TIPSters, I have taught Adolescence many, many times. Here are some of my recommendations for activities:
1. Cobb's instructor manual has some great worksheet activities. I have converted these electronically and have students submit them electronically. If the student completes them with some sort of thought involved, credit is given. 2. Give students newspaper articles about teen issues. Have them support or refute the argument contained within. 3. Judith Rich Harris, the Nurture Assumption lady, has many brief articles and editorials that provides good fodder abotu whether or not peers influence adolescents (I got my editorials from the L.A. Times in the last few years). 4. Have students research the dropout rates in the community. These are often available electronically. 5. See if the your county produces a Condition of Children report. Often academic scores are reported but so are the STD rates and pregnancy rates. This mightbe available through the local United Way. 6. Have students visit a local teen center or better yet--arrange a field trip to juvenile hall. 7. Have students analyze films or TV shows for portrayals of teens. 8. Have students look at the "Code of Conduct" posted at many local malls. 9. Pull any chapter or article Mike Males, author of Scapegoat Generation and Framing Youth. 10. I like to give students an article by Peter C. Scales called "The Public Image of Adolescents" Society, May/June 2001. 11. Give an excerpt from Adolescents, Sex, and the Law. (Don't have a citation---but it's an APA book). 12. Look at the materials from the Search Institute on developmental assets. Have students respond to the assets and how they had as adolescents. 13. As suggested in one of the instructor manuals, go online and copy and paste some teen poetry. Have students analyze the themes contained within. 14. Present some graphs and statistics from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on status offenses. 15. Look at sexuality statistics from the CDC and the Allen Guttmacher Institute. Develop a survey where students predict the correct answer. Discuss the true "facts" and why the students overestimate the amount of sexual activity and the pregnancy rates. I'm exhausting my few remaining brain cells.... Rob Rob Weisskirch, MSW, Ph.D. Human Development Program Liberal Studies Institute, Building 15 100 Campus Center California State University, Monterey Bay Seaside, CA 93955-8001 (831) 582-5079 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
