin by directing questions to the girls
and then encourage boys to respond.) Ask your students:
• What does it mean to be ladylike? What words or expectations do you think

of? (e.g., girls are polite, girls are neat, girls are passive)
• Draw a box around this list.
• This is the 'Be Ladylike' box. It's full of stereotypes, just like the 'Act like a Man'
box. Its walls of conformity are just as restrictive. Women also learn to conform
to very specific role expectations as they grow up being female in our society.
Learn Gender Roles
Ask students :
• Where do we form opinions about these gender roles?
• Discussion prompts : What kind of people lead to the forming of these stereotypes?
People in entertainment? Sports? Media? When the students respond "TV" or
"movies", ask for specific examples to list.
• Where do women acquire these messages from?
• Discussion prompt: You may put "moms" on the paper and ask for discussion. Who are
the other people who influence our learning on gender roles? Where else in society do we
find these messages? Ask for specific examples if the comments are too general.
• Write these responses down the left side, outside the box. You may draw arrows to
illustrate how these influences reinforce the wall of the stereotype box.
How are Stereotypes reinforced?
Ask students :
• What names or ‘put-downs’ are directed at boys when they don't fit the box?
• What names are women called if they step out of the stereotype box?
Note: Allow students to be blunt with their slang in this educational context.
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• Write the name along the bottom of the appropriate box. You may draw arrows
to illustrate how they reinforce the wall of the ‘stereotype box’.
Ask students:
• How do these labels and names reinforce the ‘stereotype box’ and the
stereotypical images.
• How does it feel when we are called these names?
• What do you think the person who is using these ‘put-downs’ is feeling?
• These names are used in order to hurt people emotionally and we react by
retreating to the "safety" of the stereotype box.
Evaluating the Gender Stereotypes
Ask students:
• How many boys in the class have never cried.
• They must put their hands up.
• Note: Choose "don't cry" from their list. If it was not offered during the
brainstorming, select another reference.
• Does this mean that those of you who didn't put up your hands are cry babies
etc.
• What about the girls; how many want to be passive, etc.?
Ask students:
• What are some situations where you may be pressurized to 'Act like a Man' or
'Be a lady'?
(e.g., for boys, friends may tell you to try a cigarette or participate in a risky activity, to
prove that you're 'tough', or for girls, you might be prevented from playing a certain
sport or you might let someone bully you into doing something that you don't want to
do, because it isn't "ladylike" to argue or be assertive.)
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• How might these stereotypes lead to violence?
(e.g., boys might be expected to 'fight it out', rather than 'talk it out,' and girls might be
expected to put up with bullying, rather than be assertive.)
• Let's look at our 'Act like a Man' stereotype box. If you are a victim of bullying, or
physical-abuse, how do the attitudes in this box make it difficult for you to talk
about your problems? What names will you be called if you talk?
• These stereotypes create an unhealthy message ourselves and: When we get

hurt, we take it in, keep it within , don't ever tell anyone. When we raise a child to
take the pain, keep it within, and not show any feelings, we're creating an
emotional time bomb. What is going to happen when this person finds himself /
herself getting mad or upset about something at the age of 17 or 18 or 20?
Key Messages:
• We're all real people and we can experience the full range of emotions,
including happiness and sadness, love and anger. The bottom line is that
stereotypes are destructive because they limit our potential! Yet how many
guys do we know who try hard to act like the stereotypes, without even a
second thought? What damage do we do to ourselves and others? Boys are not
born to be violent, or to have unhealthy attitudes towards girls. We learn these
attitudes and behaviors through the stereotypes of what society thinks it
means to "Act like a Man," and we can free ourselves from the restrictions of
theses boxes once we see them as unrealistic ideals. Then we can start the
process of change.
• This is not to say that it's incorrect for guys to like sports or fix cars or for girls to
enjoy cooking (cite other examples from student generated list). (Note: It is
important to make this point in order to be sensitive to boys or girls who may
feel defensive.) The problem is that we are told that we must perform these
roles in order to fit in. It is important for all of us to make our own decisions
about what we do.
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• A stereotype rigidly confirms the belief that if you are a girl or a boy, or a
woman or a man, you must perform these specific roles, and do them well.
This belief takes away our personal choices in determining our own interests
and skills. It also discourages men from participating in "women's work" (such
as flower arranging and child care) and it restricts women from choosing roles
that are traditionally "male" (such as engineering and army).
Student Activity
Have you ever experienced a situation where you were expected to act a certain
way because you were a girl or a boy, even though it may not have been the way
you felt like acting?
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Activity 3 : Analysing Self-Perception “I am not beautiful”

Material needed :
• Copies of the case-study for the class, List of questions to be asked, Black/white
board, Markers, Duster etc.
Mode : Individual / Whole class.
• Self-Assessment, Critical-Thinking, Creative-Thinking, Decision-Making
Objective:
• To help students analyze and evaluate situations/actions/think rationally
• To enhance their Thinking-Skills
Process :
• Distribute the case study 'I am not beautiful' to the class.
• Open a discussion about all of us having different qualities and all of us having
some good and positive qualities.
• Emphasize that knowing these, helps to see oneself more clearly and more
positively. Positive-thinking about oneself does reflect in one's behaviour with
others.
• The class can be divided into five groups (avoid friends in a group). Each student is
given a work-sheet.
• Each group is supposed to discuss its listing with each member explaining and
listening. The group has to draw some conclusions. It can choose a speaker
person and others can also speak if needed.
• Teacher writes their observations on 'stickers or slips' and sticks them on the
black- board.
• Each one of them individually fills in worksheet 'I am a beautiful person' and
discusses with another partner.
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Key Messages
These have to emerge from the discussion.
• We are all made differently.
• All of us have some likeable qualities.
• Knowing good things about oneself helps in improving one's self image.
• One becomes friendlier, positive, a better-friend, a global-leader and better
child.
• Negative perception breeds unhappiness within and without.
Case Study : I Am not Beautiful

Nina/Ranjan was a 12 year old girl/boy who was very thin and too tall for her/his
age. Her/His class fellows called her a 'khamba' (a beam pole). She/he hunched
and drooped her/his shoulders to look less tall. She/he was always quiet and
when spoken was rude. Once when s/he was being scolded for rude behaviour,
Mrs. Tyagi, her/his class teacher who was very kind, called her/him aside and said
that she had a special task for her class. Mrs Tyagi told her/him to come to the
table. As she/he was walking, the class began to twitter at the ugly walk.
Nina/Rajan scowled. Mrs. Tyagi came out with the comment "Look what a
beautiful height Nina/Ranjan has. Do you know children, that good height is one
of the most sought after qualities in a model? Nina/Ranjan has these qualities."
Hearing this, Nina/Ranjan beamed and blushed. Her/his scowl disappeared and
her/his hunch straightened. She/he thought "Oh! I know what I will be. I am
beautiful. I will be a top model. Let me find out about the other qualities of a
model too."
Note : This is a case study of physical appearance. Facilitator/teacher must bring

out the point that ‘beauty lies within. Intrinsic qualities, positive attitude
and a kind and compassionate person will always be beautiful.
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Worsheet – 'I Am A Beautiful Person'
Read the following prompts and complete them:

1. My friends like me because I ________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Three of my best qualities are :
a) _______________________________________________________________
b) _______________________________________________________________
c) _______________________________________________________________
3. I made my parents / teacher / grandparents happy by __________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. I love myself because ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. I am a beautiful person because ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Happiness to me is ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. I will do anything to put a smile on another person's face because _________
_________________________________________________________________
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Feedback : Informal-Assessment
• Did the group realize that each member is different from the other, yet there
are similarities?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Did you feel shy in listing your positive or negative attributes?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Why is it important to like one-self?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How does it contribute in your happiness and success in making friends
(becoming a leader)?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 4 : Safe behaviour on the road !

Material required :
• Copies of Worksheet on 'Safe-Behaviour on the Road' for distribution to
students, small 'stick on' writing slips for the teacher to pin on the board as
points emerging from the discussion.
Mode : Group Activity
• Self-Assessment, Critical-Thinking, Creative-Thinking
Objectives:
• To help students critically think and get an insight into their own and others'
behaviour on the road
• To make them understand about safe behaviour on the road
Process :
• Class is divided into four/five groups.
• The teacher has to explain that the subject in hand has two parts. In the first half
all the groups will draw circles that show the inter-connection between traffic
accidents and the points given (Worksheet - Safe Behaviour on the road)
• Each group makes a presentation to others.
• The teacher then lists out all the points that have emerged from presentations.
• The second half of the session in hand deals with 4/5 different topics related to
traffic behaviour. The groups discuss topics given to them by the teacher (from
the Question Sheet) so as to help the whole-class learn various ideas.
• The questions on different topics are listed in a Question- Sheet for the teacher.
Key-Message
• Critical Thinking is an important ability to evaluate the situations.
• Critical Thinking can develop an important skill in students by helping
them to recognise and assess the factors that influence attitudes and
behaviour.
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Question-Sheet : for the Teachers
Pedestrians and traffic

• What are the problems of pedestrians?
• Why are they caused?
• What solutions can you offer?
School bus/Auto
• What are the norms to be followed by school
bus/auto drivers?
• What are the norms to be followed by students in
the bus?
• Will you report unsafe behaviour of the driver and
students to the class teacher/Principal/ parent or to
all of them?
Cycling/Biking
• Dangers a cyclist faces on the road.
• Which behaviour patterns expose the cyclists to
accidents?
• Unsafe activity while driving.
Accidents on the Road and You
• Have your parents ever stopped their vehicle to
help an accident victim on the road?
• Would you help an accident victim as a grown up
driver?
• If you don't help, what is the feeling you will have?
Cleanliness and Safe Road Traffic
• List the things that make roads dirty and cluttered.
• Link up with hazardous driving, unsafe traffic for
pedestrians and different vehicles.
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Work-sheet : Safe-Behaviour on Road
Draw the diagram showing the relationship between the accidents on the road and
the points given below:-
• Over Population
• Too many vehicles
• Public transport
• High rise buildings and malls
• Short term city plans
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Activity 5: My Subject, My Career, My Choice!

Materials Needed:
• Blackboard/ White board, Marker, Duster etc.
Mode:
• Individual Students/ Pair work
• Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Coping with stress,

Managing Emotions and Interpersonal Relations.
Objectives:
• To appreciate the fact that Life decisions depend on many points
• To comprehend that career selection is based on many factors.
Process:
1. Divide the class into groups of 10-12 students each.
2. Discuss on how we take decisions in life regarding selection of subjects, streams

and finally career. We often make these choices based on various factors. There is
a need, especially when one is in classes 9th and 10th, to think about one's
choices before making.
3. Ask students to think critically and answer the following questions.
a. What work, do you think you will be doing in 10 years from now?
b. Would you rather be an employee or self employed?
c. Would you go for government sector service or for the non governmental
sector or the corporate sector?
d. Does your chosen field need specialization?
e. According to you how many years of specialization does it need?

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f. Is the decision apt for a particular career made by you or by your parents?
g. Do your friends or peers influence your decisions?
h. Is the choice of subject made by you or by your parents?
i. Does the choice of your subject correspond to your career choice?
j. How much guidance do you expect from your teachers/ career counselor
for this decision?
k. What should one do if one's choice is different from one's parent's choice?
4. Group members should discuss questions written on the board.
5. One member will come and present the points.
Key Messages
Choosing a career is an issue for a life time and has far reaching consequences.
Considering various alternatives, assimilating information from various sources,
understanding ourselves and our abilities, our background and making a tentative
decision on what we want to become is of supreme importance. Career cannot be
chosen by popular vote or opinion or peer pressure. However, discussions with
parents and with trusted adults are necessary and part of the process of making a
decision about career.
Note for Facilitators / Teachers:

Suggest to the students to create a career road map based on the answers and put it at
a prominent place so that they can re-read it over the months and work towards
their goal. State that ideally the students should involve a process of examining
critically their desires, ambitions, abilities, values, aptitude, interest and
opportunities. Using a combination of Life Skills, the students should think about
the various choices and make a final decision only when they are sure that the choice
that they shall be making will in no way clash with their interests. Remind them that
such choices usually decide the direction. Thus it is best to think them over well.
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Student Worksheet
My Career Timeline
Today__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
After 1 year
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
After 5 years
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
After 10 years
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Activity 6: Beauty Is Not Skin Deep
Materials:
• White board and Markers
Mode : Individual / Group
• Critical Thinking, Effective Communication
Objectives :
Students will
• Consider what it means to be beautiful.
• Compare ideas with those of researchers in the field.
• Develop a questionnaire to determine what other people think beauty is.
Process :
• Begin the lesson by asking students what they think it means to be beautiful. If
students need help getting started, open the discussion with the following
suggestions, recorded on the board:
• A beautiful person has big eyes and a small nose.
• A beautiful person does not have acne.
• A beautiful person is kind in the inside as well as being attractive on the

outside.
• A beautiful person has long, straight hair.
• Continue the discussion by adding student's ideas about beauty to the list you
started. Then tell students that they are going to work in small groups to think
more deeply about this issue.
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• Divide students into groups of three or four. Give students about 15 minutes to
brainstorm ideas. If students feel ready, they can begin to draft questions for
their questionnaires.
• Have the groups complete their questionnaires. Then have the groups "pair up"
and try out their questionnaires on their classmates.
• Conclude the lesson by bringing the class together for a final discussion.
• How well do students think their questionnaires worked?
• Do they help reveal what students think beauty is?
• Did the activity help them clarify what beauty really is?
Key Messages:
• Beauty is more than good looks.
• Non-physical factors are a part of the subconscious assessment of beauty.
• People we really like are co-operative, dependable, brave, hard working, kind,
empathetic, considerate and pleasant
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Student Worksheet
Your Opinion About Beauty…….
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Develop your questionnaire here……
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Activity 7: What Size is It?

Materials Needed:
• Student Worksheet, Blackboard/ White board, Marker, Duster etc.
Mode:
• Individual Students/Pair work
• Critical Thinking, Problem solving, Inter Personal skills, Creative Thinking
Objectives:
• To encourage students to use their knowledge and experiences.
• To use mathematical concepts to encourage students to use their higher-order
thinking skills and help them develop their concept of size .
Process:
Arrange the students in teams. Write the following words on the white board:
happy kind tall smart
happier kinder taller smarter
happiest kindest tallest smartest
• Discuss the comparative qualities of each with the students.

• Ask what the difference is between the words in each set.
• Have them demonstrate their understanding by first creating some type of
drawing or picture that depicts the difference in the degree of words in the
worksheet.
• After they have completed their drawings or representations, have them write
their descriptions or explanations.
• Encourage the students to be as creative as they can as they think of ways to
describe the comparisons.
• Have each team share how they described each set of words.
• Ask why it is good to have various degrees of comparison and how it makes us
all unique
Key Messages
• Students demonstrate an understanding of comparisons
• They learn to appreciate the differences in various people
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Student worksheet
Drawing
Descriptions/Explanations
Rina has long black hair, but Radhika's hair is longer. Vartika has the longest hair of all
the girls in our room.
• big, bigger, biggest
• bright, brighter, brightest
• mad, madder, maddest
• wise, wiser, wisest
• neat, neater, neatest
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Activity 8: You Tell Me

Materials Needed:
• Student Worksheet, White Board, Marker, Duster etc.
Mode : Individual Students
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Inter Personal Skills, Creative Thinking
Objectives:
• To encourage students to use higher-order thinking skills and promote use of
knowledge and inference skills
• To help students learn how to construct meaningful sentences.
Process :
• Students will read the incomplete statements provided in the Student Worksheet.
• Using their knowledge and experiences, they will determine an appropriate
word that will complete the sentence in a coherent manner.
• After they have practiced completing the sample statements, place the students
in teams and have each team develop five to ten statements that leave missing
words.
• An "answer key" with the missing words for each will also be developed by the
team.
• Each team will then exchange statements with another and determine what the
missing words are.
• The teacher will have the answer key to check correct responses. The answers
do not have to be the exact words in the answer key but must make sense in the
context of the sentence.
• The sentence must have a subject and a verb, the correct tense of the verb, and
subject-verb agreement. Correct spelling of words is also essential.
• The team that completes the statements first and correctly will win the honor of
being "best team for the day."
Note to the Facilitator / Teacher

This activity can also be extended by the teacher to include such other content
areas as science, mathematics, social studies, and geography. For example, if the
class has been involved in science lessons about plants and how they grow, you
may give them sentences based on it.
Key Message
This activity involves the use of knowledge, experiences and inference skills
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Student Worksheet
Here are some sentences for you to convert. The first one
has been done as an example
Sentence: The man ________ the little boy fall.
Possible correct answers: saw, made
The man saw the little boy fall.
The man made the little boy fall.
• Can you _________ me find my blue socks?
• Plants need ______, ________, _______ in order to grow and stay alive.
• Some plants can live and grow without _____________.
• ________ grows only in _________________.
• My _________ came to visit last summer, I hope _______ will come back soon.
• Did you know that ____________ have wings?
• ______________ do experiments to find out how or why something happens.
• The capital city of our state is _____________________.
• The leader of our state is the _____________________
• The leader of our country is the _____________________.
• The tallest building in our city is the ____________________.
• Ranjan had one hundred and seventy-five rupees. He went for shopping and
spent Rs. 96. He came home with ____________ left.
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Self-Assessment
A. Read the following and mark tick T or F.

True / False
• Creative and Critical Thinking cannot go together.
• Thinking could be developed by Critical Thinking.
• Critical Thinking helps to take right decisions.
• We cannot become good at Critical Thinking.
B. What was your learning from this Unit?

1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
C. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal-
life?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
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Q.1 Sample Question:

The teacher can ask the following question to the students:
Two people are sitting in a room at equal distances from a bottle of perfume. After
the bottle is opened, one person smells the perfume, and the other person does
not.
A. Write a list of questions that occur to you about the statement (that is, the reasons
one person smells the perfume and the other does not).
B. Put a star (*) to the left of the question above that you think would yield the most
fruitful, testable hypothesis.
C. For the question you chose in part B above, write a well-formulated hypothesis
that could actually be investigated.
Rating Scale :
Score Interpretation
A+ Greater than 3 logical questions
A 3 logical questions (possibly some illogical)
B+ 1 or 2 logical questions (possibly some illogical)
B Illogical questions or no answer
C Hypothesis not specific to this situation.
The following questions can also be used to assess critical reasoning/thinking:
Test of Critical Reasoning involves reflective judgment on the part of test takers to take
on a series of facts and solve a specific problem based on those facts. No previous
information or experience could be helpful in this regard. Tests such as these
particularly entail deduction of logical conclusions only from the information available
at hand as there is always enough information to draw inferences.
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This test consists of 30 questions. Answer as many questions as you can in 25 minutes.
Since there would be a lot of information for you to take in, it is recommended that you
keep a piece of scrap paper and pencil handy.
Start the test once you are ready.
Facts: Rajesh is taller than Ravi. Sunil is taller than Rajesh.
Question 1. Who is the shortest?
A B C D
Rajesh Ravi Sunil Can't say
Question 2. Who is the tallest?
A B C D
Rajesh Ravi Sunil Can't say
Facts: Mr. Singh lives to the east of Mr. Shukla. Mr. Kapoor lives to the east of Mr.
Singh.
Question 3. Who lives the farthest west?
A B C D
Mr. Singh Mr. Shukla Mr. Kapoor Can't say
Facts: Manya, Anya and Tahira have two pets each. One of them does not have a dog.
Anya is the only one to have a cat. Tahira has a dog. Manya and Anya have parrots.
Question 4. Who has a tortoise?
A B C D
Manya Anya Tahira Can't say
Facts: Ritu and Riya like pizza, but Reshma and Rajini like burgers. Both Ritu and
Rajini like chicken.
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Question 5. Who likes pizza and chicken?
A B C D
Ritu Riya Reshma Rajini
Question 6. Who likes burgers and chicken?
A B C D
Ritu Riya Reshma Rajini
Facts: Amrita and Garima have more money than Anurag although Girish has less
money than Anurag. Rajnish has more money than Anurag.
Question 7. Who has the least amount of money?
A B C D E
Anurag Girish Rajnish Amrita Can't say
Question 8. Who has the maximum amount of money?
A B C D E
Anurag Garima Rajnish Amrita Can't say
Facts: Mrs. Dubey has four children - Pinky, Choti, Gudiya, Bittoo. Pinky and Choti
both eat chappati and rice. Gudiya and Bittoo will eat fish and chicken. Pinky and
Gudiya are the only ones who like dal and chappati.
Question 9. Which is the only food Gudiya does not eat?
A B C D E
Chappati Rice Fish Chicken Dal
Question 10. Who eats Dal, Chappaties and Rice?
A B C D E
Pinky Choti Gudiya Bittoo Can't say
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Question 11. Who eats Fish and Chicken but does not eat Dal?
A B C D E
Pinky Choti Gudiya Bittoo Can't say
Question 12. Which food will be acceptable to most of the children?
A B C D E
Chappati Rice Fish Chicken Dal
Facts: Rahul, Sandeep and Ajay take tiffin to work while Ashish, Randeep and
Mukul buy a meal in the canteen. Ajay, Ashish, Randeep travel by bus. Randeep,
Sandeep and Mukul are married.
Question 13. Who is married and has a packed lunch?
A B C D E
Rahul Sandeep Ashish Ajay Mukul
Facts: Some pings are pangs. Some pangs are pongs.
Question 14. Which of the following can we conclude for sure?
A B C D E
Some pings No pongs All pings All pongs Some pangs

are pongs are pings are pongs are pangs are pings
Facts: All Tingos are Bingos and all Ringos are Tingos.
Question 15. Which of the following statements is true?
A B C D E
All Bingos are All Bingos All Ringos All Tingos None of
Ringos are Tingos are Bingos are Ringos these
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Facts: Prashant, Geetika, Harsimran, Paul and Nafisa are students in a class. Prashant
and Harsimran are intelligent in English and Hindi. Geetika and Harsimran are
intelligent in English and Social Studies. Nafisa and Paul are intelligent in Math and
Science. Nafisa is intelligent in Science, Hindi and Math. Geetika and Paul are
intelligent in Math and Social Studies?
Question 16. Who is intelligent in English, Math and Social Studies?
A B C D E
Prashant Geetika Harsimran Paul Nafisa
Question 17. Who is intelligent in English and Hindi but not in Social Studies?
A B C D E
Question 18. Who is intelligent in Math, Social Studies and Science?
A B C D E
Question 19. Who is intelligent in English, Social Studies and Hindi?
A B C D E
Question 20. Who is intelligent in Math, Hindi and Science?
A B C D E
Facts: In a DVD shelf, the movie 3 Idiots is under the shelf on which there is Sholay.
The movie Rangeela is on the shelf above Dil Chahta Hai. On the top shelf is
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Sholay is on the same shelf as Singh Is King whereas Dil
Chahta Hai is on the shelf below 3 Idiots.
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Question 21. Which DVD movie is on the bottom shelf?
A B C D E
Sholay Singh Is King Rangeela 3 Idiots Dil Chahta Hai
Question 22. Which two movies are on the same shelf?
A B C D E
3 Idiots and Sholay and Dil Chahta Hai Singh Is King None of these
Rangeela Dil Chahta Hai and Qayamat Se and Rangeela
Qayamat Tak
Facts: The green light only ever goes on when tank A is full and tank C isn't empty.
The red light is always on unless either tank A isn't full or tank B is empty.
Question 23. Given that the green light is on, we can conclude all of the following
EXCEPT…
A B C D E
Tank A cannot The red light Tank C cannot We don't have The red light
be empty must be on be empty enough will only be on
information to if Tank B
determine isn't empty
whether tank B
is empty or not
Facts: Titan, a moon which orbits planet Saturn, is the second largest moon in the
Solar System, smaller only than Ganymede, on of Jupiter's moons.
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Question 24. Given that the statement above is true, we may logically conclude all of the
following EXCEPT:
A B C D E
No moon Exactly one Jupiter has Saturn has Titan is larger

larger than moon larger at least one at least one than Miranda,
Ganymede than Titan moon other moon other the largest
orbits planet orbits planet than than Titan moon of
Saturn Jupiter Ganymede Uranus, which
is another
planet in the
Solar System.
Facts: Mr. Baker, Mr. Butcher and Mr. Builder are a baker, a butcher and a builder, but
not in that order. No man has the same profession as his name. Mr. Builder is not a
butcher.
Question 25. Which of the following is true?
I. Mr. Baker is a butcher.
II. Mr. Butcher is a baker.
III. Mr. Builder is a baker.
A B C D E
I only II only III only I and II only I and III only
Facts: A, B and C are all different individuals. A is the daughter of B. B is the son of C.
C is the father of D.
Question 26. Among the following statements, which is true?
A B C D E
C is the uncle D and B are A is the If X is the If Y is the

of A brothers daughter D daughter granddaughter
of B, then A and of C, then Y
X are sisters and A are sisters.
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Question 27. Which among the following statements is contradictory to the facts?
A B C D E
D is the C has four A has two A is the Another party

father of A children brothers granddaughter Y, could be
of C the mother of A
Question 28. If X is the son of B and X has one brother, Z, which statements would be
valid:
I. A is the sister of Z
II. Z and B are brothers
III. C is the grandfather of Z
A B C D E
I only II only III only I and III only I and II only
Facts: There are six members - F, E, D, C, B, A who can serve on three committees - X, Y,
Z, and each member should serve on exactly one of the committees. Committee X
should consist of exactly one member more than committee Y. It is possible that there
are no members of committee Z. Among F and E, none can serve on committee X.
Among D and C, none can serve on committee Y. Among B and A, none can serve on
committee Z.
Question 29. In case B and F are the members serving on committee Y, how many of the
six members should serve on committee Z?
A B C D E
2 3 4 5 0
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Question 30. Of the six members, the largest number that can serve together on
committee Z is…
A B C D E
6 5 4 3 2
Score Board :
Score Class 9th Class 10th
Least Ability 0-6 0-8
Average Ability 7-19 9-21
High Ability 20+ 22+
Suggested Activities
Peer Educators can
v
Use De Bono's six thinking hats and other activities with the other class students
v
Develop application, analysis and synthesis based questions in each subject
v
Create questions based on critical, reflective and societal thinking
v
Conduct group discussions, role play, debates on gender stereotype / safe
behaviour / careers etc
v
Work out strategies on building self-esteem in students
v
Collect print/electronic media based advertisements, movie clips and analyse
authenticity, learnings, behavior patterns etc
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Crea tive
Thin kin g
4
AglaSem Schools
Crea tive Thin kin g

Creative Thinking contributes to both Decision Making and Problem
Solving by enabling us to explore available alternatives and the
various consequences of our actions or non-action. It helps us to look
beyond our direct experience, and even if no problem is identified or
no decision is to be made, Creative Thinking can help us to respond
adaptively and with flexibility to the situations in our daily lives.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Crea tive Thin kin g 4

Objectives :
• To make students understand creatively the connection that they have with their
families, homes, the neighbourhood, cities, the state and the nation.
• To enhance their Creative-Thinking.
• To help students identify and enhance the skill to find creative and constructive
solutions to problems and issues.
• To help them gain an enhanced understanding of self and others through
sharing.
This session explains how we can tackle the situations or problems in a better way
through our Creative Thinking Skills. It emphasises that there can be more than one
way to approach a thing or situation. Innovation can give us better results leading to
better solutions. The main objective is to promote lateral thinking or 'thinking out of the
box'.
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UNIT : 4 - Creative-Thinking
Activity 1 : Squiggly Squiggles

Materials needed : A4 sheets
Mode : Individual, Small group
Creative thinking, Problem solving
Objectives :
• To be able to create squiggle stories
• To apply thought and creativity to an abstract idea
• To enhance their Creative Thinking skills
Process :
• The teacher will pass out a piece of paper that has a squiggle on it (the same for
each student).
• The students should be given about 10 minutes to create their drawing.
• The teacher should encourage the students to turn the paper around for
different perspectives.
• The teacher should, then, pass out the 12 x 18 paper, and have the students
divide it into six parts.
• The students will be instructed to draw a simple squiggle in each section.
• Then, they should look at the squiggles for similarities. The students should
find a theme for their squiggles and draw pictures in each section.
• Finally, when the students have finished drawing, they should make up a short
story about their six pictures.
• When they have finished, volunteers will be allowed to share their pictures and
stories with the class.
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The teacher's role here is to encourage creativity and divergent thinking. There
is no right or wrong way to do this, so you just need to emphasize that everyone
can be creative by nurturing an acceptance of their creative ideas. Students may
have trouble finding a theme for their pictures. If this happens, the teacher may
want to encourage the students to think of stories in their heads, and then look at
the squiggle and decide what pictures they could make out of them.
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Worksheet
Questions to be answered
1. How did the squiggle seem to change when you turned the page?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. How did you feel when a classmate drew something you hadn't thought of
on their sheet?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Did you see their way of thinking?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. How can this activity help you in looking at art forms from now on?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. How can this activity help you to look at every day situations?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 2 : Around Me!

Material needed :
• Worksheet – A and Worksheet-
B.
Mode : Individual students
• Creative Thinking, Critical
Thinking, Problem Solving
Objectives :
• to help students understand the inter-connection they have with people/society
• to enhance their Creative Thinking skills
Process:
• The facilitator to ensure that learners understand situations described in
Worksheet A. The issues described are related to their immediate environment
which widens gradually with age. Any action or non-action, wrong or right
affects the balance around us. Give concrete examples from family and the
environment.
• Once they have understood the concept, give them the questions to be answered
on work. Allocate 10 minutes for Worksheet A.
• Next give them Worksheet B. Allocate 10 minutes.
• Finally divide them into groups to plan innovative ways to celebrate festivals in
the neighbourhood. Let them make quick presentations of their plans.
Key Messages
• There is inter-connectivity between people. We cannot exist in isolation.
• It helps in constructive action and nation-building.
• It helps in creating/spreading happiness.
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Worksheet A : Around Me!
Questions to be answered
1. List three major reasons of fights between neighbours.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Suggest positive solutions to resolve them.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. How does your neighbourhood/community celebrate festivals?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Can you make the celebrations better and more participative? Plan a
methodology for it.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet B : Around me!

Find a linkage between your lane, your colony, your city, the state and the country
by drawing a diagram.
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Activity 3 : Let's make things better

Material needed:
Copies of the Worksheet
Mode: Whole class or Group.
Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Logical Thinking
Objective:
• To help students improve their Creative Thinking skills
• To help them understand that nothing can be 100% perfect, there is always a
scope for improvement.
• To inculcate interest about nature herbs or curative properties of the plants.
Process:
• Distribute the worksheet on 'Nature-Cures''let's make things to do better' to
each student.
• Ask them to choose anyone of the following and think of at least ten practical
ways it can be improved.
• Tell them that they can describe each improvement in a sentence or two (why
is it an improvement?) and supply any needed drawings.
• You can also discuss with them the idea list of ways to improve something
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Worksheet : Let's make things better

Choose anyone of the following and think of at least ten practical ways it can be
improved (You can work on more than one as well)
1. PENCIL
2. CALCULATOR
3. SPOON
4. PAPER
5. POSTAL SYSTEM
6. TYRES
7. LIGHTING IN A ROOM
8. DESK
9. CONTROLLING A CAR
10. MUSEUMS
11. TELEPHONE
12. BALL-POINT PEN
13. TEXTBOOK
14. PHONE BOOK
15. FLASHLIGHT
16. BICYCLE
17. POSTAGE STAMP
18. HAIR DRYER
19. BUS
20. WINDOW SHADES
You will probably want to submit drawings with this project to show what your
improvements will look like.
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An Idea List of Ways to Improve Something
There are lots and lots of things around us. Are they all perfect? Well there is
always a scope for improvement. Here is an Idea list of ways to improve
something and make it better. So go grab something and make it better…
Simplify--remove complexity
Apply to new use
Automate
Reduce Cost
Make easier to use, understand
Reduce fear to own, use
Make safer
Give more performance, capacity
Make faster, less waiting
Provide more durability, reliability
Give better appearance
Create more acceptance by others
Add features, functions
Integrate functions
Make more flexible, versatile
Make lighter weight--or heavier
Make smaller--or larger
Make more powerful
Reduce or eliminate drawbacks, bad side effects
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Make more elegant
Give better shape, design, and style
Provide better sensory appeal (taste, feel, look, smell, sound)
Provide better psychological appeal (understandable, acceptable)
Provide better emotional appeal (happy, warm, satisfying, enjoyable, fun,

likeable, and neat)
Aim toward ideal rather than immediate goals
Give larger capacity
Make portable
Make self-cleaning, easy to clean
Make more accurate
Make quieter
Note: Remember that some of the major problems in modern living are too much
noise, too much information, too many decisions, too much complexity, together
with a general lack of quality and reliability. Intelligent addressing of these
problems in connection with your idea should produce welcome improvements
to it.
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Activity 4 : 'Metaphorically Speaking'

Materials needed:
• Copies of the worksheet 'Create your own Metaphors'.
Mode: Whole class
• Creative Thinking
Objectives:
• To help students think creatively by encouraging them to create metaphors.
Process:
• Distribute copies of the worksheet 'Create your own 'Metaphors' to all

students.
• Ask them to attempt both exercises given in the worksheet.
• Encourage them to think and create their own Metaphors for the items
given and write a reason for it.
• Instruct them not to think too much about their metaphors, instead just let
them flow.
• If there is a problem in getting started, think of the key attributes of the thing
given and then think of other things with similar attributes.
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Key Messages
By saying that a problem is like something, we can find new approaches of
handling it.
Creative Thinking is an important and positive way of thinking which helps to

lead a healthy life.
Creative Thinking shows that there can be more than one way to approach a
thing or situation.
Creative Thinking helps in constructive action and nation building.
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Worksheet: Create Your Own Metaphors!
Exercise 1
Create at least three Metaphors each for: City, School, Pollution, Computer,
Exams, Drugs, Friends, Success, Politicians, Low-cost Airlines (well three is not
the upper limit, more the merrier!)
First one has been done for you, but you are free to rack your brains and think for
more metaphors!
City
Metaphor 1 - A Forest
Reason- Because there are lots of tall buildings
Metaphor 2 - A Graveyard
Reason- Because there are lots of monuments
Metaphor 3 - A Maze
Reason- Because there are lots of confusing roads
Exercise 2
Find Innovative uses for.
Choose any five of the items below and think of at least 25 original uses for it.
(That is, you cannot list things that the item is already used for.) The uses can be
fanciful, but should at least approach practicality. Describe each use in a
sentence or two.
Example: Uses for a knife. 1. Drill a hole in the tip and use it as a "knife switch" to
turn electricity on and off. 2. Use it to measure a spot for a new sofa, so when you
go to the store you will know how many "knife units" long your new sofa can be.
3. Use it to drill holes in walls.
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a cardboard box
a towel
a nail
a sheet of paper
a spoon
a fan
a ball point pen
the yellow pages (commercial telephone directory)
a candle
three feet of Cello tape
a plastic drinking glass
a toothpick
a mobile cover
old newspapers
ball bearings that aren't round
worn out automobile tyres
non-returnable/plastic cold drink bottles
broken rubber bands
pencils
A doormat
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Exercise 3
What lffing ...
For the questions below trace the reasonable and logical consequences that
would follow. You might be sure to think of both good and bad (and perhaps
indifferent) consequences. List or describe (in a sentence or two each) at least ten
consequences.
• What if each home could run the television only one hour a day?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if petrol grew on trees and was a renewable resource?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if exams were abolished in college as well?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if our pets could talk?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if any and every type of food came for Rupee 1 only?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if we never had to sleep?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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• What if we could read other people's minds (and they could read ours)?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if everybody looked almost exactly alike?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What if clocks and watches didn't exist and daylight lasted six months?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
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Activity 5: Take a Second Look!

Materials Needed:
Worksheets, Paper, Pencil, rubber etc.
Mode: Group Work.
• Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Communication Skills
Objectives:
• To enhance students' higher-order thinking skills and promote co-operative
learning
• To help develop students' perspective that beauty and good qualities can be
found in things and people
Process
• Arrange students in teams of three to five students.
• Have a pre-selected group of objects or articles that have been placed in a bag or
box (a suggested list is provided).
• A member from each group will select one object without looking in the bag or
box.
• The selected object will be examined by each team member; then the team will
fill in the student worksheet.
• Give the teams enough time to discuss each of the instructions and write their
responses. Each team will share their information with the rest of the class. A
reporter from each team will explain what its object was and will then share its
attributes.
• The follow-up discussion should center on how the students were able to think
of all the nice and positive things to say about their objects, as though these were
real people. The discussion should guide the students to understand how easy it
is to find good and useful qualities in everything, especially people, if one takes
the time to look.
Key Messages
• Enhancement of students' awareness of cultural and ethnic differences
• Promotion of the idea of looking for and finding good qualities in people
• Students are able to demonstrate an understanding of how good qualities
can be found in simple, ordinary objects or articles
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Student Worksheet
1. Think of a way in which your object or article is like a person.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. List two things that make your object or article beautiful.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Name three ways your object or article can be useful to you, your friends, or
your family.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Name four reasons why you love your object or article.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Tell three things you can do that would help your object or article feel good
about itself.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Handout of Possible Objects or Articles

(Teacher and/or students are encouraged to add to this list)
• pen • paper napkin
• pencil • roll of tape
• keys • pine cone
• stick • leaf
• crayon • rock or pebble
• fevistick • small sea shell
• piece of candy • paper clip
• safety pin • eraser
• beads • wire
• sharpener • hair clip
• rubber band
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Activity 6: Picture Stories

Materials Needed: Paper, Pens, Pencil, Eraser
Mode: Individual Students / Group work.
• Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Communication Skills,
Inter Personal skills
Objective:
• To encourage students to use their Critical thinking skills
• To enhance students' creative skills
• To enhance students' comprehension skills
Process:
• Direct the students to first write a story on any topic they choose.
• Next, direct them to rewrite their story, using only drawings, pictures, stick
figures and so forth.
• They may use words such as the, then, next, my, etc. But all nouns, adjectives,
and verbs must be represented by pictures.
• After completing their stories, students are to give them to another student or
group, who will attempt to "read" the picture story using the picture clues
provided.
• After students have read the pictures, give them the story in words and ask them
to compare their version with the actual story in words.
• Discuss with the class how it was that some students were able to read or infer
what the story was about. Ask them what skills they used in doing so.
A Different Story!
Story in words
The dog chased the cat down the street. The cat ran into a house, but a lady with
a broom chased the cat out of her house.
Story in pictures
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Key Messages
• Students will use their knowledge and experiences to create stories in
pictures ("wordless stories").
• Give students the option of working individually, in pairs, or in teams.
• Students demonstrate an ability to create stories that had a beginning,
middle and end.
Your
Creativity Is
Excellent
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Activity 7: A Thousand Words!

Materials Needed:
• Photo(s) cut from magazines (remove all headlines, captions, and associated articles
describing the scene)
• Empathy, Inter Personal Skills, Communication Skills, Creative Thinking
Objective:
• To become more aware that compassion involves understanding and engaging
in another person's life, students view images of people and creatively interpret
what they see.
Process
• Choose one or more photos that provoke an emotional response. They should
feature at least one person. Choose images in which the emotions of the person
are not overt (screaming, crying, laughing, etc.) and their mood or situation is
ambiguous.
• Distribute the photo(s) and display them. If you have more than one, tell the
students to choose only one to write about.
• Encourage them to pretend that they are the figure in the photo(s) or the
photographer. Invite them to think about what the person/photographer sees,
hears, tastes, smells, touches, and feels in the captured moment; why the person
is happy, scared, bored, or sad; where he/she has come from and where he/she is
headed; and why the photographer cared enough to take a picture.
• Share the stories. Suggest that taking the time to figure out a person's feelings is
the essence of empathy and compassion, which are key elements of caring. Ask
them to explain why.
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Note for the Facilitator/Teacher

Say to the students: There is an old saying: "A picture is worth a thousand
words." We're going to look at a picture and describe it in a thousand words. But
before we do, we need to ask how to feel compassion for another person and
why it's important. Solicit and list answers. Point out that part of caring involves
empathy — seeing another's perspective and feeling what he or she is going
through. Say: Our purpose is to look at the people in the photo with
compassionate eyes. Imagine their lives, thoughts, dreams, fears. Invent a story
for them. To do so, you have to care about them.
Key messages
• Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media.
• Understands how images and sound convey messages in visual media (e.g.,
special effects, camera angles, symbols, colors, lines, textures, shapes,
headlines, photographs, reaction shots, sequencing of images, sound effects,
music, dialogue, narrative, lighting).
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Self-Assessment
• What do you understand by Creative Thinking?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
• How do you feel that Creative Thinking can change your life? Write in your own
words.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
A. What was your learning from this Unit?

1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________
B. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal life?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
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CREATIVITY ATTITUDE SURVEY
Student's Name ______________________ Age _____ Sex _____ Date _____________

School _____________________________ Class (or Grade ) _____________________
Teacher ____________________________ Rater _______________________________
The Creativity Attitude Survey is a creativity measure for children in grades 4-6
(approx. ages 9-11). It assesses imagination, interest in art and writing, desire of
novelty, and attraction to abstract and magical.
It is designed to assess subjects attitudes associated with creativity, including
confidence in one's ideas, appreciation of fantasy, theoretical and aesthetic orientation,
openness to impulse expression, and use of novelty.
DIRECTIONS
On the following pages we would like you to tell us how you think and feel about
different things. There are no right answers except those that are accurate about
yourself.
For each statement we want you to circle the word "Yes" if you AGREE, or the world
"No" if you DISAGREE.
Be sure to answer Yes or No to every question, even if it seems hard to decide.
Schaefer (1991). Creative Attitude Survey. Jacksonville, IL: Psychology and Educators,
Inc.
1. Yes No I like to play "make believe" games.

2. Yes No I often act on the spur of the moment without stopping to think.
3. Yes No I like social studies better than science *
4. Yes No I think daydreaming is a waste of time.
5. Yes No In art class, I prefer to be told exactly what to do all the time.
6. Yes No I feel that thinking up ideas that are "way out" or "fantastic" is a
waste of time.
7. Yes No I feel that the best answers are the ones the teacher thinks re
right.
8. Yes No I think that stories about wizards and magicians are silly.
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9. Yes No I would rather think up a picture on my own than trace or copy

one.
10. Yes No I think it is better for children to keep quiest in class than to give
ideas that might be wrong.
11. Yes No Some children are naturally born with better imaginations than
others and there is nothing that can be done about it.
12. Yes No I'm afraid to express my ideas because they usually are no good.
13. Yes No I would rather learn strange new games then play games that I
know well.
14. Yes No My favorite color is blue.*
15. Yes No Other children have better ideas than I do, and it is best to follow
what they do.
16. Yes No Art is one of my favorite subjects in school.
17. Yes No I like to "clown around" and pretend to be other people.
18. Yes No I think that children have a lot of good ideas and that teachers
should listen to them more often in class.
19. Yes No If someone gets an idea that is different from everyone else's, the
idea is probably not very good; otherwise other children would
have thought of it too.
20. Yes No I like to take my time and think up a number of ideas before
trying to solve a problem.
21. Yes No I feel that I have a good imagination.
22. Yes No I admire artists and writers as much as doctors and lawyers.
23. Yes No I feel that children should never "make a mess" when they draw
or paint.
24. Yes No I think it is as important for girls to learn to draw or write as to
cook and sew.
25. Yes No I only like to draw pictures of real persons or objects.
26. Yes No If other children laugh at your ideas, you should give the ideas
up.
27. Yes No I think children can write good poetry.
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28. Yes No I like kids who are quiet and well behaved better than ones who
joke and clown around a lot.
29. Yes No I would rather have as a friend someone who is lively and full of
ideas than some one who is nice and always wants to do what I
want.
30. Yes No I usually try to think up new ways of doing things rather than
doing them in the accepted way.
31. Yes No In school I prefer to learn facts rather than talk about ideas and
theories that people have about things.
32. Yes No I like drawing No. 1 better than No. 2 (Note: drawing #1 is an
abstract line drawing while the other is of a couple of trees
situated on a hillside).
Carles E. Schaefer, Ph.D.
Fordham University
Peer Educators can
vHelp in creatively designing projects, group work, cartoon strips, reading
passport, picture stories, different ending to stories, newsletters, presentation
skills, etc
vUse parents as resources for various activities in the school
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Effective
Commun ica tion
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Effective-Commun ica tion

“Communication is the act of transmitting messages and sharing
thoughts, feelings and ideas through verbal and nonverbal means. To
communicate, we need a sender, a receiver, a medium and a message.”
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Effective-Commun ica tion 5

Communication-skills are essential in every sphere of human interaction. The ability to
communicate is vital to the success of any endeavour.
The main objective of this session is to promote effective communication skills to cope
with day to day life as well as society.
Objectives:
• to help students interact effectively
• to increase confidence levels of students
• to develop social-skills and etiquette in students
• to help them identify their own communication pattern and assess how it adds
or obstructs their communication
This session explains how with developing excellent communication skills we can
handle critical situations. Communication provides better ways to understand others
or explain things.
A Quiz Competition in progress
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UNIT : 5 - Effective-Communication
Some of the basic conditions necessary for good

communication are:
1. Listening carefully and responsibly (to do so one must make eye contact,
take down notes, not interrupt the speaker until s/he finishes and reinforce
the understanding by 'question tagging' i.e. use words like really, is that so,
oh, you couldn't reach on time? etc. depending on the situation.)
2. The speaker must express himself clearly and completely.
3. The words used should specify carefully the purpose of the conversation.
3. If questions are asked, they should be creative and open ended i.e. they
should not require answers in “yes” or “no”.
To communicate effectively, keep the following points in

mind
1. Clarity and speed of speech
2. Tone and pitch of voice
3. Choice of words
4. Keeping the message short and simple
5. Remember to get feedback
5. Build a good vocabulary
Effective Communication Skills Pointers

"Effective communication is the respectful exchange of thoughts, feelings, and belief
between a speaker and a listener in such a way that the listener interprets the message
in the same way as the speaker intends it"
Non Verbal
Speaker and Listener
• Maintain eye contact
• Facial expressions, such as smiling and nodding, should show interest

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• Your body language and gestures should be confident yet non-

domineering
• The physical distance should be such to keep you near enough to each
other to talk easily, but not so close that you feel suffocated
Verbal
Speaker
• Your words should match your body language
• Ask both specific (Like: Do you understand what I mean by…….?) and
open-ended (Like: What do you think of this idea?) questions to check if
the other person understands.
• Don't monopolize the conversation
• Keep your tone of voice clear and respectful
Listener
• Use active (nod, look engaged in what the person is saying) and passive
listening (respond with short comments to show you're paying attention)
• Let the other person finish sentences; don't interrupt
• Summarize what you have heard and check for understanding by

paraphrasing (saying it in your own words), restating (saying it back
using the other person's words), or asking specific questions
• Keep your tone of voice clear and respectful
Important terms:
Eye contact: looking directly at someone's eyes (in a non-confrontational manner)

while listening or speaking; shows the other person you're paying attention to them.
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Non-verbal/body language: the "message" your body gives; e.g. looking around the
room instead of at the person suggests you're not paying attention
Active listening: showing understanding by repeating back what the other person just
said, sometimes by putting the message in your own words
Passive listening: showing interest and understanding by occasionally nodding your

head, using short phrases (e.g., I see/ yes, I do/ fine) at appropriate breaks in the
conversation.
Responding Right
Verbal-Skills Body-Language Social-Skills
To be an effective communicator,
perfect your skills
Listening Responding
Right behaviour is often a response to stimulus.
Pause
Stimulus Response
Assertive Passive Aggressive
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Activity 1 : Actions Speak Louder than Words!
Time Required : 20 minutes

Materials Needed
• Copies of the poem, ‘Actions Speak Louder than Words’
Mode: Small group
• Effective communication, Creative thinking.
Objectives:
• To help students understand the importance of non-verbal communication.
Process :
1. Divide the class into groups.
2. Distribute a copy of the poem to each group.
3. Ask them to make presentation after discussing the poem among their group-
members based on the following questions :
• Identify the sender, receiver and medium in the above situation.
• How did the man show that 'he really did care'?
• Is it possible to express feelings without words? How would you tell your
mother that you love her without speaking?
4. Attempt to write 'a poem' or 'short story' on a similar theme and present it to the
class.
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Worksheet : Non-Verbal Communication

Read the poem given below :
Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

Once I was walking down the road
On a dark and foggy night
When there was hardly any light
I could see a man, but not clearly
I called out “Hey mister, what is your name”
At first there was no reply
Perhaps he was a little shy
I called out yet again
But it was all in vain
I was about to give up
When it suddenly began to rain
And as we ran helter-skelter
To find ourselves shelter
He opened his umbrella
Willing to share
And then I realized
That my friend of few words
Really did care
And as we huddled together
Cold and numb
I realized that my friend couldn't speak
Because he was deaf and dumb
And then a sudden thought flashed through my mind
Do we really need words to be kind?
What words couldn't do his actions had done
For life long in me
A friend he had won!
Akshay Bhatia
Amity International
Saket
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Activity 2 : I understand what you say!
Materials Needed: Copies of the work sheet ‘I understand what you say’
Mode: Individual
Communication Skill, Interpersonal Skills, Managing Emotions
Objectives:
• To help students understand the importance of non-verbal communication

and how misunderstanding develops if the communication is not proper
• Responding promptly or expressing feeling. verbally or non-verbally to

parents in a positive and assertive way
Process :
1. Ask students to respond to the question 'what is effective communication?'

After gathering the response write them on the board and sum up with the
following "Effective communication is the respectful exchange of thoughts,
feelings, and belief between a speaker and a listener in such a way that the
listener interprets the message in the same way as the speaker intends it."
2. Review effective communication skills pointers given on the previous pages.
3. Ask students to fill up the worksheet 'I understand what you say' in pairs.
4. Then they come in pairs and present their response in front of the class. One of
them reads out the parent rule and the other one of them responds using one of
the communication technique (paraphrase, summarize, active listening).
5. The other students can identify the rule being used.
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6. Summarise the worksheet with these questions :
a. What was difficult about the activity?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
b. What communication skills did you use?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
c. What happens if you don't use clear communication skills and the other
person misunderstands your message?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
d. How do you think these skills would help you with more difficult
discussions, such as with your family?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Key Messages:
• Effective communication is the most important component for a successful
life.
• Successful communications skill can solve complex problems.
• Through successful communication one can understand or explain

situations in a better way.
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Worksheet: I understand what you say

Partners take turns reading and responding to the parents' rules below and practice
effective communication skills. You should use communication technique like
paraphrase, summarize, active listening and non-verbal Communication
Parent Rule: You have to call me at work from home landline when you get home
from school.
Response :_______________________________________________________________
Skill : ___________________________________________________________________
Parent Rule: You can't play on the computer until your homework is done.
Response :_______________________________________________________________
Skill : ___________________________________________________________________
Parent Rule: You can't attend birthday parties beyond 9 p.m.
Response :_______________________________________________________________
Skill : ___________________________________________________________________
Parent Rule: You will not drive until you are 18 years old.
Response :_______________________________________________________________
Skill : ___________________________________________________________________
Parent Rule: You can go out with friends once a month.
Response :_______________________________________________________________
Skill : ___________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3 : Beautiful-Communication

Materials Needed:
• Copies of the Case-Study – Beautiful-Communication, White-Board Marker etc
Mode: Individual, Small group
• Communication Skills, Empathy, Interpersonal Skills
Objective :
• to create awareness regarding various forms of communication
Process :
• Read out the story “Beautiful Communication” and discuss how communication
is possible without words?
• The message of communication is more important than the words.
• In groups, discuss how the disabled or differently abled can be included in the
mainstream through effective communication.
• Make a power point presentation to the rest of the class.
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Worksheet - Beautiful-Communication!
Read the story given below :

They were four of them, in the Mumbai city tourist bus where I worked as a guide :
an elderly couple, a young man and a girl. It was raining, the mike was not working,
the bus near-empty and silent and then I realized that my passengers were deaf
mutes.
As if she had read my mind, the young girl whose name was Lisa informed me that
she could talk and hear a little while the others were totally deaf. She would lip-
read me and explain the sights of Mumbai to her friends. The young man was her
friend. Both of them were in California University and had come to attend a
workshop in Bangalore. The elderly couple were his parents. For all of them, it was
their first visit to India.
I found it all unusual. The girl would watch my mouth intently, then with nods,
smiles and quick and dexterous signs convey to the others what I had been telling
them. Soon we were 'chatting' freely. The older woman 'enquired' about my family
and 'discussed' the art of wearing a saree and the problem of Mumbai's population
explosion. She also told me that she worked in a bank and her husband was a
teacher in a deaf and dumb school.
Soon the trip was over. Lisa clasped my hands. The others pointed out to their
hearts and then to me. I was deeply moved. We had broken all the barriers and
communicated through silence, without any problem whatsoever.
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Activity 4 : Fire, Aim, Ready!
Time Required: 20 minutes

Materials Needed:
• Copies of the Arithmetic test, White-Board Marker etc.
Mode: Individual, Small group
• Communication Skills, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Interpersonal
Skills.
Objective:
• to enable students to understand the importance of following
instructions/directions.
Process:
• Pass out copies of the test face down.
• Indicate that you will be asking them to solve some very simple problems in
arithmetic, involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• State, "As soon as I say 'Go,' turn your papers over, read the entire exercise,
and follow the directions. Work as fast as you can, as you just have 60 seconds
in hand."
• Say. "Go!"
• Immediately start to count down the seconds remaining (i.e. 59, 58, 57,
56…..2, 1) just loudly enough for all members to hear
• When time is up, quickly ask them to report the answers obtained to each
question (e.g., "The answer to question 1 is what?" "Question 2?"). Students
will soon discover that some of them have different answers. You might
facetiously ask them, "Did you all get the same sheet?" Then let the group
discover their problem by reading the directions for themselves.
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Summarize the activity with following discussion questions:
1. Remember the old saying, "If all else fails, read the directions!" Why didn't
we do so here?
2. Have you ever seen incidents where poorly given or rushed instructions
may be worse than none at all?
3. Did you experience pressure at the start of this exercise? What effect did this
have on your performance?
4. In what ways did we fall prey to the trap of "Fire, aim, ready"? In other
words, are we sometimes too quick to act before we analyze and prepare?
5. Why is effective communication important for proper execution of

instructions?
Notes for the teacher:

1. Make sure that your final instructions are given hurriedly and allow no time
for questions.
2. Be careful not to embarrass anyone for their error. The point is to

demonstrate a factor causing barrier in communication.
Key messages :
• Effective communication is the most important component for a successful
life.
• Successful Communications skills can solve complex problems.
• Through successful communication one can understand or explain
situations in a better way.
• Children learn by modeling the behaviour of adults and other significant
people around them. If we are able to take care of etiquette so will our
children.
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Key messages continued....

• Communicate your feelings and concerns to the child early to avoid
misunderstanding
• Help your children express their feelings. Listen to them without being
judgemental.
• No matter what, always be there for your children
• How does one talk so that another person listens and understands?
• How does one listen?
• How does one know if one has been heard and understood?
Communication styles
• Passive Communication means to communicate in a "weak" way. You are
unclear, you are afraid to address the issue or problem. You are not strong
with your opinion and you do not want to upset or disappoint the other
person. You have confused body language, which shows you are weak,
timid, undecided and have a low self-esteem.
• Aggressive Communication means to communicate in a way that threatens
to punish the other person if your feelings, opinions or desires are not
accepted. You try to discourage the other person, and insist on your rights
while denying their rights. Only your ideas, words, opinions, thoughts are
correct. You have threatening and forceful body language.
• Assertive Communication means to communicate in a way that does not
seem rude or threatening to others. You are standing up for your opinion,
ideas, feelings, for your rights without endangering the rights of others. It
means telling someone exactly what you want in a way which makes it clear
that these are your ideas, words, opinion and thoughts and you believe them
to be correct for you. You have strong and steady but non-threatening body
language
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Worksheet -- Arithmetic Test
Directions: In the following simple arithmetic problems, a plus (+) sign means to
multiply, a divide (÷) sign means to add, a minus (-) sign means to divide and a
multiplication (x) sign means to subtract. Complete the problems following
these directions.
8+2= ______________________ 14 - 7 = ______________________
9 + 11 = ______________________ 6x5= ______________________
4x3= ______________________ 8+3= ______________________
6÷2= ______________________ 7x2= ______________________
9-3= ______________________ 9+2= ______________________
7x4= ______________________ 8-4= ______________________
4+4= ______________________ 9+6= ______________________
8-4= ______________________ 1÷1= ______________________
12 x 2 = ______________________ 8x7= ______________________
20 - 10 = ______________________ 13 - 1 = ______________________
9-1= ______________________ 16 - 4 = ______________________
5+6= ______________________ 8x2= ______________________
2x1= ______________________ 9÷9= ______________________
10 - 5 = ______________________ 6x2= ______________________
12 + 2 = ______________________ 8+4= ______________________
6÷6= ______________________ 10 -2 = ______________________
8+5= ______________________ 4-1= ______________________
6+6= ______________________ 18 - 3 = ______________________
17 x 2 = ______________________ 8+2= ______________________
14 ÷ 7 = ______________________ 15 x 3 = ______________________
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Activity 5: Using Assertive Messages "I Really Mean It"
Time Required: 45 Minutes
Materials needed :
Word cards, Flip charts, Markers, White-board/ black-board, Markers, Chalks
Mode: Whole Class
• Effective communication, Self awareness, Creative thinking, Interpersonal

Relationships, Empathy
Objectives:
• To learn to use assertive messages, especially when you want to say "No"
Process:
• Invite the participants to sit in a circle.
• Explain that communication is about using speech, actions, body language,

expression, seeing and listening.
• This exercise will allow the participants to practice their communication

skills to make them more effective.
• Start at one end of the circle and ask the participant to pick up two cards.
• Pass the container to the next participant and continue until each participant
has 2 cards each.
• Ask each participant to read their cards and think of a sentence that includes
the words on the cards.
• Give the participants 5 minutes to prepare. Start at one end of the circle
moving from one participant to the next. Each member of the circle will have
a chance to participate.
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• Encourage the participants to be creative. Let them use words, facial

expressions and body language for maximum effect.
• After each participant has presented his/her sentence invite the group to
give feedback.
• Ask them to confine their feedback to whether the sentence was effective in
conveying an assertive message? Why?
• After all the participants have had a chance to practice their two sentences,
give them student worksheet 1 to fill and facilitate a discussion based on the
worksheet

Young people find it difficult to be assertive in their peer group, especially in
situations when they are being pressured. Often, young women find themselves
being submissive because they do not know how to assert themselves. This
exercise encourages young people to examine their ability to be assertive using
speech and body language. The feedback from observers should be carefully
channelled so that it is not counter productive. Ask the participants to give
feedback only on the sentence and the way it was delivered.
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Word cards that may be used for this game are as follows:
I feel that we can I will not Listen I am Sadness

Happiness It is so good I am not at all I think it will
Love Dislike Future is What do you?
I told you Of course I Life is Tomorrow
No, I am Just wait for Can you It is so
I feel I have to You should Think
I will
(You may have to duplicate these cards to have enough for all the participants.
You can also make other cards using your own imagination and knowledge of
the participants)
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Student Worksheet 1
1. How did you feel practicing your assertive statements? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Are there moments in your life when you want to say "No" and end up saying
"Yes"? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. What are the key characteristics of an assertive person?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being assertive?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Are girls usually less assertive than boys? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Student Worksheet 2
Is saying "no" a good indicator of maturity?
• How will you say "no" if a close friend of yours offers you a cigarette?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Give alternatives to a friend who feels shoplifting is exciting and fun and you
must join her next time for this.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Activity 6: Let's Talk!

Materials Needed:
• Slips with Response Scenarios, White-board/ black-board, Markers, Chalks
Mode: Whole Class
• Effective Communication, Self Awareness, Creative Thinking, Interpersonal
Objective:
• To practice some basic communication skills
Process:
• Invite the participants to sit on the floor in a circle.
• Explain that participants will be practicing some basic communication skills.
• Pass the container, full of the slips of paper, around the circle. Ask each
participant to pick one slip.
• Ask them to read the slip and prepare themselves for the exercise.
• Allow 5-10 minutes to prepare (individually).
• Then, start at one end of the circle, and ask the participant to give a response to
the situation written on the slip.
• Explain that they can choose a partner to do the exercise.
• Complete the circle.
• After each presentation, ask for feedback and suggestions.
• After the exercise is over, facilitate a discussion in the large group using the
following questions:
• How did you feel doing this exercise? Why?
• In a real-life situation, would you be able to use these skills? Why/Why not?
• Have you ever discussed these kinds of issues in your circle of friends/peer
group? Would you like to share some of the experiences?
• What are the basic requirements of good communication?
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Key Messages
• Participants will acquire some of the basic communication skills required

This exercise creates confidence among the participants concerning their ability
to communicate on various issues of concern. You can create similar exercises to
enable them to converse and connect.
Response Scenarios
1. Your friend is confused about selection and wants your advice on how s/he
should make this selection.
2. Your friend is worried that s/he is becoming obese and wants to know what
s/he should do.
3. Your friend always participates in sports activities, but her/his parents want
him to concentrate more on studies. S/he asks your advice.
4. You have a test next day but your friend wants you to come to her/his
birthday party in the evening
5. You are feeling tired but your friend wants you to talk with him/her.
6. Your friend feels it is very stylish to have a mobile and is forcing her/his
parents to buy her/him one.
7. Your friend throws her/his Tiffin whenever it contains Chapati/
Parantha/Idlis/Rice and vegetables. S/he just likes to eat noodles,
sandwiches, burgers and such things.
8. Your friends never goes out to play and spends her/his time in watching
cartoons or serials. S/he has to wear spectacles also.
9. Your senior has been unkind and rude and you need to talk to a friend about
the best course of action against bullying.
10. Your friends is being teased, bullied and made fun of by a senior boy. You
decide to help.
11. Your friend feels it is fine to smoke and drink once in a while.
12. Your friend feels it is necessary to have a boyfriend / girlfriend else you are not
cool.
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Activity 7: Hearing and Listening

Materials Needed:
• 10-15 lines of written script on any topic, White-board/ black-board, Markers,
Chalks etc.
Mode: Whole Class
• Effective-Communication, Self-Awareness, Creative-Thinking, Interpersonal
Objective:
• To know the difference between hearing and listening
Process:
• Invite the learners to sit in a circle.
• Ask for volunteers. Take the volunteers out of the room, and instruct them to
make noise while the script is being read out. These noises, for example, tapping
a pen on the floor a few times or knocking on the wall (should be loud enough
for everyone to hear but not overwhelming enough to attract the complete
attention of the participants) should be made once or twice.
• Explain to the learners that you will read out a small text and they should try to
remember as much as they can of the text.
• After the reading, ask the learners to tell you all that they heard.
• Allow 7-8 minutes for this activity. Then, invite the learners to listen to the same
text being read out for a second time.
• This time they should have an objective when listening to the text.
• Complete the reading and ask the learners to report on the stated objective.
• During the first round of reading, most learners will probably be able to tell you
bits and pieces of the text you read.
• Listening to the second round of reading with an objective will result in accurate
responses from a large number of learners.
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• Ask the participants “Why do they think this happened”

• Some learners will tell you that this was because, the second time, they had an
objective. Commend the answers. Emphasize that the difference between
hearing and listening is that listening has an objective while hearing is general.
• Close the exercise by pointing out that in effective communication listening is
an important element.
Key Messages
• Learners will know the difference between hearing and listening.
• Learners will become more aware of themselves, while listening to others.

This exercise points out the difference between hearing and listening. It allows
the learners to learn from their own experience, and therefore, they tend to
remember it.
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SAMPLE TEXT FOR HEARING AND LISTENING

ACTIVITY
A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards
sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know
you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.
"No", she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his
friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he
added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in
your home?"
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was
overjoyed. "How nice!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let
him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She
jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our
home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
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"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the three old men, "Which one of you is Love?
Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two old men also
got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only
invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other
two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we
go with him."
Objective Question: What is your Learning from the story?
Expected Response: Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success
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Activity 8: Appreciating Others “I like You”

Materials Needed:
• Student Worksheet White-board/ black-board, Markers, Chalks etc.
Mode: Group
• Effective communication, Empathy, Self awareness, Creative thinking,
Interpersonal Relationships
Objective:
• To learn to appreciate each other's good qualities.
Process:
• Invite the participants to sit in a circle.
• Explain that we all have good and bad in us, and it is important to recognize the
good.
• This exercise will enable us to appreciate each other's positive qualities.
• Start at one end of the circle and ask each participant to tell the person on his/her
left one thing that s/he likes about him/her.
• When the circle is complete, repeat the exercise in reverse order (i.e., each
participant tells the person on his/her right one thing that s/he likes about
him/her).
• Ask students to fill up the Student Worksheet :
Key Messages
• Students will become aware of each other's positive traits.
• They will learn to pass on appreciation effectively.
• Students will become more appreciative of people around them, especially
their friends and family.
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Student Worksheet
How did you feel giving a compliment? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How did you feel receiving a compliment? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How often do you appreciate your friends and family members for the things
they do for you?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How do you feel when your friends criticize you or say negative things about
you? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Can you think of ways in which you can use your good qualities to help your
friends? How?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How does communicating properly help in developing better relations?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Note for the facilitator

This is an enjoyable exercise that produces good feelings in the group. You can
use this opportunity to discuss the ways in which young people can help friends
and empathise with them in difficult situations.
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Student Worksheet
Friendly, Nice, Helper Words
Kind
Friendly,
Kind,
Helper Words
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Self-Assessment
Read the following and tick T or F.
True / false
• Effective-communication is an integral part of our life.
• Only communication-skills can develop social-skills.
• Listening skill is an essential component of communication.
• Non verbal mode of communication is possible.
• Body-language, when agressive can hamper conversation.
• Silent communication is impossible.
• A good listener cannot be a good speaker.
What was your learning from this Unit?
1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal-life?
1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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• Write five benefits of good communication skills?
• Write three non-verbal modes of communication.
• Attempt to write a poem or short story on a similar theme and present it to

the class.
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• Discuss how communication is possible without words?
• How can the disabled or differently abled be included in your class or

group?
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Communication Skills Test

This self-assessment exercise is designed to help you evaluate your own interpersonal
communication skills and style, and provide you with helpful tips for becoming a
good communicator - and team player!
In each of the following, read items A, B, and C, then mark the one that best describes
your communication style. (24 total)
Remember the best answer is not necessarily the Correct one. In fact there is no Right or
Wrong answer.
1. When conversing with others
A. I usually do most of the talking.
B. I usually let the other person do most of the talking.
C. I try to equalize my participation in the conversation.
2. When I first meet someone
A. I wait for the other person to make the introduction first.
B. I introduce myself with a smile and offer a handshake.
C. When I first meet someone, I hug the person.
3. I usually
A. "warm-up" new conversations with small talk.
B. I usually avoid small talk and jump into more important matters.
C. I usually avoid starting conversations.
4. I usually
A. Make an effort to remember and use peoples' names.
B. Don't pay attention to names as I tend to forget them.
C. Only learn the names of important people.
5. I_________ use courtesy words and phrases - "Please," "Thank you," "You're
welcome," "I'm sorry."
A. Frequently
B. Occasionally
C. Never
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6. I tend to
A. Be serious and don't smile often while conversing.
B. Smile all the time while conversing.
C. Smile at appropriate times while conversing.
7. I ________make eye contact while conversing. .
A. Always.
B. Sometimes.
C. Never.
8. While conversing
A. I hold my head still at all times.
B. I nod my head at appropriate times.
C. I nod my head constantly.
9. While conversing
A. I stand one-foot away from the person.
B. I stand two- to three-feet away from the person.
C. I stand five- to six-feet away from the person.
10. I often
A. Stand while talking to a person who is sitting.
B. Sit while talking to a person who is sitting.
C. Lean down while talking to a person who is sitting.
11. To end a conversation
A. I often just leave.
B. I begin to look impatient hoping the person will get the hint.
C. I wrap up with a closing statement.
12. If a co-student has put on weight
A. I say nothing about it.
B. I tell the person that he or she has changed in appearance.
C. I honestly tell the person that he or she looks fat.
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13. When I'm listening to the teacher

A. I often cross my arms over my chest.
B. I often lean back and turn my body away from the teacher.
C. I often lean slightly forward and face my body toward the teacher.
14. When I cross my leg
A. I cross my leg facing the speaker.
B. I cross my leg away from the speaker.
C. I bob my foot.
15. While listening
A. I tend to be distracted by things going on around me.
B. I listen for meaning and ask questions.
C. I watch the person speak, but I don't "hear" a word.
16. When someone talks about an unfortunate or sad experience
A. I don't comment about it.
B. I try to change the subject.
C. I try to relate to the person's feelings and show sensitivity to his or her
misfortune.
17. When I discuss a topic
A. I tend to talk about and focus on positive (good) aspects.
B. I tend to talk about and focus on the negative (bad) aspects.
C. I tend to complain.
18. When I have a negative opinion or comment
A. I just say it.
B. I lead in with a positive comment first.
C. I say nothing.
19. When I receive unfavorable feedback
A. I note where I need to improve.
B. I get angry and defensive.
C. I deny the problem, make excuses, or plead ignorance.
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20. When I give a person negative feedback

A. I focus on the person's observable work or behavior and offer suggestions.
B. When I give a person negative feedback, I focus on what I don't like about
the person.
C. I simply tell the person what to do right.
21. When I give a person negative feedback
A. I do it around others so everyone can hear.
B. I do it in front of the supervisor.
C. I talk with the person alone in a private place.
22. When I disagree with a person
A. I listen first, ask questions for clarification, then disagree non-judgmentally.
B. I quickly point out the person is wrong and why.
C. When I disagree with a person, I say little or nothing.
23. When I'm in a group
A. I tend to frown a lot.
B. I tend to smile and use humor at appropriate times.
C. I tend to be serious.
This last item has four choices (A, B, C or D). Which one best describes you?
24. A. I'm a "hands-on" person. I tend to:
prefer hands-on experiences and activities;
focus on tasks to be done; refrain from discussions;
think in a logical and organized way;
do things in an orderly way;
have difficulty adjusting to change.
B. I'm a "thinker." I tend to:
enjoy listening to a logical presentation of ideas;
enjoy analyzing problems and finding systematic ways to solve problems;
enjoy creating models based on theory and information;
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like structure and organization;

act slowly in making decisions;
show more interest in ideas than people.
C. I'm an "explorer." I tend to:
try things by trial and error;
explore practical uses for ideas and theories;
make decisions that provide quick solutions;
decide quickly; take risks; enjoy change;
rely more on people for information.
D. I'm a "free thinker." I tend to:
base views and opinions on feelings;
enjoy tossing around ideas (brainstorming);
approach and view problems and experiences from different perspectives;
rely on intuition, not logic, for making decisions;
dislike structure.
This Communication Skills Test is designed by Robin Jacobs, Portland Community

College, Portland, Oregon.
Peer Educators can
vOrganize group discussions, extemporary dialogue competition, elocution, Just
a Minute, Jingle, Turncoats, quiz etc
vOrganize discussions wherein students can communicate their viewpoints
effectively on issues that concern them
vOrganize Experience Sharing Sessions or circle time with teachers
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AglaSem Schools
In terpersona l
6
Rela tion ship
AglaSem Schools
In terpersonal-Rela tion ship

Interpersonal – Relationship skills helps us to relate to the people we
interact with in positive ways. This may mean being able to make and
sustain friendly relationships, which can be of great importance to our
mental and social well-being. It may mean keeping good relations
with family members, who are an important source of social support.
It may also mean being able to end relationships constructively.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
In ter-Persona l Skills 6
Objectives:
• to help students interact effectively
• to increase confidence level of students
• to develop social-skills and etiquette in students
Process
This session will explain the importance of interpersonal-skills in life. In our life we are
bound to have different relationships with parents, neighbours, school, society, nation
and the world.
We expect different things from people depending on our relationships with them. We
invest more time and effort in relationships that mean the most to us. Some
relationships are more important to us than others. We are the ones who decide how
important a relationship is? What is important to us may be different from what is
important to other people. Our feelings about other people in our life determine the
importance of our relationship with them.
There are many ways to decide if someone is important to us. One way is to imagine
how we would feel if that person was no longer a part of our life. The type of
relationship we have with a person may also help us decide how important that person
is to us.
Some of these relationships are very important to us for different reasons. There are
four basic types of relationships:
1. Close Personal: People we trust and share our private thoughts with and
whose opinions matter most.
Examples: close friends, seniors etc.
2. Social: People in our community we recognize by their role in society.
Examples: teacher, police officer, bus driver, neighbour etc.
3. Family: All relatives as well as any other people we consider family.
Examples: children, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc.
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UNIT : 6 - Inter-Personal Skills
Activity 1 : Appreciating Family and Friends

Materials needed :
• White-board, markers, Duster, Pointers etc.
Mode : Group
• Inter Personal Skills, Communication Skills, Self-Awareness, Empathy
Objectives :
• To develop an ability to develop successful Inter-Personal Relationships with
friends, seniors, relatives and neighbours
Process
• The facilitator explains that when something is important to us, we say we value
it.
• He/she asks the students to think of something that they said they valued, yet
did not take care of.
• The facilitator then explains that we sometimes do the same in our relationships
with family and friends.
Students are asked :
• What do you do to show that you value a friendship or a family relationship?
• What makes you feel that someone does not value your relationship with him or
her?
(Answers are put on the board for all to see).
Students are divided into groups of three or four, and they are asked to consider
different scenarios that illustrate a bothersome quality that someone has.
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Students are asked to think about the scenarios using several questions:
• What are the positive qualities of the person?
• What quality is causing the conflict?
• Is this necessarily a bad quality? When might it be a useful quality?
• If you were in this situation, how would you handle this problem in a positive
way?
• Why do you think this quality bothers the person in the scenario so much?
• Each group presents their scenario to the class and describes what they
would do to resolve the relationship problem.
As a home-work assignment, students are asked to describe ways in which they show
that they care for and value their family and friends. For up to four people, they are to
write about one additional thing they could do to further demonstrate their
appreciation for that person.
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Activity 2 : My Relationship Chart – My Magic-Wall

Materials Needed :
• Work-sheet : My Magic-Wall,' Black-board / Chalk / Duster / Dhart, etc.
Mode : Group
• Inter Personal Skills, Communication Skills, Self Awareness, Empathy
Objectives :
• to develop a deeper understanding of relationships.
• to analyse the types of relationships.
Process :
• Think about the important people in your life.
• Use the following chart to evaluate your relationships.
• Choose an important person for each type listed on the left side of the chart.
• Fill in that person's name and their relationship to you.
• Then list the reasons you feel these people are important to you.
• Students can make their own chart and collage for themselves.
• Students can decorate and put it up on the class board or at home.
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Worksheet – My Magic-Wall !
Relationship Type Person Ways They Are

Important to Me !
Close-Personal
Social
Family
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Activity 3 : Healthy-Relationships

Materials needed :
• Blackboard, Chart, Duster, Different colour markers, Worksheet
Mode : Individual
• Interpersonal Relationship Skills, Communication Skills
Objective :
• To develop a positive attitude to build healthy relationships
Process :
• Ask students to draw a "Mind-Map" by putting their name in the centre of a
small circle.
• Around the circle, draw a series of circles that represent all the relationships
they have.
• Write the names or roles of those closest to them in the circle that goes around
their name, and then do the same for all the other circles moving outward. For
example, in the circle around their name, you might list the names of family
members. The next circle might have names of their friends, the next their
teachers, then their cousins, relatives, etc.
• Talk about the relationships they have with each person or group of people,
(how "close" they are, how much personal information they share, how much
they trust each person).
• Ask your students whom they consider to be part of their "support system" -
people they would go to for help with a problem.
• Let the students lead teachers in this exercise - who is closest to them might not
be who or what they think is closest.
• On the basis of their responses deduce and write on board the essential
characteristics of a “Healthy-Relationship”.
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Worksheet – My Relationship Mind Map!
Others
Friends
Family
Me!
(You can stick
your photograph here!)
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Activity 4 : My Relationship Scale !

Materials needed :
• Worksheet : “My Relationship Scale”, White-Board, Marker, Duster etc.
Mode : Group
• Inter Personal Skills, Communication Skills, Self Awareness, Empathy, Critical
Thinking
Objective :
• To enable students to understand the importance of relationships
Process :
• Think about the relationships in your life and place them on an importance scale
in the Worksheet provided.
Key Messages
• Interpersonal Relationships are a very important factor in the grooming of
one's personality.
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Worksheet – My Relationship Scale !
Less Important Important Very Important
1. How would you feel if the most important relationship was no longer a part of
your life?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. How would you feel if the least important relationship was no longer a part of
your life?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. How would you communicate to the “Very Important” people in your life
that you value them?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Activity 5: Web of Relationships

Materials Needed:
• List of emotions/feelings, White-board/ black-board, Markers, Chalks, Duster
etc.
Mode: Whole Class
• Managing Emotions, Effective communication, Self awareness, Interpersonal
Relationships
Objective :
• To enable the participants to explore their relationships with different people in
their lives
• To enable understanding of the fact that we all have a network of relationships
that allow us to lead useful and comfortable lives
Process:
• Divide the participants into small groups of 4 to 5.
• Explain that they will be drawing a web of the relationships in their lives.
Everyone has a web of relationships that sustains and supports them. We have
relationships with our friends, with family members and with many other
people known and unknown to us.
• The web will enable us to
understand their relationship to us
and others and how the
combination help us in our lives.
• Ask each group to draw a web of
relationships. They can choose one
person in their group and draw a
web of their relationships or they
could draw a common group web.
• If the task is difficult to understand,
give an example by showing a web
diagram on the board or a flipchart.
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• Give the groups 30 minutes to do the exercise. Ask them to put up their outputs
on the wall. If they have used chalk and the floor to do the exercise, the groups
could visit each other's web.
• Ask students to write their responses in the worksheet.
Key Messages
• Learners will learn that a web of relationships exists in everyone's life.
• Learners will become aware that these relationships can be tapped and
supported to create a web of support and care for people around us
Note for the facilitator

Drawing a diagram of relationships allows the learners to examine the role of
different relationships in their lives and the way in which these relationships
interact with each other. The drawing enables a visual context to the discussion
and enables focused discussion. Girls and boys may have differences in their
webs and it would be interesting to examine the reasons for this.
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Student Worksheet - A
Why is web of Relationship helpful?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
In the web of relationships are there some relationships that help you more than
the others? Which ones and why?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How do different relationships help you and each other?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How can relationships be nurtured and improved to enhance the quality of our
lives?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Inter-Personal Relationships Worksheet - B

Sheena comes from a joint family. She aspires to be a doctor. She likes to devote
more and more time to studies but her grand mother wants her to get involved
into household chores as she returns from school. Whenever she sits to study she
is made to get up on pretext of one thing or the other. Her parents find
themselves helpless as they feel they shouldn't argue with elders. Her grades
have started going down. What should she do in such a situation to get familial
support?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Yash is fascinated by cars and hopes to be an automobile engineer one day. He

wants to opt for science but his businessman father feels that he should opt for
commerce and take care of family business of hotel and restaurant as he grows
up. He is good in mathematics and science but lacks concentration and likes
doing lots of things all at the same time. His father feels that he won't be
successful in life if he opts for science and is very upset with him. Yash feels that
his father is imposing himself and nags all the time! What ideas would you
suggest to the father to handle the situation and improve the inter-personal
relationships between father and son.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Inter-Personal Relationships Worksheet - C
Pyramid of Friends
The bottom line should list your most important friends, other friends can be
listed above in order of importance. The top line may be of those who help and
support you in some way once in a while (It will be nice that after you identify
these friends you go to them and say thanks for all support and for being there
for you.
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Activity 6: The Buyer, the Seller and the Goods
Time required : 15-30 minutes
Materials needed : None
Mode: Groups of three
• Interpersonal relationships
Learning Objectives:
• To experience relationships of power
• To discuss ways to maintain a balance in relationships of power
Process:
• Ask the Students to form groups of three and to assign each member of
the group as either A, B or C.
• Tell them that in the activity:
- A will play the Buyers,
- B will play the Sellers,
- C will play the Goods (or Merchandise).
• Instruct the Buyers not to buy the Goods and instead to find defects in
them.
• Instruct the Sellers to try to convince the Buyers to buy their Goods.
• Instruct the Goods to keep silent and not to move unless told to do so by
the Sellers and the Buyers.
• After a few minutes, ask the players to switch roles and continue the role-
play until everyone has experienced being the Buyer, Seller and the
Goods.
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Student Worksheet
• Do you have any observation about the activity?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• How did you feel when you were the Buyer/Seller/the Goods?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• Of the three, who do you think is the most powerful and why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• Who do you think is the least powerful and why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• What power do the goods have?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• What could the Seller do to 'empower' the Goods?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• In our everyday life situations, when do we feel like a Buyer, a Seller and
Goods?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
• How do we deal with these feelings?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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Activity 7: People around Me
Time: 15-30 minutes
Materials:
• Worksheets, Pen/Chalk/Board or a Large sheet of paper
Mode: Individual and then sharing in plenary
Life Skill to be enhanced:
• Interpersonal relationships
Objectives:
• To identify the people with whom you have relations
• To examine your relationships with other people
• To determine ways to improve these relationships
Process:
• First establish the fact that no person lives in a vacuum. Talk about the
proverb 'No Man is an Island'.
• Ask the students what they understand about this proverb.
• Stress that everyday, people have to deal with people and these
relationships are called 'interpersonal relationships'.
• Ask the students why it is important to have good interpersonal

relationships. Then ask them to define the parameters of these
relationships.
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• List these on the board or sheet of paper. In addition to what the students
provide, include the following basic attributes:
- Trust and Honesty
- Loyalty and Faith
- Confidence and Confidentiality
- Open channels of communication
- Warmth and Love
• Firmly establish/agree that these factors affect the quality of our

relationships with other people. These can determine whether certain
relationships are excellent or poor.
• Then give each student enough time to complete the worksheet.
• Ask the students to share their results with others in small groups or in
plenary.
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Student Worksheet:
• How did you find the activity?
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Looking at your worksheets, what did you discover?
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Which relationships can be improved and how?
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What do you think we need to do to improve our relationships with others?
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Self Assessment
Read the following and tick T or F.
True/False
1. Relations can change one's life.
2. Important relations have value in our life more than any other thing.
3. Maintaining interpersonal relationships is really important.
4. We have to work hard to keep our relationships happy.
5. There can be no misunderstanding in any relationship.
6. If you don't like something about the other person you must stop
communicating with them.
7. You must never trust anybody.
8. Relationships can go through good and bad phases.
9. If you have done something wrong you need to hide it from your
family and friends or else your image will get affected.
10. You should only share your happiness and keep your problem as well
as sorrows to yourself.
What was your learning from this Unit?

1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your
personal life?
1. _____________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________________
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Interpersonal Reactivity Index

The following statements inquire about your thoughts and feelings in a variety of
situations. For each item, indicate how well it describes you by choosing the
appropriate letter on the scale at the top of the page: A, B, C, D, or E. When you have
decided on your answer, fill in the letter on the answer sheet next to the item number.
READ EACH ITEM CAREFULLY BEFORE RESPONDING. Answer as honestly as
you can. Thank you.
ANSWER SCALE:
A B C D E
DOES NOT DESCRIBES ME
DESCRIBE ME VERY WELL
WELL
1. I daydream and fantasize, with some regularity, about things that might
happen to me. (FS)
2. I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.
(EC)
3. I sometimes find it difficult to see things from the "other person’s" point of
view. (PT) (-)
4. Sometimes I don't feel very sorry for other people when they are having
problems. (EC) (-)
5. I really get involved with the feelings of the characters in a novel.
(FS)
6. In emergency situations, I feel apprehensive and ill-at-ease. (PD)
7. I am usually objective when I watch a movie or play, and I don't often get
completely caught up in it. (FS) (-)
8. I try to look at everybody's side of a disagreement before I make a
decision. (PT)
9. When I see someone being taken advantage of, I feel kind of protective
towards them. (EC)
10. I sometimes feel helpless when I am in the middle of a very emotional
situation. (PD)
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11. I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things

look from their perspective. (PT)
12. Becoming extremely involved in a good book or movie is somewhat rare
for me. (FS) (-)
13. When I see someone get hurt, I tend to remain calm. (PD) (-)
14. Other people's misfortunes do not usually disturb me a great deal.
(EC) (-)
15. If I'm sure I'm right about something, I don't waste much time listening to
other people's arguments. (PT) (-)
16. After seeing a play or movie, I have felt as though I were one of the
characters. (FS)
17. Being in a tense emotional situation scares me. (PD)
18. When I see someone being treated unfairly, I sometimes don't feel much
pity for them. (EC) (-)
19. I am usually pretty effective in dealing with emergencies. (PD) (-)
20. I am often quite touched by things that I see happen. (EC)
21. I believe that there are two sides to every question and try to look at them
both. (PT)
22. I would describe myself as a pretty soft-hearted person. (EC)
23. When I watch a good movie, I can very easily put myself in the place of a
leading character. (FS)
24. I tend to lose control during emergencies. (PD)
25. When I'm upset at someone, I usually try to "put myself in his shoes" for a
while. (PT)
26. When I am reading an interesting story or novel, I imagine how I would
feel if the events in the story were happening to me. (FS)
27. When I see someone who badly needs help in an emergency, I go to pieces.
(PD)
28. Before criticizing somebody, I try to imagine how I would feel if I were
in their place. (PT)
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NOTE: (-) denotes item to be scored in reverse fashion

PT = perspective-taking scale A= 0
FS = fantasy scale B=1
EC = empathic concern scale C=2
PD = personal distress scale D=3
E=4
Except for reversed-scored items, which are scored:
A= 4 B=3 C=2 D=1 E=0
Interpersonal Reactivity Index by Davis, M. H. (1980)

DESCRIPTION:
Purpose The IRI was designed to assess empathy, which was defined as "the
reactions of one individual to the observed experiences of another."
Questions 28 items using 5-point scales (A = does not describe me well to E =
describes me very well)
Sub-scales 4 sub-scales, each with 7 items:
• Fantasy assesses the extent to which individuals identify with
fictional characters.
• Perspective-taking assesses the extent to which individuals
spontaneously (try to) adopt others' points of view.
• Empathetic concern assesses the extent of individuals' "feelings of
warmth, compassion, and concern for others."
• Personal distress assesses the extent of individuals "feelings of
anxiety and discomfort" as a result of "another's negative
experience."
Domain
Psychometrics • When I am reading an interesting story or novel, I imagine how I
would feel if the events in the story were happening to me.
(Fantasy)
• Before criticizing somebody, I try to imagine how I would feel if I
were in their place. (Perspective-taking)
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Sample items • When I see someone being taken advantage of, I feel kind of
protective towards them. (Empathetic concern)
• When I see someone who badly needs help in an emergency, I go
to pieces. (Personal distress)
REFERENCES:
• Davis, M. H. (1980). A multidimensional approach to individual differences in
empathy. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 1980, 10, 85.
• Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for
a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
44(1), 113-126.
Peer Educators can
v
Collect case studies from their own classes related to interpersonal relationships
in consultation with their counselor and then organize discussions on the same
v
Conduct some of the activities mentioned in the unit with the students of the
other classes
v
Help in organizing PTMs, Functions, interaction with parents etc
v
Organize environmental and socially relevant based questionnaires which can
be given to the community by them
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Mana gin g
Emotion s
7
AglaSem Schools
Mana gin g Emotion s

Managing Emotions includes skills for increasing internal locus of
control for Managing Emotions, Anger and Stress.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Mana gin g-Emotion s 7

It has been observed that people who control their emotions are more optimistic,
generally productive and effective in their lives.
Managing-Emotions is the ability to identify and express our emotions

appropriately.
1. Self-Awareness/Recognising Emotions: Identifying emotions as they occur
and to be able to monitor emotions from moment to moment is the key to self
understanding. Being aware of our own emotions makes us more confident
when making personal decisions.
2. Managing-Emotions: Having appropriate emotional reactions is the capacity
that builds on Self Awareness. The ability to control negative reactions such as
grief, anger, anxiety, depression etc. is an important emotional skill that we all
need to develop. People who lack emotional self- regulation are continually
faced by feelings of distress.
Objectives:
• to enhance knowledge and understanding about emotions and how to deal
with them
• to develop skills to manage emotions
which can give positive inputs for a
balanced life.
Every one of us feels different emotions at
different times. Sometimes we feel happy,
sometimes sad, worthless, hurt or depressed. It is
very normal and natural to feel various emotions.
Life would indeed be very boring and dull
without these colours of life called emotions.
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UNIT : 7 - Managing-Emotions
Steps for dealing with emotions:

1. Identify your emotions.
2. Analyse why the situation bothers you.
3. Analyse the effect the situation has or can have on your life.
4. Decide what you can or cannot change.
5. Select a positive way to react.
6. Think of something positive you can learn from the situation.
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Activity 1 : Dealing with Emotions!

Materials needed :
• Worksheet : Variation Exercise, White-board, Marker, Chalks
Mode : Whole Class
• Self Awareness, Empathy, Coping with Stress, Critical Thinking, Decision
Making, Dealing with Emotions, Interpersonal Relationships, Effective
Communication
Objective :
• to help the students recognize emotions and to identify appropriate ways of
expressing them.
Process:
• Relate the purpose of the session to the students.
• Mark four areas in the classroom for choices a, b, c or d using chalk.
• Read the first situation and ask all students to choose how they would react to
the situation.
• After each situation is read and students make their choices, the teacher asks
them to explain why they made that particular choice.
• At the end, the teacher facilitates a group discussion with the help of Discussion
Prompts given in a box.
• The facilitator sums up the session highlighting key points.
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Discussion Prompts
1. Why did you pick the particular response you chose?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Do you think the other students in the group made correct choices?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Do you think that your choice is the best?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Worksheet : Variation-Exercise
Situation-Choices
1. Your friend borrows your favourite book (also expensive) and when you
ask him to return it; he says he has lost it.
You…
a) Ask him to buy you the same book/ pay for it.
b) Shout at him and make sure he feels bad.
c) Say its okay; you need not worry or feel bad about it.
d) You break your friendship with him.
2. Someone that you know very well tells you that you are dark in
complexion and also very thin. He teases you that you are boring and
unattractive.
You…
a) Ignore him and walk away.
b) Get depressed and stop going out.
c) Tell the person that the comment was rude and that you didn't
appreciate it and that you feel hurt.
d) Ask the person to just 'shut up'.
3. Your friend borrows your notes, promises to return them by 5 p.m. He does
not show up until 8 p.m. and gives you no excuse. Due to this you have not
been able to prepare for your exam to be held the next morning. Inside you
feel angry and hurt.
You…
a) Tell your friend that you will never lend your notes to him in future.
b) Act like it does not bother you and let it go.
c) Ask your friend to explain why he is late and then express your feelings.
d) You scream at him without giving him a chance to explain.
4. Your senior at school bullies and threatens you not to complain about it to
anybody.
(a) You decide to listen to him/her out of fear.
(b) You tell your best friend with a request not to disclose it to anybody else.
(c) You tell your parents and they take it up with the counsellor / principal.
(d) You fight with the bully along with a gang of your friends.
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Activity 2 : Managing-Emotions

Materials needed:
• Worksheet Case-Study, White- Board and Marker, duster etc.
Mode: Group
• Managing Emotions, Effective Communication, Critical Thinking
Objective:
• to enhance the students' knowledge and understanding on emotions and how
to deal with them.
Process:
• Divide the class into groups, each group with about 7-8 students.
• Circulate copies of the Case-Study to each group.
• Ask them to analyse the situation among the members. 15 minutes are allotted
for this activity.
• Each group will present on how to deal with the case in the situation provided
to them.
• Conclude the session by highlighting key-messages.
NOTE : The Facilitator can also prepare other Case-Studies and deliver them in
different groups.
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Steps for dealing with emotions include:

• Identify your emotions
• Analyze why the situation bothers you
• Analyse the effect the situation has or can have on your life
• Decide what you can and cannot change
• Select a positive way to react
• Think of something positive you can learn from the situation.
Key-Messages
• Emotions are natural feelings.
• Emotions are not good or bad, how they get expressed is more important.
• Managing our emotions is an important part of growing up.
• Managing Emotions is the ability to identify and express our emotions
appropriately.
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Worksheet – Case-Study
Arshia's Case-Study
Arshia is a 15 year old girl, studying in class X. Her classmates make fun of her dark
complexion and protruding teeth and tease her that she is not good looking. She
has developed an inferiority complex due to her complexion and suffers from low
self esteem. As a result, she avoids going to school and remains alone most of the
time. She hardly talks to any one. Her performance in the school has also started
deteriorating. Lately she has become very irritable, short tempered and often gets
into arguments and even picks up fights with her brother and parents over trivial
matters.
Analysis of the Case-Study

1. What do you think is more important - the physical-appearance or the over
all personality of the individual? Share your views with the others in your
group and then write a final statement here :
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. How can Arshia improve her self-confidence? After discussing in your

group write solutions here :
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. How can she handle her emotions in a healthy way? Give two suggestions.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3 : Role-Play

Materials needed :
• Photocopy of the Role-Play situations, White-board and Marker, Duster etc.
Mode : Group
Objective:
• to enhance the students' knowledge and understanding about emotions and
how to deal with them.
• Managing Emotions, Inter Personal Relationship, Effective Communication
Process:
• Ask the students about their understanding of the word 'Emotions'.
• Ask them to identify some common situations in which they have felt negative
emotions such as anger, grief, hurt, worthlessness, sadness, depression etc.
• Make a list of the situations shared by students on the white board.
• Divide the students into groups, each group with not more than 7-8 students.
• Assign one-one situation to each group (situations could be selected either from
the ones identified by the students themselves or the ones mentioned here).
• Ask each group to prepare a Role-Play of about 5 minutes on the situation
assigned to them.
• Give them 10 minutes for preparation.
• Help students recognise emotions in all the situations presented.
• Identify common emotions such as fear, grief, anger, depression etc.
• Each role-play to be followed by a small discussion among the whole group.
• At the end of the session, involve the whole class and discuss appropriate ways
of handling fear, grief, anger etc.
• Sum up the activity with the help of Key Messages given earlier which should
be reinforced.
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Worksheet : Role-Play Situations

Situation 1:
Dhir is a student of class IX and he is not doing well in his studies. Last week his
parents had to go to attend a family function. They didn't take Dhir along with them
as his exams were round the corner and they wanted him to concentrate on his
studies. This hurt him deeply because he thought that his parents were ashamed of
him and so they didn't take him with them for the family function.
The fact was that Dhir's parents had a lot of care and concern for him and they didn't
want his valuable time to be wasted. But Dhir's opinion about the situation was that
he was not worthy enough and that his parents were too ashamed of him. Dhir has
loaded the situation with his negative interpretation and turned it into a cause of
hurt.
Situation 2:
Aayush is a 15 year old boy studying in class X. His final exams are very close but he
is least bothered. He spends most of his time in playing, chatting and roaming
around with his friends. When his parents try to talk about it with him, he gets
annoyed. He rudely tells them that they should not interfere in his life.
He gets angry, shouts and uses abusive language very often, and even fights with
them on trivial matters.
Situation 3:
Aashu is a 15 year old girl and a student of class X. She is overweight, uses glasses
and is short in height. Her friends make fun of her and very often call her
'Chashmish'. They tease her and say that she is boring and unattractive. She feels
very upset and deeply hurt. But she doesn't express her feelings to anyone.
Situation 4:
Sneha is a 15 year old girl, who studies in class X. She is a good orator and often
participates in school programmes. Last week she had a quarrel with her friend
Ishita as she was selected to participate in a school function and Ishita was not. Ishita
is one of her close friends. Ishita stopped talking to Sneha and even persuaded some
of her other classmates not to talk with her. This has made Sneha very sad and
depressed and she is not able to concentrate on her studies and often cries at home
but does not share her feelings with parents or anyone else.
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Activity 4: Handling Emotions

Materials Needed:
• List of emotions/feelings, White-board/ Black-board, Markers, Chalks, Duster
etc.
Mode: Whole Class
• Managing Emotions, Effective Communication, Self Awareness, Interpersonal
Relationships
Objective:
• To learn to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy expressions of
feelings/emotions
Process:
• Ask the participants to divide into two teams, and sit on the floor facing each
other.
• One team should demonstrate unhealthy ways of showing feelings/emotions,
and the other team should demonstrate healthy ways of showing
feelings/emotions.
• Each team will have two minutes to decide on their response and display it.
• The facilitator will read out the feelings/emotions.
• The facilitator can use his/her own list or quickly make one with the help of the
participants using a flip chart and markers.
• Switch teams after 10 minutes and follow the same process.
Key Messages
• Participants will become aware that some emotions are healthy while others
are not.
• Participants will be able to deal with their emotions.
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It is said that there is nothing healthy or unhealthy about feelings and emotions.
This is true to some extent, but the ways in which they are expressed can be
healthy or unhealthy. For example, berating or humiliating your learners when
you are feeling frustrated would be unhealthy. Unhealthy expressions of
emotions and feelings can also take the form of suicide or self-injury. It is
important that participants learn to distinguish between feelings/emotions and
the way they are expressed.
Facilitator’s Handout
Questions for discussion:
• How did you feel when you used unhealthy ways of showing
feelings/emotions?
• How did you feel when you used healthy ways?
• Which is easier and more effective?
• When do you use healthy ways and when do you use unhealthy ways of
showing emotions/feelings? Why?
• Do you get the desired results from an unhealthy way of showing
emotions/feelings?
• Do you see any advantage in using healthy ways of showing
emotions/feelings?
List of emotions/feelings which may be discussed

Love Gloom Sadness Shame
Joy Confusion Excitement Anger
Happiness Frustration Helplessness Jealousy
Bravery Revenge Depression Loneliness
Hate Fear Embarrassment Empathy
Patience Peace Contentment Envy
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Activity 5: My Feelings!

Materials Needed:
• Slips of feelings
Mode: Groups
• Self Awareness, Effective Communication, Managing Emotions, Empathy
Objectives:
• To help students with self-discovery
• To promote students' appreciation of their individuality
• To help students understand their feelings
• To help students make inferences
Process:
• Write the sentences listed below, and any others you wish to include on
individual sentence strips or large cards. Place in a box.
• Ask students to form a circle. Select a leader to stand in the middle of the circle.
The leader will pull a sentence strip or card, read it aloud and then point to
someone in the circle to react.
• The student who has been selected must begin his or her reaction by saying,
"I feel". The student can either answer in words or express feelings with facial
expressions or body language.
• If facial expressions or body language is used, the other students will try to
guess or read these expressions and determine how the student feels.
• Discussion about why some students feel the way they do about certain things
and how to help bad feelings turn into good feelings should follow.
• To ensure that everyone gets a turn at being a leader and the opportunity to
participate in expressing themselves, student leaders should be rotated after
two sentences and selection of students should be done in a clockwise fashion.
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Key Messages
• Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to express their feelings
using expressive language
• Students exhibit their understanding of body language or facial expressions
• Students are able to demonstrate their ability to use inferences
• Students express empathy for understanding of others feelings?
Handout
Feelings Strips
How do you feel when you:
. . . Are praised for something good you did?
. . . Are not included in a game/event?
. . . Get all of your Maths problems correct?
. . . Have something taken away from you?
. . . Share with a friend?
. . . Win a game?
. . . Want something that belongs to someone else?
. . . Are told that you did a very good job?
. . . Are home alone?
. . . Are accused of something you did not do?
. . . Get a hug or a kiss from your parents?
. . . Have an argument with your best friend?
. . . Are told that you are smart, beautiful, helpful and loving?
. . . Are told that you are useless and will never be successful in life?
. . . Your parents don't permit you to do something that you want to do?
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Self-Assessment
A : Answer the following :
What do you understand by the word Emotion?
Why is it important to learn to manage our emotions?
How does Self Awareness/identifying emotions help us in managing our
emotions?
Do you think Life Skills are important in everyday life?
How do we deal with our emotions? (Write three lines)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
B : Read the following and mark with Yes/No :

1. Do you think managing our emotions is important? Yes / No
2. Do you think this session would help you in your daily life? Yes / No
3. Did you enjoy the session? Yes / No
4. Do you think that now you are in a better position to deal with your
emotions? Yes / No
C : Answer the following in your own words

1. Why is it important to express feelings in a relationship?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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2. How do we learn to express appropriate emotions before others?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Do you think Managing Emotions is important?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Do you think learning such Life Skills would help you in your daily life?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Did you enjoy the session? Write how you felt in a few lines.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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6. Do you think that now you are in a better position to deal with your
emotions?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. How do you think this session would help you in Managing Emotions?
(write five lines)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
D : Read the following and mark T for true and F for false
True / False
1. Feeling different emotions at different times is normal. (-----)

2. Managing our emotions is an important Life Skill. (-----)
3. Only some people can learn how to manage their emotions. (-----)
4. Sharing our feelings/ emotions is not good. (-----)
5 Emotions cannot be controlled. (-----)
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E : What was your learning from this Unit?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
F : How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in

your personal life?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 6: My Emotional Worksheet
Materials needed :
• Worksheet and a Pen
Mode: Individual work and then small group discussion
• Self Awareness, Managing Emotions

Objectives:
• To reflect on the emotions that one feels in a particular situation
• To explore ways of dealing with a given emotion
Process:
• First ask the students about the most common feelings that they have in
given situations. Allow time for the students to share their feelings.
• Stress that people feel a lot of emotions and that among these complex
human emotions there are FOUR (4) BASIC HUMAN EMOTIONS, one
positive and three negative emotions. Happiness (+), sadness (-), anger (-)
and fear (-).
• Other emotions such as rage, wrath, love, loneliness etc. stem from these four
basic emotions.
• Then distribute the worksheets and allow time for the students to fill them
up.
• When completed, ask the students to go back into their groups to share their
findings.
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• After sharing, ask the students to summarise their answers based on the
following discussion questions.
1. In which situations or when do young people feel
• happiest
• saddest
• most afraid
• most angry
2. What are the things we usually do when we are happiest? Saddest? afraid?
angry?
3. How do we deal with these basic emotions?
4. What is good about managing our emotions? What is not good about not being
able to manage them?
• Then ask the group to perform a dramatic presentation (maximum 5

minutes) that portrays their answers.
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Student Worksheet 1
My Emotional Worksheet ______________________________________________
My name is: __________________________________________________________
I am happiest when... __________________________________________________
I am saddest when... ___________________________________________________
I hate it when... _______________________________________________________
My greatest fear is... ___________________________________________________
When I am happy, I... __________________________________________________
When I am sad, I... _____________________________________________________
When I am angry, I... ___________________________________________________
When I am frightened, I... ______________________________________________
Sometimes I feel... _____________________________________________________
And when I do (feel like this) I would... ___________________________________
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Student Worksheet 2
• What can you say about the activity?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• How was it talking about your feelings and ways to manage them?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Why do you think that it is important for young people like you to be able to
manage emotions?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Activity 7: What would I do if..?
Time required : 30 minutes to 1 hour
Materials needed :
• Board, Markers or Chalk, Paper and Pens
Mode : Groups discussion
• Self Awareness, Managing Emotions

Objectives :
• To explore ways of managing emotions
• To discuss the most difficult emotions that young people face
• To agree on the most realistic and positive way of managing these emotions
• To present the outputs of the discussions in a role-play
Process:
• Ask the students which are the top ten emotions that they (as young people)
think and feel are the most difficult to handle. List the top ten on the board as
agreed by all.
• Ask the students within their group discussion to talk about one or two
(depending on the number of groups) of these difficult emotions and the
best ways to manage them.
• Invite them to prepare a short play/ sketch to show the outputs of their
discussions.
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Student Worksheet
• What can you say about this activity?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• How was it to take about your feelings and explore ways to manage them?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Why do you think it is important for young people like you to be able to
manage your emotions?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Activity 8: Unexpressed Emotions
Materials needed :
• 4 balloons (1 red, 1 white, 1 yellow, 1 blue)
Mode : Individual
Objective :
• To introduce need to express feelings
• To demonstrate how unexpressed emotions can be self destructive
• To understand the need to find outlets for expressing feelings constructively
• Identify and learn skills to deal with their personal emotional style
Process:
Students need to understand how reactions to an event can cause feelings of

stress. If the energy produced in the body is not released, the energy builds-up
continuously and causes problems for us and others.
Balloon Demonstration
• Blow a white balloon fully. Tie it off. Handle the balloon with care. Why?
Discuss. (It may pop!)
• Blow red balloon up until it pops. Describe what happened and why?
• Blow yellow balloon up fully but do not tie it off. Now take fingers off
balloon and let it go. You have no control over what happens.
• Blow blue balloon up all the way. Tie it off. Now toss it around room. Balloon
can withstand interaction and won't break.
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Discussion points for teachers:
• White balloon: Handle with care-Energetic-Looks good-Can't take much

more.
• Red balloon: Too much energy-Point of no return-Irreparable damage-No

fun.
• Yellow balloon: Out of control-Okay at appropriate times and places-

Because it's not tied off, it's flexible (can add or release air before letting go)-
Before a person lets go their emotions can be managed.
• Blue balloon: Withstands additional pressure-Is resilient-more fun-Worry

free
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Student Worksheet
Identify personal style. Which balloon represents you and why?
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Which emotional style would you prefer, and how can you achieve that
preference?
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992)
Instructions :
Using the 5 point scale shown below, indicate how uncharacteristic or
characteristic each of the following statements is in describing you. Place your
rating in the box to the right of the statement.
1 extremely uncharacteristic of me
2 somewhat uncharacteristic of me
3 neither uncharacteristic nor characteristic of me
4 somewhat characteristic of me
5 extremely characteristic of me
1. Some of my friends think I am a hothead. A

2. If I have to resort to violence to protect my rights, I will. PA
3. When people are especially nice to me, I wonder what they want. H
4. I tell my friends openly when I disagree with them. VA
5. I have become so mad that I have broken things. PA
6. I can’t help getting into arguments when people disagree with me. VA
7. I wonder why sometimes I feel so bitter about things. H
8. Once in a while, I can’t control the urge to strike another person. PA
9.* I am an even-tempered person. A
10. I am suspicious of overly friendly strangers. H
11. I have threatened people I know. PA
12. I flare up quickly but get over it quickly. A
13. Given enough provocation, I may hit another person. PA
14. When people annoy me, I may tell them what I think of them. VA
15. I am sometimes eaten up with jealousy. H
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16.* I can think of no good reason for ever hitting a person. PA

17. At times I feel I have received a raw deal out of life. H
18. I have trouble controlling my temper. A
19. When frustrated, I let my irritation show. A
20. I sometimes feel that people are laughing at me behind my back. H
21. I often find myself disagreeing with people. VA
22. If somebody hits me, I hit back. PA
23. I sometimes feel like a powder keg ready to explode. A
24. Other people always seem to get the breaks. H
25. There are people who pushed me so far that we came to blows. PA
26. I know that “friends” talk about me behind my back. H
27. My friends say that I’m somewhat argumentative. VA
28. Sometimes I fly off the handle for no good reason. A
29. I get into fights a little more than the average person. PA
Scoring
• The two questions with the asterisk are reverse scored.
• The Aggression scale consists of 4 factors, Physical Aggression (PA), Verbal
Aggression (VA), Anger (A) and Hostility (H). The total score for
Aggression is the sum of the factor scores.
References
• Buss, A.H., & Perry, M. (1992). The Aggression Questionnaire. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452-459.
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Emotional Intelligence Self-Evaluation

Instructions :
Begin with Part I: Rating and proceed sequentially through each of the other
parts.
Part I: Rating. In the space provided next to each of the following statements,
please check the number that best describes your agreement with the item,
using the scale immediately below.
1 Disagree Very Much
2 Disagree Moderately
3 Disagree Slightly
4 Agree Slightly
5 Agree Moderately
6 Agree Very Much
1. I use both negative and positive

emotions as a source of wisdom about 1 2 3 4 5 6
how to navigate my life.
2. Negative feelings help me to address

1 2 3 4 5 6
what I need to change in my life.
3. I am calm under pressure. 1 2 3 4 5 6
4. I have the ability to monitor my

feelings from moment to moment. 1 2 3 4 5 6
5. When challenged, I am good at

getting calm and focused to flow with 1 2 3 4 5 6
life's demands.
6. When challenged, I am able to

summon a wide range of positive
1 2 3 4 5 6
emotions such as fun, joy, fighting
spirit, and humor.
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7. I am in charge of how I feel. 1 2 3 4 5 6

8. After something has upset me, I find
it easy to regain my composure. 1 2 3 4 5 6
9. I am effective at listening to other 1 2 3 4 5 6

people's problems.
10. I do not recycle and dwell on negative
1 2 3 4 5 6
emotions.
11. I am sensitive to the emotional needs
of others. 1 2 3 4 5 6
12. I have a calming influence on other

people. 1 2 3 4 5 6
13. I am able to motivate myself to try and

1 2 3 4 5 6
try again in the face of setbacks.
14. I try to be creative with life's
challenges. 1 2 3 4 5 6
15. I respond appropriately to other

people's moods, motivations, and 1 2 3 4 5 6
desires.
16. I can easily enter into a "zone" state, or
a state characterized by calmness, 1 2 3 4 5 6
alertness, and focus.
17. When the time is right, I face my
negative feelings and work through 1 2 3 4 5 6
what the issue is.
18. I am capable of soothing myself after
1 2 3 4 5 6
an upsetting event.
19. Knowing my true feelings is crucial to
1 2 3 4 5 6
my well-being.
20. I am good at understanding the
emotions of other people, even when 1 2 3 4 5 6
the emotions are not directly
expressed.
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21. I am adept at reading people's

feelings by their facial expressions. 1 2 3 4 5 6
22. I can easily set negative feelings aside

when called upon to perform. 1 2 3 4 5 6
23. I am aware of subtle social signals that

indicate what others need. 1 2 3 4 5 6
24. People view me as an effective coach

for others' emotions. 1 2 3 4 5 6
25. People who are aware of their true

feelings are better pilots of their lives. 1 2 3 4 5 6
26. I am often able to improve the moods

of others. 1 2 3 4 5 6
27. I am a good person to come to for

advice about handling relationships. 1 2 3 4 5 6
28. I am strongly attuned to others’

feelings. 1 2 3 4 5 6
29. I help others use their motivations to

achieve their personal goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6
30. I can easily shake off negative

feelings. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Ref. : ed.swau.edu/England/handouts/emotional_intelligence_self-evaluation.pdf
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Part II. Scoring. Add your score for the various areas of emotional intelligence
according to the instructions below.
Emotional Competency Item Numbers Your Score

Emotional Awareness Items: 1 + 2 + 4 + 17 + 19 + 25
Managing One’s Emotions Items: 3 + 7 + 8 + 10 + 18 + 30
Self-Motivation Items: 5 + 6 + 13 + 14 + 16 + 22
Empathy Items: 9 + 11 + 20 + 21 + 23 + 28
Coaching Others’ Emotions Items: 12 + 15 + 24 + 26 + 27 + 29
Part III. Interpreting Your Scores. Comparing your scores with the chart below
will allow you to assess your current standing on the various emotional
competencies relative to a cross-industry sampling of managers and other
professionals.
Emotional Definite Needs Some Needs Substantial
Competency Strength Development Development
Emotional
Awareness 31 or above 26 - 30 25 or below
Managing One’s
Emotions 32 or above 27 - 31 26 or below
Self-Motivation 31 or above 27 - 30 26 or below
Empathy 31 or above 26 - 30 25 or below
Coaching Others’
Emotions 30 or above 25 - 29 24 or below
Each of the above competencies are important for being able to perform well in most
managerial and professional jobs and are important to leading a fulfilling life in
general. Therefore, you should consider creating a plan of self-development for areas in
which your scores fell into the "needs substantial development" or "needs some
development" range.
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Peer Educators can
v
Conduct the activities mentioned in the Unit with the students of the other
classes
v
Design poster making, drawing etc activities to verbalize emotions
v
Handle some of the minor issues on their own
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Copin g with
Stress
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Copin g with Stress

Coping with Stress means recognising the sources of stress in our lives,
recognising how they affect us, and acting in ways that help us control
our levels of stress by changing our environment or lifestyle and
learning how to relax.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Copin g with Stress 8

Objectives:
• To help students gain knowledge and understand issues related to stress
management.
• To help them deal with stress more effectively.
• To acquire skills of managing stress.
Stress
Stress is the reaction of mind and body to any event
that brings about a change. The change could be
pleasant, unpleasant, boring or exciting.
Kinds of Stress
There are two kinds of stress:
1. Positive / Healthy stress; and
2. Negative / Unhealthy Stress
The positive stress or Eustress can act as a motivating factor. It can work as a resource
for a person to develop his/her capacity to meet new challenges in life. Some examples
of positive stress can be a student creating a presentation, an athlete gearing up for a
match or a parent finding a match for his daughter.
Negative stress can be caused by even a trivial event such as travelling in a crowded
bus or by a serious matter like a family member suffering from a fatal disease.
Stress Management
Stress management is a process of coping and eliminating stress through different
activities and techniques. It indicates reduction of stress as well as management of
situations that give rise to stress in the person.
Stress Reaction
Whenever a person faces stress, certain changes occur in his/her body and mind. This
set of changes is called stress reaction. It consists of a chain of physical and bio-chemical
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UNIT : 8 - Coping with Stress
changes due to the reactions of the nervous system and the other organs of the body to
different chemicals. As a result the body goes on “full alert”.
Stage I: There is increased production of certain hormones in our body. The heart
rate, the oxygen intake and blood flow to the muscles increases.
Stage II: All the above changes provide the person with the strength, energy and clear
thinking required to give his/her best.
Stage III: Once the challenge is fully met, all the organs begin to relax and return to
their original state. If the challenge is not met, the body again goes back to
stage I (prolonged stress).
Common Causes of Stress in Children

Some of the common causes of stress in children could be any of the following :
The first day at school Physical and mental changes

taking place in the body
Pressure of studies
Parents interfering too
much/not permitting them
Waiting to take an examination to play/go out
Peer pressure Not getting admission in

course of choice
Family problems
When some one questions
one's ability and intention.
Asking a parent for money
Having more than one way of

Introducing oneself to a going ahead and inability of
stranger at a party taking judicious decision
Walking back alone at night Worry at prospect of losing

a friend
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Symptoms of Stress
Some common symptoms of stress in children are:
l Increased heart rate
l Headache
l Sleeplessness
l Stomach problem like constipation, loose motions
l Chest pain
l Excessive tiredness
l Dry mouth
l Loss of appetite
l Depression
l Excessive anger
l Impatience
l Lack of concentration etc.
How do you know you're stressed?
Emotional Thoughts Behaviour Physical
Being in a bad mood I can't do this Rushing around Feeling hot
Feeling upset I'll never finish Starting tasks and Heart beating fast
not finishing them
Feeling angry I can't cope Sweating
Feeling impatient Mind racing Not being able Stomach ache

to concentrate
Feeling hopeless Shouting Headache
Waking up too early

in the morning
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Dealing With Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Stress, anxiety, and depression influence your eating and physical activity habits and
your weight. Some problems require professional assistance. But here are some things
that you can try for yourself:
Change Your Thinking:
• Your mood (sad, nervous, stressed, etc.) comes from your thoughts and what
you tell yourself. In most cases, you can control your mood by choosing what
you think about and what you tell yourself.
• When you are feeling too much stress, be aware of what you are thinking. Are
these thoughts making you feel worse? If so, then replace them with more
positive thoughts. Make a list of 4-5 positive statements about yourself that you
can use when feeling stressed. Here are some examples:
a. I can control my reaction to a situation, even if I can't control the situation.
b. I am a good person.
c. I am calm and relaxed.
d. I am at peace with myself and with the world around me.
e. I will accept the things I cannot change. I will have the courage to change the
things I can and I will learn to know the difference.
Help Your Body Handle Stress: If it is not within your power to change the event,
change your attitude!
Relaxation - long walks, exercise, yoga, deep breathing, meditation, listening to music,
writing a diary, knowledge of Self, confidence in one's own abilities, knowledge of
stress signals, sufficient sleep, balanced diet, use of Life Skills etc.
• Take a walk, Exercise, Jog, Run, Play, Do Yoga, (aerobic activity is essential)
• Eat a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables. Drink plenty of water.
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• Get enough rest.
• Try a massage.
• Take a long shower or bath.
• Take a break from stressful situations: count to 10, take a deep breath,
daydream, or take a vacation if you can.
• Divide big tasks into little ones, and tackle one at a time.
• Learn how to relax and practice this regularly.
• Arrange to have some quiet time for yourself each day.
• Talk over your troubles with someone you trust. Share your feelings/problems
with parents/teacher/trusted friends.
• Take the time to do things you enjoy.
• Plan ahead and pace yourself so you aren't late or in a terrible rush.
• Listen to or make music, paint, or express yourself artistically.
• Picture yourself handling particular stressful situations calmly and effectively.
• Have fun! Laugh more. It's hard to be stressed when you are laughing.
• Spend time on your favourite hobby.
• Watch a funny movie.
• Do fun things in fun company.
• Try to find alternative ways of doing things.
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

Winston Churchill
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Some effective ways to handle stress

1. Relaxation – long walks, exercise, yoga, deep breathing, meditation,
listening to music, writing a diary etc. Knowledge of Self, confidence in one's
own abilities, knowledge of stress signals, sufficient sleep, balanced diet, use
of Life Skills.
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Activity 1 : Coping with Emotions

Time required : 40 Minutes
Materials needed :
• Old magazines, Chart paper, Glue etc.
Mode : Group
Life Skills to be enhanced
• Self Awareness, Coping with Stress, Critical Thinking, Effective
Communication
Objectives
• to enable the participants to be aware of various emotions
Process :
• Divide the participants into four groups.
• Circulate copy of one exercise to each group.
• Give them 10 minutes to think and prepare the presentation.
• Ask each group to give a presentation.
• Sum up the acts.
1. Read the situation given below and draw or find pictures from old
magazines that reflect the feelings portrayed by these
A person is angry A person is showing superiority
A person is scolded A person is not listening in class
Enact the above situations without using words
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2. Cut and match the emotions listed below with the faces drawn in the box and
display the same on a chart paper.
Angry sad enthusiastic lost tired calm nervous agitated happy
3. Emotions are reflected in the tone. Dramatize the following situations using
appropriate tone.
How would you say, 'Hello' to :
• a friend you haven't seen for many years.

• a person you do not like.
• a six month old baby.
Goodbye to :
• your mother who is going abroad.
• some one who has been annoying you.
• your friend after school.
4. Present a roleplay on any one of the situations.
• You want to attend a late night party at your friends place. Your mom and dad
do not permit you to go there. How would you cope in this situation?
• Your friend’s brother Mohan thinks that he can’t be happy unless he cracks IIT
entrance exam. Somehow he fails to do so. How would you counsel him?
• You are going to take an examination but you are stuck in a traffic jam. How will
you cope with the anxiety?
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Activity 2 : Just Chill Out!

Materials needed :
• Copies of worksheet on ‘Causes of stress’, White board and Markers.
Mode : Working in Pairs
Life Skills to be enhanced
• Self Awareness, Coping with Stress, Critical Thinking, Effective
Communication
Objectives
• to enhance students' knowledge and understanding about causes of stress
• to help them learn how stress affects our body and mind
• to enhance their skill in coping with stress
Process :
• Divide the group into pairs.
• Circulate copy of the exercise to each pair of students.
• Give them 20 minutes to think and complete the exercise.
• At the end of the exercise, involve the whole group in a discussion on the
common causes of stress, how it affects our body and ways of dealing with
stress.
• Sum up the activity with the help of the key messages.
Key Messages
• Stress is a common phenomena in every one's life.
• Ninety five percent of the stress in our lives is self induced.
• Sharing feelings with a trusted person is healthy to escape from stress.
• Recognise what stresses you out and do something about it.
• It is essential to learn to:
• Identify the source of our stress
• Analyse how stress affects our lives
• Find ways to control stress
i) Learn to relax
ii) Accept things that cannot be changed.
• Focus on strengths – the positive components of self and life.
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Student Worksheet : Causes of Stress

1. Describe three situations in which you have felt stressed.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. When I am stressed, my thoughts are:

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. When I am stressed, my feelings including physical feelings are:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Stress affects my health because...
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Stress affects my Self-Esteem because...
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3 : Positive Stress and Stress Snap

Materials needed :
• Copies of Worksheet on Positive Stress and Stress Snap, White Board and
Markers
Mode :
• Individual work
• Self Awareness, Empathy, Coping with Stress, Interpersonal Relationships,
Effective Communication
Objectives
• to enhance students' knowledge and understanding about common causes of
stress
• to help them to learn different ways of dealing with stress
Process :
1. Relate the purpose of the session to the group.
2. Distribute copies of the exercise to all students.
3. Give them 20 minutes to think and complete the exercise.
4. At the end of the exercise, involve the whole group in a discussion on the
common causes of stress and ways of dealing with it.
5. Sum up the activity with the help of the Key Messages.
Key Messages
1. 'Positive Attitude' for Good Health can be built by being open minded, and
appreciative of others point of views.
2. Being accountable and accepting failure and success with equanamity.
3. Being creative and looking at alternate (cost effective /time /energy) and easy
ways of doing things.
4. Being focused on problems ahead reduces anxiety.
5. Cherishing a goal in life is an important aspect of positive growth.
6. Possessing a good sense of humor and being able to laugh at oneself is a
desirable skill.
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Student Worksheet : Stress Snap

Shade four squares which apply to you in the way you deal with stress.
Going for a walk Painting / drawing Gardening
Listening to music/ Jogging Cycling

dancing
Eating Praying/meditation Playing Games
Playing with pets E-mailing/SMS/Chatting Writing/Diary/

Journal/Poetry/Letters
Watching movies Doing yoga or relaxation Going out with friends

exercise
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Student Worksheet : Positive Stress
1. Do I take credit for positive events or feel they are due to chance?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Do I expect more good things to follow, or do I view positive happenings as a
fluke or coincidence?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. What about negative events? Do I blame myself, or look at other
circumstances?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Do I look at one negative event as evidence of more to come (like an omen)?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Do I tend to encourage myself mentally, or do I berate myself inside?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Would I talk to a friend the way I talk to myself?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. Do I tend to see and expect the worst?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Activity 4 : Coping with Stress

Materials needed :
• Charts, Two sets of sketch pens, Cello-tape, scissors, White-board and Markers,
Group Discussion Cards.
Mode :
• Group work
Life skills to be enhanced:
• Self Awareness, Coping with Stress, Interpersonal Relationships, Effective
Communication
Objectives:
• To help students understand the concept of stress and the changes occurring in
the body during stress
• To help them learn different ways of handling stress
Process :
• Divide the class into groups, each group with not more than 7 – 8 students.
• Give the topic to each group (Each group is given the same topic i.e. reactions in
body during stress).
• Inform the groups that they have 20 minutes for discussion and preparation on
the topic.
• This will be followed by presentation by each group.
• The presentation time allotted to each group is 10 minutes.
• Supplement the presentation with the relevant Key Messages.
• Clarify doubts and questions raised by students.
• Teacher can do a breathing activity given below with the entire class as a way of
combating stress.
Breathing exercises are an ideal way to relieve stress because they are fast, simple,
free and can be performed by just anyone. They can also be done anywhere and at
virtually any time.
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Here's How:
1. Sit or stand in a relaxed position.
2. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head.
3. Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves
your lungs. Repeat several times. That's it!
Tips :
1. As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your
shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and helps your
lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air, releasing more “old” air.
2. You can do this just a few times to release tension, or for several minutes as a
form of meditation.
Overloading Stress through Prayer Relieves
Games and Sport Stress
Helping Others Relieves Good Hobbies Help

Stress To Reduce Stress
Creative Activities
Key Messages
• Stress is a common factor in day to day life.
• Stress is the reaction of mind and body to any event that could be pleasant,
unpleasant, boring or exciting.
• Common causes of stress are common generally for everybody.
• If it is not within our power to change the event therefore, one can change
one’s attitude, change your feelings/problems with parents/teacher/trusted
friends.
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Activity 5: How To Handle Your Anger?

Materials Needed:
• Handouts, Students Worksheet
Mode:
• Individual Students
• Handling Stress, Managing Emotions, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Inter
Personal skills, Creative thinking
Objective:
• to make students learn how we can calm our anger, stay in control and handle
stress
Process
• Have students identify ways in which they handle their anger in positive ways.
List these on a chart. Paste the chart in the classroom
• Role play situations that create anger.
• Let students show how they would react in each situation.
• Discuss how controlling their anger can change the situation and role play it
again.
Key Messages
• Anger can cause us to lose control of our behaviour.
• Anger can lead to violence, even when we don't intend it.
• We can calm our anger, stay in control and handle stress.
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Student Worksheet : Situations Handout

l Your friend teases you about your hairstyle.
l You find out that your best friend has gone roller skating/to see a movie with
someone else and didn't invite you.
l Your sister or brother borrows your favorite sweater without asking.
Student Handout
How to relax and calm with relaxation exercises
• Breathing Deeply: Take a deep breath while counting to five. Then as you
count back to one, slowly release the air.
• Muscle Relaxing: Pretend to become frozen by slowly tightening each part
of your body until they are "frozen solid". Then, "thaw" by relaxing each part
of your body and allow your anger to melt away.
• Combined Breathing and Muscle Relaxing: Pretend you are balloons filling
up with air. Count to five, slowly breath in and fill up yourself as a balloon,
stretching and tightening your muscles. Hold it for a few seconds. Then,
count back to one again, release the air and relax your muscles as though
your balloon is deflating.
STOP. . .
Count to ten. Take a deep breath. Or walk away until you have calmed down.
SAY. . .
What's wrong. Use your words to say what you don't like.
TELL. . .
What you would like to have happened.
• Sit silently in a restful posture and close your eyes.
• Feel at ease by letting your body loose, slowly start from your toes and
reach upto your face
• Breathe through the nose and repeat a word. Breathe naturally as you do this.
• Continue this for 15-20 minutes. Do not think of anything and concentrate on
your breath only. After being in this posture you may slowly open your eyes
after a few minutes.
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Activity 6: Take Care
Time required : 1 week
Materials needed:
A notebook or Diary
Mode : Individual
Life skills to be enhanced :
Self awareness, Effective Communication, Copping with Stess.
Objectives :
Students will
• Review the effects of stress and low self-esteem on the body and mind
• List some ways of coping with problems and stress, and
• Participate in a therapeutic writing activity
Process :
• Ask students how many of them feel stressed. Compile a list of the things
that they find stressful. Ask what effects stress can have on the body.
(Answers may include the following: affects concentration, leaves teens
prone to accidents, wears down the immune system, raises blood pressure,
affects blood sugar levels, and leads to weight gain.) Ask what ways
students have of coping with stress and compile a list of those.
• Explain that expressing feelings is one of the best ways to alleviate stress and
confront problems. But not everyone is comfortable talking to someone else.
One way to express feelings in a completely private way is to write about
them. It's called therapeutic writing, and it can take numerous forms.
• Ask students to choose a special notebook or binder that will be their

diary/journal. They should feel free to decorate their diary/journals and
express themselves.
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• Their assignment is to write in their journals at least three times over the next
week. The focus of the assignment isn't to write grammatically correct
compositions, but for students to write honestly about their feelings. Their
writing can take one of many forms. Here are a few suggestions:
• Write a letter to someone you wish to talk to but can't.
• Write a letter to yourself, saying the things you think you need to hear.
• Write a script between you and anyone else you'd like to talk to,
imagining what the person might say to you when you tell them what's
on your mind.
• Write an account of your day, focusing on what's bothering you or

causing you stress and explore why it's an issue and what you might try
to better cope with it.
• Write a poem expressing your feelings.
• Write a story in which one of the characters expresses your feelings.
• To get students started, lead a brief writing exercise during class. A good
way to begin is by using writing prompt. Give students 15 to 20 minutes to
write a response to this opening phrase: When I think about what I have to
do today, I feel.... This can be entry #1 in their diaries. They'll add at least
three more over the course of the next week, and you can lead additional
diary writing exercises in class.
• After the week is up, review the students' diary writing experience. Did they
find it helpful, fun, or useful? Do any of the students think they'll continue
writing as a way of coping with problems and stress?
• Wrap up the diary writing exercise by assigning one more entry. Have
students look into stress-coping strategies and write about whether they
think the strategies might work for them and how.
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Note for teachers:

Make children understand that it is okay to reach out for help to a trusted adult
in the state of stress. These web resources are helpful:
• About.com's Teen Stress and Its Management:

http://stress.about.com
• Teens Health: Spotlight on Stress

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/stress.html
Key Messages
• Fight or flight is a bodily response that gets you ready to face a sudden threat.
The flight or fight response is useful if you need to jump out of the path of an
oncoming car, but it can cause trouble when activated by non-threatening
situations such as a big exam.
• Stress is a state of tension that causes chemical and emotional responses in

the body. Occasional stress is necessary to confront life's challenges, but
ongoing stress is harmful to the body.
• Therapeutic writing is a form of writing to express emotion and work though

problems or questions. Therapeutic writing can help teens express their
feelings and bring relief from problems and stress.
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AN INSPIRING POEM
The longer I live, the more I realize
the impact of attitude on life.
It is more important than the past,
than education, than money,
than circumstances,
than failures, than successes,
than what other people say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.
It will make or break a company, a church, a home.
The remarkable thing is, you have a choice every day
regarding the attitude you will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past.
We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have,
and that is our attitude.
I am convinced life is 10 percent what happens to me
and 90 percent how I react to it.
And so it is for you.
You are in charge of your attitude.
- Author unknown
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Self Assessment
A. Answer the following in your own words :
1. What do you understand by the word “stress”?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Give some common situations in which you have felt stressed.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. How does our body react to a stressful situation?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4. Mention two examples of positive stress.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Mention three healthy ways of dealing with stress.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. How is this session going to benefit you in Coping with Stress?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
B. Answer the Questions
Yes / No
1. Did you enjoy this session?
2. Is it helpful in your daily life?
3. Do you think you will be able now handle stress in a better way?
4. Do you think stress is normal in our lives?
5. Do you think stress is always unhealthy / harmful?
6. Do you think this session is helpful in your daily lives?
7. Do you think now you are in better position to handle stress?
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8. Mention three ways of managing stress.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
C. Read the following and tick T or F.
True / False
1. Stress is always unhealthy.
2. Only some people have stress.
3. All people react to stress in the same way.
4 Coping with stress is an important skill.
5. Stress can be controlled.
D. Read the following and answer in your own words
1. What was your learning from this Unit?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal
life?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Student Appraisal
Please identify the sources of your stress:
Rating Scale
1 Never
2 Rarely
3 A little of the time
4 Some of the time
5 A good part of the time
6 Most of the time
7 Always
Check List 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
School
1. I cannot pay attention in class.
2. I study but have trouble passing tests/

assignments.
3. I do not understand what my teacher teaches.
4. I am not sure if I am able to do well in school.
5. My attendance is poor.
6. I am often late for class.
7. I have too many assignments.
8. I cannot stay awake in class.
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Check List 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Relationships
9. I have trouble getting along with family

members.
10. I have no friends.
11. I offen fight with my parents
12. I am fighting with friends
13. A family member/friend has been sick

or died.
14. I find it hard to express my feelings.
15. I am lonely, I miss my family/friends.
Body, Mind and Feelings
16. I have gained/ lost some weight.
17. I am tired and sleeping more/ less than normal.
18. I feel sad/ depressed.
19. I do not feel like anyone cares about me.
20. I do not want to do things that I used to

like to do.
21. I feel like I have too much pressure.
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Score Board
1-60 low levels of perceived stress
61--120 moderate levels of perceived stress
121-147 High levels of perceived stress
References :
Hannell, G. (2006). Identifying children with special needs. Checklists and action plans
for teachers. Thousand Oaks, Corwin Press.
Suggested Activities :
Peer Educators can
v Give demonstrations in assembly on the various techniques of coping with

stress
v Organize yoga, meditation and PE classes for their juniors
v Organize parental interaction on how adults lope with stress
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Empa thy
9
AglaSem Schools
Empa thy
Empathy is the ability to understand what life is like for another
person, even in a situation that we may not be familiar with. Empathy
can help us to accept others who may be very different from ourselves.
This can improve social interactions, especially in situations of ethnic
or cultural diversity. Empathy can also help to encourage nurturing
behaviour towards people in need of care and assistance, or tolerance,
as is the case with people with mental disorders or disability who may
be stigmatised and ostracized by the very people they depend upon
for support.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Empa thy 9
Objectives:
• To help students understand the importance and need for empathy and
how to see things from another person's viewpoint.
• To help them develop the ability to imagine what life is like for another
person.
• To identify their own communication pattern and assess how it adds or
obstructs their communication.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 1: I'll Manage
Materials needed:
• Worksheet - 'The Mountain and the Squirrel' and I' ll Manage
Mode: Group Work
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Empathy
Objective:
• To help students understand the importance and need for empathy
Process:
• Students read the poem 'The Mountain and Squirrel' and 'I'll Manage'.
• Open a discussion on two poems.
• Divide the class into four groups.
• Distribute topics for group work.
• Assign each group a topic.
• Ask each group to make a presentation on the topic to the whole class.
TOPICS
Group 1 : How do you feel when someone you love gets hurt?
Group 2 : Is it possible to undergo another's pain?
Group 3 : We need to empathise and not sympathise.
Group 4 : EQ (Empathy Quotient) is more desirable than IQ.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Worksheet: I'll manage!!!

Six billion people,
Yet I'm so alone.
I've got friends, I've got family
But none of them know.
A big empty hole -

That can never be filled.
Questions unanswered,
I'm confused and I'm scared.
I wish I could leave.

I wish that I could be free.
I wish I was not someone -
No one else but just me.
You can't understand,

What I'm talking about.
I don't think you'd hear me
If I scream or shout!
But it's alright -

It's okay.
I'm going to get through this,
Some how, some way!
I'll cry, I'll Smile

I'll manage this someway
Empathise if you can
But please No Sympathy!
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Worksheet : The Mountain And The Squirrel
The mountain and the squirrel

Had a quarrel,
And the former called the latter
"Little Prig.”
Bun replied,
"You are doubtless very big:

But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together
To make up a year
And a sphere.
And I think it no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I'm not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry:
I'll not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track.
Talents differ; all is well and wisely put:
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 2 : Working Together!

Materials needed :
Whiteboard, Marker
Mode : Group
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Empathy
Objective
• To develop ability to be flexible and adaptable
• To help students see things from another person's viewpoint
• appreciate alternate opinions
Process
• Divide the class into groups.
• Give each group a situation to discuss.
• The group brainstorms with each other and provides solutions.
• Each group shares its situation and the solutions.
• Plenary by the Facilitator through a Whole Class brainstorming session

followed up with consensus building.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Worksheet : Working Together through Situations
1. A classmate feels humiliated.

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. A friend has some bad news.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. A child feels bad when not given the opportunities that you have.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Your best friend has to miss school because of an illness.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Your favourite teacher has recently lost her mother.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. You have been saving money to buy a birthday gift for your mother and this
money gets stolen.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Self Assessment
1. Have you ever faced any of the situations discussed in the class? How did
you feel ?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. Have you ever felt bad or responsible and helped someone else?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. When you are hurt or angry, do you put yourself in the other person's shoes?
Give an example?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. Do you think you will use the skill of empathy in the future in all your
relationships?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 3 : Mirror Exercise!

Material Needed : None
Mode : Working in pairs
• Empathy, Creative Thinking
Objective
1. To follow a partner's movement in a mirror
2. To pay attention to movements and actions
Process :
• Ask students to find a partner and form a circle of pairs.
• Tell them that the activity is a mirror game activity. Ask them to follow the
following instructions:
• Face each other
• Designate each other as A and B.
• In the first round, A plays “the person” and B plays “the mirror”; then they
reverse roles.
• Encourage them to make as many movements as possible for their mirror
images to follow, beginning with facial expressions, then body movements.
• After two rounds, ask the students to sit in a circle and begin discussing the
experiences.
Self Assessment
• How did you like this activity?
• When you were the mirror, how were you able to keep up with the movement
of the person you were reflecting?
• In our everyday life situations, when do we need to reflect each other's
actions or emotions and why?
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 4 : If the Shoe Fits

Materials needed :
• Music on a tape or CD, if not available, the group can sing a song and agree on
one signal to signify a stop, Student Worksheet
Mode : Individual / Group
• Empathy
Objectives :
• To try on someone else's shoes
• To talk about how it feels to be in someone else's shoes.
Process :
• Ask everyone to sit in a circle and take
their shoes off placing these in front of
them.
• Tell them that the game entails passing
everyone's shoes to the right, while the
music plays (or while the group sings a
song).
• When the music or song stops,
everyone has to slip on the shoes in
front of him/her (in some instances,
there may not be enough shoes if the
game has slowed or not all are wearing
shoes in the beginning).
• After five rounds, ask everyone to
retrieve their shoes wherever they are.
Then they should go back to their seats and begin to discuss the game. Give
them the Student Worksheet.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Student Worksheet :
• Did you like the game?

_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How did you feel when you were asked to remove your shoes?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Who felt reluctant and why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How did it feel when you had to wear other people's shoes?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How does it feel when you see your shoes being worn by someone else?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What went on in your mind when you saw someone else's shoes in front of
you and you had to wear them?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How could these feelings be applied in real life?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 5 : The Emotion Relay

Materials needed :
Ten numbered small strips of paper with the following words written on them:
HAPPY
FRUSTRATED
SAD
FURIOUS
SHOCKED
SHY
CALCULATING
BOASTFUL
IRRITATED
FEARFUL
Mode :
• Two or three groups in a line (depending on the number of persons)
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy

• Empathy, Dealing with Emotions
Objectives :
• to be the first group to pass on a specific expression from the first person
through the last person in line
• to observe different facial expressions and assume the appropriate emotion
• to accurately convey messages through expressions
Process :
• Facilitator will need two sets of strips with the ten emotions.
• One set to be cut into strips to be shown to the first person in each row.
• Lay down the strips of paper on the floor or put them on the board and explain
to the students that these are ten different emotions.
• Explain how the game will work: it is a relay game and everyone else in the row
turns their back from the board except the first person in row.
• The first persons from each row come forward and you will show them a
number. Then they read the corresponding emotion and try to simulate a facial
expression that best represents the emotion.
• As soon as you give the signal, they run back to their respective rows and tap the
back of the next person and show their facial expressions.
• This person then taps the back of the next person who then receives the same
facial expression until the last person gets it.
• The last person runs to the front, and chooses an emotion from the board or floor
that he/she thinks corresponds to the facial expression he/she received.
• The first row or group that gets the correct emotion wins a point.
• Repeat the game for five or more rounds and then ask the students to form a big
circle before discussing the experience.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Key Message
• Empathy is the ability to understand what life is like for another person
• Empathy can improve social interactions.
• Empathy can develop the ability to imagine what life is like for another
person.
• It helps to identify their own communication pattern and determine how it
impacts their communication.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 6: Reading without Seeing

Materials Needed
• Braille History, Chalkboard, Small paper bags, Alphabet blocks, Alphabet
ink stamps (you can create them by engraving letters on a potato), The
Braille Alphabet, Paper punch, Construction paper, glue sticks, Index cards
Mode : Individual
• Empathy
Objectives
• Students learn about Louis Braille and the Braille alphabet and explore some
of the challenges people with impaired vision might face
Process
• Begin by sharing a bit of background information on Louis Braille. Discuss

with students what having impaired vision might be like. Record students'
thoughts on the chalkboard.
• Distribute a few alphabet blocks in a bag, and ask students to identify each
letter by feeling it. Discuss the results. Was the method successful? Why or
why not?
• Place several alphabet ink stamps that spell a word into small bags. Arrange
students into groups, and give each group a bag. Have students reach into
the bag, feel the stamps, record the letters they feel, and determine the word.
When everyone has had a turn, take the stamps out so that students can see
whether their sense of touch provided the correct answers. Discuss the
results. Was the method successful? Why or why not?
• Invite students to study the Braille Alphabet. Print a copy of the alphabet for
each student. Have each student punch dots from construction paper and
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glue them to an index card to create a Braille version of his or her name. Place
the cards in a box, and ask students to take turns pulling one out and
"reading" the name.
• After students have completed the activities, ask them to record their
experiences in their notebook. Encourage them to include their thoughts
about both their frustrations and their successes.
• Encourage students to share the activities with their parents or other family
members.
Key Messages
Empathy, literally "in feeling", is the capability to appreciate, understand, and
accept another person's emotions. Showing empathy genuinely is one of the
most important interpersonal skills that anyone must master.
We feel
happy when
we share
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Student Worksheet:
EMPATHY AWARD
Instructions: The president has decided to give an Empathy Award to the person
who's shown the most empathy. It's up to you to nominate someone for this
important award. First, check out biographies of famous people (from the past or
present) on the Internet or in the library to figure out who you'd like to nominate.
Then, fill out the nomination form below.
Who would you like to nominate for the Empathy Award?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Briefly write about your nominee.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
How has your nominee shown empathy?
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What can you learn about empathy from your nominee?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Activity 7: Who Needs My Help?

Materials Needed:
• One photocopy of the “Who Needs My Help?” worksheet for each child
• Critical Thinking, Problem solving, Inter Personal skills, Creative thinking
Objective:
• Children are prompted to think about the needs of others and to provide help
without being asked. Their experience providing help is reinforced by drawing
and/or writing about it.
Process
• Make each student individually fill out the “Who Needs My Help?”
worksheet.
• Tell them to think about someone in their life who could use their help. Offer
suggestions if they can't think of anyone (e.g., a parent at dinner time, a younger
sibling who can't dress him/herself, a friend who lost a toy, etc.).
• After you've written how you will or have helped your person, draw a picture
on the worksheet showing how it looked.
• Gather the worksheets and have the children share their pictures.
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Note to the teacher

Consider making this an ongoing activity by replenishing the worksheets as the
children turn them in. Or provide rewards (treats, Big-time Helper badges or
ribbons, etc.) to those who complete a given number of worksheets.
Key Messages
• It helps to discuss what it means to be a caring person.
• Emphasize that caring people don't wait to be asked to help others — they do
nice things on their own.
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Student Worksheet
Who Needs My Help?
1. Who needs my help?______________________________________________
2. What help does he/she need?_______________________________________
3. When does he/she need help?_______________________________________
4. Why does he/she need help?________________________________________
5. How can I help?__________________________________________________
6. When I helped, this is what it looked like (draw a picture in the box):
Empathy Worksheet
You are watching some children in your class play basketball at the court. A
skinny boy with glasses tries to shoot a basket but ends up falling on his face. His
glasses break. Some older children begin to laugh at him. The boy can't see very
well without his glasses. You want to help him, but if you do, the other children
may laugh at you, too. How do you feel? What should you do?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 8: An Experiment in Unfair Treatment / Bias
Materials Needed
• Ribbons, one per student (an equal number of two colors of ribbons, cut,
with a safety pin attached to each), a simple reward for each student; a
chocolate or pen, list of very easy spelling words for spelling bee, list of very
difficult words for spelling bee
Mode : Group
• Empathy, Interpersonal relations
Objectives
Students will
• Experience in a small way what it feels like to be treated unfairly
• Discuss their feelings about being on either/both sides of bias and unfair
treatment
Process
• Prepare two sets of ribbons; each set should be a different color. Provide one
ribbon -- equally divided between two colors -- to each student.
• As each student enters the class, pin one colored ribbon to his or her shirt.
(Ask permission before pinning. Students who prefer to not wear the ribbon
can display it in some other way.) When students have settled down, ask
them if they would like to take part in an experiment.
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• Proceed by setting up a spelling bee, with students forming teams based on

the color of their ribbons. The catch is that all students wearing one color
ribbon will be given very easy words to spell; students with the other color
ribbon will be given very difficult words.
• As the spelling bee progresses, you might award a simple prize, such as a
chocolate or pen, to each student who correctly spells a word. (If you do that,
however, you should be prepared to give all students the same reward at the
end of the activity.
• Very quickly, students should notice what is going on. When they do, give
them an opportunity to tell you how it makes them feel. Ask students who
were on the team given difficult words how they felt knowing they would
get a difficult word because they were wearing a certain color ribbon. Ask
the others how they felt.
• When the introductory activity is complete, you can discuss that how we as
society single out people for their disabilities, diseases (Like- AIDS,
Leprosy).
• Ask students is it right to do so and hurt them emotionally and mentally as

well.
• Ask them to write an Empathy pledge for themselves and share it with all in
the class.
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Student Worksheet:
Students might write a simple paragraph describing the activity, how they felt
about it, and what they learned from it.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Self Assessment
A. What was your learning from this Unit?
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
B. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal life?
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Activity 9: Empathy Towards Animals In Captivity
Time Required : 40 Minutes

Material Needed :
• Drawing sheets or A4 size paper and sketch pen, White / Black Board or Chart
paper
Mode: Group/ Individual activity (both)
• Empathy
Objective:
• To make children explore the connection between human and animal
oppression and explore ways that they could choose not to oppress them
• To familiarize children with the concept of empathy and empower them to
take positive action
• To understand that animals have feelings and how they feel when being taken
to be put into captivity
• To recognize the kind of suffering animals goes through in terms of their
needs and wants, when in captivity
Process :
• Tell participants to relax, get comfortable and close their eyes.
• Read the passage in gentle voice.
• Allow the participants 5 minutes to draw. If they seem unsure what to draw,
give them one example of something they may want to take with them such as
“own food”.
• After five minutes tell the participants to stop drawing and collect the papers.
• Give the papers randomly back to participants so everyone has someone
else’s paper.
• Ask selected participants to interpret the drawings in front of them.
• Ask a volunteer to record on the board the wishes as they are read out. If any
pictures are ambiguous ask the drawer to explain, also ask the drawers to
confirmthe interpretations are correct.
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• After taking answers from the selected participants, ask if anyone has any
different wishes. Add these to the board.
• Summarize the wishes on the board, highlighting/ numbering those that are
most popular.
• Ask the participants to explain all the arguments as to why it is not acceptable
for them to be enslaved or used however the aliens want.
• Have students create a list of examples of oppression (human and animal) on
the black/white board.
Self Assessment :
1. How does it feel to be oppressed and without freedom, like being in a cage?
2. Lead the class in a discussion of animal oppression, freedom, rights and
power.
3. List out 5 ways by which you can reduce animal sufferings in your
community and discuss it with your friends and family.
4. What can we do, individually and collectively, to act responsibly towards
both people and animals? How do we mobilize others to help us so we can
all work together toward this effort?
Passage to be read out to students

“You are leaving the room..... You walk down the road and come to a beautiful forest.
You walk slowly into the forest.... looking at all wondrous things you can see.
You stroll towards a clearing.... as you walk you are listening to the sounds of nature....
observing everything around you.... you breathe in every smell.... you breathe deeply,
feeling calm and relaxed...
You arrive in the picturesque clearing, surrounded by gorgeous flowers.
Suddenly, you hear a strange noise. You look towards the direction of the noise and you
are shocked to see a space ship. Aliens come out of the ship and run quickly towards you.
They are hunting you, you feel very scared. You don’t understand their words/ language
but
you realize they are telling you that they want to take you away.
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To explain, the aliens show you a picture.... they are going to put you in a cage so you can
be examined.
They communicate to you that you can have 3 wishes for things you would like to have
when you are taken away.
You can’t speak the alien’s language, so you must communicate your wishes by drawing
them.
On your sheet/ paper, draw the 3 things you would want to have with you when you are
take away, you have 5 minutes.
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The Self Report Altruism Scale

Instructions : Check the category on the right that conforms to the frequency with
which you have carried out the following acts.
Score 1 2 3 4 5
Never Once More Often Very
than Often
once
1. I have helped push a stranger's car
out of the snow.
2. I have given directions to a stranger.
3. I have made change for a stranger.

4. I have given money to a charity.
5. I have given money to a stranger who
needed it (or asked me for it).
6. I have donated goods or clothes to a

charity.
7. I have done volunteer work for a
charity.
8. I have donated blood.
9. I have helped carry a stranger's

belongings (books, parcels, etc.).
10. I have delayed an elevator and held

the door open for a stranger.
11. I have allowed someone to go ahead

of me in a lineup (at photocopy
machine, in the supermarket).
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12. I have given a stranger a lift in my car.
13. I have pointed out a clerk's error (in a

bank, at the supermarket) in
undercharging me for an item.
14. I have let a neighbor whom I didn't

know too well borrow an item of
some value to me (e.g., a dish, tools,
etc.)
15. I have bought 'charity" Christmas

cards deliberately because I knew it
was a good cause.
16. I have helped a classmate who I did

not know that well with a homework
assignment when my knowledge was
greater than his or hers.
17. I have before being asked, voluntarily

looked after a neighbor's pets or
children without being paid for it.
18. I have offered to help a handicapped

or elderly stranger across a street.
19. I have offered my seat on a bus or

train to a stranger who was standing.
20. I have helped an acquaintance to

move households.
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UNIT : 9 - Empathy
Low score = below 50
Average score = 50
High score = above 50
Scores on this scale are related to other measures of altruism and to measures of
empathy, moral judgment, social responsibility, and prosocial values. High
scores indicate more self-reported altruism. Rushton's studies indicate that
people who score higher rather than lower on this scale are more likely to be
seen by their peers as altruistic and are more likely to have performed altruistic
behaviors such as completed an organ-donor card.
[Rushton, J. P., Chrisjohn, R. D., & Fekken, G. C. (1981). The altruistic personality and
the self-report altruism scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 2, 293-302.]
Peer Educators can
v Plan, organize and execute activities related to Community Outreach

Programs
v Plan, organize and execute activities related to social and environmental

issues
v Design questionnaires, checklists, assign tasks etc based on the above
v Organize on rotation mentoring of specially abled children
v Conduct sessions for the students of other classes
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Decision
Makin g
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Decision Makin g
Decision Making helps us to deal constructively with decisions about
our lives. This can have positive consequences for the health of young
people when they actively make decisions about their own health
practices by assessing different options and the effects of different
decisions.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Decision -Makin g 10
Objectives:
• To help students understand the process of Decision Making.
• To help them to take responsible and mature decisions.
Decision Making is an important life skill at all stages in life. it involves logical steps :
determining the problem, considering multiple alternatives and choosing the best
alternative based on the particular situation. Abstract thinking is an important skill for
Decision Making. Learners need to move from being absolute thinkers (who believe
that there is only one right or wrong answer) to abstract thinkers (they consider more
than one right or wrong answer). The other skills required to arrive at a decision would
include gathering information, evaluative skills and analytical skills.
The process of Decision Making involves the following process
Identify the problem
Analyse the Problem
Think of Alternatives
Decide on a Course of Action
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UNIT : 10 - Decision-Making
A decision represents a course of action chosen from a number of possible alternatives.

One such model for decision making is given below.
P.O.W.E.R. Model*
Step 1 : PROBLEM
Stop and state (or identify) the problem.

Step 2 : O = OPTIONS
Think of different things you can do and use them. The more options you have, the
better.
Step 3 : W = WEIGH
Look at the good things and weigh them against the bad things of every option you
thought of , to solve your problem. The things you value should guide you in your
decision making.
Step 4 : E = ELECT
Choose the best option, talk to a person you respect, then take the best action. Elect the
option which obtains what is important to you (values).
Step 5 : R = REFLECT
Think or reflect about what happened because of your decision.
{*Namibia Youth Programme : My Future, My Choice (UNICEF, Namibia)}
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Activity 1 : Decision-Making !
Time required : Two sessions of 45 minutes each

Materials needed :
• Burger base, Salt, Pepper, Red chilli powder, Onion, Boiled potato, Green
Chillies, Coriander leaf, Butter, Cabbage leaf, Worksheet.
Mode : Group
• Decision Making Skills, Problem Solving, Analytical ability, Creative
Thinking, Critical Thinking.
Process :
1. Groups to be given Student Worksheet and 20 minutes time to come out with
their own symbolic representation.
2. Facilitator will show copies of advertisements of fast food and fizzy drinks.
3． Facilitator will discuss one operation of the group about eating habits, the food
they have to eat, lunch they carry, eating out, advertising world, obesity due to
unhealthy eating habits.
4. Facilitator then divides the class into groups and asks them to come up with a
healthy nutrition recipe/snack.
5. Facilitator then hands out one healthy nutritious snack recipe and asks each
group to come prepared to prepare it for the entire class.
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Student Worksheet
In groups, discuss each picture and see how they symbolise decision making. Then on
a chart paper bring out a symbolic picture collage.
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Activity 2 : Why we decide on what we decide?
Time required: 1 hour
Materials needed :
• Flash cards, Markers, Chalk
Mode : Group
• Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Managing Emotions
Objectives :
• To learn to scrutinize why we chose certain activities/practices and decline

others.
Process:
• Invite the participants to sit in a circle on the floor. Leave lots of space at the
centre for this exercise.
• Invite two volunteers to the centre of the circle. Give them a stack of flash
cards, markers and chalk.
• Ask the participants to call out activities/practices that may be common in

their peer group, for example, going to party, sports, or reading.
• As they call out, ask the volunteers to write each suggestion on a flash card.
Try and get a mix of negative and positive activities/practices.
• Try to stop at 10 to 15 activities/practices.
• Ask the volunteers to arrange the flash cards on the floor in a vertical line.
• Ask the participants to call out reasons for choosing an activity/practice. Ask
the volunteers to note these on flash cards as well.
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• Try and limit the reasons to 8 to 10. If the participants agree, similar sounding
reasons could be clubbed together.
• Ask the volunteers to place these "reason" flash cards horizontally.
• Ask the volunteers to draw a matrix using the vertical and horizontal
placement of the cards. As a result, there should be a table with rows and
columns on the floor.
• Explain that each activity/practice will be analyzed according to the reasons

mentioned by the participants.
• Start with the first activity and analyze it against all the reasons mentioned.
Then, move to the next and analyze it according to all the reasons
mentioned. Complete all the rows, one after the other, in this fashion
• As the participants to analyze each activity, they could give scores to show
which reason is the most important for each one.
• Once the matrix is complete, the participants will be able to see why they
choose certain activities over others.
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This exercise is very effective in promoting analytical skills among the
participants. It enables maximum use of our senses, which ensures maximum
learning. It is participatory and based on the knowledge and perceptions of the
participants so no one feels forced. You could ask the participants to do a similar
exercise in their free time to analyze their personal and intimate
activities/practices according to the reasons for those activities/practices. They
could share it with the larger group or with their friends, depending on how
they feel about it. The quality of the discussion is dependent on the facilitator's
ability to read the matrix and ask open -ended questions. For example,
So, the most important reason for going to a party is to be with friends, and I can
see that the most important reason for using abusive language is also to be with
friends. Why is that so?
I can see that the least important reason for using abusive language is having fun.
Why is this so?
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Student Worksheet 1
List 5 things that you pressurize your friends to join you in or do.
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
List 5 things that your friends have pressurized you to do.
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
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Student Worksheet 2
Listed are the actions/ situations generally our friends ask us to do. Write "OK"
or "Not OK" in the column next to them. For "Not OK" actions/situations give a
way to refuse.
Action/ Situation OK/ Not OK Refusal Technique in

case of "Not OK"
Studying overnight at
a friend's house
Smoking
Using abusive language
Chatting with a stranger

on internet
Watching an adult movie
Eating regular balanced

diet
Wearing contact lenses

instead of spectacles
Driving a car without a

license
Sleeping early
Working out regularly
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Student Worksheet 3
How will you manage the situation in front of your friends if…
1. Your parents disapprove of some your friends and all want to come to
your home on a Sunday?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. You are not permitted to remain out of your house after 8 p.m. under any
circumstance and you have an invitation to your friend's birthday party
which starts at 8 p.m. only?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Your parents want you to wear regular clothes and you want to dress in
stylish contemporary dresses?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Your parents scold you in front of your friends?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Your mother insists that your sister/brother must go with you for the movie
that you have planned for with your friends?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Activity 3 : Decision-Making Steps

Materials needed :
• Case stories of young people (note these are generic stories, you may be able to
draw up your own case stories). "The Decision Making process".
Mode : Small group
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Decision Making
Objectives :
• to go through the decision-making steps.
• to discuss the process of decision making.
• to discuss case studies and arrive at decisions using the Decision-Making
process.
Process :
• Show the Decision Making process and discuss each item.
• Explain and clarify that good decisions require a step-by-step process.
• Allow time for clarifications and questions. Provide to each group a short Case
Study and ask them to discuss about it.
Recognise and Identify what it is you are deciding upon. This can be a problem, a
situation or a challenge.
Aiming and desiring positive results.
Analysing and weighing the consequences of an action.
Setting alternatives or options and considering the consequent results.
Acting responsibly or standing up for the decision made.
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Case-Studies
Vagmi, 15 year old, female. Her younger
sister wants her help in painting as she
wants to know what colours to use.
Chetna, 14 years old, female. Her friend

asked her to go for a movie, without
telling her parents.
Amit, 15 years old, male. He met up

with some friends who have once
bunked the class and told him that he
should try it too.
Devyani, 15 years old, female. She

wakes up one morning and doesn't feel
like going to school.
Ankita, 14 years old, female. She gets

very low grades in her Mathematics
assignment. She can't tell her parents.
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Worksheet : The Decision Making Process!
Recognise/ Aim Analyse Set Action

Identify Alternatives
What is the What can be What can What are the What could be
situation? the desired happen if...? options and the most
result? their responsible
consequences? course of action?
• Allow ample time for Group Discussion and Presentation.
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Activity 4 : My D3 (Dear Decision Diary)
Time Required : One week

Materials Needed :
• A small notebook and pen, Worksheet
Mode : Individual work
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Decision Making
Objectives :
• to go through the decision making steps
• to keep a diary for a week noting all of the decisions taken during that time
• to write down the daily decisions made
• to narrate the situation and the process of decision making
Process :
• Provide the format and explain the activity to the students, noting that they
will be asked to share their experiences at the end of the week.
_____
Date : ________
_____
Time : ________
Dear Diary
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Self Assessment (After a week)

• How do you find the experience of keeping a daily journal?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
• What did you discover about yourself and the way you make decisions?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
• How do you think you can further improve your Decision Making skills?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
• Would you like to write a journal every day ? Give two reasons of how it
will help you.
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
• Will writing a journal help you to enhance your Decision Making skills ?
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
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Worksheet : Writing a Journal
Date: Day:
(Describe the situation) Dear Diary
I decided to...
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
I did this because...

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
If I hadn't taken this decision, the result may have been different and...
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
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Activity 5 : Decision Making Scale

Materials needed :
• Decision Making Scale
Mode : Individual
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Decision Making
Objectives:
• to help students analyse and evaluate their own Decision Making skills
• to help them improve their skills of decision making
Process:
• Students make a list of the decisions they have recently taken.
• Provide students with the Decision Making Scale.
• Student rate themselves on decision making scale (on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1
is most indecisive).
• As a plenary ask students to reflect and think about areas where they are not
able to take a clear decision.
Decision-Making Scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Most .............................................. Confused ........................................ Most
Indecisive Decisive
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Activity 6 : The Deciding Factor!

Materials needed: Worksheet
Mode : Group
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making
Objective:
• To encourage students to think of different ways in which they may solve their
problems
• Students will identify the problem, the choices and the consequences both
positive and negative
Procedure:
A. Distribute copies of the worksheet, "Decision Mountain" (Annex- 4). Inform
students that they are going to make a decision by climbing the "Decision
Mountain." By climbing the mountain they will learn the steps involved in
decision making, while examining in further detail the problem presented in
their story. Have students break into groups of five or six.
B. Ask students to read the situations to their group and identify the problem. At
the foot of the mountain, write the problem.
1. Ask students to identify possible options for resolving the problem. List
negative and positive options.
2. Next, have the class identify the consequence (positive or negative) for the
specific option. List the consequences with the corresponding option
number.
3. Review and discuss information. Ask students to decide which options and
corresponding consequences are best. Have students write their group
decision at the top of the mountain.
C. Ask students to share their situations with the class. Discuss problems and
decisions. Discuss how decisions were made and why it solves the problem.
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Situations
1. Amita is not doing very well in her English class. Whether she passes or not
depends on her final written project. Even though she has always tried hard, she
hasn't been able to get very good grades. She finds the paper that her brother did
on the topic three years ago and this paper received an "A."
2. You forgot your social studies assignment. Today is the day when everyone is
supposed to bring some object to show to the class. The object should be
something that has to do with Indian History. As you start out the door of the
house, you remember your sister's ethnic jewellery collection. Great idea-- you
could take the collection to school for social studies class. Suddenly, you
remember how your sister feels about the collection. She always says, "I'll never
take this collection to school because I don't want to lose or damage it." Since she
is already on her way to school, you can't ask permission to take the collection.
But the collection is the perfect thing for the assignment.
3. You work in a shop part-time so that you can go to school. One day you arrive at
the shop and find the owner waiting for you. He begins accusing you of theft, as
some things are missing from the shop. Others who work in the shop have
accused you of the crime.
4. The Arora's new neighbors are coming unexpectedly to visit the Aroras in two
hours. The Arora children, Amit and Sumedha, are at home watching their
favorite television show with their best friends. Mr. Arora, wanting to make a
good impression on the soon to arrive guests and feeling anxious about meeting
new people, immediately turns off the television and tells the children to clean
the house. When Amit begins to question his father, Mr. Arora gets angrier, and
Sumedha, embarrassed by her father's tone of voice, runs to her room crying.
5. You are invited to a party at your friend’s place this evening. You are really
excited and looking forward to it. Your parents tell you that your cousins and
their parents are coming to your home this evening. Your cousins are really keen
to see you. They are coming from a long way, after a long time and would like to
spend time with you.
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Worksheet
Decision Mountain
Decision
_______________________________
__________________________________
_______________________________________
Consequences
1. ___________________________ 2. ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
3. ___________________________ 4. ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
Options
1. ___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________
Define the Problem
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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Activity 7: What Should I Purchase?

Materials Needed: Newspaper advertisments
• Critical Thinking, Problem solving, Inter Personal skills, Creative thinking
Objectives:
• To enhance students' understanding of the world of advertisements
• To help students enhance their Creative Thinking Skills
• To encourage students to use their Critical Thinking Skills to understand the
persuasive advertisements
Process
• Begin a brainstorming/dicussion about commercials and focus on how and why
they are successful in getting people to buy certain products, cars, and foods.
• How are these commercials able to convince people that they should spend their
vacations in a particular country or on a certain island?
• Ask students why their parents shop at a specific clothing or food store and why
they purchase certain brands of clothes, shoe or other items.
• Have students read advertisements. Have them select key words or distinctive
phrases that catch their attention or appeal to them.
• They are to make a list of these words and phrases and discuss the reasons for
their selections.
• Using these key words and phrases as a guide, the students are to select an
existing product or create one and write their own "persuasive TV
commercials."
• Each student or team member will present their commercial orally, using their
oratorical skills to convince the class that their particular product should be
purchased.
Key Messages
• Students will listen to commercials on the radio, watch them on television,
and read advertisements in the newspapers, magazines, and "junk mail"
received at home critically.
• Students exhibit their understanding of persuasive writing used in
advertisements.
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Student Worksheet
TRY ME! BUY ME!
(Design your advertisement here)
Student Worksheet
Wanted: Friend
Pretend you are placing an advertisement in the paper to find a good friend. List
the qualities you are looking for and why. At the end of the advertisement you
can list the kinds of things they can expect from you if they respond to the
advertisement.
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Decision Making Worksheet
Raghav's classroom has beautiful potted plants. Each week, a child who has had
excellent behavior is asked to water them. It is a big responsibility because the
plants have to be watered regularly and given only a jug full of water. Too much
water can kill the plant. Last week, Raghav watered the plants. On Monday,
Raghav got confused and watered the plants, forgetting that Akansha was in
charge of the task this week. On Tuesday, the teacher announced that one of the
plants has wilted, and the whole class was upset about the loss. Raghav thinks
he may be responsible, because he watered the plant a second time on Monday.
Should he tell someone? What would you do? Do you think Raghav did
anything wrong? What will the teacher and the other children do if Raghav
admits his mistake?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Self-Assessment
A. In which situations do you tend to be 100% sure and quick about your
decision?
1. __________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________
List the situations when you can't decide on things.
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
B. What was your learning from this Unit?

1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
C. How do you plan to use your learning from this Unit in your personal life?
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
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Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire (Mann et al, 1997)
Measured dimensions of Personal empowerment

empowerment
Measured aspect (s) of empowerment Conscious choice, Skills decision
Device type Questionnaire
Name of the subscales Vigilance; Buck-passing;
Procrastination; Hyper Vigilance
Size 22 entries
Specific health issues No
Setting Audience Language English
Availability Yes, reprinted in Mann et al (1997)
Source of information on this Mann et al (1997)
instrument
Reference
Mann, L., Radford, M & Ford, S. (1997). The Melbourne Decision Making
Questionnaire: an instrument for measuring patterns for coping with decisional
conflict. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 10, 1-19.
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Guidelines or suggestions for use the instrument

Answer options:
2 = true for me, 1 = Sometimes true, 0 = not true for me
Vigilance
1 I like to recitals all of the alternatives.
2 I try to find out the Disadvantages of all alternatives.
3 I how best to carry out recitals a decision.
4 When making decisions I like to collect a lot of information.
5 I try to be clear about my Choosing Objectives before.
6 I take a lot of care before Choosing.
Buck-passing
1 I Avoid making Decisions.
2 I Do not Make Decisions unless I really Have to.
3 I prefer to leave to others decisions.
4 I do not like to take responsibility for making Decisions.
5 If a decision made by me or Can Be Another person I watch The Other
person make it.
6 That I prefer people who are better informed decide for me.
Procrastination
1 I waste a lot of time on trivial matters before getting to the final decision.
2 Just after I have made a decision I delay acting upon it.
3 When I have to make a decision I wait a long time before starting to think
about it.
4 I delay making Decisions Until It's Too Late.
5 I put off making Decisions.
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AglaSem Schools
Hyper Vigilance
1 Whenever I Face A Difficult decision I feel pessimistic about finding a
good solution.
2 I feel as if I am under tremendous time pressure When making Decisions.
3 The Possibility That Some Might Go Wrong causes small thing to me in
my swing abruptly preference.
4 I can not think straight if I have to make a decision in a hurry.
5 After a decision is made I spend a lot of time convincing myself it was
correct.
Peer Educators can
v
Conduct sessions based on School Health Manual on making informed choices
and decisions regarding, Food and Nutrition, Personal Safety, Health and
Hygiene, Lifestyles, Values and Beliefs etc
v
Conduct sessions for the other students on POWER module, STR and SRT
theory etc
v
Use the media world to explore the concept of decision making
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AglaSem Schools
Problem
Sol vin g
11
AglaSem Schools
Problem Solvin g
Problem Solving enables us to deal constructively with problems in
our lives, significant problems that are left unresolved can cause
mental stress and give rise to accompanying physical strain.
AglaSem Schools
UNIT
Problem Solvin g 11
Thomas Edison is one the world's most renowned scientists. His most famous
inventions are the electric bulb and the gramaphone. Wherever we see light and hear
music we remember him. Here is a beautiful incident in his life that shows us his
determination.
Edison was working hard on perfecting his phonograph in which there was a problem
of clarity in some tones. He handed over this problem to one of his assistants. After
working on it for two years, the assistant came to Edison and told him, "Mr. Edison, I
have spent thousands of your dollars and two years of my life and have not reached
anywhere. Surely, if there were a solution to this problem, I would have found it by
now. I wish to resign."
Edison gently replied, "George, I believe that, for every problem God has given us, He
has a solution. We may not find it, but someday someone will. Go back and try a while
longer."
George, the assistant went back and kept trying. In a short while after this, he found the
solution and helped Edison perfect the phonograph.
Objectives:
• To help students effectively handle various problems.
• Identify their problems and assess how they can approach a positive
solution.
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AglaSem Schools
UNIT : 11 - Problem Solving
Steps to Problem Solving

The lesson is based on four steps to Problem Solving, with activities designed to
help students work through each step.
1. What is the Problem - what happened?
A short role play is used to show an argument, and the students are asked to
define what the problem is, without making judgments about who is right or
wrong. The group is asked to consider what effect defining a problem has on
the way we perceive it.
The group is asked to write a short play, showing an argument developing
and taking place, followed by a definition of the problem.
Problems that the children experience are introduced as examples of
problems for the class to work on together.
2. How does it feel?
A quarrel is illustrated using role play (alternatively the role play of step 1 is
described). The group then considers each person in the role play in turn,
and they write down the feelings each person may have had, without
judging how justified the feeling was.
3. Option Building
The students brainstorm to show how many possible courses of action be
taken to solve the problem.
The group looks at the list of feelings generated at step 2 and suggest what
could be done to meet the needs each feeling represents. Once something
has been suggested for each feeling, and for each person in the problem
scenario, the list of options is compared to the original problem situation,
and the group puts forward suggestions for an appropriate solution.
4. Goal Setting
Finally, a plan is drawn up, composed of small steps that each person
involved in the argument could take to bring about a solution.
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AglaSem Schools
Activity 1 : Conflict Management

Materials needed :
• Visual Aid “Types of Conflict” and copies of the "Conflict Story"
Mode : Groups
Objectives :
• To experience conflict and find ways to solve it
• To talk about different types of conflict
• To find ways to solve conflicts
• To present these conflicts and solutions in a dramatic presentation
Process :
• Explain to the students that in literature, a writer employs four types of conflict:
• Man here is representative of both genders
• Man against Man - where a character or characters in a story pose a problem
to another.
• Man against Nature - where natural conditions (calamities and disasters)
pose a problem to the character(s).
• Man against Himself - where the character's own imperfections pose a
problem to the character.
• Man against Society - where the rules, norms, values, systems and
structures of a society pose a problem to the characters.
• Divide the class into groups and distribute copies of the conflict story for each
group to work on and rehearse their own solutions.
• Allow ample time for the groups to talk and plan their presentations.
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The Conflict Stories

On a summer weekend, a group of friends decide to go for a swim in the river.
Conflict one : Two of these friends are rivals to be the leader of the group and to
'win' the heart of the girl (or boy) that they love.
Conflict two : There was a rainstorm and the river has become wild with the sudden
increase in the volume of water.
Conflict three : One member of the group does not feel too good about him or
herself. He/she thinks that one of the other boys/girls is smarter than he/she is.
Conflict four : There is a law forbidding young girls and boys to swim in the river
without adult supervision, which none of the young people knew about.
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Activity 2 : The Problem Solving Approach!

Materials needed :
• Visual Aid “Problem Solving Approach” and Problem statements
Mode : Group
Objectives :
• To develop problem solving approach
• To discuss the problem statements
• To use the problem solving technique
Process :
• Present and explain the following visual aid to the group:
The Problem-Solving Approach is a Scientific Approach:
1. State the problem (What is the problem and why is it problematic?)
2. Hypothesis (List possible causes and effects - what are the causes and effects
of this problem?)
3. Experiment (List down possible solutions to try)
4. Observe (List down the observations)
5. Conclusion (Write down your final solutions to the problem)
• Hand out the problems statement to each group for them to work on using the
problem solving approach.
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The Problem Statements

1. Young people are dropping out of school.
2. You are pressured by a group of students to join them in bunking school.
3. There is a bully in the class.
4. A girl is the subject of gossip in school.
5. A boy is being ridiculed by his friends.
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Activity 3 : Puzzle Game

Materials needed :
• White Board, Marker, Duster, Blank paper, Pen, Pencil etc. 'Copies of Puzzle
Game'
Mode : Individual
• Critical Thinking, Problem Solving
Objective:
• To enhance students' problem solving skills
• To inculcate curiosity in students.
Solve it fast
Process :
• Teacher will explain the rules and regulations of the puzzle game on board.
• Distribute copies of the puzzle game to students.
• Ask them to fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-
by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 through 9.
• Emphasize that if they use logic, they can solve the puzzle without guesswork.
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Your real problem is ________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
What are all the things one could do to solve her problem? Think of a lot of
creative ideas. Write as many ideas as you can.
1. ___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________________________________
9. ___________________________________________________________________
10. ___________________________________________________________________
11. ___________________________________________________________________
12. ___________________________________________________________________
13. ___________________________________________________________________
14. ___________________________________________________________________
15. ___________________________________________________________________
If you have more ideas, write them on the back of this sheet of paper
Put a right of star * by the ideas you think are the best.
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Activity 4 : Dr. Me

Materials needed : None
Mode : Group
• Self Awareness, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Problem Solving
Objectives :
• To untangle a group structure
• To exercise problem solving
• To talk about the process of problem solving
Process :
• Ask a volunteer to step out of the room/venue and wait until he/she is called
back.
• Ask the remaining group to form a big circle, holding hands and begin to form as
many tangles by crossing over and under without breaking the circle. What one
sees after doing this is a tangled structure of people's hands together.
• Ask the volunteer to come back and inform him/her that the challenge is to
untangle the structure to form a perfect circle making sure that people keep
holding hands at all times.
• Ask around five volunteers to untangle different structures.
To the volunteers
• How was it to untangle the structure?
• What did you do to solve the 'entanglement?'
To the whole group

• When do we face entanglements in our lives and how do we undo them?
Key Messages
• Problem Solving enables us to deal constructively with a problem in our life.
• Problem Solving Life Skills lead us in an optimistic way.
• Students who acquire Problem Solving Life Skills can prove to be very
productive and responsible.
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Activity 5: Helping Friends “I Can Help You”

Materials Needed:
• As needed by the participants
Mode: Whole Class
• Problem Solving, Decision Making, Effective Communication, Empathy, Self
Awareness, Creative Thinking, Interpersonal Relationships
Objective:
• To practice ways of helping and empathising with friends in difficult situations
Process:
• Use an energizer to form groups of 4 or 6.
• Explain that the groups will prepare role-plays to show ways they can help their
friends based on the scenarios provided.
• Give one scenario to each group.
• Explain that they have 20 minutes to prepare the role-plays and can use
whatever props and materials they need for an effective display.
• After all the groups have completed their presentations, invite them to sit in a
circle and facilitate a discussion using the following questions:
• How did you decide on the things to show in your role-play?
• How did you feel during the other role-plays? Why?
• Can you use similar ways to help your friends if required? Why/why not?
• Have you ever helped a friend in similar circumstances? Would you like to
share it with the group?
• How easy or difficult is it to help a friend solve his/her problem? Why?
• What qualities help you to help others? Why?
• What qualities prevent you from helping others? Why?
• After the activity give the students handout on “How to Help Friends”?
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Key Messages
• Participants will learn ways to help friends in times of need.
• Participants will support and help friends who need their support in
managing difficult situations.

This is an effective exercise for promoting qualities of co-operation and care. The
discussion can be used to enable reflection and analysis in relation to the
participant's real life experiences. It is possible that good intentions and
attempts to help can produce an undesirable effect. Help the participants find
ways of dealing with this kind of situation. Focus on qualities that help to
resolve difficult situations and how these can be nurtured.
ROLE-PLAY SITUATIONS
Scenario 1
Your friend has suddenly become very withdrawn and sad. S/he has stopped
participating in group activities and spends most of his/her time alone.
Scenario 2
Your friend is unable to concentrate in the classroom and plays truant. You have
observed that s/he is becoming very erratic and showing signs of weight loss.
Scenario 3
Your friend is constantly worried about his/her weight. S/he avoids eating and
stays away from group activities like picnics and parties.
Scenario 4
Your friend has been spending lots of time in watching T.V and sports and you
are worried that it will lower his/her grades
Scenario 5
Your friend has failed in a class test. She is scared about telling this to her/his
parents.
Scenario 6
Someone steals things in your class and you get to know that it is your best
friend.
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Students Handout
Helpline for the Peer-Educator
Ways friends help each other
• Sharing information or knowledge.
• Motivating each other to do certain things.
• Giving encouragement and emotional support.
• Being attentive and making one feel important.
• Giving material things.
• Being a companion.
• Sharing happiness together.
• Being a role model (someone you want to behave like).
• Teaching social skills.
• Helping to do things at home or at work.
• Introducing new people and friends.
• Helping convince parents when one wants to tell or do something.
• Introducing one to a new behaviour.
• Warning one against doing something wrong.
• Praising ones good qualities.
• Looking after one in times of illness.
Helping Your Peers:

• You can share and discuss opinions, feelings, ideas, experiences, information
and knowledge.
• You can demonstrate new behaviours.
• You can teach your friends to say “no” to things that may have negative
consequences, after discussing reasons or motivations.
• You can create pressure that will stop one from doing harm to self and others.
• You can be a role model and encourage your peers to adopt desirable
qualities, skills and knowledge.
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Help from peers is more effective and desirable because

• You see each other often.
• You enjoy doing things together.
• You understand each other's feelings and motivation.
• You know each other's language and needs.
• You are less likely to form judgements and more likely to be patient and
concerned.
• You can keep secrets and share feelings of trust and confidentiality.
• You like to keep the “we feeling” and therefore, do your best to help each
other.
• You would rather seek help from peers than your parents and family.
Problem Solving Worksheet

A girl in Vinni's class makes fun of her almost every day in front of the other
students. She laughs at her clothes and the way that she looks. Vinni gets along
well with most of the children at school and tries hard to ignore Ishita's teasing,
but many times she also gets angry with her. Yesterday, she saw Ishita's father
picking her up from school, and heard her father yelling at her and scolding her.
Vinni started to feel sorry for Ishita. The next day at school, Ishita makes fun of
Vinni again. What should Vinni do? Should she stand up for herself or try to be
kinder to Ishita? Should she say something to Ishita about what she saw the day
before, when her father picked her up from school, or should she keep this to
herself? What might the other students think if Vinni does not defend herself by
getting angry with Ishita? Have you been in a situation where someone is being
unkind to you for no real reason? What would you do in Vinni's situation?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Self Assessment
• How did you find the experience of talking about and presenting conflict
stories and crafting your own solutions?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What did you consider when you plotted your solutions? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• How was the experience of using the problem-solving approach?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What factors influenced your hypothesis?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What daily problems do young people in your country face and what can
they do to solve them?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Why do you think young people need to be able to solve the problems that
they face?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• What was your learning from this Unit?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Peer Educators can
v Create Case Studies and use them for discussion
v Conduct sessions in the other classes as per the activities given in the Unit
v Be role models while solving problems
v List out the problems children generally face in the school and take up
simpler ones, one is to one
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For assessment by the teachers

• Attached are worksheets that the students can fill in directly.
• These worksheets assess the students' problem solving ability.
There are a total of 20 worksheets. The teacher can distribute these worksheets over a
period of four weeks and grading will be based on the ingenuity of solutions and the
various approaches utilized by the students to resolve the problems.
Assessment
Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 Activity 4
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Note: Please refer to the activities attached. The activities can be given in any order and
can be clubbed during one class depending upon the time availability.
Score Board:
Grade Interpretation
A+ The student uses various creative approaches and solutions to resolve
the problems. The student typically has more than two ways to
approach the problem.
A The student is involved in resolving the problems and arrives at
solutions without getting unduly stressed. The student has more than
one way to resolve the problem.
B+ The student is involved and utilizes at least one way to arrive at a
solution to the problem. Even though the student is not very
expressive, he/she makes an effort.
B The student is able to arrive at a solution but does not utilize creative
solutions to tackle the problem. With effort the student will be able to
perform better.
C The student needs to work harder at approaching a problem and need
to be more expressive while describing events. Currently, his/her
problem solving tasks can be improved upon with consistent practice.
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Worksheet - 1
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Study the above picture carefully.

B) Write about three possible incidents related to the picture.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 2
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________

B) Describe the picture in your words.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 3
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
Imagine that you are an animal and a flood has occurred in the forest, How will
you intimate other animals and save your life?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 4
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
How will you divide the above square into four parts?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 5
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________

B) Describe in your words about the above picture.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 6
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Study the picture carefully.

B) Imagine if yourself as one of the characters and describe what you would do?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 7
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Study the picture carefully.

B) Write in your own words about the above picture.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 8
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
Aim: - To conduct a role play for the four selected different situations which
shall be played by both the facilitator and students.
The selected situations for the role play may be based upon:-
• Self - Appreciation
• Sudden class test
• Desire to be someone else
• Taking initiative
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Worksheet - 9
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
Aim: - To conduct a role play for the four selected different situations which shall
be played by both the facilitator and students.
The selected situations for the role play were based upon:-
• Sportsman spirit
• Dominating character
• Low confidence
• Sensitive character
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Worksheet - 10
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) What is the highest goal of my life?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
B) When will I be able to achieve my goal?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
C) What are the difficulties that I will face to reach my goal?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
D) How can I overcome the obstacles to reach my goal?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 11
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Study the above picture carefully and explain in your own words.
B) Give a suitable title to the picture.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 12
Name: __________ Date:______________
Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Imagine that you are an author. Now write two stories about an issue that
you are passionate about.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
B) Characters of your stories will be the same but in one story they will be upset
and in the other story they will not be upset.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
C) You have to give a happy ending to both the stories by solving all their
problems.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 13
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) View the above picture carefully.

B) Think and describe how the above picture is made?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 14
Name: __________ Date:______________
Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Just imagine that you are a counselor and a column is published in a

newspaper by your name where in you solve people's problems.
B) What are the things that you focus on while solving such problems.
C) Now solve the following problems:-
Problem No.1
I copied homework from my friend. When our Ma'am had to check the
homework, my friend was on leave and I had to get his homework checked. When
she checked our homework, she came to know that either of us had copied. When
she asked me, I told her that I had done the homework myself and my friend had
copied. She gave him the punishment of repeating the work 20 times. Now I don't
have the courage to tell him the truth. Please help me.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Problem No.2
Hello,
Once I took my brother's jacket and went to play with my friends. We were
playing and some other boys came there and suddenly one of my friends had a
fight with them. The matter got aggravated to the height of physical abuse. While
protecting my friend, I spoiled that jacket. Now I don't have the courage to tell the
truth to my brother. Please help me.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 15
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Do you know that we can use an object in more than one way? For example
we can use a scale like a bookmark also.
B) How can you use the material given below in at least four different ways:
i. Empty pencil box
ii. Card Board
iii. Paper
iv. Scale
v. Rubber band
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 16
Name: __________ Date:______________
Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) Imagine that you are a detective and you solve different cases that come to
you. Write about one such case.
B) While solving the cases, what are the things you concentrate on?
C) Read the case given below:
"An accident has occurred in a zoo. A person was found dead outside the Lion
cage. There is a green mark on his shirt. It is a small mark and at the front of the
shirt."
Give reason for such an accident.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 17
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) See the below given columns:
Column 'A' Column 'B'

• Book • Door
• Butter • Chair
• Dance • Circus
• Eat • Forest
• Key • Potato
• Water • Pitcher
B) Write a poem using any 3 words from Column A

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
C) Write a story using any 3 words from Column B
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
D) Draw a picture using any four words from Column A and Column B
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 18
Name: __________ Date:______________
Class: ___________ Time taken:_________

B) What are the questions that come to your mind after studying the picture?
Write as many questions as you can.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet - 19
Name: __________ Date:______________

Class: ___________ Time taken:_________

B) What are the people in the pictures saying?
C) Name the characters and write their conversation. Try to make it funny and
witty.
D) Share you conversations with your friends.
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Worksheet - 20
Name: __________ Date:______________
Class: ___________ Time taken:_________
A) View the above picture carefully.

B) Divide the picture into four identical parts.
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AglaSem Schools
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

2, COMMUNITY CENTRE, PREET VIHAR, DELHI
CIRCULAR NO. 21
D(A)PA/38/2003 5th September,2003
To
All Heads of Institutions
Affiliated to CBSE.
Sub: Life Skills Education for Class VI
Dear Principal,
The Board has introduced Life Skills Education as an integral part of the
curriculum of class VI. The schools are advised to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach for
transacting the curriculum of Life Skills Education. The transaction should be both
through formal modes of learning as well as through co-curricular activities and other
informal approaches to learning.
The student may be evaluated through letter grading which could be reflected in
the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation Certificate being provided to the students
by the schools.
The objectives of introducing the Life Skills Education is to empower the affective
domain of the learners so that they are able to develop a sense of self-confidence, eco-
sensitivity and right approaches to life processes etc. Development of basic life skills is
central to the transaction of this curriculum so that the learners developed as competent
and contributive citizens. The textual material titled “Life Skills Education – Class VI' has
been developed by the Board which is available in all our Regional Offices. The cost of the
book is Rs.36/-. You are advised to ensure that all the students of your institution are
benefited by the effective use of this book.
The Board is in the process of developing textual materials for the other classes
and the same will be communicated to you shortly.
Yours sincerely
(G.BALASUBRAMANIAN)
DIRECTOR (ACADEMIC)
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ACADEMIC BRANCH, SHIKSHA SADAN
17, ROUSE AVENUE, NEW DELHI-110002
CIRCULAR NO:11/04
D(A)PA/LS/04 26th February,2004
To
All Heads of Institutions
Affiliated to Board
Sub: Life Skills Education in class VII
Dear Principal,
As you are aware, the Board had already introduced the subject of Life skill education as
a part of the curriculum in class VI last year. The Board had also brought out the textual
material for the students both in English and Hindi. There has been an overwhelming
response to this course from various stakeholders keeping in view that the inputs of Life
skill education are quite relevant, meaningful and contextual to the learners. It was also
felt that it facilitated the learners to fight the consumerist tendencies and to face life
with a sense of confidence, conviction and skill. As a follow up of the initiatives already
taken, the Board has now brought out necessary textual materials for class VII both in
English and Hindi version. You are requested to kindly bring it to the notice of all
concerned in the school.
The pedagogy to be adopted for teaching life skill education has to be interactive,
experimental and facilitative. The spirit of the above subject should be extended beyond
the classrooms walls and scope should be provided for the same in the co-curricular and
extra-curricular activities. The subject has to be evaluated in context and as a part of the
continuous and comprehensive evaluation. The Board feels the introduction of the above
subject with your cooperation would facilitate in imbibing right attitudes for the holistic
growth of the learners.
Yours faithfully,
(G.BALASUBRAMANIAN)
DIRECTOR (ACADEMIC)
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2, COMMUNITY CENTRE, PREET VIHAR, DELHI
NO.D(A)/PA/ 2005 25th January, 2005
CIRCULAR NO: 04/2005

All the Heads of Institutions affiliated to CBSE
Subject : Life skill Education – Reg
Dear Principal,
As you are aware, the Board had introduced the concept of Life skill Education in
class VI from the academic year 2003-04 and in class VII in 2004-05. The Board had also
prepared guidelines to schools with regard to the content and pedagogy of the subject.
Life skill Education is based on the need for providing a holistic approach to the
educational content as it is based on the belief that every child is unique and possesses an
inner potential – that seeks to unfold in the process of growth. The choice of subjects in
the process of learning, vocations pursued, interests developed and the goals set for life
are all but an expression of this urge of the inner potential to manifest in diverse forms.
The educational system has to facilitate to unravel this potential and help the younger
generation as balanced individuals with competence to face the challenges of life.
The Board feels that it is important to provide adequate focus on learning of life
skills by devoting at least two periods per week. The following suggestions may help you
in effective implementation of the Life skills curriculum in your school environment:
• Life skills could be taught as an independent discipline in the content areas identified
by the Board
• It could be integrated as well in the teaching of other disciplines of learning
• Students could be assigned simple studies and projects based on Life skills
• Special lectures could be organized to sensitize the students on Life skills
• Cooperation and participation of parents could be sought in developing right attitudes
to life
Evaluation of Life skills
• Life skills are not to be evaluated through a terminal written examination

• They should be assessed as a part of the continuous and comprehensive evaluation
• Students should be graded based on their skills and attitudes, and only positive
intents of the learners are to be reflected
• Evaluation can also be done as a team instead of individual assessment
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The schools should endeavor to provide an appropriate climate for Life skill
education as it is a strong and positive input to the holistic development of the learner
and development of emotional intelligence.
I am pleased to forward a complimentary copy of the class VII book published by

CBSE for your use. The support material for class VIII will be ready shortly for use in the
ensuing academic session (2005-06).
Yours faithfully,
(G.BALASUBRAMANIAN)
DIRECTOR (ACADEMIC)
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ANNEXURE
Peer Education - An Emerging Paradigm

The use of same age or same background educators to convey educational messages to a target
group………….. Peer educators work by endorsing "healthy" norms, beliefs and behaviours within their
own peer group of "community" and challenging those which are "unhealthy".
(United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, 2000)
Who Are Peer Educators?

The term "peer educator" refers to true peers or near peers. A true peer is a person who is
considered a member of a particular group, both by themselves and by other group
members. A near peer is similar but differs in some small way , for example they may be a
few years older. A person who is a leader or respected within the peer group is more likely
to be influential.
Peer educators may act in different roles, such as facilitators, counselors, sources of
information, support workers or tutors.
Peer Education and Counseling

• Students suggest that teenagers are more likely to hear and personalize messages,
and thus to change their attitudes and behaviors, if they believe the messenger is
similar to them and faces the same concerns and pressures.
• Workshops and training programmes have demonstrated that peers influence
health behaviors not only in regard to addressing sexuality but also in regard to
communication difficulties, aggression, substance use and stress management.
• Peer education works on the premise that teenagers have with their peers, leverages
the power of role modeling, and provide flexibility in meeting the diverse needs of
today's adolescent.
• Trained peer educators are a more credible source of information for some youth
than are adult educators because they communicate in readily understandable
ways and serve as positive role models while dispelling misperceptions that most
youth are problematic.
Young People are Tomorrow's World

• Adolescents and youth are an enormous untapped resource and potential - they are
the adult of tomorrow.
• Their energies must be properly tapped and channeled for them to realize their full
potential.
• A multi-sectoral approach works best in harnessing youth potential for the greater
good of all.
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Young people must be involved in designing programmes to address their own needs.
Peer Educators Themselves Benefit From Programs By:

• Receiving special training in making decisions, clarifying values, and acting in
accordance with those values.
• Mastering extensive information relevant to their own lives.
• Being recognized as leaders by their peers and their community.
• Having direct involvement, a voice, and some control in program's design and
operation.
• Learning important skills, including facilitation and communication.
• Committing to responsible and age appropriate behaviours.
• Programs offering active and meaningful involvement to youth also provide young
people with opportunities for self-discipline and self-esteem and to gain positive
stature in the community, broader career choices, and a better understanding of
diversity.
Key Life Skills

Life skills include psychosocial competencies and interpersonal skills that help people
make informed decisions, solve problems, think critically and creatively, communicate
effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, and cope with managing
their lives in a healthy and productive manner. Essentially, there are two kinds of skills -
those related to thinking termed as "thinking skills", and skills related to dealing with
others termed as "social skills". While thinking skills relate to reflection at a personal level,
social skills include interpersonal skills and do not necessarily depend on logical thinking.
It is the combination of these two types of skills that are needed for achieving assertive
behavior. Thus, self-management is an important skill including managing/coping with
feelings, emotions, stress and resisting peer and family pressure. Young people as
advocates need both thinking and social skills for consensus building and advocacy on
issues of concern.
The ten core life skills as laid down by WHO are as follows:
1. Self-awareness
2. Empathy
3. Critical thinking
4. Creative thinking
5. Decision making
6. Problem solving
7. Effective communication
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8. Interpersonal relationship
9. Coping with stress
10. Coping with emotions
• Self-awareness includes recognition of 'self', our character, our strengths and
weaknesses, desires and dislikes. Developing self-awareness can help us to
recognize when we are stressed or feel under pressure. It is often a prerequisite to
effective communication and interpersonal relations, as well as for developing
empathy with others.
• Empathy- To have a successful relationship with our loved ones and society at
large, we need to understand and care about other peoples' needs, desires and
feelings. Empathy is the ability to imagine what life is like for another person.
Without empathy, our communication with others will amount to one-way traffic.
Worst, we will be acting and behaving according to our self-interest and are bound
to run into problems. No man is an island, no woman either! We grow up in
relationships with many people-parents, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and
aunts, classmates, friends and neighbours.
When we understand ourselves as well as others, we are better prepared to
communicate our needs and desires. We will be more equipped to say what we
want people to know, present our thoughts and ideas and tackle delicate issues
without offending other people. At the same time, we will be able to elicit support
from others, and win their understanding.
Empathy can help us to accept others, who may be very different from ourselves.
This can improve social interactions, especially, in situations of ethnic or cultural
diversity. Empathy can also help to encourage nurturing behavior towards people
in need of care and assistance, or tolerance, as is the case with AIDS sufferers, or
people with mental disorders, who may be stigmatized and ostracized by the very
people they depend upon for support.
• Critical thinking is an ability to analyze information and experiences in an
objective manner. Critical thinking can contribute to health by helping us to
recognize and assess the factors that influence attitudes and behavior, such as
values, peer pressure and the media.
• Creative thinking is a novel way of seeing or seeing or doing things that is
characteristic of four components - fluency (generating new ideas), flexibility
(shifting perspective easily), originality (conceiving of something new), and
elaboration (building on other ideas).
• Decision making helps us to deal constructively with decisions about our lives.
This can have consequences for health. It can teach people how to actively make
decisions about their actions in relation to healthy assessment of different options
and, what effects, these different decisions are likely to have.
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• Problem solving helps us to deal constructively with problems in our lives.

Significant problems that are left unresolved can cause mental stress and give rise
to accompanying physical strain.
• Interpersonal relationship skills help us to relate in positive ways with the people
we interact with. This may mean being able to make and keep friendly
relationships, which can be of great importance to our mental and social well-
being. It may mean keeping, good relations with family members which are an
important source of social support. It may also mean being able to end relationships
constructively.
• Effective communication means that we are able to express ourselves, both
verbally and non-verbally, in ways that are appropriate to our cultures and
situations. This means being able to express opinions and desire, and also needs
and fears. And it may mean being able to ask for advice and help in a time of need.
• Coping with stress means recognizing the sources of stress in our lives,
recognizing how this affects us, and acting in ways that help us control our levels of
stress, by changing our environment or lifestyle and learning how to relax.
• Coping with emotions means involving recognizing emotions within us and
others, being aware of how emotions influence behavior and being able to respond
to emotions appropriately. Intense emotions like anger or sadness can have
negative effects on our health if we do not respond appropriately.
Interdependence between Life Skills

Getting to Know Yourself
SELF-AWARENESS + CRITICAL THINKING
Working Towards Your goal
SELF-AWARENESS + CRITICAL THINKING + CREATIVE THINKING
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
CRITICAL THINKING + EMPATHY + CREATIVE THINKING
INTER-PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
SELF-AWARENESS + EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION + EMPATHY
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(a) What are Life Skills ?

WHO defines life skills as "abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable
individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life".
Life skills are a group of psychosocial competencies and interpersonal skills that
help people make informed decisions, communicate effectively and develop
coping and self management skills to lead a healthy and productive life.
(b) Why and how are they important?
We find that behavior does not always follow the mind. This is when incidents of "I
know but I can 't help it" occur. What we need is skill, the ability to act. Life skills
enable us to translate knowledge, attitudes and values into actual abilities.
(c) Why is there a need for Life Skills?
The host of factors that promote high risk behavior such as alcoholism, drug abuse
and boredom, rebellion, disorientation, peer pressure and curiosity. The
psychological push factors such as the inability to tackle emotional pain, conflicts,
frustrations and anxieties about the future are often the driving force for high risk
behavior. Life skills training is an efficacious tool for empowering the youth to act
responsibly, take initiative and take control. It is based on the assumption that
when young people are able to rise above emotional impasses arising from daily
conflict, entangled relationships and peer pressure, they are less likely to resort to
anti social or high risk beahviours.
(d) Who needs Life Skills?
The life skills programme is a school based programme where life skills are
imparted in a supportive learning environment. They are applicable for all ages of
children and adolescents in school. However, the age group targeted is mainly 13-
17, adolescent years, since young people of this age group seem to be most
vulnerable to behavior related health problems. The programme is for the
promotion of health and well being and targeted group is all children and
adolescents, rather than as an intervention aimed only at those already at risk or
those who already have a problem.
(e) How are they imparted?
The method used in teaching of life skills builds upon the social learning theory and
on what we know of how young people learn from their environment; from
observing how others behave and what consequences arise from behavior.
It involves the process of experiential learning using 4 components:
1. Practical activity
2. Feedback and reflections
3. Consolidation and reinforcement
4. Practical application
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(f) Peer Trainer Approach

The peer training approach, involves one teacher and 3-4 student representatives
from each school (forming the core life skills team) at the school. They learn these
skills through active learning and participation in a 6 session inter school training
workshop programme. They further train their peers at school in these skills
through the same process. They follow up with the main resource team for
feedback, discussions, training material etc.
(g) What are the methodologies used in the workshops?
Each workshop is specially designed to impart a particular skill and involves all or
some of the following techniques:
• Mini lecture
• Group participation and discussions
• Brainstorming
• Role play
• Group tasks and activities
(h) What is the expected outcome of the Life Skills programme?
• Enhanced self esteem
• Assertiveness
• Social sensitivity
• Listening and communication skills
• Ability to plan and set goals
• Learning to learn
• Acquisition of knowledge related to specific contents.
390

CBSE Class IX Teachers Manual For Life Skills

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AglaSem Schools

Teacher's Manual on Life Skills for Classes - IX-X

No part of this publication may be reproduced , stored in a

PUBLISHED BY : The Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education, Shiksha

Life-Skills Education is a means of empowering all domains of the

The CBSE has introduced Life Skills Education as an integral part of

It is hoped that the schools will adopt an interdisciplinary approach

I am extremely grateful to Prof. Udai Pareek, IIHMR, Jaipur for his

Vineet Joshi, IAS

EDITOR ART WORK THEME PAGES

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THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

Fundamental Duties - It shall be the duty of every citizen of India-

UNIT 2 : SELF - AWARENESS 51-82

UNIT 3 : CRITICAL THINKING 83-120

Activity 5 : My Subject, My Career, My Choice 101

UNIT 4 : CREATIVE THINKING 121-150

UNIT 5 : EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 151-190

UNIT 6 : INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 191-216

Activity 5 : Web of Relationships 202

UNIT 7 : MANAGING EMOTIONS 217-252

UNIT 8 : COPING WITH STRESS 253-280

UNIT 9 : EMPATHY 281-312

Activity 6 : Reading Without Seeing 296

UNIT 10 : DECISION MAKING 313-342

UNIT 11 : PROBLEM SOLVING 343-380

Skills-based education cannot occur when there is no interaction among participants. It

Some objectives of Life-Skill education are given below :

• Traditional "information-based" approaches are generally not sufficient to yield

• It will work best if combined with policy development, access to appropriate

Dr. Sadhana Parashar

INTRODUCTION TO LIFE SKILLS

(source: WHO, Information series on school health, document-9)

Objectives of the Module.

What are Life-Skills?

Objectives of the Life-Skills Programme:

• To develop concept of Life-Skills with respect to everyday life.

We seek your active cooperation in making this vision a reality.

Objectives of the Life-Skills Manual :

These can be utilized in many content areas like:

National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and Life-Skills

The guiding principles in National Curriculum Framework (NCF) provide the

• Commitment to democracy and the values of equality, justice, freedom,

• Appreciation of beauty and art forms is an integral part of human

Ten Essential Life-Skills

Empathy Life Effective Communication Skills

What are the main Components of Life-Skills?

Thinking-Skills Social-Skills Emotional-Skills

• Decision-Making • Effective- Emotions

• Critical-Thinking Communication • Coping with

How do Life-Skills help ?

Thinking-Skills Social-Skills Emotional-Skills

Enhanced Life-Skills in an individual thus help in developing:

Detailing of Ten Core Life-Skills:

1. Self-Awareness includes our recognition of 'self', of our character, of our

2. Critical- Thinking is an ability to analyze information and experiences in an

3. Problem-Solving enables us to deal constructively with problems in our lives.

4. Creative-Thinking contributes to both decision-making and problem-solving