Healthy Relationships

Curriculum Area and Level

Curriculum Area: English Language Arts
Level: Grade 10 (US Common Core Standards for English Language Arts)
Relevant Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in discussions, building on others' ideas and expressing their own.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences using effective technique, sequence, and character development.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6: Analyze a theme or central idea and how it develops throughout a text.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this 45-minute lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key elements of a healthy relationship, using age-appropriate examples and textual analysis.
2. Articulate and discuss values such as trust, communication, and respect in small groups.
3. Create a short narrative dialogue that demonstrates a healthy interaction in a relationship.

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Lesson Materials

• Excerpt from a short story or film script featuring healthy and unhealthy relationships (teacher-selected; relevant to students’ lives).
• Chart paper or whiteboard and markers.
• Student notebooks.
• Prompt cards with discussion questions.

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Lesson Plan Breakdown

0:00-0:05 — Opening Activity (“What Do You See?”)

1. Welcome students to the session and briefly frame the topic: "Today, we're going to explore what healthy relationships look like through the lens of communication and storytelling."
2. Project or display a scene/image (can be a photo, illustration, or artwork) of two characters in interaction. Without context clues, ask:
   • "What do you think is happening here?"
   • "How does this interaction make you feel? Why?"
3. Take two to three quick responses aloud.

0:05-0:15 — Guided Analysis (Text or Script Excerpt)

1. Distribute the selected excerpt (approximately 1-2 paragraphs or 10 lines of dialogue). Ensure the text includes both healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
2. Students read independently for 2-3 minutes.
3. Facilitate a class discussion, asking:
   • "What behaviors in this excerpt seem healthy or respectful to you?"
   • "What behaviors raise red flags?"
4. Record key points on the whiteboard or chart paper under two headings: Healthy Behaviors and Unhealthy Behaviors.

0:15-0:25 — Small Group Discussion: Building Healthy Relationships

1. Divide the class into two groups of four. Give each group a card with prompts such as:
   • "What kind of communication is most important in a healthy relationship? Why?"
   • “What would you do if you noticed a friend in an unhealthy relationship?”
   • "Describe a healthy relationship depicted in a story, movie, or TV show you’ve seen."
2. Groups discuss for 7 minutes. Circulate the room to ensure all voices are heard and guide any off-topic conversations back on track.

0:25-0:35 — Creative Writing Activity: Dialogue Practice

1. Transition by saying: “Now let’s take what we’ve learned and put it into action!”
2. Students will individually write a short dialogue (6-8 lines) that models a healthy relationship interaction. Prompt:
   • "Imagine two friends, siblings, or partners in a situation where trust, communication, or support is needed. Write their dialogue."
   • Example: Rescheduling plans, offering support in a challenging moment, or solving a misunderstanding.
3. Provide 8 minutes for writing.

0:35-0:42 — Sharing and Constructive Feedback

1. Invite 2-3 volunteers to share their dialogues aloud.
2. After each, guide a 1-2-minute discussion with questions like:
   • "What positive behaviors did you notice in this dialogue?"
   • "How could this dialogue be even stronger or demonstrate more balance?"

0:42-0:45 — Wrap-Up and Exit Ticket

1. Summarise the discussion by re-emphasising the elements of healthy relationships: trust, respect, communication, and support. Note how these translate into both personal interactions and storytelling.
2. Exit Ticket: On an index card, students write a one-sentence reflection on the question:
   • “What is one thing you’ve learned today about healthy relationships?”
3. Collect the tickets as students leave to assess understanding.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Struggling Readers: Provide an audio version of the excerpt or allow them to work with a partner during the analysis phase.
• For Advanced Students: Encourage the use of subtext in their dialogue or ask them to revise their initial script to include more complex emotional dynamics.
• For Visual Learners: Allow doodling/dialogue sketches instead of written-only dialogue.

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Teacher Reflection Post-Lesson

After the session:

• Reflect on student engagement during discussions and small-group activities. Were all voices heard?
• Review Exit Tickets to determine if students met the objectives.
• Consider if the excerpt chosen resonated with the students. Could a more modern/relatable text improve engagement?