Suggested Grade/Age Range: Grades 7-8

Activity Objective: The purpose of this activity is to examine different kinds of unhealthy relationships and explore the power dynamics within them and possible ways to get help in these relationships.

Materials Required:

• Handout on Healthy vs. Unhealthy Characteristics in a Relationship
• Chart paper (one sheet for each small group of 4-5 people), markers for writing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Facilitator writes on the  board the following questions before the activity:

• What makes the relationship unhealthy?
• What healthy qualities are missing in this relationship?
• Who has the power or control in this relationship? How might the person without the power or control feel?
• How can the individual(s) in the relationship get help or support?
• Is this relationship worth saving? Why or why not? If so, what healthy boundaries need to be set? 

Task Time: 60 minutes

Activity Description:

1.       Divide class into small groups of 4-5 people and give each group a piece of chart paper and markers. Explain to the groups that they will be creating scenarios around an unhealthy relationship and will be swapping their scenarios to each group to answer the questions written on the board

• Go through each question on the board and clarify any questions about them
• Advise the groups to be creative and to think of different types of relationships (e.g., family, friendship, romantic relationship, online, with authority figures, etc.)
• Give each group the ‘Characteristics of Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships’ handout to refer to when creating scenarios (link below)

2.       Circulate while the groups are creating their scenarios and provide feedback as needed

3.       Once all the groups have created the scenario, ask them to pass their scenario to the group beside/near them  and have the next group read the scenario and then answer the first question on the board. Rotate again so a different group answers the second question and so on until all the questions are covered

4.       Take up the scenarios as a whole class and have the different groups who answered each question explain their reasoning

5.       Emphasize that we relate to one another in a variety of different kinds of relationships that can be healthy or unhealthy. It is important to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationships so that we can put down boundaries or get help

Activity Extensions:

• To ensure different types of relationships are covered, each small group can be assigned a general context (e.g., family, friendship, online acquaintance, romantic relationship, etc.)
• The students can be asked to act out a skit that depicts signs of a unhealthy relationships, setting healthy boundaries, and/or getting help

Additional Comments:

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Additional Resources:

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