Unfortunately, not all friendships are healthy and students may not be able to identify warning signs of a toxic or unhealthy relationship. It is important to help students not only identify these signs but to think about what they can do if they find themselves in one. Use this quiz to support students through this process.

Year level

7-8

Duration

5 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Learning intention

Students examine the warning signs of toxic friendships and consider whether they are in one.

Key outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • Define toxic friendships

  • Identify warning signs of toxic friendships

Materials needed

  • Access to ReachOut.com Quiz: Are you in a toxic friendship?

  • Individual access to a device to complete the quiz (alternatively, students can record their answers on a piece of paper whilst being shown the quiz)

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Analyse the impact of changes and transitions, and devise strategies to support themselves and others through these changes (AC9HP8P02)

  • Examine the roles of respect, empathy, power and coercion in developing respectful relationships (AC9HP8P04)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-awareness

    • Self-management

    • Social awareness

    • Social management

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)

  • Applies and refines interpersonal skills to assist themselves and others to interact respectfully and promote inclusion in a variety of groups or contexts (PD4-10)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Evaluate strategies to manage personal, physical and social changes that occur as they grow older(VCHPEP124)

  • Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing (VCHPEP127)

Show details

Activity 1

Instructions

5 minutes

  1. Ask students to think about a friendship they have.

  2. Ask students to access the ReachOut.com Quiz: Are you in a toxic friendship?

  3. Students complete the quiz independently.

  4. After completing the quiz, invite students to discuss the following questions with a partner:

    • Was your friendship healthy, toxic or somewhere in between?

    • Has the quiz changed the way you think about your friendship?

    • Why is doing a quiz like this helpful?

    • Did you look at any of the suggested resources?

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