1. Reproductive Health & Safety
Today we will discuss peer pressure and refusal skills.
This session will revisit information you may have previously received in another class. Please remember to ask questions during the lessons. Outside of the class, remember to get the facts by asking a reliable and responsible adult. Friends may not give you correct or accurate information.
Lesson 5 – Peer Pressure and Refusal Skills

2. Reproductive Health & Safety
Ground Rules
Be Respectful
Exhibit Maturity
Demonstrate Patience
Remember the ground rules we have agreed upon. You will need to continue to follow these rules.
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

3. Reproductive Health & Safety
The Question Box
Remind students questions should be placed in the Question Box.
Some questions may be better answered privately or by your parent(s)/guardian(s). Remember we want to maintain a mature and respectful classroom environment and if a question is inappropriate to the class then it will not be read.
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

4. Reproductive Health & Safety
Let’s Review
Let’s review the last lesson: Lesson 4 - FDA approved contraceptives.
Tell me something you learned from our most recent lesson.
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

5. Let’s Be Friends… Activity # 1: What’s Important to You!
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

6. Reproductive Health & Safety
What is Peer Pressure?
Ask students to give their definition of peer pressure.
Let’s talk about peer pressure. Your peers are the people that are close to your age that may share some of your same interests. Peer pressure is the pressure you may feel when one or more of your peers is trying to influence your decision. For example, your friends may want to go a party and pressure you to join them. Often friends will have a strong influence on your decisions.
Based upon the descriptions you just gave about friends, would you say it’s important to be sure your friends are supportive, caring and have your best interests in mind. Absolutely!
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

7. Reproductive Health & Safety
Peer Pressure
Can peer pressure be positive? Absolutely!
Here are a couple of examples, let say your friends want you to join an afterschool club that is interested in helping to save the environment or they want you to try out for a sports team. These are examples of positive peer pressure.
Activity #2: Working Together to Figure it Out!
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

8. Let’s Focus on Refusal Skills
Now that we’ve talked about peer pressure let’s focus on refusal skills. What is a refusal skill and can anyone give me an example? The correct answer is a skill that is used to refuse or avoid taking part in a particular thing.
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

9. Reproductive Health & Safety
Effective Refusals
Verbal Refusals
Say “No” without giving excuses
Repeat the message as often as necessary
Suggest alternative actions or activities
Match your words to your tone
Accept the possibility of rejection
Be honest
Now that we’ve talked about peer pressure let’s focus on refusal skills. What is a refusal skill and can anyone give me an example? The correct answer is a skill that is used to refuse or avoid taking part in a particular thing.
Here is a list of effective verbal refusal skills…lets do some role playing.
Activity #3: 7th Graders Have Skills – Part 1!
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

10. Reproductive Health & Safety
Effective Refusals
Verbal Refusals
Speak only for yourself
Appeal to possible consequences
Non-Verbal Refusals
Avoid physical contact
Make gestures to emphasize your refusal
Maintain a serious expression
Here is a list of effective verbal and non-verbal refusal skills…lets do some role playing.
Activity #3: 7th Graders Have Skills – Part 2!
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

11. Reproductive Health & Safety
Taking a Stand
Why do you think we are discussing refusal skills during a Reproductive Health and Safety lesson?
We are now going to focus on refusal skills to avoid unwanted sexual activity and how to practice skills to remain abstinent.
Activity #4: Taking a Stand
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

12. Reproductive Health & Safety
Knowledge Assessment
Now I am going to ask you some questions based upon the information we’ve recently covered. Please remember to answer these questions to the best of your ability.
Knowledge Assessment: #5
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety

13. Reproductive Health & Safety
The End
The next several days we will continue to discuss topics that relate to reproductive health and safety. Thank you for your patience and maturity. Remember if you have any questions regarding the information we covered, please take a moment to write them down and place them in the question box. We will answer these questions in the near future.
Wake County Public School System
Reproductive Health & Safety