Health 7 M3

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Health and Life Skills 7

Module 3: Life-Learning Choices
Student Module Booklet
Alberta Education
ISBN 0-7741-2620-5
Alberta Education acknowledges with appreciation the Alberta Distance Learning Centre and Pembina Hills
Regional Division No. 7 for their review of this Student Module Booklet.
This document is intended for You may find the following Internet sites useful:
Students ✓ • Alberta Education, http://education.alberta.ca

Teachers ✓ • LearnAlberta.ca, http://www.learnalberta.ca
Administrators
Exploring the electronic information superhighway can be educational and entertaining. However,
Home Instructors ✓ be aware that these computer networks are not censored. Students may unintentionally or
General Public purposely find articles on the Internet that may be offensive or inappropriate. As well, the sources
of information are not always cited and the content may not be accurate. Therefore, students may
Other wish to confirm facts with a second source.
Copyright © 2005, Alberta Education. This resource is owned by the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of
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No part of this courseware may be reproduced in any form, including photocopying (unless otherwise indicated), without the
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We hope you enjoy your study of Health and Life Skills 7.
Module
It is recommended 3: Life-Learning
that you complete Choices
the following modules in their given order.
Module 1 Module 2 Module 3
Wellness Relationship Life-Learning

Choices Choices Choices
Module 1 contains general information about the course components, additional

resources, icons, assessment, and strategies for completing your work. If you do not have
access to Module 1, contact your teacher to obtain this important information.
6 Module Overview
8 Section 1: Learning Strategies
9 Lesson 1: How People Learn
29 Lesson 2: Setting Goals
41 Lesson 3: Making Decisions
55 Section 1 Conclusion

56 Section 2: Life Roles
57 Lesson 1: Setting a Course
75 Lesson 2: Planning for

the Future
85 Lesson 3: Promoting
Community Health
94 Section 2 Conclusion
95 Module Summary

Module Overview
Did you know that one of the most
important things you will do in your life
is make decisions about your future?
The decisions you make now will play
a significant role in determining the
direction of your life. They will affect
all aspects of your life, including
your physical, social, emotional, and
intellectual health. With every decision
you make comes personal responsibility.
In other words, you are answerable for
the areas of your life over which you have
control. You are also responsible for the
effects your decisions have on you and on
others.
Planning for your future is not an easy

task. It is challenging, and it may be
difficult. It involves learning about and
knowing yourself.
This module deals with learning strategies, life roles, career development, and volunteerism. It
focuses on life-learning choices. These choices will help you learn to use resources effectively and to
manage and explore life roles and career choices. You will also develop learning strategies that will be
helpful in making positive lifestyle choices. You will create a personal portfolio, and you will examine
factors that can influence your future educational, life, and career plans. As well, you will look at what
you can do to promote community health.
Module 3: Life-Learning Choices
Section 1 Section 2
Learning Strategies Life Roles
6 Health and Life Skills 7

Assessment
Your mark will be determined by your work in the Assignment Booklets. In this module you are
expected to complete two section assignments. The mark distribution for the assignments in
Module 3 is as follows:
Assignment Booklet 3A
Section 1 Assignment 50 marks
Assignment Booklet 3B
Section 2 Assignment 50 marks
Total 100 marks
Be sure to check with your teacher if this mark allocation applies to you. Your teacher may include
other reviews and assignments.
Good luck!
Reminder: The Assignment Booklet for either Part A: Human Sexuality or Part B: Journal Project
must be submitted for assessment with your Module 3 Assignment Booklet 3B.
Health and Life Skills 7 7

S

ection 1
Learning Strategies
The way you learn affects you and your life. For example, knowing what
your learning style is can be helpful when making career choices.
Research shows there is a relationship between learning style and
interests. For instance, if you are interested in and enjoy collecting
and using facts, you may find that a career related to science and
mathematics is very appealing.
Understanding more about the way you learn helps improve your
study and organizational habits. You also learn more about yourself.
This section focuses on learning

strategies for making life-learning
choices. You will discover ways
to use your learning styles and
preferences to make choices about
healthy lifestyles, and you will
develop strategies for setting
and revising short-term and
long-term goals. You will
also examine effective
decision-making strategies.

L esson 1: How People Learn
What do you think about when you hear the word learning? Learning is an everyday activity. It can
include learning at school or on the job. It may even include learning how to play a sport such as
baseball. Natasha is learning how to play ball by listening to her grandfather’s explanation. She can
also read about playing ball, or she can learn to play ball by actually doing it.
Knowing how you learn, as well as understanding different learning styles, will increase your
understanding of yourself. This knowledge will enable you to learn in ways suitable for you.
Discovering your learning style will help you with your studies in school. It will also help you make
decisions about your future.
In this lesson you will examine the different ways that people learn. This should help you to
understand how an awareness of your personal learning style can improve your study strategies and
organizational skills.
Section 1: Learning Strategies 9

Learning Styles
Learning is part of your health. Even though you may think about learning as part
of your intellectual health, it is part of all aspects of your health. Effective learning
habits can have a positive impact on your physical, emotional, and social health as
well. Your learning style affects the way you tackle everything.
People learn in different ways. Do you know what your learning style is?
Why is it important for me to know what kind of

learner I am?
Knowing your learning style may help you

learn better and more efficiently. It might
also explain why some things are more
difficult for you to learn than others.

1. What do you already know about the ways that people learn? Think of the
different environments in which people learn, such as at home, with friends, in
a classroom, alone, with family, in the community, with sports teams, or with
other groups. In your notebook brainstorm a list of the different ways people
learn in these situations.
Compare your answer with the one at the end of this lesson.
Do you learn by listening, or do you prefer to learn by doing? Perhaps you learn by
reading or by looking at pictures or diagrams.
People who learn best by listening are

auditory learners: called auditory learners.
learners who prefer
to learn by listening
Those who learn best by reading or seeing pictures

visual learners: are visual learners.
learners who learn
best by reading or
seeing pictures
Individuals who learn best by

touching and doing things are called
kinesthetic learners: kinesthetic learners.
learners who learn
best by touching and
doing things

2. Identify the type of learner you are by responding to the following questions.
Choose the first answer that comes to your mind. Don’t think about it; just
write down the number and letter in your notebook. Count up the number of
each letter you have written to find out what kind of learner you are.
1. Which way would you rather learn how a computer works?
A. watching a video about it

B. listening to someone explain it
C. taking the computer apart and trying to figure it out for yourself
2. When you are not sure how to spell a word, which of these are you most likely to do?
A. write it out to see if it looks right

B. sound it out
C. write it out to sense how it feels
3. If you were at a party, what would you be most likely to remember the next day?
A. the faces of the people there, but not the names

B. the names, but not the faces
C. the things you did and said while you were there
4. How would you rather study for a test?
A. read notes, read headings in a book, and look at diagrams and illustrations
B. have someone ask you questions, or repeat facts silently to yourself
C. write notes out on index cards and make models or diagrams
5. What do you find most distracting when you are trying to concentrate?
A. visual distractions
B. noises
C. other sensations like hunger, tight shoes, or worry
6. How do you prefer to solve a problem?
A. make a list, organize the steps, and check them off as they are done
B. make a few phone calls and talk to friends or experts
C. make a model of the problem or walk through the steps in your mind
1
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill
Ryerson Ltd. 1998), 24–25. Reproduced by permission of McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

7. Which are you most likely to do while standing in a long line at the movies?
A. look at the posters advertising other movies

B. talk to the person next to you
C. tap your foot or move around in some other way
8. You have just entered a science museum. What will you do first?
A. find a map showing the locations of the various exhibits

B. talk to a museum guide and ask about exhibits
C. go into the first exhibit that looks interesting and read directions later
9. When you are happy, what are you most likely to do?
A. grin
B. shout with joy
C. jump for joy
10. Which would you rather go to?
A. an art class
B. a music class
C. an exercise class
11. Which of these do you do when you listen to music?
A. daydream (see images that go with the music)

B. hum along
C. move with the music and tap your foot
12. How would you rather tell a story?
A. write it
B. tell it out loud
C. act it out
13. Which kind of restaurant would you rather not go to?

A. one with the lights too bright
B. one with the music too loud
C. one with uncomfortable chairs
3. Why do people differ in the ways they prefer to learn?
4. What are three disadvantages of relying solely on one preferred learning style?
Compare your answers with those at the end of this lesson.

Right Brain or Left Brain?
The two different sides (right and left) of the brain
influence your learning style. The right side is
responsible for random and creative thinking. It
looks at wholes. The left side of the brain is used for
logical, rational, and analytical thinking. It looks at
parts. Being right brained does not mean you are
never logical. Likewise, being left brained does
not mean you are never creative. All it means is
that you tend to favour one side over the other.
It is just part of your personal learning style.
5. In your notebook write the question number

and an A or B for the answer that you would
most likely choose. Then total your A’s and B’s
to see if you are right brained or left brained.
1. Which is more true of you?
A. I am tense about getting things right.

B. I am relaxed and let things happen.
2. Which do you enjoy more about music?
A. I enjoy the beat.

B. I enjoy the melody.
3. Which way of learning do you like best?
A. I like learning from books and lectures.

B. I like learning from workshops and field trips.
4. Which of these two subjects do you like more?
A. I like math.
B. I like art.
5. When you buy something, do you make sure you have received the correct change?
A. Yes, I count it.

B. No, I do not count.
1
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill
Ryerson Ltd. 1998), 24–25. Reproduced by permission of McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

6. How do you figure things out?
A. I work on a piece at a time and then put it all together.

B. The answser comes to me all at once, as if a light going on.
7. Which would you rather do?
A. I would read.
B. I would watch television.
8. How are you at putting your feelings into words?
A. I am very good.
B. It is hard for me.
9. If you practise an instrument or a sport, how do you do it?
A. I do it the same time each day, for a certain amount of time.

B. I do it when I feel like it and have the time.
10. You are riding your bike to a friend’s house. You have never been there before.
Which method do you use to find your way?
A. I ask for directions and then write down street names and landmarks.
B. I ask for directions and then look at a map.
11. Which of these types of fabric do you prefer?
A. I prefer fabrics without much texture like cotton and denim.

B. I prefer fabrics with lots of texture like corduroy, suede, and velvet.
12. Are you good at remembering faces?
A. No, I am not good at remembering faces.

B. Yes, I am good at remembering faces.
13. Are you good at remembering names?
A. Yes, I am good at remembering names.

B. No, I am not good at remembering names.
14. How do you feel about psychic claims—that there is such a thing as ESP
(extrasensory perception), for example?
A. I think they are foolish and non-scientific.

B. Science cannot explain everything; they are worth looking into.

Success with Learning
Once you start to identify your learning preferences

and styles, you can apply them to your own
learning contexts: the learning contexts. Learning contexts are those
places and situations
in which one learns
places and situations in which you learn. Learning
contexts can be at home and at school. They can
also be anywhere in your community—where you
play sports, or simply hang around with your friends.
You are always learning.
Learning can also mean improving. Doing better in different learning contexts
begins with you. When you take a close look at your own strengths, needs, work
habits, and learning preferences, you can start to identify what works well already
and what you still need to make your learning more effective. There are, however,
always challenges to your learning.
Know Your Challenges

What are your learning
challenges? They are
one of the first things
to consider as you
apply your knowledge
to the ways you learn.
You might first decide
what you can work on
yourself. Then you can
determine what you
need help with. Teachers
and parents are good
resources to help you
identify what learning
challenges you may face.
6. To find out about your learning challenges, complete the questionnaire on the
following page.

Always Usually Sometimes Not Yet
I come to school every day. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I come to class on time. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I come to class with the materials I need. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I come to class prepared; e.g., textbook read,

assignment complete. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I leave my worries outside the classroom door. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I can follow written directions. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I can follow spoken directions. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I understand the new ideas the teacher presents. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I can focus my attention in class. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I contribute to class discussions. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I take accurate and detailed notes. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
My notebooks are organized and complete. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I am clear and concise when writing. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
My written work is accurate, legible, and organized. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I finish assignments within time limits. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I know when and who to ask for help. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I can sit still for long periods of time. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I do not distract or chat with others. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I remain calm and focused during tests. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒
I do well on tests. ❒ ❒ ❒ ❒

Build on Your Strengths
Knowing your strengths can
help you overcome learning
challenges. It also boosts your
confidence. The first part of
this lesson helped you identify
ways that you learn best. This
information can be used to help
you choose assignment options,
find ways to study, or make
suggestions to your teacher. If
you have identified a strength
that you have, such as drawing
or playing a particular sport,
working at this skill can be
advantageous to you.
Study Strategies
Being organized with your study habits brings amazing results. Just as a mechanic
must be organized when repairing a vehicle, you, as a student, must be organized
when learning.
The following study strategies are keys to successful learning, no matter what
subject you are studying.
• Work in a spot at home where there is little or no disruption and where the
light is good. These conditions allow you to concentrate on what you are
doing.
• Prepare a schedule, and stick to it. Allow for breaks and special events that
occur during the week. It is a good idea to plan a five-minute break every
half hour.
• Have a notebook for keeping track of assignments and exams.
• Manage your time wisely. Make studying and doing homework your number
one priority! Study when it’s time to study; play when it’s time to play.
• Don’t fall behind in your studies. Do assigned homework daily. Follow up

classroom work with studying the same subject that evening. If you realize
there is something you do not understand, ask your teacher for help.
Sometimes this may mean seeking help from your teacher after class.

• Take notes, and concentrate on what your
teacher is saying. Place your notes in a book
or binder. Organize them immediately after
class while the ideas are fresh in your mind.
Review them that same evening.
• Review information frequently. Information

is retained best if it is recalled within 24 hours.
If it is recalled again within a week, the
memory lingers longer.
• Prepare for tests and examinations in

advance. Review your study notes. Set up a
study schedule. Listen for study tips from
your teacher about what will be on the exam.
Ask your teacher what type of exam it will be.
• Have a study buddy. This is someone who can help you review material and
study for tests. This person also collects handouts and takes notes when you
are absent from class.
• Offer yourself a reward when you are finished studying. For example, play
your music, watch your favourite television program, go for a walk, or have a
snack that you really enjoy.
7. In your notebook create a web of your preferred ways of learning. For each
preferred way of learning, indicate one or two ways you like to study, gather
information, and complete assignments.
The following charts describe the three learning styles

you read about in the first part of this lesson. They
look at each learning style from the perspective of
studying and learning in school. Each list has some tips
for helping the learner do better. The most important
thing to remember is to do what works for you!

Learning Styles and Study Habits
Visual learners have to see something to remember it.
Visual learners often . . . Visual learners may benefit from . . .
• need to see the information to remember it • graphics such as films, slides, illustrations,
• have a strong sense of colour doodles, charts, notes, and flashcards
• have artistic ability • colour coding for organizing notes
• have difficulty with spoken directions • using written directions
• overreact to sounds • using flow charts and diagrams for
• have trouble following lectures note taking
• misinterpret words • visualizing spelling of words or facts to be
memorized
• writing out everything for quick and
frequent visual review
If auditory learners hear something, they remember it.
Auditory learners often . . . Auditory learners may benefit from . . .
• prefer to get information by listening • using tapes for reading and taking notes
• have difficulty following written directions • learning by interviewing or by participating
• have difficulty with reading and writing in discussions
• summarizing on tape what was read
• reviewing spelling words and lectures
verbally with a partner
If kinesthetic learners touch something with their hands, they will remember it.
Kinesthetic learners often . . . Kinesthetic learners may benefit from . . .
• prefer hands-on learning • participating in experiential learning

• can assemble parts without reading (making models, doing lab work, and
directions role-playing)
• have difficulty sitting still • having frequent breaks while studying
• learn better when physical activity is • tracing letters and words to learn spelling
involved and remember facts
• may be very well co-ordinated and have • using a computer to reinforce learning
athletic ability through a sense of touch
• memorizing or drilling facts to be learned
while walking or exercising
• writing out facts to be learned several times

8. List some of the study habits you practise. For each habit, identify a learning
style it relates to. (It could relate to more than one.)
Personal Capacity for Learning

Have you ever heard the phrase the power of positive
thinking and wondered what it meant?
Positive thinking means that you adopt a way of

looking at the world that is optimistic. That means
you see the good and try to build on it.
By using the power of positive thinking, you can

improve your ability to learn. Positive thinking is a
capacity: the ability tool for increasing your capacity to learn.
or the power of the
mind; what you are
capable of doing and 9. Brainstorm a list of the strategies you use for
achieving
positive thinking.
Tools for Extending Your Learning Capacity

There are many things you can do to extend your personal capacity for learning.
You can do any of the following:
affirmation: a strong, • affirmation of your strengths and abilities

firm declaration that
something is true
• self-talk in a positive way about yourself
• take care of yourself
self-talk:
communication of
• reduce stress caused by school
thoughts to oneself
Affirmation
When you affirm, you talk positively about yourself and your abilities. Affirmations
reinforce your own belief in your strengths and abilities. An affirmation is a
strong, firm declaration that something is true, for example, “I am a hard worker.”
Personalize your affirmations with words such as I, me, and my. Make your
affirmations short and easy to remember. Repeat them often. That way positive
thinking becomes routine.

Self-Talk
Self-talk is the communication of positive or negative thoughts to yourself. To
extend your personal capacity for learning, you must believe in yourself and
encourage yourself through positive self-talk. Use affirmations such as
• “I can do it if I try!”
• “I am a hard worker!”
• “I can learn this.”
Self-Care
Taking care of yourself helps extend your
capacity for learning. Since your brain
works better if it is fueled by protein
and energy, it is important to eat a
good breakfast and lunch. If you need
nutritious snacks to keep you going, have
them readily available. Get enough sleep
at night. Arrange to have enough time to
relax and have fun.
You probably have a natural rhythm, so

you might want to take advantage of it.
If you’re wide awake at 6 a.m., try to get
in an hour of studying before school. If
you’re a night owl, it might be better for
you to study after supper. Whatever the
case, don’t fight your own cycle—use it!
Stress Reduction
Handling stress in a positive way can include strategies and choices such as the
following:
• Match your strengths to your course selections, where you can.

• Begin an assignment right after it is assigned.
• Break up assignments into smaller, more manageable parts.
• Build into your schedule times for relaxing and having fun.
• Ask for help when you need it.
You may experience roadblocks when learning. Roadblocks tell you that you can’t
go further on the path you are on. If you meet a roadblock, you need to stop, back
up, and find a different way around.

10. Complete the following chart. In the first column, list some of the roadblocks
to successful learning that you might experience in a typical day. In the second
column, suggest a strategy that you can use to overcome the roadblock and
improve your capacity to learn. An example is provided for you.
Roadblocks Strategies
test anxiety reduce stress by relaxing
To discover more about learning strategies, ask your friends and parents what kinds
of strategies they use to learn successfully in different settings such as work and
school. Compare their strategies with your personal experiences. You may also wish
to investigate resources that help people learn that are available to you in your
community and surrounding area. Collect information about these resources, and
create a guidebook to learning in your community. Examples of services available
include the following:
• courses or programs offered by school districts that focus on study skills and
effective learning strategies
• programs offered by community centres to people who want to learn new

things
• learning programs that focus on developing skills in particular areas such as

computers, mathematics, and language development
Search for additional information on learning styles. If you are using the Internet
for your search, use the keywords learning styles inventory, online learning styles
inventory, or learning styles. Your local library is another excellent place to find
books and articles that discuss learning styles and preferences. Summarize the
information you find in a chart with the following headings.
Resource What I Learned

A Career Choice for You
Teachers play a vital role in the development of kids. What children learn and
experience during their early years can shape their view of themselves and the
world. It can also affect future success or failure in school, work, and their
personal lives.
If you are interested in a career as a teacher, you may want to do some research.
First, you could ask some of your teachers about their careers. If you have a relative
or friend who is a teacher, find out from him or her what teaching is like. Next, you
could explore this option at the following website:
http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo
Then click on “Search by Title” and enter a keyword search of the career choice you
would like to research.
Volunteering
There are many ways to become
involved in teaching others to learn
more effectively. Getting involved
with younger children on sports
teams, with community programs,
or as a mentor provides great
experiences for anyone interested in
becoming a teacher. Communities
and schools are always looking for
people to become involved in such
programs.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. There are strategies
you can use to increase your personal capacity to learn. These strategies
involve understanding your learning preferences and styles, applying what
you know about yourself to your study and organizational habits, and
developing tools to increase your success. Learning effectively has benefits
for all areas of your health: physical, emotional, social, and intellectual.
Complete one of the following entries in your journal:
• I can understand more about ways that I learn by . . .

• I can understand other people better by . . .
• My study and organizational habits and skills have improved because . . .
• When I complete an assignment, I rely on my learning preferences to . . .
• When I use tools like affirmations and self-talk I feel . . .
Be sure to express your own ideas and opinions and support them with
personal examples. Now, assess your journal entry using the scale that
follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
Undeveloped Partial Adequate Interesting Powerful
If you are comfortable doing so, share your journal writing with a friend, a
parent, or another interested adult. Ask this person for his or her reaction.
In Lesson 1 you explored the different learning styles—visual, auditory, and

kinesthetic. As well, you studied some strategies that can be used to extend your
personal capacity for learning. They include affirming your strengths and abilities,
self-talking in a positive way, taking care of yourself, and reducing stress.
Now open Assignment Booklet 3A and respond to questions 1 to 6.

Remember that the answers you submit in your Assignment Booklet will
contribute to your mark in this course, so be sure to do your best work.

Glossary
affirmation: a strong, firm declaration that kinesthetic learners: learners who learn
something is true best by touching and doing things
auditory learners: learners who prefer to learning contexts: the places and situations
learn by listening in which one learns
capacity: the ability or power of the mind; self-talk: communication of thoughts to

what you are capable of doing and oneself
achieving
visual learners: learners who learn best by
reading or seeing pictures
Suggested Answers
1. Your list of ways that people learn could include any of the following:
•
learning through practising behaviours, for example, sports drills or dance moves
•
learning through watching others demonstrate an activity, such as a sports coach
or a music instructor
•
learning by doing, for example, fishing or knitting
•
learning by listening
•
learning by interacting with others
2. 1.–13. Your totals indicate the following:
• If you scored mostly A’s, you have a visual learning style. You learn by seeing and
looking.
• If you scored mostly B’s, you have an auditory learning style. You learn by hearing
and listening.
• If you had mostly C’s, you have a kinesthetic learning style. You learn by touching
and doing.
• If you picked two responses about the same number of times, you depend on both of
those learning styles.
1
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. 1998),
25. Reproduced by permission of McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

3. People differ in the ways they prefer to learn because they have different experiences,
interests, and strengths. People’s brains process information differently. All of these can
affect the ways they learn.
4. Relying solely on one preferred learning style has the following disadvantages:
•
It does not allow you to adapt to different teaching styles.
•
It can prevent you from trying different experiences.
•
It can prevent you from learning new things.
•
It can decrease your chances of success in different classes or courses.
•
It can prevent you from working effectively with those having different learning styles.
5. 1.–14. Left-brained responses are A’s; right-brained responses are B’s.
•
Twelve or more A’s or B’s means you strongly prefer that side of your brain.
•
Nine A’s or B’s means you somewhat prefer that side of your brain.
•
Seven of each means you use both sides of your brain equally.
6. Your responses to this question in the inventory will vary. Do this inventory again
during your school year to see how your in-class skills have improved.
7. The ideas in your web will vary. Ensure that you include your preferred ways of
learning by indicating your learning styles and strengths. You may not show a
complete preference for one learning style. For each preferred way of learning, did
you indicate one or two ways that you like to study, gather information, and complete
assignments? For example, if you are a visual learner, you may like to study in a quiet
place away from noises. To help you study for an exam, you may like to visualize the
information as a picture. You may also use colour to highlight important points in your
study notes. To do your assignments, you may use visual materials such as pictures,
charts, maps, and graphs.
8. You may practise some of the study habits from the following list. The corresponding
learning styles are provided in parentheses.
•
having a study area (visual, auditory, or kinesthetic)
•
having a quiet area where there are no interruptions (visual or kinesthetic)
•
working with a partner to review and study (auditory, visual, or kinesthetic)
•
using a calendar to track your work (visual)
•
writing notes or drawing pictures to help you study (visual)
•
recording ideas using tape recorder to help you study (auditory)
•
standing or pacing once in a while (kinesthetic)
•
listening to music while you study (auditory)

9. Your list of strategies for positive thinking may include ways of learning that involve
physical, emotional, social, and intellectual strategies. Does your list include any of
the ideas that are on the following list?
•
exercising and being active to feel good about myself
•
dealing effectively with my emotions
•
talking positively to myself
•
avoiding gossip or other negative discussion
•
complimenting and being positive about my friends, family, and classmates
•
imagining myself experiencing success
•
offering constructive solutions instead of complaining
•
relaxing before stressful events, such as a test
•
using a decision-making model that helps me make decisions
10. You may have listed many different roadblocks in the first column of your chart. These
roadblocks can affect your physical, emotional, social, and intellectual health. Look at
the following list made by a student to see if your list includes similar ideas.
•
being nervous about a test when I wake up in the morning
•
being tired during my morning classes because I did not get enough sleep
•
experiencing bullying or teasing from other students during the lunch hour
•
having trouble working with a group in my afternoon classes
•
being frustrated with my brother or sister
In the second column of your chart, you may have listed some of the following
strategies to overcome your roadblocks and improve your capacity to learn:
•
affirming my strengths and abilities • ensuring I get enough sleep
•
taking care of myself • finding a quiet place to work
•
reducing my stress levels • seeking help from bullying
•
self-talking in a positive way
Image Credits
All images in this lesson were created by or for Alberta Education with the following noted
exceptions:
Page
9 Photodisc/Getty Images 16 bottom: Brendan Byrne/Digital Vision/Getty
10 top: Brendan Byrne/Digital Vision/Getty Images Images
bottom, left: Kevin Peterson/Photodisc/Getty 18 Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Images 19 both: Photodisc/Getty Images
bottom, right: Photodisc/Getty Images 21 Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
11 all: Photodisc/Getty Images 22 Photodisc/Getty Images
14 Photodisc/Getty Images 24 top: Photodisc/Getty Images
16 top: Photodisc/Getty Images bottom: Geoff Manasse/Photodisc/Getty Images

L esson 2: Setting Goals
Goals are like an airline ticket—they take you where you want to go. They signify what you value and
what you are striving toward. Goals serve as a guide to action. Achieving your goals is essential for
personal growth and continued learning.
Your family, friends, neighbours, school, and community can benefit from the goals you set for
yourself. For instance, if one of your goals is to participate more in the community, you might end
up taking part in the spring clean-up activities. In this way, you will have a positive impact on your
neighbourhood. Your goals should address all parts of your life—your family, your school work, your
free time, your social and personal life, and your community.
You may have already set some goals for yourself. These goals may be both short term and long term.
Your goals will change as you learn more about yourself, change, and grow. Revising your goals as you
reach different milestones in your life is an important part of growing up.

What Is a Goal?
A goal is something you want to accomplish. It is
an end that you are willing to work for. While your
goals may include things that you dream about,
a goal should be attainable. It is important not to
set a goal that is impossible to achieve. It is also
important to remember that goals often need to
be adjusted or revised as you grow and change. In
setting goals, you need to be realistic about who
you are and what your strengths and abilities are.
A goal should be meaningful. It should agree with
your values—the guiding principles for leading
your life.
1. What are some goals you have already set

for yourself? After each goal, indicate in
parentheses what aspect of your health
(physical, emotional, social, or intellectual) the goal pertains to.
Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Goals may be either short term or long term. Goals that are short term are
important right now and can be achieved in short periods of time. An example of a
short-term goal is having your chores done by ten o’clock Saturday morning so
you can spend the rest of the day at the waterslide with your friends. Deciding that
you are going to get an A on your math test next week is another example of a
short-term goal.
Short-term goals may or may not lead to long-term goals. For example, the
short-term goal of getting an A on your math test may lead to the long-term goal of
passing to the next grade.
Long-term goals set a direction for your life. It is not too early to start thinking
about your long-term goals. Just going to school daily or completing this course can
be a step towards a future goal. A long-term goal such as finishing high school is a
realistic goal for you at this stage of your life. You may also have other long-term
goals that involve your interests, abilities, and strengths. For instance, you might
have a long-term goal to play on a professional sports team or to become an artist.
Choosing a career is also a long-term goal. You have to plan it in advance and work
toward it over a number of years.

Setting Short-Term Goals
Setting short-term goals involves identifying what you want to accomplish in the
very near future and taking immediate action. Look at the following example.
Setting a Short-Term Goal for Myself

My Goal • My goal is to organize all the things I have to do today in my courses.
Time Frame • I want to achieve my goal in a half hour.
• Make a chart that shows all the things I have to do for my courses today.
• Identify what is most important.
• Make a list of the priorities by numbering items from most important to
Method
least important.
• Keep track of my priorities throughout the day by checking off things I
complete.
Beneficial • I am a visual learner, so I like to use charts to help me organize my
Resources thinking.
• The chart worked well to help me organize and prioritize what I had to do.
Evaluation • Next time, I could use a separate chart for each subject area, or I could
colour code my list of priorities for each subject area.
Setting Long-Term Goals

Long-term goals are important to the future, so they are usually achieved over long
periods of time. Look at the following example.
Setting a Long-Term Goal for Myself

My Goal • My goal is to decide what courses I will take in high school.
Time Frame • I want to achieve my goal by the end of grade 9.
• Obtain a high school course guide.
• Talk to someone who can help me understand the course guide.
• Identify the courses in high school I may want to take.
Method • Determine the grades I will need to qualify for the courses I have chosen.
• Take steps to improve my grades now so I can qualify for the courses I
have selected.
Beneficial • I am most interested in mathematics and the sciences.
Resources • I learn well by doing. I love doing experiments and solving problems.
• I have improved my grades in some of my subjects, but I need to raise
them in other subjects by the time I finish grade 9.
• I will keep track of all of my grades in all courses to make sure I know how
Evaluation
I am doing in the subjects I want to improve in.
• I will keep a list of good study habits in my binder to remind myself of
ways to improve my grades.

Characteristics of Successful Goals
If the goals that you set for yourself are to be successfully reached, they must be
specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time based.
To help you remember these characteristics, think of the acronym SMART. Each
letter represents a characteristic of a successful goal.
2. Do the goals that you set for yourself have the SMART characteristics? Look at
the goals you listed in question 1 and determine their characteristics.
Goal-Setting Strategies
Use the following steps to help you set your goals:
• Decide on your goals and list them. Set

only three to six at a time so they don’t
overwhelm you. List only those goals you
want. Do not list those you think others
expect of you. Make sure your goals are
achievable and realistic. If you are having
difficulty determining your goals, it is a good
idea to daydream about what you would
like to accomplish. This can help you with
everything from improving your baseball
game, relating better to other people, to
planning your career.
• Decide on the time frame (day, month, year) for reaching your goal. It is
also an excellent idea to specify timelines for the small tasks you will need to
undertake in order to achieve your goal.
• Develop a workable action plan to achieve your goals. Your action plan should
be very specific and detailed. Identify small, manageable steps that build
toward reaching your goal. Following many small steps is the easiest way to
accomplish goals. Have you left your homework until late Sunday night even
though you had all weekend to do it? To avoid putting things off, assign a
specific time on your action plan.
• Indicate which of your resources (interests, aptitudes, and/or skills) you can
use to help you achieve your goal(s).

• Revise your goals and plans, if necessary. You might need to revise your goals
and action steps. If something is not working, look at other options. Do not be
afraid to admit mistakes. Learning from mistakes keeps you growing. It forces
you to come up with new ideas. Try the task again, or ask for help.
• Evaluate your progress and achievement. Are you completing the action-plan
steps? Have you accomplished your goals? How do you feel when you have
accomplished a goal? You probably feel very good; your self-esteem and
confidence increase when you accomplish what you set out to do. Do not be
discouraged if you do not meet your goals or follow your action plan. Try to
carry on from where you left off.
Never
Give Up
My goals are set. My reach is far and strong

I aim for the highest star in my own sky
Confidence is overflowing.
The key to success I hold tightly in my hand.
I start my journey.
But the star seems too high, the journey too tough.
Can I attain my dream?
My reach weakens but my arms are still outstretched.
I wipe my tears and flex my heart. I am stronger.
I won’t give up.
Firmly in my grasp is the key—the key called perseverance.
–Erin Misener, Mount Albert, Ontario 1
• If you are close to achieving a goal, but cannot seem to reach it, you may
need to figure out how to go around the roadblock. Evaluate each one of your
action steps. Are you following them? Are they helping you to achieve your
goal? Another way to evaluate your progress is to maintain a journal where
you write only about your goals.
1
Erin Misener, “Never Give Up” in Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson
Ltd. 1998), 37. Reproduced with permission from McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

3. a. In your notebook create a chart like the one that follows. The first column
shows five different aspects of your life. The second shows an example
of each aspect. Use the following information to help you complete the
remaining columns:
•
To fill in the first empty column, refer to the list of goals you created
earlier in this lesson. Are they specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and time based? Your goals can be short-term or long-term goals.
•
In the second empty column, indicate how you would change or revise
those goals now. Have any circumstances changed? Are they still
important?
•
In the last empty column of the chart, identify what you know about
yourself that will help you in achieving these goals. Consider your
learning styles, skills, and strengths.
Useful
Learning
Sample My Initial My Revised
Life Aspects Styles,
Goals Goals Goals
Skills, and
Strengths
I will find a
Personal positive thing
Self-Development that happens
every day.
I will improve my
School
mark in science.
I will do one fun

Social and thing with my
Leisure friend at least
once a week.
I will fight less

Family
with my brother.
I will improve the

Community cleanliness of my
community.

b.
Write a short paragraph responding to the following questions:
•
How have your goals been changed and revised?
•
Why might these new goals need to be revisited over the next year?
How might they change?
•
Why is it important to revisit and revise goals as you grow and mature?
Strategies for Setting Study Goals

Setting regular goals to improve work habits will help you become a more
successful student. Consider using the following strategies in class:
• Arrive on time for class.
• Listen carefully to the teacher.
• Avoid distraction—talking to friends,

daydreaming, passing notes, or dozing.
• Determine what is important and record

it in your notebook.
• Listen long enough to be sure you

understand what was said before writing
notes.
• Finish all assignments and make sure

that they are handed in.
• Ask questions to clarify things you don’t

understand.
• Prepare a list for completing assignments, reviewing notes, and studying for
exams.

Consider using the following strategies at home:
• Each night organize for the next day such things as file papers, schedule,
calendar, and weekly goals.
• Use a calendar for recording due dates for assignment and tests.
• Store your basic school supplies, such as pens, pencils, erasers, markers,
notebooks, and highlighters, near your study area.
• Break larger assignments into smaller parts. Set deadlines for finishing each
part.
• Choose an appropriate place to study—one that is quiet and free from

distractions such as a television, a stereo, or other family activities.
4. a. Do you follow most of these study strategies in class and at home?
b.
Of the ones you are not presently following, which would you like to start
using? Why?
Choose one of the goals you identified in this lesson. Illustrate this goal on a poster.
Include at least three resources that would help you plan and reach this goal.
To learn more about setting goals, ask other people about what kinds of goals
they set for themselves. Ask your friends and parents about their goals and the
goal-setting strategies they use, and then compare them with your goals.

What Can the Community Do?
Your community can help support activities that encourage young people to set
goals and work hard to achieve them. People in your community and surrounding
area may do the following:
• Volunteer as mentors to teens with similar interests, and share goals and
accomplishments.
• Reward local teens who have accomplished significant goals by featuring them
in the local media.
Investigate services and agencies related to helping people set goals and achieving
their potential that are available in your community and surrounding area.
Some good examples of these organizations include Weight Watchers, Alcoholics
Anonymous, 4-H, or Toastmasters. Collect information about these services and
agencies, and create a reference binder or a brochure that will become your own
guide to setting and revisiting your goals.
5. Interview a person from one of these types of organizations. Ask about the
methods that the agency or organization uses to help people set and achieve
its goals. Use a format similar to the one in Module 1: Section 1, Lesson 1 to
organize and record your interview information. Share your interview results
with a friend, a parent, or another interested adult. Tell this person what you
learned that you did not know before the interview.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. Almost everyone has dreams
for the future, but dreams will not come about simply because you want
them to. If you want something to happen, you have to set goals that are
realistic. Then you have to work toward them. Each goal must be clearly
stated and be measurable so you can tell whether you have achieved it.
• I feel good when I achieve a goal because . . .

• The areas of my life that are a priority right now are . . .
• Sometimes my goals need to be revised or changed because . . .
personal examples.
Now, assess your journal entry using the scale that follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
In this lesson you learned about the importance of setting goals. You were given
some goal-setting strategies. As well, you examined the difference between
short-term and long-term goals. To be successful goals, both must be
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time based
You now have some tools to set successful goals for yourself.

Suggested Answers
1. The goals you brainstorm may include some of the following:
• eating a more balanced breakfast (physical)

• exercising at least once a day (physical)
• talking to a counsellor about ways to manage anger (emotional)
• writing in a journal at least one positive thing that happened each day
(emotional)
• making one new friend by the end of the month (social)
• spending more time with a friend (social)
• calling a relative on the phone at least once a month (social)
• improving marks in social studies (intellectual)
• reading a novel by the end of the month (intellectual)
• decreasing the amount of time spent watching television (intellectual)
2. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time based.
Following is an example of a goal to save enough money to buy a present for your
brother’s birthday on November 2.
•
specific—It’s just one present for one person.
•
measurable—If your brother gets a present from you, you were successful!
•
achievable—You have sources of money from baby-sitting or from your allowance.
•
realistic—The present isn’t too expensive, and you’ve left yourself enough time.
•
time based—It has a clear date: your brother’s birthday is on November 2.
3. a. The goals you identify in your chart will vary. Check that your chart addresses the
following:
•
Are your goals stated clearly using “I” statements?
•
Are your goals appropriate for the life areas identified in the chart?
•
Can your goals realistically be achieved?
•
Can you measure your success with each goal? How might you do this?
•
Have you identified the learning styles, skills, and strengths that you would
use to work toward achieving each of your goals?

b.
The ideas in your paragraph will vary, depending on the types of goals you have
identified for yourself and your life situation. Look at your paragraph to see if you
have considered the following ideas:
•
Goals may change as you grow and set different priorities for yourself. Goals
may also change as your life situations change, for example, if you move or
change schools, or if your family changes.
•
You may meet some of your goals and decide to replace them with others.
•
You may revise goals as your interests change or as you develop skills and
strengths in new areas of your life.
•
You may think about strategies you could use to keep track of your goals so
that you can look at them again in a set period of time. For example, you
may keep a goals notebook or journal, or you may decide to use a file on your
computer for recording your goals.
4. a. Responses will depend on individual goals and study strategies. Are the strategies
that you use similar to those listed?
b.
Hopefully, you will start using the strategies that you are not currently using. Did
you explain clearly why you will start using them?
5. Did you gather some interesting information from your interview? Were you able to
share your interview results with a friend, a parent, or another interested adult? What
did you learn that you did not know before the interview?
Image Credits
exceptions:
Page
29 Photodisc/Getty Images 35 Photodisc/Getty Images
30 Eyewire/Getty Images 36 Photodisc/Getty Images
32 Photodisc/Getty Images 37 Photodisc/Getty Images
33 Photodisc/Getty Images

L esson 3: Making Decisions
Decisions, decisions, decisions! Every day of your life you make hundreds of choices. Some of them
are big, such as buying an outfit for an important occasion. Others, such as deciding which pen to
use, seem so small you hardly give any thought to them. Big or little, you are responsible for all
decisions that you make.
When you were young, many of your decisions were made for you. As you grow older, however, you
are expected to make more and more of your own decisions and to be in charge of yourself. Making
decisions influences all aspects of your life—physical, emotional, social, and intellectual. Making
effective decisions involves taking responsibility. You have to accept personal responsibility for the
decisions you make. After all, they are yours. Of course, some of your decisions will be better than
others, but regardless of the consequences—good or bad—you must live with your choices or change
them if you can. An important part of growing up is learning not to blame others for your own actions
and decisions.
In this lesson you will investigate the factors that influence your decision making. You will examine
the difference between choosing to engage in an activity and being coerced into doing something.

Influences on Decision Making
Decision making is a part of life. Decisions such as choosing to order milk or pop at
a restaurant are not complicated. They are done without much thinking. Others are
more difficult and require some thought over a long period of time. For example,
making a decision about whether or not you should smoke affects your health and
personal well-being. Such a decision requires conscious thought and investigation.
When you make decisions, you can be influenced by a variety of factors as shown in
the following web.
spiritual
shelter beliefs
beliefs
food clothing and values
Physical Emotional
heritage self-concept
and and
customs Influences on Decision Making self-esteem
Social
family
rules and peer
expectations pressure
Intellectual
decision-making
goals and problem-solving
strategies
Some of these influences can help you make wise decisions. Others can lead to poor
decisions. For example, friends who urge you to get home on time are helping you
make a wise decision. On the other hand, friends who tell you not to worry about
being home on time are influencing you to make a poor decision.
1. a. In your notebook create a chart like the one that follows. Brainstorm
examples of choices you have made this week, this month, and this year.
Time Frame Choices
This Week
This Month
This Year

b.
Check each choice. Was this a choice you made yourself, or was it a choice
you were influenced or required to make?
Making Your Own Decisions

Making decisions can be as natural as breathing. Just as athletes or singers learn
to breathe more effectively, you can learn to expand your thinking skills so that
you can make better decisions for yourself. One way to do this is to ask yourself
questions that help you think things through. This means considering the factors
that are influencing your decision. For example, you might wonder whether or
not you should sign up for soccer. To decide, you might ask yourself the following:
What are the factors that will influence whether or not I can play soccer?
The first thing that might occur to you is that you won’t have time for soccer
because you already play basketball. Then you can look at the basketball schedule
and compare it to your current schedule of activities. You can make up a plan that
includes how you will get to and from practices and games.
If you are busy and short of time, you might say, “No, I can’t play soccer because
I’m already too busy.” But, after some careful consideration, you might say instead,
“I can play soccer, but my life is already busy and I may have to give up basketball. I
need to think this through carefully.”

It is useful to brainstorm the pros and cons of making your decisions. Pros are the
advantages and cons are the disadvantages of a situation. Questions such as the
following can help you:
• What other factors in my life have an influence on this decision?

• What do I like most about soccer or basketball?
• Is there anything I would miss if I quit basketball?
• Why do I want to play soccer so much?
• If I quit basketball, what will happen to the registration fees I’ve already paid?
• If I don’t play soccer, does that mean that I can’t register for the summer camp?
2. a. Identify a situation in which you had to make a decision. Describe the

situation and your decision in a few sentences in your notebook.
b.
In your notebook create a chart similar to the one that follows. Then use the
questions in the chart to analyze the decision you just described.
Thoughts While Making Thoughts After

the Decision the Decision
How much free Am I pleased

choice did I with my
have? decision?
How does this

Would I decide
decision affect
this way again?
others?
Was this Did the

decision decision turn
influenced by out the way I
others? wanted?
Were any of the

What
alternatives
alternatives
better than the
did I have?
one I chose?

Choice or Coercion
Not all decisions you make are choices you make
freely. Sometimes you have to accept the decisions
of others. For example, your family moves to a
different community because your mother has
accepted a job there. Or, you wear a bike helmet
because laws have been enacted to ensure the
safety of bicycle riders. Other times, you may feel
pressured into making a decision that you do not
coercion: a decision really want to make. This is coercion.
that has been
influenced by
pressure, force, or
threat of another
action
What is coercion? I’ve heard the word before, but I

am not exactly sure what it means.
Coercion means a decision has been

made, but it is influenced by pressure,
force, or threat of another action. Coercion involves
strongly influencing someone to make a choice or
to act in a certain way. The person is not really able
to choose freely. This is very different from having a
choice: a decision choice. Choice refers to the opportunity, ability, or
that involves the
opportunity, ability,
privilege of choosing something freely.
or privilege of
choosing something
freely
Can you think of one example of when you freely made a choice
and one example of when you were coerced into making one?
An example of a choice I made for myself is when I

decided what clothes to buy with the money I got
for my birthday. An example of when I experienced
coercion was once when I actually stayed and
watched a horror movie that I hated. I only stayed
because my brother and sister teased me about
being chicken.

With all decisions you must learn to identify when it is important to say yes and
when it is important to say no. Here are some factors to consider:
• It is important that you realize when you have to accept the decisions made
for you by others, such as your friends, parents, or teachers; for example,
when one of your parents tells you that your homework must be done before
you watch television.
• It is also important to be able to respect and accept no when you ask others to
make a decision or choice; for example, saying “I understand” when a friend
tells you that he can’t stay after school because he has to go home to look
after his younger sister.
3. In your notebook create a diagram like the one that follows. Compare and
contrast the meaning of choice and coercion by defining each one in the
appropriate circle. Place the similarities between the two in the space where the
two circles intersect.
Choice Coercion
4. a. Brainstorm a list of statements that people use to pressure others, such as

“Everybody’s doing it!”
b.
How can these statements be considered coercion?

Learning to Say No
Just as you can develop strategies for learning and for setting goals, there are a
number of techniques you can use to practise saying and accepting no. You should
also be aware that other people can use these strategies to say no to you. In these
cases, accept their no respectfully.
Saying No What to Do/What to Say
Say no in a way that expresses respect and

courtesy. Simply look the person in the
Be direct. eye and say, “No, thanks,” or “No, I’m not
interested,” or “Not today.” This leaves the
door open for good relations.
Make a funny comment that will end the

conversation. For example, if asked if you
want to do drugs, say, “Sorry, I’m on a
Use humour.
drug-free diet.” Other funny comments can
be “No, no, a thousand times no” or “ I’ll say
it slowly for you, nnnnooo.”
Think of ways to change the focus of the

situation. When asked to smoke some
Change the subject.
marijuana, you could say, “No, let’s watch my
new video instead.”
Plan a way to leave an uncomfortable

situation. For example, when asked if you
Walk away.
want a cigarette, you can say no and walk
away while saying it.
Pass the responsibility off by giving a reason

or an excuse. For example, when asked if you
Give a reason or an excuse.
would like a drink, you can say, “No thanks, I
don’t drink because I have an allergy.”
5. What are some strategies you have used to deal with coercion? How do you say
no to others? Create a list of some of the strategies you have used in the past.
You may find it helpful to review the REFUSE strategies in Module 1 before
answering this question.

6. a. Use file cards to write down three different scenarios in which someone said
no to you. Describe what happened, but do not describe your feelings when
the person said no. Share your scenario with a friend, a parent, or other
interested adult. Discuss the refusal skill used by the person saying no.
Discuss how you as the person receiving the no might feel. Record the ideas
that came up from your discussions.
b.
Use the file cards to create a short role-play script in which one person
uses a refusal skill to say no and another person accepts the no graciously
and respectfully. You can use different file cards for each character in your
role-play. Ask a friend, parent, or other interested adult to enact the
role-play with you.
In your notebook create two storyboards of three frames each. In the first
storyboard, make a sketch that depicts a situation in which it is difficult to say no
to something or someone. Have the main character describe what should be done.
In the second storyboard, make a sketch that illustrates a situation in which it is

difficult to accept no for an answer. Again, have the main character describe what
should be done.
A storyboard is a series of drawings showing the frames in a cartoon strip. It

establishes an order for the events. The drawings in a storyboard are sketches. They
do not have to be artistic renditions; stick figures will do just fine.
Decision Making Within the Community

Within a community and its surrounding areas, there are many individuals who
have to make important decisions. Investigate how people make effective decisions
in their workplaces as well as in the community. Collect information on different
decision-making models, and create a brochure that will become your guide to
decision making. Following is a list of people you might contact:
• people who work in local businesses who make effective choices in their daily
business
• people who work or volunteer in community programs who have to make

effective choices for their communities
• a doctor or counsellor who employs effective strategies for decision making

and decision assessment

7. Plan to interview a person at one of these facilities. Ask questions like these:
•
How are decisions made?
•
Who is responsible for the important decisions?
•
Do people make decisions alone?
Use a format similar to the one in Module 1: Section 1: Lesson 1 to organize and
record your interview information. Share your interview results with a friend, a
parent, or another interested adult. Tell this person what you learned that you
did not know before the interview.
Volunteering
Making decisions is an important part of the volunteer experience. When you
volunteer your time and/or energy for a project, you often have to make decisions.
Using effective decision-making strategies whether you participate in community

programs or you play on sports teams helps you interact with others more
smoothly in all areas of your life.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. Many factors can influence
your decision making. Some of your decisions are strongly influenced by
adults in your life. Many others are within your control. The factors that
influence decision making can have both positive and negative impacts on
your life. You can learn skills and strategies to make positive health choices
and to deal effectively with negative influences such as coercion.
• I can make my own decision about . . .

• The decisions I make that help meet my goals include . . .
• I deal with negative influences on my decision making by . . .
• I counter coercion with . . .
• I feel good when I make positive decisions because . . .
• I feel most comfortable using refusal strategies that include . . .
personal examples.
Now, assess your journal entry using the scale that follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
In this lesson you examined influences on decision making and how to make
decisions. You explored the difference between choice and coercion. You also
developed strategies for saying no.

Glossary
choice: a decision that involves the coercion: a decision that has been
opportunity, ability, or privilege of influenced by pressure, force, or threat
choosing something freely of another action
Suggested Answers
1. a. Your chart of choices will vary. Following are some possibilities.
Time Frame Choices
• what to have for breakfast or lunch

• what to wear each day
This Week
• whether to do homework or hang
out with friends
• what kind of sports teams to play on

This Month • what school clubs to join
• which friends you spend time with
• what classes to choose in school

• what to do on summer vacation
This Year with your family
• what volunteer activities to become
involved with
b.
Some of the choices you have to make about your classes or summer activities are
strongly influenced by factors such as school requirements and your family. Other
choices, such as what you eat or wear, when you do homework and chores, which
sports teams and clubs you join, and which friends you will see are choices that
you may have more control over. Think about the degree of choice you have over
various aspects of your life and what decisions you can control.
To make wise and responsible decisions, it is beneficial to use a process that

involves the following:
•
brainstorm options
•
consider the pros and cons of each option
•
look at both the short-term and long-term consequences of each
•
make a wise decision for yourself
•
evaluate your decision to see if any changes have to be made

2. a. Situations and decisions will be personal. Following is a possibility.

My friend asked me to stay at his house later than I was supposed to. I decided
to stay even though it meant that I did not have time to finish my language arts
assignment.
b.
The answers you record in the chart will vary depending on the decision you choose
to focus on. Use the following example to help you check your responses.
Thoughts While Making Thoughts After

the Decision the Decision
How much free I had quite a bit of Am I pleased No, I’m not pleased
choice did I free choice. with my with my decision.
have? decision? I had problems
catching up at
school.
How does this My friend was Would I decide I probably would

decision affect happy that I this way again? not decide this
others? decided to stay way again. I would
at his house. My ask my friend
parents were not to understand
happy because I that my school
didn’t tell them assignments are
that I had an important.
assignment to
complete.
Was this decision Yes, this decision Did the decision No, the decision
influenced by was influenced by turn out the way ended up causing
others? my friend. I wanted? me other problems
that I didn’t think
carefully enough
about.
What I had the Were any of the I could have gone

alternatives did I alternative of alternatives to get my work
have? going home and better than the and asked my
finishing my one I chose? friend to work
language arts with me on my
assignment. I also assignment.
had the alternative
of getting my work
and completing
it at my friend’s
house.

3. Your diagram may include the following differences:
•
Choice involves free will.
•
Choice involves many possibilities.
•
Coercion involves pressure to do something you don’t want to do.
•
Coercion may involve feeling trapped into a choice.
Your diagram may include the following similarities:
•
Both choice and coercion involve decision making.
•
Both involve taking action on a decision.
•
Both require that consequences of the decision be accepted.
4. a. Your list of statements that people use to pressure others will vary depending on
your experiences. Your list may include some of the following:
•
“If you like me, you would do it.”
•
“What are you, a wimp?”
•
“What’s wrong with you?”
•
“You’re just scared.”
•
“If you want to hang out with us, you’ll do it.”
b.
These statements can be considered to be coercion because they put pressure
on someone to make a choice that he or she would not make under normal
circumstances.
5. Have you used any of the suggestions for saying no that were offered in this lesson?
You may find it helpful to review the strategies for saying no that were suggested in
Module 1.
6. a.–b. Your file card scenarios and role-play script will vary. You probably used the
learning and refusal strategies you have learned from experience. Check that
your scenarios and role-play script address the following points:
•
Your scenarios reflect situations in which you asked someone else to make a choice.
•
Your scenarios objectively describe the situations.
•
You’ve discussed your feelings and the other person’s feelings with someone else.
•
Your role-play script reflects a situation in which a choice must be made.
•
You used a refusal strategy to illustrate an effective way to say no.
•
The no is accepted respectfully in your role-play script.

7. Did you gather some interesting information from your interview? Were you able to
share your interview results with a friend, a parent, or another interested adult? Did
you learn something that you did not know before the interview? Did you state your
opinion about the speaker being influenced by personal bias? Did you support your
answer? The information should have affected your opinion in some way. If so, have
you indicated why your opinion has changed?
Image Credits
exceptions:
Page
41 Eyewire/Getty Images
45 top: Eyewire/Getty Images
remainder: Photodisc/Getty Images
49 Abraham Menashe/Digital Vision/Getty Images

S ection 1 Conclusion
Knowing your learning style enables you to learn in a way that suits you. Discovering your learning
style will help you with your studies in school and help you make decisions about your future.
You examined both your short-term and long-term goals and how they can improve your physical,
emotional, and intellectual well-being. It is important that all decisions you make are made freely and
not ones that you have been coerced into making. You must learn to decide things for yourself and to
take charge of your own life.
Your organizational and study strategies, goal-setting abilities, and decision-making skills will affect
your physical, social, emotional, and intellectual well-being. These skills and abilities will be useful
in fulfilling yourself and living a satisfying life. The effort spent developing these skills and abilities is
worth it.

S

ection 2
Life Roles
Planning for your future brings many challenges. It involves
knowing yourself—your interests, abilities, aptitudes,
attitudes, strengths, and values. When making life-learning
choices, it is important for you to use resources effectively
in order to manage and explore life roles and career
choices.
In this section you will become aware of how a personal
portfolio can help you organize, celebrate, and share your
personal learning and growth. You will examine how internal
and external factors influence the choices you make regarding
education, career interests, and future life roles. You will also see how
contributing to community health through volunteer projects can help
you continue to develop self-esteem, confidence,
satisfaction, and important skills.
56

L esson 1: Setting a Course
What are your interests? What values do you hold? What abilities do you have? Who are you? One way
to get to know who you are is to reflect on what you have learned about yourself and your personal
health choices. Another way is to gather and store information about yourself in a portfolio.
Knowing yourself, as well as collecting and organizing information about yourself, is helpful and
important in making decisions about your future. Such information will help you to make positive
life-learning choices. To help you gather information about yourself, you will complete a personal
profile in this lesson. You will also create a personal portfolio that shows who you are.
Seeing Yourself
How do you see yourself? Do you simply look in the mirror? To really see who you are, you have to
investigate your interests, aptitudes, values, skills, abilities, and attitudes both in and out of school.
Section 2: Life Roles 57

I’m not sure I get all of these terms.
interests: the
I’ll go over them for you. Interests are the
thoughts, ideas, thoughts, ideas, events, and activities that appeal
events, and activities to you. Many people pursue their interests in their
that appeal to you
spare time. Often, interests lead to future careers.
attitudes: feelings
that can affect one’s
behaviour Attitudes are feelings that can affect one’s behaviour.
aptitude: the ability
A positive and healthy attitude can make what you do
to learn certain skills more enjoyable. It can also positively affect the people
easily around you.
abilities: a person’s
expertise or natural Aptitude is the ability to learn certain skills easily. For example, some
talents
people have an aptitude for languages or for drawing.
skills: things one has
learned to do well
Abilities refer to a person’s expertise or natural talents. For example,
your friend plays the guitar and writes his own music. He definitely
has musical abilities.
Skills are things one has learned to do well. For example, if you
became a great cook by taking lessons, practising, and putting time
and effort into it, you have gained a skill.
Completing a Personal Profile

In the information that follows, you will be looking at some ways to help you
identify your skills, interests, aptitudes, values, and attitudes. Identifying these will
help you see who you are.
Completing a personal profile can help you describe yourself. This can help
you find your strongest interests, talents, values, and attitudes. Knowing this
information about yourself is helpful when developing your interests, skills, and
social abilities in your school, community, and future career.
Personal profiles can take the form of charts, checklists, or a combination of both.
Examine the following two charts that illustrate how interests, aptitudes, skills,
values, and attitudes can be described in different categories. Then answer the
questions that come after the charts.

INTERESTS, APTITUDES, AND SKILLS
Category In School Out of School

Art • it’s okay • design t-shirts
• marks are average • make posters
• like doing perspective • like doodling
Music • like playing the flute • listen to it all the time

• learning to read music is interesting • go to concerts
• performing is exciting • buy CDs of my favourite musicians
Sports • like phys. ed. • am on a hockey team

• am on intramural teams • play baseball
• swim a lot
Technology • use the computer as much as I can • program the VCR

• use the Internet • use the computer
• like making things out of wood • fix bicycles
Math • have good marks in math • have a bank account

• like the challenge • make change
• like applying it to real situations • take measurements for building
things
Science • like the experiments • watch science shows on TV
• understand it easily • use a telescope
• like the pictures in science books • have an aquarium
Language Arts • have difficulty with spelling • take acting classes

• love to read • keep a daily journal
• like to give presentations • go to the library every week
Media • like it when we have videos in class • watch TV

• enjoy making videos • go to movies
• enjoy reading newspapers • keep photo albums
Social Studies • interesting • like to travel

• like videos about other places • collect souvenirs
• like drawing maps • read history books
Jobs/Chores • sell tickets • baby-sit

• am on a stage crew • deliver newspapers
• am a recycling monitor • clean my room
Awards/Special • earned five certificates last year • hockey team finished first in league
Accomplishments
1
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1998), 4.
Reproduced by permission from McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

VALUES AND ATTITUDES
Category Activities Beliefs
Friends • group work is fun Friends should be:
• talk a lot in class • honest
• talk on the phone • supportive
• dependable
• fun
Helping Others • read to younger kids • helping younger kids makes me feel
• help kids with special needs good about myself
• take part in 4H Club community • homeless people need our help
projects • working at the food bank is
important
Family/Culture • eat together • my family means a lot to me
• keep up my cultural traditions • eating together keeps the family
together
• family traditions are important
Health/Fitness • am very active • eating good food is healthy

• like being outside • playing sports is good exercise
• love food • staying at home when you’re sick
stops germs from spreading
Attitudes • work hard in school • doing well in school is important

• am friendly • helping others is good
• am optimistic • being positive makes everything
easier 1
1. Use the information from the preceding charts to answer the following
questions:
a. In the first chart entitled “Interests, Aptitudes, and Skills,” what subject
areas contain the most positive statements? What challenges are identified?
b.
What positive statements can you make about yourself? What challenges
can you identify for yourself?
2. What positive attitudes are identified in the second chart entitled “Values and
Attitudes”? How do these attitudes compare with some of your attitudes?
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson
Ltd., 1998), 4. Reproduced by permission from McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

Determining Your Values
Your values are the things that you believe in and feel are important. They are
the guiding principles for living your life. What do you value? Your family? Your
friends? Your pets? The following question will help to determine your most
important values.
3. a. Make a list of the ten things you value most in your life.
b. Rank your list of values in order of importance to you.
4. In a Canadian study, people listed these values as being very important:
•
recognition
•
being loved
•
friendship
•
family life
•
excitement
•
success
•
being popular
•
a comfortable life
•
freedom
•
privacy
In your notebook write these values in their order of importance to you.

How People See You
You may see yourself quite differently from how other
subjective: an people see you. Your view of yourself is subjective.
insider’s point of view;
dealing with one’s
Your emotions, interests, experiences, family, age,
thoughts and feelings; and health can all influence how you see yourself.
personal
Other people see you from the outside. This can
sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Because
another person cannot see your thoughts, he or she
could misinterpret your actions. On the other hand,
sometimes other people’s opinions can help you have
insight into yourself. The opinions of people who are
able to look at you fairly and impersonally could be
objective: an called objective. This means they have a little bit of
outsider’s point of
view; dealing with
distance from you so they might see abilities that you do not even notice because
real objects and facts; you’ve had them for so long or because you do not see them as being special.
impersonal
Learning how others see you can further develop your personal profile.
5. How can thinking about the ways that others see you and understanding how
they influence you be of value to you?
Develop your personal file by completing the Personal Profile Questionnaire that
follows. Be honest in your responses. Look carefully at your answers to try to
identify what this profile tells you about yourself.
Personal Profile Questionnaire

Rewrite and complete each of the following statements.
Interests
My favourite subjects in school are . . .
The kinds of books I like to read are . . .
The kinds of movies I like to see are . . .
The kinds of televisions shows I like to watch are . . .
The kinds of music I like to listen to are . . .
I like to collect . . .

The clubs/organizations/teams I belong to are . . .
Two places I would really like to visit are . . .
Two things I really enjoy doing are . . .
Two things I really do not like to do at all are . . .
Three things I know a lot about are . . .
Talents and Abilities

Three things people have told me I do well are . . .
Three things I would like to do better are . . .
The one thing I would like to learn to do but haven’t because I may not be successful
at it is . . .
If there were only one thing in which I could excel, it would be . . .
Some of the talents and abilities I admire in other people are . . .
Of the talents and abilities I admire in other people, the one(s) I think I already
have are . . .
The ones I would like to develop are . . .
Five achievements that I not only enjoyed doing but also did well are . . .
Values
The three things I care most about are . . .
The most important thing in my life is . . .
The values that help to guide my life are . . .
Two things important in my family that I want to have in my own life are . . .
The Future
The one thing I have always dreamed of doing but haven’t done yet is . . .
When I was a child, I wanted to be a when I grew up.
Now the occupations I am interested in for my future are . . .
Two activities or things I would like to get involved in are . . .
Three things I want to do and accomplish in the next year are . . .

My dream is to . . .
Two things I want to accomplish by the time I am 25 years old are . . .

Read the descriptions and place a checkmark in the boxes next to those that describe you.
Personal Management and ❒ I use healthy ways to relax and

handle stress.
Responsibility
❒ I set goals.
❒ Most of the time I deal with problems
instead of avoiding them.
❒ I accomplish most of the goals I set.
❒ I usually handle my money wisely.
❒ I almost always think for the long
term.
❒ I generally make good decisions
about my life and my future.
❒ I accept responsibility for the
consequences of my actions.
❒ I work well with most other people.
❒ In most cases I demonstrate
❒ I almost always get things done on
self-control.
time.
❒ I attend school/work daily and on time.
❒ I work to develop my talents and
abilities.
❒ I am a responsible person.
❒ I know how to be assertive.
❒ I do well what is expected of me most
of the time.
❒ I usually handle anger and
disappointment in positive ways.
❒ I always do what I promise to do.
❒ I generally accept new challenges
❒ I can develop a plan.
even when I’m not sure if I’ll be
successful.
❒ I can carry out a plan.
❒ I am involved in activities that help
me to learn and to improve my life. Interpersonal
❒ I know how to make positive changes Communication and
in my life. Relationships
❒ I usually make positive changes in ❒ I get along with most people my age.
my life when something needs to be
changed. ❒ I get along with most adults.
❒ I do not smoke. ❒ I get along with most of the people in

my family.
❒ I do not use alcohol or other drugs.

❒ I make and keep friends. ❒ I take notes in class that help me
remember class lectures and
❒ I really like to talk to people. discussions.
❒ I am a good listener. ❒ I work or study best by myself.
❒ I work or study best when I do it as

❒ I prefer to listen to other people talk part of a small group.
than to talk myself.
❒ I keep up with my homework.
❒ I resist pressure from friends to do
things I don’t want to do. ❒ I participate and actively contribute
in class.
❒ I have the ability to make a positive
difference in the life of someone I ❒ My grades reflect my best effort.
know.
❒ I meet schoolwork deadlines.
❒ I am a good team player.
❒ I pay attention to details.
❒ I have the ability to make a positive
difference in the lives of people I ❒ I follow written instructions and
don’t know. directions.
❒ I respect other people and their ❒ I am creative and invent new things
opinions. and/or ideas.
❒ I usually consider other people’s ❒ I follow oral instructions and
feelings. directions.
❒ I am a valuable resource in my ❒ I can do my work without
community. supervision.
❒ I help other people feel appreciated ❒ I tinker with technical and/or
and valued. mechanical things.
❒ I have friends that bring out my best. ❒ I read and understand written materials.
❒ Most of the time I can clearly express ❒ I understand most charts and graphs.
my ideas to others.
❒ I understand basic mathematics.
❒ I can organize groups of people.
❒ I often use mathematics to solve problems.
Academic Skills and Abilities ❒ I understand basic science.
❒ I allow adequate time for studying.
❒ I often use the scientific method to
❒ I study away from the TV and other solve problems.
distractions.
❒ I speak and understand more than
❒ I ask questions and get help when I one language.
don’t understand an assignment.

❒ I like to read. ❒ I really don’t care much for school.
❒ I write well. ❒ If a task becomes very difficult, I lose

interest in it.
❒ I use research and library skills.
❒ I like to do well in school.
Complete the sentences:
• The personal management and responsibility skills and abilities I already possess
are . . .
• The personal management and responsibility skills and abilities I would like to
learn or perfect are . . .
• The interpersonal communication and relationships skills and abilities I would

like to learn or perfect are . . .
• The interpersonal communication and relationships skills I already have are . . .
• The academic skills and abilities I already possess are . . .
• The academic skills and abilities I would like to learn or perfect are . . .
• Two things I need to stop doing are . . .
• Two things I need to start doing or do more effectively are . . .

1
Your responses to the questions in the personal profile will vary. The questions are
a way of assessing your strengths, interests, aptitudes, abilities, and challenges.
Your responses will help you learn more about yourself.
By completing a personal profile, you’ve had an

opportunity to reflect on your interests, aptitudes,
skills, values, and attitudes. This information can
become a starting point for developing your portfolio.
1
Susan Carroll Keister, Lions-Quest Skills for Action-Curriculum Manual (Waterloo: Lions-Quest Canada 2000), 53–55.
Reproduced by permission.

Creating a Portfolio
Do you like to collect things?
What types of things have
you collected over the years?
Collecting is fun and something
that you can take pride in doing.
It can give you a focus. It can
become a hobby.
Collecting can also be a learning

experience, one that is valuable
to you as you progress through
junior and senior high school.
Collecting evidence of your
accomplishments, interests,
and activities can be a tool that
helps you show others your
capabilities. Such a collection is
portfolio: a collection called a portfolio.
of self-selected
samples of work
that shows one’s A portfolio provides a structure for organizing evidence of your work, interests,
effort, progress, and achievements. A portfolio can help you become more aware of who you are and
achievement, and
accomplishments what you have already accomplished. It can help you think about the decisions you
over time are making today. It can encourage you to think about your future plans and goals.
Portfolios differ, depending on the purpose. Some different types include the
following:
• a personal skills and interests portfolio

• a career interests portfolio
• an academic portfolio
• a sports or arts portfolio
Although portfolios may have different purposes, they all contain the following
basic items:
• a cover page
• a table of contents, which lists the items in the portfolio
• a statement of the purpose of the portfolio
• a statement of your goals
• a caption for each selection or item in the portfolio

Inside a Personal Portfolio
Following are some things you could include in your portfolio.
work from different

subject areas that
relate to my
cover page interests and
self-assessment
strengths
autobiography instruments and quizzes
that show my learning
table of contents preferences, interests,
skills, and strengths certificates of
some of my
journal entries and participation or
self-assessment accomplishment
scales
My personal portfolio's purpose is to show

graphic organizers, • how I have grown a list of important
such as mind maps • what I have learned questions, with or
and Venn diagrams • myself as a healthy and active individual without answers
• my decision making and goal setting
• connections between different areas of
my life (personal, family, academic) artwork from a
notes from an variety of projects
interview I
conducted
a caption attached draft, revised, and
to each item final versions of a
PowerPoint® explaining the research project
presentation learning context
and why I selected
goals and action
photographs of me this piece for my
plans for different
involved in activities portfolio
areas of my life
that illustrate my
interests
6. Answer the following questions in your notebook.
a. What is a portfolio?
b. In what situations would a portfolio be useful to you?
c. How could you set up a portfolio?
d. With whom could you share your portfolio?

A portfolio is a way to set yourself apart—by discovering, developing, and keeping
an up-to-date collection of your work. It can help you organize and save examples
of your accomplishments and give you a head start in planning your future. If you
start a portfolio now, it will help you do the following:
• identify your interests, attitudes, aptitudes, abilities, and skills

• identify what types of courses you might take in the future
• get a volunteer position
• apply for a part-time job
• show others what you’re all about
Creating a portfolio involves four main steps: collect your work; reflect on what
you learned and achieved in the work; select the best pieces; and present the best
pieces.
What can I do to start putting together my personal

portfolio?
Creating a portfolio starts with thinking

about its purpose. Once you have
identified why you are creating your
portfolio, you need to think about the practical
aspects of how you will collect and store the
items for it.
To start collecting your work for your personal portfolio, do the following:
• Collect certificates, awards, and letters. Ask for letters of recommendation

from supervisors at the places where you work or volunteer. Protect these
items in clear plastic sleeves or large envelopes.
• Take pictures of bigger projects in different stages; for example, planning,

planting, and tending a garden.
• Write descriptions of the development of personal skills; for example, you may
have learned how to use a complicated camera.
Each item you place in your portfolio must be selected for a reason.

There are a number of ways you can indicate the reason you chose to include the
item in your portfolio. One of the ways to do this is to attach a descriptive label to
each item. Following are sample labels:
• best work • first draft—more to come

• most difficult to do • most proud of
• most creative • something shared
Another way to label each item is with tickets you create or index cards you fill out.
These tickets or index cards might include information such as the following:
I chose this piece of work because . . .

It really shows that I’m improving in . . .
I chose this piece of work because . . .

I created this in . . .
This piece of work shows what I have learned
because . . .
I chose this because . . .

This is about me . . .
This shows that I . . .
You may find the following questions helpful in making effective choices about
what items to place in your portfolio:
• What really makes something my best work?

• What examples will represent what I am learning in different subjects?
• How is this item different from other pieces of work I have done?
• How does this item show something important that I think or feel?
• How does this item show something important that I have learned?
• How does this item demonstrate the progress I’ve made in a specific topic?
7. Create a list of categories to include in a personal skills and interests portfolio.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. Your future choices will
be influenced by your current choices and actions. Knowing yourself
and collecting and organizing information about yourself is helpful and
important in making decisions about your future education, life roles, and
career opportunities. Gathering information about yourself and analyzing
yourself will help you discover more about who you are. A portfolio is a
useful tool for establishing your priorities and helping you set short-term
and long-term personal, educational, and career goals.
• I can understand more about my strengths and interests by . . .

• My personal portfolio helps me understand myself better because . . .
• Two things I am most proud of are . . .
• Two things I would most like to do more effectively are . . .
• I am most interested in a career that . . .
• I am most enthusiastic about activities that . . .
• I am most interested in learning about . . .
• The skills I use most to help me plan for the future are . . .
• When I think about what my future might hold, I feel . . .
follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
In Lesson 1 you explored how to create a personal portfolio. Your portfolio is an

ongoing and purposeful process. You can add to it at any time, especially any items
that show your efforts, progress, achievements, and accomplishments.
Now open Assignment Booklet 3B and respond to questions 1 and 2.

Remember that the answers you submit in your Assignment Booklet will
contribute to your mark in this course, so be sure to do your best work.

Glossary
abilities: a person’s expertise or natural objective: an outsider’s point of view; dealing
talents with real objects and facts; impersonal
aptitude: the ability to learn certain skills portfolio: a collection of self-selected

easily samples of work that shows one’s
effort, progress, achievement, and
attitudes: feelings that can affect one’s accomplishments over time
behaviour
skills: things one has learned to do well
interests: the thoughts, ideas, events, and
activities that appeal to you subjective: an insider’s point of view;
dealing with one’s thoughts and feelings;
personal
Suggested Answers
1. a. Music, technology, math, science, media, and social studies are all subject areas in
this chart that contain positive statements. Challenges in spelling are identified.
b.
The positive statements you make about yourself will vary, but should reflect your
interests, aptitudes, and skills. The challenges you identify for yourself will vary,
but can reflect those areas you wish to improve in or activities you wish to become
more involved in.
2. Positive attitudes toward interacting with friends, helping others, keeping healthy and
fit, and working hard are identified in this sample chart. Your own list of attitudes will
vary and should reflect what is important to you.
3. a. Your list of things you value will depend on your beliefs and what you consider
important.
b.
The way you order your values will vary, but they should be ordered according to
their importance to you.

4. Compare your list with the following chart that shows how Canadian teenagers viewed
the importance of these values.
Teenagers’ Values Across Canada

VALUE PERCENT VIEWING AS
“VERY IMPORTANT”
Friendship 91
Being Loved 87
Freedom 84
Success 78
A Comfortable Life 75
Privacy 68
Family Life 65
Excitement 58
Recognition 41
Being Popular 21
1
You may have placed the values in an order similar to the chart or you may have
ordered them differently. The way you ordered them depends on how important each
value is to you.
5. Since they offer you a different perspective and can help you see things you might
not otherwise see, learning how other people see you can help you understand your
strengths and challenges. Understanding how others influence you can also help you as
you continue to make choices and set goals and priorities.
6. a. A portfolio is a collection of information about you, which you have selected. It can
include examples and evidence of your accomplishments, your creations and work;
inventories and self-assessments; and what you see for your future, including your
goals and plans.
b.
A portfolio can be used to
•
show others what you have achieved and how you have grown
•
apply for a job or volunteer position
•
apply for an educational program or course
•
remind yourself what you have accomplished and how you have grown
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1998), 4.
Reproduced by permission from McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

c. A portfolio can be set up using a variety of containers such as a pizza box, plastic
container, envelope, binder, or folder. It should include the following:
•
a table of contents to indicate items you wish to include and to help you
organize your portfolio contents
•
tickets or cards to attach to each portfolio item
d.
Your portfolio can be shared with people such as your family, friends, other trusted
adults, teachers, employers, and supervisors.
7. Your list of categories will vary. Following are possibilities:
•
Me, Myself, and I
•
My Projects
•
My Accomplishments
•
What Others Say About Me
•
My Skills and Strengths
•
My Volunteer Activities
•
My Goals and Priorities
•
The Way I Learn
•
My Future Plans
Image Credits
exceptions:
Page
58 left: Kevin Peterson/Photodisc/Getty Images
right: Photodisc/Getty Images
62 Digital Vision/Getty Images
69 both: Photodisc/Getty Images

L esson 2: Planning for the Future
When you were a little kid and you thought about the future, you probably focused on the question,
“What do I want to do when I grow up?” But thinking ahead involves much more than just your
career. It includes the types of activities you choose to continue or begin. It includes the educational
choices you make as you continue through junior high, into senior high, and beyond. It includes the
life and health choices you make on a daily basis.
Thinking about your future plans may seem overwhelming right now. It seems to be enough to just
think about getting through grade 7 and completing junior high, let alone trying to plan what you
may take in high school or the types of careers that might interest you after that. Yet it is important to
start learning about ways that your future plans are influenced and shaped. It is important to consider
where you are right now, so that you can use your developing skills and strengths in the future. In
Lesson 1 you started to do this by considering what you could include in a personal portfolio. In this
lesson you will continue thinking about the factors that may influence your future plans.

Planning for the
future has an
impact on . . .
Educational Choices Life Choices Career Choices
• What courses and • What recreational • What general career

options match your activities will you areas match your skills,
skills, strengths, and choose to stay strengths, and
interests? healthy and active? interests?
• What activities do • What volunteer • What part-time jobs

you want to become activities will you can help you develop
involved with in school? commit to? new skills?
Planning for the future is part of the development of positive health habits.
You have already learned how understanding yourself can be the first step in
thinking about future plans. This understanding comes from continuing to collect
information about your likes and dislikes, your strengths, and your challenges.
Understanding your perception of self and others’ perception of you helps you
answer the important question: Who am I?
Your examination of your learning styles and preferences; your exploration of

your interests, aptitudes, values, attitudes, and skills; and the items you’ve started
to collect for your portfolio can help you have a greater understanding of your
internal influences: internal influences. These are factors that have to do with who you are. They
factors that have to do
with who you are
include your likes and dislikes, strengths, talents, learning preferences, aptitudes,
skills, and abilities.

external influences: Information that affects your future plans can also come from external influences.
factors that come
from people and
These are factors that come from people and events around you. They include
events around you your family, friends, neighbours, other adults in your life such as mentors and role
models, your school, peers, media, advertising, arts, culture, and technology. All of
these can influence the decisions you make about your future plans. They can also
have an effect on the choices you make in your daily life.
1. Interview an adult about the factors that influenced his or her life and career
choices. Ask this person to consider both internal and external factors. Use the
list of strategies in Module 1: Section 1, Lesson 1 to help you prepare for the
interview. Record your interview results in your notebook using a chart like the
following one.
Person Interviewed Internal Factors External Factors

The Influences of Others
You were introduced in Module 1 to external sources of support that are available
to you. These sources can have a positive influence on your personal life and career
choices. In the information that follows, you will explore some ideas for using role
models, mentors, and technology to help you consider your future options.
Role Models
role model: a person A role model is a person whose behaviour is especially worth imitating. What
looked to by others as
an example worthy of
characteristics make a worthy role model? What choices and/or actions has this
imitation person made or taken that make him or her an outstanding individual?
Think of a person you admire. It could be someone famous in his or her field
of work, someone in the community, or someone in your family. What special
characteristics or qualities does that person have that make him or her admirable?
What do you like about how that person acts and what he or she does?
The following chart lists some characteristics and resulting actions that most
people find worthy.
Characteristics Action
aware of the needs of others works as a volunteer
resourceful creates new clothes from old ones
reliable never breaks promises
optimistic can find something positive in every situation
brave stands up for people’s rights

1
2. List two other admirable characteristics of role models, and give examples of
actions that illustrate these characteristics.
1
Judi Misener and Susan Butler, Exploring Your Horizons: Career and Personal Planning (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson
Ltd., 1998), 105. Reproduced by permission from McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd.

Mentors
You learned in Module 1 that a
mentor is someone who encourages,
listens, gives advice, and shares
information and experiences with
a young person. You discovered
that mentors can be a source of
inspiration, information, and new
activities and ideas.
Mentors can influence your future

as well, especially in regard to your
career plans. Such mentors are
referred to as career mentors. A
career mentor can give you support
in an effort to guide you along a
fulfilling career path. If you work
part time, you may have someone
at your workplace who passes along
skills, knowledge, and professional
attitudes that you need to master. He
or she may also assist in guiding and
challenging you to perform well. This
person is acting as a career mentor
to you.
If you don’t have a career mentor, finding one is not that difficult. Before you look
for one, you have to decide what you want to gain from this person. Do you want
to learn from him or her, or do you want this person to motivate, inspire, or guide
you? You have to determine whether your mentor will be someone you already
know and whether or not you feel comfortable talking to this person about your
career plans and goals.
Possible career mentors are
• teachers
• members of service clubs
• people associated with social service agencies
• employees in your area of career interests
3. What is one benefit of having a career mentor?

The Influence of Technology
Your career and life choices and decisions are shaped by what is happening around
you. Today it is difficult to exist in isolation from technological trends. Technology
has a great impact on career planning because it has changed the workplace.
Supercomputers, personal computers, the Internet, cell phones, and satellites have
changed the way the world operates. Following are some examples of the impact of
technology in the workplace:
• Computerization is changing the way organizations operate. Traditional work

is disappearing. You’ll find computerized machines operating machinery for
banking, parts assembly, warehouse inventory, truck and taxi dispatching,
and driver’s licence renewals. New jobs are being created to develop and run
computer hardware, software, and computer networks.
• Technology brings new job opportunities

because of the demand for people to sell,
create, repair, or improve technological
equipment and information.
• Computer links and related technological

advances make it possible for businesses to be
located in more remote areas, where perhaps
employment opportunities were previously
limited.
• Many people use computers and telephones to

work at home—telecommuting.
4. a. How does technology affect your life right now?

b. List two ways you use technology.
c. How do you think technology might affect the future choices you make?
If you are interested in a career relating to technology, explore this option at the
following website:
http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo
Then click on “Search by Title” and enter a keyword search of the career choice you
would like to research.

5. Search the Internet for sites that focus on career planning, or visit your school
or community library for books and articles that provide planning tools for
self-assessment and career exploration. The following websites will provide a
starting point for your search:
•
Youth Connections
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/hre/youthconnections/
•
Alberta Learning Information Service
http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca//main.asp
•
Training and Careers
http://www.jobsetc.ca
•
Career Paths Online
http://careerpathsonline.com
In your notebook summarize your information in a chart like the following:
Resource Information Summary What I Learned
Volunteering
There are ways to become involved in activities
that provide experience related to careers and
occupations. Many government organizations
and school districts provide opportunities for
job shadowing, work experience, and volunteer
programs. Many organizations look for volunteers
who will help with a variety of tasks that range
from stuffing envelopes to working with people.
Communities and schools also look for youth to
volunteer in programs and activities that benefit the
people in the community or school. Volunteering
offers you the opportunity to develop skills that you
may apply to your career interests. It offers you the
ability to develop skills and gain experience that you
may not otherwise be able to.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. Many of the choices you
make now will influence your future educational, life, and career plans.
These choices are influenced by both internal and external factors.
• I am most influenced by factors such as . . .

• I admire as a role model because . . .
• I value as a mentor because . . .
personal examples. Assess your journal entry using the scale that follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
Ask your friends and parents what kinds of strategies they use to plan for their future.
Then compare them with your personal planning skills. You may also wish to select
one of your journal entries and expand it into one of the following:
• a recipe that outlines plans to meet future goals
• a time line of your past experiences that shows when you started school,
became involved and interested in different activities, or met different friends
or mentors who have influenced your choices
In Lesson 2 you examined factors that can influence future life roles, education,
and career planning. You focused specifically on external factors including mentors,
role models, and technology.
Now open Assignment Booklet 3B and respond to questions 3 to 5.

Glossary
external influences: factors that come from role model: a person looked to by others as
people and events around you an example worthy of imitation
internal influences: factors that have to do

with who you are
Suggested Answers
1. Your interview results will vary, depending on the person you chose to interview and
the internal and external factors that influenced his or her decisions about careers,
education, and life roles. Internal factors can include the following:
•
likes and dislikes
•
strengths
•
talents
•
learning preferences
•
aptitudes
•
skills
•
abilities
External factors can include the following:
•
family and friends
•
neighbours
•
other adults
•
school and peers
•
the media
•
technology
•
arts
•
culture
2. Your list of admirable characteristics will vary, depending on your own values and
priorities. You may also list characteristics that are influenced by the activities with
which you are involved, such as sports, music, or drama.
3. One benefit of having a career mentor is that the person is a source of support and
guidance. This person can help you set and reach your educational and career goals.

4. a. Your answers will vary, depending on the ways and opportunities you have to use
technology in your daily life. For example, you may have a computer at home to
complete school assignments.
b.
You may use technology for entertainment (DVDs), to learn (computer), to
communicate (cell phone), and to create (computer). If you wear a wristwatch or
use a microwave, you are also using technology.
c. Technology may influence your future choices as more options become available to
you and the work world continues to change.
5. Were you able to use the suggested resources to find information on career planning,
particularly on planning tools for self-assessment and career exploration?
Image Credits
exceptions:
Page
75 Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
77 Digital Vision/Getty Images
79 Geoff Manasse/Photodisc/Getty Images

L esson 3: Promoting Community Health
What does recycling household items such as newspapers and tin cans have to do with your personal
health and wellness? Your health involves your physical and emotional well-being, as well as social
interactions, decision-making processes, and learning styles. It also involves the way you interact with
your community and environmental surroundings. And this is where programs such as recycling
come in.
The health of your community depends on a variety of factors. One of these factors is you. As an
individual, you can have a positive impact on community health and, at the same time, enhance
your own health and well-being. In this lesson you will investigate how you can contribute to
community health.

Contributing to Community Health
A community is a group of people who live in the same place or share similar
interests. Community members are affected by the health—whether it’s physical,
emotional, social, or intellectual health—of that community. When there are
problems within a community, the whole community is affected. It is important for
every member to help promote community health. The health of the community
depends on a balance of community resources and each individual’s personal
social responsibility: and social responsibility. Your health is influenced by your involvement in your
the caring about of
others and the using
community and environmental surroundings. It is important for you to be socially
of one’s abilities to responsible in your community and surrounding area. One way to do this is to be
contribute to the
world around oneself
a part of the community’s volunteer resources that provide health information and
services.
Volunteerism
An important part of community health depends on the community’s volunteers.
Volunteers are those who donate their time and services to community matters.
You are probably aware of some special volunteer groups, such as the Red Cross,
the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Canadian Diabetes Association. These
organizations rely on volunteers to help deliver services.
Volunteering can open many doors for you. It can offer you new challenges, new
experiences, and new skills. You get the opportunity to meet new people, make new
friends, and develop professional contacts. As well, you get personal satisfaction
from making a difference by
• providing a needed service

• helping solve a community problem
• promoting a cause you strongly believe in

What can you do to promote the health of your community? As a student, you can
do the following:
• Be aware of local health concerns (pollution, smoking) in the community.

• Propose community projects such as cleaning up the environment.
• Participate in playground and community clean-up initiatives.
• Visit elderly people in nursing homes.
• Help run the food bank in your community.
• Help run community events such as music festivals or fairs.
• Help young children learn to read.
1. What are three advantages of volunteering?
2. What do teenagers in your community or surrounding area do to promote

community health?
3. What kinds of community health projects could improve the health of your
community and surrounding area?

Volunteering Traits
Could you be an effective volunteer? What does it take to be a volunteer? To find

out, complete the following checklist.
Volunteer Checklist
I have . . .
❒ a desire to help others
❒ time, resources, or skills
❒ a wish to meet new people
❒ a responsible and dependable nature
❒ the ability to keep commitments
❒ the ability to follow directions well
❒ tact, patience, tolerance, understanding, loyalty, and friendliness
❒ an interest in specific issues such as health or the environment
❒ the ability to work as part of a team
❒ the ability to learn quickly
❒ trustworthiness
❒ respect for confidentiality
❒ an open attitude toward supervision
Which of these traits do you have? Having some of these qualities may inspire you
to become a volunteer.
If you want to get involved, but you don’t know where to start looking for a place to
volunteer, check out the following website:
http://www.volunteer.ca

Community Health and Environmental Issues
Your health is connected to the environment (your home, workplace, and
community) through the food you eat, the water you drink, and the air you breathe.
What can you do to protect the environment? One of the first steps toward creating
healthy conditions in your community is to educate yourself. Find out what your
community is doing about environmental health concerns. Tell local industry,
government, and the media how you feel about these issues. Another thing you can
do is to practise the three R’s for items in your environment:
• re-use
• recycle
• reduce
Re-use items, such as jars and bags

(paper or plastic), where possible.
Some items, such as magazines,
can be shared or exchanged among
friends.
Recycle all items that can be recycled.

Look for the recycle symbol on items
and recycle them. This includes glass,
cans, juice boxes, paper, plastic, and
cardboard. Newspapers are a major
item that can be recycled. Recycling
saves natural resources and reduces
solid waste.
To reduce items, encourage your family to buy foods in bulk to avoid excess
packaging and buy refillable bottles when you’re grocery shopping. Instead of
landfill: a place where sending materials such as cut grass and food wastes to the landfill, compost them.
waste is buried
Find out about services in your community that accept used clothes and other
household items. Donate items you don’t use to charities, or have a garage sale.
Another important step to take is to reduce the amount of energy and water you
consume. Walk, bike, or use public transportation rather than drive whenever
possible. To use less electricity, turn out the lights when not in use and select
energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. To save water, turn off the tap when
brushing your teeth. Use a timer if you water your lawn.
4. What do you do to improve your environmental health?

Find out if your community has a recycling program, what materials it takes, and
how it works. Organize a recycle drive to collect materials, and take them to a
recycling centre.
What the Community Can Do

To help promote health, people in your community can do the following:
• respond to student proposals for community-health projects
• provide presentations in schools about community-health concerns through

local professionals and agencies
• maintain proper health and safety standards in local plants, factories, and
businesses
Every community offers a range of recreational, educational, and health services

and programs that you can participate in. It is up to you to find the services that
are right for you. Contact the community services or local government to find out
about ways that you can become involved in your community as a volunteer.
5. Collect information about any services and agencies in your community and
surrounding area that deal with recreation, education, and health, and create a
reference binder that will become your own guide to volunteer opportunities in
your own community.
6. Plan to interview a person at one of these community service organizations

or someone connected with local government about the benefits of and
opportunities to volunteer in your community and surrounding areas. For your
interview, use a format similar to the one in Module 1: Section 1, Lesson 1 to
organize and record your interview information. Share your interview results
with a friend, a parent, or another interested adult. Tell this person what you
learned that you did not know before the interview.
To learn more about community health, ask other people how they view the health
of their community and its impact on their own health. Discuss with them the
options for contributing to the community and working to improve its health.

J ournal Entry
Reflect on what you have learned in this lesson. Thinking about your
community is part of thinking about your personal health. Your physical,
emotional, social, and intellectual health can be connected to the health
of your community. Contributing to the community through volunteer
projects can raise your confidence, help you meet other people, give you a
sense of satisfaction and belonging, and develop important skills that you
will need in the future.
• My community’s health reflects my health because . . .

• I feel good when I contribute to my community because . . .
• The benefits I get when I participate in a community project include . . .
• If I could change something about my community, it would be . . .
follows.
JOURNAL RESPONSE

0 1 2 3 4
Select one of your journal entries and expand it into one of the following:
• a poster that illustrates your perspectives on community health

• a wish list for improvements to your community’s health
• a recipe for being an effective volunteer
In this lesson you considered ways you can contribute to community health, and
you examined how you can promote health in your community.
Now open Assignment Booklet 3B and respond to questions 6 to 8.

Glossary
landfill: a place where waste is buried social responsibility: the caring about of
others and the using of one’s abilities to
contribute to the world around oneself
Suggested Answers
1. You may have any identified three of the following advantages of volunteering:
•
You gain experience.
•
You learn job skills.
•
You meet new people.
•
You help others.
•
It may help protect the environment.
•
It may help make your community safer.
•
You can put it on your résumé for future job applications.
2. Teenagers in your community or surrounding area can do some of the following to

promote health:
•
Promote awareness of local health concerns in the community, such as pollution,
smoking, water hazards, or dangerous farm and recreation equipment.
•
Propose community projects to address local health concerns.
•
Participate in playground and community clean-up initiatives.
You may have thought of other ways to contribute to your community’s health.
3. Your list of programs that could improve the health of your community and
surrounding area will vary, but may include some of the following:
•
community clean-ups
•
health-care services
•
mentoring programs
•
neighbourhood-watch programs
•
programs related to environmental issues, such as pollution
•
food bank drives
You may have thought of other programs.

4. You may do the following to improve your environmental health:
•
Educate yourself by finding out what your community is doing about
environmental health concerns.
•
Practise the three R’s:
– reduce
– re-use
– recycle
•
Reduce the amount of energy and water you consume.
•
Set air conditioners no lower than 23 degrees Celsius in summer. In winter, set
the furnace thermostat no higher than 20 degrees Celsius.
You may have other answers.
5. Hopefully you were able to collect information about many services and agencies and
create a reference binder that will become your guide to volunteer opportunities in
your community. Are there more opportunities than you thought?
6. Did you gather some interesting information from your interview? What did you learn
that you did not know before the interview? If you have a new position on the topic,
have you indicated why? Did you state your opinion about the speaker being influenced
by personal bias? Were you able to share your interview results with a friend, a parent,
or another interested adult?
Image Credits
exceptions:
Page
86 Abraham Menashe/Digital Vision/Getty Images

S ection 2 Conclusion
In this section you started creating a personal portfolio that shows your interests, attitudes, aptitudes,
strengths, abilities, values, and skills. Your portfolio is very important. The information that is
collected and placed in your portfolio will be helpful to you in making positive life-learning choices
that can influence your planning for the future. As well, you examined external factors such as family,
friends, mentors, role models, media, and technology that may influence your future life roles,
education, and career plans. You discovered how volunteering can contribute to your community
health. Volunteering in programs, initiatives, or activities is one way you can make a difference in
community health and environmental issues.
Creating a portfolio, planning for the future, and promoting community health through volunteering
all play important roles in determining your future. They affect all aspects of your life—physical,
social, emotional, and intellectual health.

Module Summary
Making decisions and planning for your future is
challenging and difficult. They involve knowing
yourself—your interests, abilities, aptitudes, attitudes,
strengths, and values. This self-knowledge has an impact
on how you make educational, life, and career choices.
In this module you learned that you are responsible for

your decisions. As you worked through the lessons, you
developed strategies for setting and revising short-term
and long-term goals as well as decision-making strategies
that can help you distinguish between choice and
coercion. You focused on how personal profiles can help
you identify your strengths, interests, talents, and abilities.
You also discovered how personal portfolios can help you
organize, celebrate, and share your personal learning and
growth. You examined how internal and external factors
influence the choices you make regarding education,
career interests, and future life goals. You were made
aware of the importance of volunteerism and how it can
help you to continue to develop self-esteem, confidence,
satisfaction, and important life skills. At the same time,
you are contributing to community health.
One of the most important things you will do in your life is make decisions about your future. The
life-learning choices you make will play a significant role in determining your future and will affect
your physical, social, emotional, and intellectual health and well-being. The knowledge and strategies
you gained in this module should help you in making wise decisions about your lifestyle choices.


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© 2005 Alberta Education

© 2005 Alberta Education

Health and Life Skills 7

Students ✓ • Alberta Education, http://education.alberta.ca

THIS COURSEWARE IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF A LICENCE FROM A COLLECTIVE OR

© 2005 Alberta Education

Module 1 Module 2 Module 3

Wellness Relationship Life-Learning

Module 1 contains general information about the course components, additional

8 Section 1: Learning Strategies

9 Lesson 1: How People Learn

29 Lesson 2: Setting Goals

41 Lesson 3: Making Decisions

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57 Lesson 1: Setting a Course

75 Lesson 2: Planning for

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Planning for your future is not an easy

Module 3: Life-Learning Choices

6 Health and Life Skills 7

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Health and Life Skills 7 7

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This section focuses on learning

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Section 1: Learning Strategies 9

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Why is it important for me to know what kind of

Knowing your learning style may help you

10 Health and Life Skills 7

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People who learn best by listening are

Those who learn best by reading or seeing pictures

Individuals who learn best by

Section 1: Learning Strategies 11

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1. Which way would you rather learn how a computer works?

A. watching a video about it

A. write it out to see if it looks right

A. the faces of the people there, but not the names

4. How would you rather study for a test?

6. How do you prefer to solve a problem?

12 Health and Life Skills 7

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A. look at the posters advertising other movies

A. find a map showing the locations of the various exhibits

10. Which would you rather go to?

11. Which of these do you do when you listen to music?

A. daydream (see images that go with the music)

12. How would you rather tell a story?

13. Which kind of restaurant would you rather not go to?

3. Why do people differ in the ways they prefer to learn?

Compare your answers with those at the end of this lesson.

Section 1: Learning Strategies 13

© 2005 Alberta Education

5. In your notebook write the question number

1. Which is more true of you?

A. I am tense about getting things right.

2. Which do you enjoy more about music?

A. I enjoy the beat.

3. Which way of learning do you like best?

A. I like learning from books and lectures.

4. Which of these two subjects do you like more?

A. Yes, I count it.