Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
1
Purpose of the Lesson
The purpose of this lesson is for students to refine and practice existing refusal skills and gain additional strategies
to say no to drugs. Students will analyze situations that could lead to substance abuse and examine dierent influ-
ences present to apply an eective refusal skill or strategy.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 1: Comprehending Concepts
Performance Indicator 1.8.5: Determine situations that could lead to the use of drugs.
Standard 2: Analyzing Influences
Performance Indicator 2.8.9: Analyze how relevant influences of peers aect other drug-use practices and behaviors.
Standard 4: Interpersonal Communication Skills
Performance Indicator 4.8.1: Demonstrate the use of eective verbal and nonverbal communication to avoid misuse of prescription
medication.
Performance Indicator 4.8.2: Demonstrate the use of eective verbal and nonverbal communication to avoid other drug use.
Performance Indicator 4.8.4: Demonstrate eective peer resistance skills to avoid or reduce exposure to other drug use.
Healthy Behavior Outcome (HBO)
Avoid experimentation with alcohol and other drugs.
Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to:
Objective Assessment
1. Identify situations that could lead to substance abuse. • Bell Ringer Question
2. Identify influences that are present in peer pressure situations. • Bell Ringer Question
3. Apply various refusal skill strategies to avoid substance abuse
through role playing dierent peer pressure scenarios.
• Strategies to Say No to
Drugs and Role Play
Scenarios
4. Identify elements of eective peer resistance skills when
observing a role play.
• Role Plays and Observer
Check Sheet
Time: 45-55 minutes
Materials
Assessments and Worksheets
• 12 Ways to Say No to Drugs Poster (Attachment 1); Refusal Skill Skit Practice Directions (Attachment 2);
Refusal Skill Skit Practice Script (Attachment 3); Skit Evaluation (Attachment 4); Peer Observer Check
Sheet (Attachment 5);
Resources
• Refusal Skills PowerPoint
• Generation RX Scenarios (http://www.generationrx.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/4.PlotTwist_ScenesOnly-1.pdf)
• Generation RX Teacher Talking Points (https://generationrx.org/wp-content/
uploads/2015/06/4.PlotTwist_FacilitatorTalkingPoints.pdf)
Introduction
Today, we are going to explore the pressure of fitting in with our peers. Our friends and peers can sometimes have
the biggest influence over our daily decisions. Sometimes this can lead to positive outcomes, but other times it can
lead to risky or negative outcomes. In Lesson 1, we learned about how media influences substance abuse. Today
we are going to look at prescription medication misuse and abuse and ways peer pressure is impacting teenagers
today. You will be practicing refusal skills so that, by the end of the lesson, you have confidence in using these
strategies to make a drug-free choice.
Teaching Steps
Activity 1: Bell Ringer Questions (Attachment 1)
• What type of situations could lead to being pressured to use drugs?
o Possible Answers: At a party where no adult supervision is present; going to your friend’s house with
no parental supervision; meeting new friends who associate with substance abuse; older siblings of
friends; dating people who are older than you; etc.
• What influences are present in a peer pressure situation?
o Possible Answers: Peers, the desire to fit in, wanting to feel good, enhance performance, the desire
to look more grown up, curiosity, thrill seeking, etc.
• Have students report out answers to facilitate class discussion.
• Review Peer Pressure:
o Peer Pressure – the influence people your age have on you. How can peer pressure be a positive
and a negative?
• Positive: Encourage you to do good things.
• Negative: Encourage you to do unhealthy or harmful things.
o Peer pressure can be verbal/direct or nonverbal/indirect. What does it look like?
• Verbal/Direct: Put down, name calling, rejection, bullying (dares).
• Nonverbal/Indirect: Whispers, huddles, dirty looks, body language.
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Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Activity 2: 12 Ways to Say No to Drugs
• Step 1: Open the PowerPoint “12 Ways to Say No to Drugs” and distribute this reference sheet to the
students as you review the following the 12 strategies to refuse drugs in peer pressure situations.
o Before we review the “Ways to Say No,” let’s review the fundamentals of STOP and the verbal and
non-verbal elements that support a strong NO message:
• Verbal
o Say “NO” in a firm voice.
o Assertive communication: Respectful and direct communication that advocates for
their rights and needs without violating the rights of others.
o Example: “I said NO. Please respect my decision.”
• Non-Verbal
o Strong body language
• Stand tall
• Head up
o Eye contact
o Volume of voice: Loud enough to hear, but not yelling.
o Tone of voice
• Direct
• Clear
o Tell why you will not use drugs.
• Reasons you are drug-free:
o I don’t want to disappoint the people who care about me.
o I care about my health.
o I value my future.
• I don’t want to disappoint the people who care about me.
• I care about my health.
• I value my future.
o Oer other alternatives or strategies to prevent substance abuse.
• Here are the 12 ways to say NO (Introduce Attachment 1: 12 Ways to Say No to Drugs Poster):
1. Delay the decision: “No thanks, not today.”
2. Blame your parents: “No way, my parents would kill me.”
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Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
3. Recruit a friend: Find someone else who does not use.
4. Give it back: “No thanks, you have some.”
5. Make an excuse: “No thanks, I’m in training” or “No thanks, I’m allergic to smoke.”
6. Use humor or make a joke: “I don’t need any, I’m crazy now.”
7. Suggest an alternative: “Let’s go to the movies instead.”
8. Respect our friendship: “If you were a friend, you wouldn’t ask me to do this.”
9. Use personal experience: “No thanks, I see what smoking has done to my dad.”
10. Highlight disadvantages: “No thanks, smoking can make your teeth yellow.”
11. Declare decision: “No thanks, I don’t smoke.”
12. Broken Record: imply say no repeatedly. By doing so, you are a part of the majority of
teens who avoid drugs.
• Ask students, “Are there other ways to say no that we can add to the list?” If they do, add
them; if they do not, continue with the lesson.
• What strategies they think are eective to maintain their drug-free choice when faced with a
peer pressure situation?
o Promptly leave or state how you will exit the situation.
• Have a plan to exit an unsafe situation.
• Walk away if the situation becomes uncomfortable.
• Have a family “code word” that let’s them know you need help.
o Tell students if the situation is dangerous or they feel uncomfortable, leave the situation and call
a trusted adult to pick them up. You should think ahead in case this situation would ever occur.
Planning before the possibility of the situation happening will help keep you safe and that is why
we are practicing today.
• Step 2: Divide group participants into teams of 2-6 individuals.
o Distribute one of the four scenes from the Generation Rx Scenario link (http://generationrx.org/
wp-content/uploads/2015/06/4.PlotTwist_ScenesOnly-1.pdf) to each group. If you have more than
four groups, ask two groups to perform the same scene.
o The teacher will also distribute one copy of the Refusal Skill Skit Directions (Attachment
3) with the Refusal Skill Skit Script (Attachment 4) copied on the back. EACH student
in the group will need to have a copy of the Skit Evaluation (Attachment 5).
• Refusal Skill Set Directions – Students will use to organize their response to the scenario.
• Refusal Skill Script – Students write our their response to the situation and the possible outcome.
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Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
• Skit Evaluation – Groups use this form to evaluate other groups.
o Instruct each group to read their scene as well as the questions posed at the end. Their task is to
write the ending of their script in three dierent ways. They will pick three dierent refusal skills to
use and act out their responses.
• Step 3: Once students have written out the three possible endings to the scenarios using three dierent
refusal skills, pair each group up with another group.
o Each group will have a chance to be a “presenter” and “evaluator.”
o One group will present their skits giving the three alternate endings. While they present, the other
group will use the evaluation page to see if they can recognize the dierent refusal strategies used.
o Aer the first group presents, the evaluators will go over their performance feedback and see if they
guessed the correct refusal skill strategies used.
o The groups will then switch roles as “presenter” and “evaluator” and continue with the same
process.
• Recommendation: Keep skits to 2-3 minutes.
• Give students 15-20 minutes to work on their skits
• Allow 15-20 minutes for students to go through the “presenter” and “evaluator” roles with their paired group
• As you walk around and watch the skits, use the Teacher Talking Points sheet as a reference to oer any
suggestions or guidance to students as they work
Closure
Students analyzed dierent situations where they may be faced with peer pressure and identified influences that may
be present during a peer pressure situation. Aer learning 12 dierent ways to say no to drugs and practicing them
through role playing, students will have gained confidence in saying no to help keep their choice to be drug-free.
Pose an exit ticket question:
What did you learn today about:
• Refusal skills, peer pressure, and making healthy choices.
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Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
6
Attachment 1: Refusal Skills Note Sheet
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Name:
REFUSAL SKILLs
Activity 1: Bell Ringer Questions
What type of situations could lead to being pressured to use drugs?
What influences are present in a peer pressure situation?
What is peer pressure?
What is an example of negative peer pressure?
What are key components of a strong VERBAL message?
What are key components of a strong NONVERBAL message?
Why is it important for you to be drug-free?
What are two refusal skills that you feel most comfortable using?
What would you do if you found yourself in a dangerous situation? Who could you call for help?
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
7
Attachment 2: 12 Ways to Say NO to Drugs Poster.
1. Delay the decision: “No thanks, not today.”
2. Blame your parents: “No way, my parents would kill me.”
3. Recruit a friend: Find someone else who does not use.
4. Give it back: “No thanks, you have some.”
5. Make an excuse: “No thanks, I’m in training” or “No
thanks, I’m allergic to smoke.”
6. Use humor: “I don’t need any, I’m crazy now.”
7. Suggest an alternative: “Let’s go to the movies instead.”
8. Respect our friendship: “If you were a friend, you
wouldn’t ask me to do this.”
9. Use personal experience: “No thanks, I see what smoking
has done to my dad.”
10. Highlight disadvantages: “No thanks, smoking can make
your teeth yellow.”
11. Declare decision: “No thanks, I don’t smoke.”
12. Broken Record: Simply say no repeatedly. By doing so,
you are a part of the majority of teens who avoid drugs.
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Attachment 3: Refusal Skill Skit Practice Directions.
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Group Member Names:
REFUSAL SKILL
Skit Practice Directions
As you work through your scenarios today, think about the refusal
techniques we discussed earlier. For example:
1. Give a reason
2. Use humor
3. Make an excuse
4. Blame your parents
5. Broken record
Directions:
1. Today you will be given a skit to act out with your group.
2. You should first read the skit as a group. You will then think of three possible refusal
skills you could use in that situation to make a healthy choice and refuse the drug.
3. You need to write out the ending to your scene three dierent ways.
a. Each way should reflect one of the refusal skills mentioned above.
b. When you are finished, you will act these out for another group and they will
evaluate your response and give you feedback.
4. See the planning sheet on the back of this document to help organize the thoughts of
your group
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Attachment 4: Refusal Skill Skit Practice Directions.
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Group Member Names:
REFUSAL SKILL
Skit Practice Script
Directions:
• In the first column, choose the refusal skill you will act out (humor, make an excuse, etc.).
• In the second column, write out the dialogue of the ending of the skit to demonstrate the refusal skill
chosen in the first column.
• Pick dierent people in your group to act out the dierent responses
Refusal Skill #1:
Skit Response:
Refusal Skill #2: Skit Response:
Refusal Skill #3: Skit Response:
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Attachment 5: Skit Evaluation.
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Name:
REFUSAL SKILL
Skit Evaluation
1. Now you have the chance to practice recognizing these refusal skills in action. As you watch the dierent
endings to the skits, write the refusal skill you observe in the table below and rate the presenter’s verbal
and nonverbal communication. Use the Observer Check Sheet to help determine your rating for the
verbal and nonverbal response.
Refusal Skill Used
(ex. Broken Record, Make
an Excuse, etc.)
Verbal Response:
Rate 1-5
(5 being the most
assertive to
refuse drugs)
Nonverbal Response:
Rate 1-5
(5 being the most
assertive to
refuse drugs)
Other Comments
Ending #1
Ending #2
Ending #3
2. Which ending did you find the most eective? Why?
3. Which of the 12 refusal skills do you feel most confident using in your own life? Why?
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Attachment 6: Observer Check Sheet.
Refusal Skills
8th GRADE
LESSON 2
Observer Check Sheet
Directions: Place a check mark in the box when you observe the resistor demonstrate that refusal skill.
Make sure you write the resistor’s name for each round.
Communication
Skills
Round 1:
Resistor’s Name
Round 2
Resistor’s Name
Round 3
Resistor’s Name
Round 4
Resistor’s Name
Verbal
Strong Tone of
Voice
Required Elements
Clear Voice
Said “No!”
Non-verbal
Eye Contact
Body Language said
“No!”
Refusal Skill Used
Repeated Refusals
Check all that apply:
Gave a Reason
Blamed their
Parents
Used Humor
Broken Record
Made an Excuse
Other
Name:
