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    Responsible Decision-Making 7th-8th GRADES

    Responsible Decision Making Competencies

    7th- 8th Grades Indicators of Responsible Decision Making

    1. Consider and use multiple factors in decision- making, including ethical and safety factors, personal and community responsibilities, and short- term and long-term goals.

    ●       Analyzes the reason for school and societal rules and their impact on decisions.

    ●       Analyzes the impact of media on one’s behavior.

    ●       Explains how honesty, respect, and compassion (empathy) enables one to take the needs of others into account.

    ●       Identifies and applies the steps of systematic decision-making.

    2. Develop, implement, and model effective decision-making skills to deal responsibly with academic and social situations.

    ●       Stands up for other peers when they are teased, insulted, or left out.

    ●       Develops decision-making strategies for avoiding risky behavior.

    ●       Defines how external influences impact decision making.

    ●       Analyze how decision-making skills affect study habits and academic performance.

    SEL Academic Integrated Strategies for Responsible Decision-Making

    7th-8th Grades

    ●Have students develop skits on bullying and the different roles (i.e., target of bullying, student who bullies, bystander, and defender) to present to elementary students.

    ●Discuss with students what they would do when confronted with a moral dilemma (e.g., finding a lost cell phone, being with a friend who steals).

    ●Have students research the influences (negative and positive) of social media and present their findings either in a paper or a presentation.

    ●Have students identify bullying and harassment situations in history, literature, the workplace, and/or current events, and ask them to analyze the strategies used by persons involved for effectiveness.

    ●Bring in a guest speaker who works to prevent or investigate incidents of cyber-bullying.

    ●Discuss with students the logical consequences of positive and negative actions in school and in the community.

    ●Have students write and perform their own role plays for resisting peer pressure to avoid risky behavior.

    ●Help students identify and seek outside sources of information to inform decision-making.

    ●Have students keep a weekly planner to organize studies.

    ●Teach students to stop, assess the situation, and make a good choice when confronted with negative peer pressure.

    ●Invite guest speakers to share with students the importance of decision-making in their job and the impact decisions made as teenagers and young adults influence their ability to achieve career goals.

    ● Teach students a formula for making good decisions (e.g., identify the problem, consider the alternatives, make a choice, try it out, re- evaluate).

     

    SEL Direct Instruction Resources for Responsible Decision-Making 

    Curriculum Resources

    7th-8th Grades

    Utah Core Health Standards

     

     

    Strand 1: Health Foundations and Protective Factors of Healthy Self

     

    Strand 2: Mental and Emotional Health

     

    Strand 3: Safety and Disease Prevention

     

     

     

    Strand 4: Substance Abuse Prevention

     

     

    MindUp

     

     

     

     

     

    Unit 1: Getting Focused

     
    • L1: How Our Brains Work
    • L2: Mindful Awareness
    • L3: Focused Awareness: The Core Practice

    Unit 3: It’s All About Attitude

     
    • L10: Perspective Taking
    • L11: Choosing Optimism
    • L12: Appreciating Happy Experiences

    Unit 4: Taking Action Mindfully
    • L13: Expressing Gratitude
    • L14: Performing Acts of Kindness
    • L15: Taking Mindful Action in the World

     

    Botvin Life

    Skills

     

    Health

    Lessons

    7th Grade

     

     

     
    • Making Decisions
    • Resisting Peer Pressure

     

     Nearpod

     

    SEL

    7th Grade

    8th Grade

    Pure Edge, Inc.

     

     

     

     

    Pure Edge Brain Breaks

    Training Manual

    Pure Edge Brain Breaks Training Manual

    Strategies for educators and learners to support social, emotional, and academic development through mindful movement and rest.

    ● Arrival: Engaging in a Mindful Minute offers learners a chance to check in with themselves at the start of the day.

    ● Large Group/Circle Time: Simple breathing exercises will visually hold attention in the large group setting.

    ● Small Group: Small group offers time to give feedback and answer questions.

    ● Refocus Between Lessons: Bring in a little movement and breathing as a brain break to re-energize learners.

    ● Before Testing: Use mindful breathing exercises to help learners focus and relieve testing-related stress.

    ● Lining Up: Help learners stay calm during the transition to and from the classroom.

    ● Recess: Refocus and calm down after recess.

    ● Create a Calming Center: Have a Breathing Ball available for learners to access in a quiet area.

    ● Departure: A gratitude activity is a great way to start off or wrap up the day.

     

    Learning to Breathe
    • B-Body: Listen, your body is trying to tell you something.
    • R- Reflections and Thoughts: Thoughts are just thoughts.
    • E- Emotions: Surf the Waves of your emotions.
    • A- Attention: Attention to body, thoughts, and feelings is good stress reduction.
    • T- Tenderness: Take it as it is. Learn to be kind to yourself.
    • H- Healthy Habits of Mind: Finding ways to practice mindfulness in your life reduces stress and increases inner strength.
    • E- Empowerment: Gain the inner edge.