Understanding Control

Lesson Plan for Coercive Control, Gaslighting, and Love Bombing

Learning Objectives

• Curriculum Area: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)
• Key Stage 3, Year 8:
  • Understand what coercive control, gaslighting, and love bombing are.
  • Link these concepts to peer approval.
  • Develop critical thinking and personal safety.

Materials Needed

• Printed worksheets
• Whiteboard and markers
• Scenario role-playing cards
• Coloured post-it notes
• Pens and paper

Lesson Duration: 40 minutes

Lesson Breakdown

Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Welcome and Overview:

   • Greet the students and briefly outline the lesson topics.
   • Explain the importance of understanding these manipulative behaviours in maintaining healthy relationships and detecting red flags.

2. Ice-breaker Question:

   • Ask students: "Have you ever heard of the terms coercive control, gaslighting, or love bombing?"
   • Allow a few minutes for students to share their thoughts or experiences.

Main Teaching (15 minutes)

1. Definitions and Explanations:

   • Coercive Control: Discuss it as ongoing psychological behaviour used to intimidate, isolate, and control another person.
   • Gaslighting: Explain it as manipulating someone into doubting their reality or sanity.
   • Love Bombing: Describe it as a tactic involving overwhelming someone with excessive attention and affection to gain control.

2. Link to Peer Approval:

   • Discuss how seeking peer approval can sometimes make individuals more vulnerable to these behaviours.
   • Provide examples of how friends or peers might use these tactics, consciously or unconsciously, in relationships and friendships.

Group Activity: Role-Playing (10 minutes)

1. Formation of Groups:

   • Divide the class into two groups of 3 students each.

2. Scenario Assignments:

   • Hand out role-playing cards with different scenarios illustrating coercive control, gaslighting, and love bombing.
   • Each group will read through their scenario and prepare a short skit demonstrating the scenario and its impact.

3. Presentation:

   • Allow each group 3 minutes to present their skit to the class.
   • After each skit, engage the class in a brief discussion about what they observed and how the behaviours affect the person involved.

Interactive Discussion (5 minutes)

1. Reflection Questions:

   • Use coloured post-it notes for students to write responses to questions like:
     • "Why do you think it's important to recognise these behaviours?"
     • "How can we support friends who might be experiencing these?"

2. Sharing and Feedback:

   • Invite students to stick their notes on the board and briefly share their thoughts.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

1. Summary of Key Points:

   • Reiterate the definitions and examples of coercive control, gaslighting, and love bombing.
   • Highlight the importance of recognising these behaviours and maintaining healthy relationships.

2. Personal Safety Tips:

   • Discuss strategies to deal with these behaviours, such as seeking help from trusted adults, and the importance of self-awareness and assertiveness.

3. Closing Activity:

   • Ask each student to write one piece of advice they would give to a peer who might be experiencing manipulative behaviours.
   • Collect these and read a few aloud to reinforce the lesson’s messages.

Assessment

• Observation of group activity and role-playing engagement.
• Participation in discussions and reflections.
• Collection and review of advice notes for understanding and empathy.

Extension Activities

• Encourage students to create informational posters on coercive control, gaslighting, and love bombing to display in the classroom or hallway.
• Organize a talk by a school counsellor or local charity to discuss further support systems.

Final Notes

• Ensure a supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere.
• Be prepared to follow up with individual students if sensitive issues arise.

By the end of this lesson, students should have a clear understanding of coercive control, gaslighting, and love bombing, and be able to identify these behaviours within peer interactions.