Peer Influences and Developing Assertive Behaviour

Walking has considerable benefits for health, the community, and the environment. A healthy and active lifestyle including walking to school, sporting facilities and local shops is strongly encouraged and results in a range of positive outcomes for students, families and the community.

As students in Years 5 and 6 will be walking and cycling more independently, they need to understand the risks pedestrians face and strategies for staying safe. Children of this age may also be travelling with (and more influenced by) peers which could result in increased risk taking. They need to understand that risks can have serious consequences, and to develop the skills and understanding to make safer decisions.

In this lesson, students consider what makes a situation risky. They identify assertive communication strategies for handling risky situations and then apply these in a role-play.

This lesson supports:

• Plan and practise strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (VCHPEP108)
• Examine the influence of emotional responses on behaviour, relationships, and health and wellbeing (VCHPEP110)

Download the lesson plan in the link above.