Teacher Information and in-class activity pack Drinking Games An interactive play for Years 8-11 exploring alcohol abuse amongst young people. This resource contains everything you need to support your students learning before, during and after their participation in the Theatrical Response Group (TRG) performance Drinking Games. The blue boxes throughout these notes indicate where the activity links to the Australian Curriculum and are provided to support your use of our incursions in specific learning areas. Teacher Note: TRG invites schools to participate in pre and post student surveys to determine the impact that our incursion has had on student s knowledge, attitude and behavioural intent. If you would like to participate in this simple, completely anonymous in-class evaluation process, please contact us and we ll send you the materials. This resource contains: Teacher information and activity notes Extension activities for the classroom How to use this resource: In the days before the performance Section 1: Introducing key concepts Optional: Administer student Pre-survey in class Undertake classroom alcohol Fact or Fiction quiz On performance day Section 2: Delivering the key messages Students view the performance and engage in interactive playback interventions In class after the performance Section 3: Reinforcing the outcomes Students participate in classroom three card shuffle activity Optional: Administer student Post-survey in class SECTION 1: Introducing Key Concepts In the days leading up to the performance we suggest you talk to students about what they are going to see (described in section 2). Introducing students to the key messages in the play through the in-class activity in this section will also help to enhance their understanding of key concepts when seeing the performance itself. 1 Key Concepts for this performance: Binge drinking affects us socially, physically and emotionally and can also affect those around us Friends can play a positive role in supporting each other to make responsible decisions around alcohol consumption If we behave inappropriately, we need to take responsibility for our actions We need to consider the consequences of our choice to consume alcohol IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: Fact or Fiction This activity is designed to explore the students understanding of alcohol, its effect on our self and others and social norms around consumption. 1. Engage students in a Fact or Fiction quiz using the quiz fact sheet provided 2. Using the statistics 33% of young people classify themselves as occasional drinkers or party drinkers and 64% classify themselves as non drinkers, discuss why some young people decide to drink and why some decide not to drink. Page 1 of 4
Ideas for discussion points: Use the statements below and discuss if these may be reasons why young people decide to drink or decide not to drink. Teacher Note: When discussing sensitive topics such as alcohol consumption, students may be more willing to participate in the discussion when the statements remain in the third person. Drinking has negative effects on your health Drinking is the most effective way of relaxing Drinking makes it easier for you to get to know people If you don t drink, you re not really part of the group People who drink are usually more popular It is difficult to say no if friends offer alcohol It is ok to get drunk occasionally so long as you don t lose control A few drinks can make you feel more confident Occasionally getting drunk and losing control is good fun One of the main reasons some young people drink is to get drunk Having easy access to alcohol encourages young people to drink more Statements from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report 2011, see http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au. Share with students the following introduction to the performance Drinking Games. Explain the play is intended to help us think about how alcohol can affect your life and what might happen if you choose to drink. Health and Physical Education link Strand: Personal, social and community health (Year 7-8) Substrand: Being healthy, safe and active - Investigating reasons why young people choose to use or not use drugs Strand: Personal, social and community health (Year 9-10) Substrand: Being healthy, safe and active - Evaluating the influence of personal, social and cultural factors on decisions and actions young people take in relation to their health, safety and wellbeing In the play Anthony and Lauren have been friends since they were kids, but now that they re hitting their teens, things are changing for both of them. With all the responsibility and freedom of adulthood looming, Anthony feels he has to break away from the expectations his mum has for him. Lauren doesn t know where she fits anymore as Anthony has started hanging out with more exciting friends. Both their parents are out of town this weekend and Anthony and his new friends organise a little party, and everyone s invited... With the alcohol flowing can Anthony really keep a handle on the situation as the party spirals out of control and he risks losing his oldest friend forever? In this ground breaking new interactive performance don t just be a spectator, become a spectactor. Step into the show, join the performers and see if you can change the outcome SECTION 2: Delivering the Key Messages On the day of the performance students will view the play and then participate in actor-led interactive playback interventions. This playback process is designed to reinforce the key messages from the performance and encourage students to explore the scenarios and strategies for dealing with each situation. The interactive session invites students to share their thoughts on better decisions to help the characters experience better outcomes. The sessions are facilitated and managed by our TRG actors. 2 Performance Title Performance Type Drinking Games Four Actor Forum theatre Play (with interactive playback interventions after scripted performance) Age Range Years 8-11 (ages 14-17) Synopsis Concepts Addressed Anthony and Lauren have been friends since they were kids, but now that they re hitting their teens, things are changing for both of them. With all the responsibility and freedom of adulthood looming, Anthony feels he has to break away from the expectations his mum has for him. Lauren doesn t know where she fits anymore as Anthony has started hanging out with more exciting friends. Both their parents are out of town this weekend and Anthony and his new friends organise a little party, and everyone s invited... With the alcohol flowing can Anthony really keep a handle on the situation as the party spirals out of control and he risks losing his oldest friend forever? In this ground breaking new interactive performance don t just be a spectator, become a spectactor. Step into the show, join the performers and see if you can change the outcome Underage alcohol abuse; peer pressure and bystander behaviour; social, physical and emotional effects of binge drinking and associated behaviour; responsible decision making and consideration of consequences; responsibility to friends and family. Teacher Note: If you have elected to take part in the optional pre and post student survey process, the required number of post-performance surveys will be given to you by the actors on performance day and should be completed by students immediately after the last in-class activity in Section 3. Page 2 of 4
SECTION 3: Reinforcing the Outcomes IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: Playback Once back in class, students participate in reflecting on key messages, including optional extension activities. The classroom tasks are designed to reinforce the key learning outcomes from the performance. 1. Remind students of the interaction between the characters in the performance who were offering and being offered alcohol. 2. Discuss with students the type of language used by both performers. 3. Discuss the characteristics of being assertive. DO: have positive and strong body language, stay calm, say how you feel, maintain eye contact, don t rush your decision / action, take time to think, firm voice and look confident; DON T: apologise or say sorry, whisper, look guilty or scared, get angry. Remind students that being assertive is a way to ask for something you want as well as refuse something you don t want to do, as in the case of the performer who did not want to drink alcohol. 4. Using role-play, practise saying no confidently and assertively. Discuss the type of language necessary in this context and why. Practise being assertive in scenarios where your friends are encouraging you to do something you don t want to do. Utilise the playback scenarios from the performance, for example your friends ask you to take alcohol from your house, destroy someone else s belongings at a house party, take pictures of another friend who is drunk. 5. Using role-play and the playback scenarios from the performance as starting points, practise being assertive in situations where you are asking for something. 6. Using the scenarios as a discussion point, explore with students the role friends can play in supporting each other to make responsible decisions around alcohol consumption. Reinforce that ultimately we are all responsible for our own behaviour. IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: Three Card Shuffle The included Three Card Shuffle activity provides an opportunity to examine the influence of others on your decision to drink alcohol. The activity is designed to have students further explore the scenarios young people encounter relating to alcohol consumption and practise strategies to support yourself and others in making responsible decisions. Three Card Shuffle Preparation Print and cut out the included scenario cards in the three colours (green, blue, orange), 1 coloured card per student. Instructions Explain to students they will be using fictional experiences to create role-plays. Divide the class into three groups by distributing the three sets of coloured cards, one small card for each student. Green: Cards associated with the types of peer pressure directed at students relating to drug use and road safety (eg: to drink alcohol, to steal alcohol, to drive a car under the influence of alcohol) Blue: Cards associated with the places where students may feel under pressure from friends (eg. at a party, when there are no adults). Orange: Cards associated with typical ways some students respond to this (eg: get angry, say no, go along with the crowd) Health and Physical Education: Strand: Personal, social and community health (Year 7-8) Substrand: Being healthy, safe and active - Practise and apply strategies to seek help for themselves or others Focus: Explore the scenarios young people encounter and share strategies for dealing with each situation Strand: Personal, social and community health (Year 9-10) Substrand: Being healthy, safe and active - Plan, rehearse and evaluate options for managing situations where their own or others health, wellbeing and/ or safety may be at risk Focus: Proposing and practicing a range of realistic scenarios where peers are encouraging them to take unnecessary risks Three Card Shuffle Summary Each student receives a coloured card Green: Peer pressure examples Blue: Places where peer pressure occur Orange: Response to peer pressure The students move to find a person from each colour (group of three) The cards are combined to form a peer pressure scenario. After discussing their scenario and suggested actions the students are rotated to make a new peer pressure situation. A group discussion at the end summarises students thoughts on how to respond in these situations 3 Ask each student to move and find one person from each of the other colour groups to form a group of three (ie. one person with a green card, one with a blue and one with an orange card in each group). Page 3 of 4
The three cards combine together to make a peer pressure scenario ie. what is happening, where it is happening and one possible way of responding for example a student is being pressured to buy alcohol when staying with a friend for the night. The student decides to return home. Allow students time to consider and practise their responses. Rotate, forming new groups and new scenarios to respond to. To summarise the activity, discuss together - Which situations were the most difficult to respond to and why? - What types of responses were the most successful in dealing with the situations? - Which response could you use if you were a friend watching this happen and what would help you respond better? The activities outlined in this teacher resource encourage students development in critical and creative thinking and personal and social capabilities. Critical and Creative Thinking Generating ideas, possibilities and actions Reflecting on thinking and processes For more information refer to the Critical and Creative Thinking Learning Continuum www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ GeneralCapabilities/Critical-andcreative-thinking IDEAS FOR OPTIONAL EXTENSION ACTIVITIES To extend the focus of this topic and integrate cross curricular learning, consider additional activities such as: Literacy (Year 8) Subtopic: Literacy Focus: Interacting with others Use interaction skills for identified purposes, using voice and language conventions to suit different situations, selecting vocabulary, modulating voice and using elements such as music, images and sound for specific effects. Activity: Students research and explore assertive behaviour exhibited by characters in a book, TV program, movie, literature currently being studied etc. and investigate the characters use of vocabulary, their voice (if relevant) and other elements in the situation to achieve their desired outcome. Literacy (Year 9) Subtopic: Language Focus: Language for Interaction Understand that roles and relationships are developed and challenged through language and interpersonal skills Activity: Students research and explore relationships of characters in a book, TV program, movie, literature currently being studied etc. Students investigate the characters use of language in social situations and the impact this has on the roles and relationships between the characters. Literacy (Year 10) Subtopic: Literacy Focus: Interacting with others Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to influence a course of action Activity: Students prepare and present a drug education presentation for younger students ensuring due consideration is given to the content, the language used and inclusion of scenarios. For each year group, students may explore a selection of texts related to drug use and/or road safety, for e.g. newspaper reports, websites, blogs etc. to evaluate and select the evidence from the text and integrate these ideas and information to form their own interpretations. The increase in Facebook parties and the negative implications of such parties reported in the media may be an interesting topic for investigation. Note: Teachers may need to pay particular attention to students sourcing information relating to a publicised incident which may be personally connected to them. Teacher Note: The key concepts addressed in the performance and in the class based activities may also be reinforced using drug education and road aware programs being implemented in your school. The activities provided in this teacher resource aim to complement and not replace drug education and road safety initiatives ongoing in schools. YOUR FEEDBACK We hope you find this resource useful in assisting you to deliver in-class activities that support our performance incursion. TRG always welcomes feedback and if you have suggestions for ways we can improve this resource, please contact us at www.constablecare.org.au/contact-us or mail@constablecare.org.au and let us know your thoughts. Page 4 of 4
Fact or Fiction? 1 Almost one quarter of students aged 12 to 17 have never had even part of an alcoholic drink. 2 More students aged 12 to 17 are drinking now than ever before. 3 The majority of 12 to 17 year olds classfied themselves as a non-drinker rather than an occasional drinker or party drinker. 4 Feeling sick/vomiting is a common behaviour after drinking. 5 Most young people think they will usually have a good experience if they take alcohol. 6 Most students don t think drinking can harm your health. 7 Risky drinking, or drinking that can cause the greatest harm, is defined as having more than six standard drinks in one day. 8 Verbally abusing someone, causing damage to property, hitting someone or having a fight with someone are all common behaviours that students had after drinking. Page 1 of 2
Fact or Fiction? NOTE 1 Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report 2011, p.15. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/ DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 2 Fiction Although alcohol use has fluctuated since 1993, a downward trend is evident from 2005. Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report 2011, p. 17 http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/ DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 3 The majority of 12 to 17 year olds classify themselves as non-drinkers (64%), followed by occasional drinkers (approx. 18%) and party drinkers (approx. 13%). Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p. 25. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/dmx/download. aspx?command=core_download&entryid=776&portalid=0&tabid=211 NOTE 4 50% of 16 to 17 year olds and 30% of 12 to 15 years reported being sick/vomiting after drinking in the last 12 months Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p. 26. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/ DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776 &PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 5 More than half of all students have a positive expectation concerning alcohol consumption (55.7%). Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p. 30. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/ DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 6 Fiction 84.7% of students agree that drinking can harm your health. Almost seven in ten (69.6%) students perceive that it is very dangerous to get very drunk regularly. Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p. 33 and p. 35. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/dmx/ Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 7 Fiction Single occasion risk is defined using adult guidelines of more than four standard drinks, although the guidelines for young people state that not drinking is the safest option. Statistics are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p.19. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/ DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&PortalId=0&TabId=211 NOTE 8 The most common behaviours are available from the Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report, 2011, p.26. http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktop- Modules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=776&Portal Id=0&TabId=211 For the discussion on why young people choose not to drink or make the decision to drink, information on social attitudes towards alcohol use for students aged 12 to 17 years old is available on p. 36 in the report Australian School Student Alcohol and Drug Survey: Alcohol Report 2011 http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/desktopmodules/bring2mind/dmx/download. aspx?command=core_download&entryid=776&portalid=0&tabid=211. Page 2 of 2
Three Card Shuffle Alcohol and Road Safety Related Peer Pressure Examples Take alcohol without permission Participate in a drinking game Take pictures of a friend who is very drunk Destroy the inside of a house you attended for a house party Drink some of your friend s alcohol Share pictures of a friend online who is very drunk Attend a party where there will be no adults Share the details online of a party you are hosting
Three Card Shuffle Places where peer pressure may occur At a friend s house At a party Somewhere where there is no adult supervision At a school camp At a park after dark At your house At a house party At a friend s party
Three Card Shuffle Typical ways students respond to peer pressure Get angry Try to convince them to do something else Explain why you do not want to do what you are being asked to do Ignore what the person says Go with the crowd, whatever they do, you will do Respond with a funny remark Be assertive Make a joke