Year 8 Topic 1: Stop. Think.

Do

Students:
● recognises how contextual factors influence attitudes and behaviours and proposes strategies to enhance health, safety, wellbeing and
participation in physical activity PD4-6
● investigates health practices, behaviours and resources to promote health, safety, wellbeing, and physically active communities PD4-7
● demonstrates self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations PD4-9
 What is the purpose of this unit?
Task: You are to read the following paragraph and predict what the unit will be about. You will share your response.

Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and change. The range of changes and when they occur will differ from
person to person. Each person will also deal with these changes quite differently and learn to adjust to their
changing bodies, emerging needs and new roles and responsibilities in their own way. An increased need for
independence and responsibility is a key element of adolescence. Support from families, communities, schools,
peers and health services will help adolescents learn skills that can help them make a successful transition from
childhood to adulthood.

What do you think you will learn in this unit of work?

Answer:
What is the purpose of this unit?
Task: In the space below, copy from the teacher’s powerpoint.

As …
 Table of contents

01 Risk-taking 04 Road Safety

02 Sexual Health 05 First Aid

03 Cyber Safety 06 DRSABCD

 01
What is risk-
taking?
 Introduction
As a teenager you are gaining more independence, which leads to new
experiences that mould your identity. Risk-taking is a natural part of
adolescence. In fact, your brain is designed for it! Having enough self-
control to be able to evaluate which risks are safe to take is important.
Before you act on your risk-taking impulses think to yourself: ‘Is it
dangerous?’ ‘Is it legal?’ ‘Could it hurt me?’ ‘Could it hurt others?’ ‘Is it
appropriate?’
 Lightning Round
Task: You will be given two minutes to write down any words or examples that are related to
the word ‘risk’.

Sample answers:

- opportunities
- consequences
- skipping school
 Lightning Round
Task: You will be given two minutes to write down any words or examples that are related to
the word ‘risk’.

Answer:
Types of risk-taking:

Risk is a part of everyday life, yet the

chance of misfortune or injury is rare.
Most things in life have an element of
risk, yet risk can be a positive or
negative.
 Types of risk-taking:

Negative Risk-taking
Task: Read through the text to fill in the blanks.

Negative risk-taking is when a situation or action can impose

harmful consequences on a person’s health, safety and wellbeing.
Negative risks are often taken to chase a ‘high’ (thrill seeking) or to
gain approval by their peers by appearing to be cool.
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________. Such
activities and behaviours are dangerous as a person may become
addicted to the short-lived highs, which can lead to greater and more
dangerous risky activities.
 Types of risk-taking:

Positive Risk-taking
Task: Read through the text to fill in the blanks. Then write some examples of positive risk-taking.

Some examples of positive risk-taking are:

Positive risk-taking
_______________________________________. The risk is
positive because, while it still has a feeling of uncertainty or fear,
there is the possibility of a positive outcome which could be
learning a ___________, _______________, or being exposed to a
new a situation that places someone outside their comfort zone but
ultimately improves their confidence levels. Positive risk taking
helps a person set new limits for themselves and can empower them
to_______________________________________. .
 Check Point!
Task: You are to answer the following question.

What is the difference between positive risk-

taking and negative risk-taking?

Answer:
 Risky Decisions - they can be a good thing for teens to make

Task: Whilst viewing the Youtube clip ‘Risky Decisions - they can be a good thing for teens to make’, write down points that
you thought were interesting, keywords you were unsure of, or questions you might want to ask after watching the video.

Notes:
 Check Point!
Task: You are to categorise the risk-taking behaviours below into positive, negative or both column.

● Altering a recipe ● Trying out for a sporting team ● Sexting

● Performing at a school assembly ● Unprotected sexual intercourse ● Fighting
● Mountain biking ● Trespassing on a private property ● Smoking a cigarette
● Experimenting with drugs and alcohol ● Volunteering your time with a charity ● Learning to jump
● Entering a competition ● Shoplifting

Positive Risk-taking Negative Risk-taking Both

 *Optional

Check Point! activity

Task: In small groups, rank each risk-taking behaviour from the least dangerous to the most dangerous using the
continuum below. Be prepared to justify their choices when sharing their work to the class.

● Altering a recipe ● Trying out for a sporting team ● Sexting

● Performing at a school assembly ● Unprotected sexual intercourse ● Fighting
● Mountain biking ● Trespassing on a private property ● Smoking a cigarette
● Experimenting with drugs and alcohol ● Volunteering your time with a charity ● Learning to jump
● Entering a competition ● Shoplifting

Least dangerous Most dangerous

 Check Point!
Task: Select one positive risk and one negative risk from the previous slide, and explain the positive and/or negative
consequences.

What are the positive and/or negative

What is the risk? How is it a risk?
consequences?

Positive
Risk

Negative
Risk
 Factors that influence risk-taking
It is normal for teenagers to push boundaries and take risks. It is an important
part of their journey in finding their identities and becoming independent
young adults.

During adolescence there are changes in the brain that make teenagers more
focused on the reward they feel when they are admired by their friends, and
the positive reinforcement they get by being included. This is why friends and
peers become incredibly important during the teenage years, and why they feel
real distress if they don’t have friends or are socially rejected.
 Factors that influence risk-taking
The table below identifies a range of factors that influence adolescents on the choices they make.
● Peer pressure
● Being under the influence of drugs or
alcohol
● To prove self-worth
● Self-discipline (e.g. leaving
homework to the last minute and
then risk completing it in time )
● Social media e.g. doing risky
behaviours for 'likes'
● Pride
● an opportunity to improve their
leadership skills
● instant gratification outweighs the
risk
● Mental state/health
● The reward
● Other pressures including time (e.g.
speeding when running late), success
(e.g. cheating in an exam because
your parents expect good results)
● an opportunity to make new friends
● an opportunity to learn new things
about themselves
● thinking that potential harm is too far
in the future to consider (eg
smoking)
● Seeking independence from
parents/carers
● trying new things out for themselves
● peer pressure
● trying to stand out from the crowd
● peer acceptance
● establishing an identity
● sense that harm will not happen to
them
● Sleep/fatigue
● A dare or competition
 Factors that influence risk-taking
Task: Choose and explain the top 3 factors that influence you the most when having to make decisions.

Answer:

Factor 1:

Factor 2:

Factor 3:
 *Optional

What do you
activity

think?
Do you think that the factors that influence your decision-
making now will change as you get older, or will it remain
the same?

Answer: