QUEST 6: Peer Groups INFLUENCES – Friends

INFLUENCES – Friends

QUEST 6: Peer groups

Teacher notes

Curriculum links: Literacy, PSHE (Personal wellbeing, Life skills, Relationships) Zone relevance: Influences

Description: There are many friends and friendship groups that students have in their life. This activity allows students to dissect what a friend group is, why people want to belong to them and the influences these groups have on them. This activity can open a discussion on student’s groups and the pressures they are feeling.

Background: Friend groups are people with whom we share values, preferences, objectives and a worldview. Being a member of a group can have a double influence: our relationship with the other members of that group are important, but our sense of belonging to the group as a whole can also influence how we see ourselves and how we behave. Within these relationships we mutually influence one another’s identities. Luke for example, finds friendship and a sense of belonging among the members of the Rebel Alliance. Friends and groups are particularly important in our teen years, facilitating and influencing the passage from dependent adolescent to autonomous adult. To affirm our place in the group and our identity in the eyes of the others, we may feel pressure to act in new and unfamiliar ways, including taking risks or breaking rules.

Activity 1: Brainstorm with your class what they think a peer group is and a list of reasons people want to belong to them. Students can be invited to write these suggestions on the IWB.

Activity 2: a. Students should review the Student worksheet which details two groups taken from Star Wars, their common goals, activities, influences and shared appearance. b. They should then describe the groups from their lives, their common goals, activities, influences and appearance using the template on the worksheet.

EDUCATOR’S RESOURCE GUIDE 8 Student worksheet Look at the Star Wars groups below and reflect on the characteristics of the group.

PEER GROUP: Rebel Alliance PEER GROUP: The Sith Common Goal: To save the Universe from the Common Goal: To have unlimited power. evil rule of the Empire, by restoring peace and To rule using the dark ways of the Force, freedom to the universe through elected rule. common values are principles of passion, hatred, selfishness and fear. Activities: The Rebel Alliance run missions to hurt or stop the Empire. Activities: The Sith are often involved in fights; they use threats and violence to control others. Appearance: When fighting the Rebels wear orange suits mostly, and their helmets have the Appearance: Members include the name Rebel symbol on them. Darth in their title. Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader once he joins the Sith. The Sith use/wear lightsabers and wear a dark cloak and dress in dark colours.

EDUCATOR’S RESOURCE GUIDE 9 Fill out the identity table below detailing any peer groups that you belong to.

Peer group

Common goals

Activities

Appearence

Peer group

Common goals

Activities

Appearence

In the space below explain how being part of these peer groups makes you feel.

EDUCATOR’S RESOURCE GUIDE 10