Curriculum
Supplemental Lesson
RESISTING GANG AND GROUP VIOLENCE Goals • To help students
understand the negative consequences resulting from gang and group
violence • To use the D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model to help students
make safe, healthy decisions regarding gangs and violence. Objectives •
Students will gain an understanding of basic social needs, and the
importance of positive group interaction • Students will assess their
knowledge of facts related to gangs • Students will gain an
understanding of the negative consequences of gang membership or
involvement • Students will use the D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model to
respond appropriately to situations that might relate to gang
involvement Preparation • Review the lesson plan • Print copies of “What
I Know About Gangs” student handout or make overhead transparency •
Review the lesson with the classroom teacher and ask for assistance with
chart paper, board space or overhead projector for student activities •
Review D.A.R.E. Box for questions Lesson Structure • Activity 1 The
D.A.R.E. Box ( 3 minutes) Large Group • Activity 2 Review the Previous
Lesson ( 2 minutes) Large Group • Activity 3 Why Do We Join Groups? ( 7
minutes) Large Group • Activity 4 What is a Gang? ( 5 minutes) Large
Group • Activity 5 Gangs and Violence (12 minutes) Pair/Large Group •
Activity 6 Making Safe & Healthy Choices (12 minutes) Teams • Activity 7
Review and Close ( 2 minutes) Large Group • Activity 8 Planner
Entry/Reflection ( 3 minutes) Large Group Materials • D.A.R.E. Box •
“What I Know About Gangs” student handout • Overhead of Friendship
Foundation Circle • Overheads for Gang and Violence Definitions •
Scenarios
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1 (3 minutes) NOTES THE D.A.R.E. BOX LARGE GROUP Review all
questions and answer selected questions from the D.A.R.E. Box.
ACTIVITY 2 (2 minutes) LARGE GROUP REVIEW THE PREVIOUS LESSON Note to
Officer: If this lesson follows the supplemental Bullying Lessons refer
back to the content regarding responding to disagreements and conflicts.
The focus should be on using good decision making skills to make safe,
healthy choices.
ACTIVITY 3 (7 minutes) LARGE GROUP WHY DO WE JOIN GROUPS Say: In our
previous lessons we have discussed the importance of being good citizens
and participation in groups and organizations that provide healthy ways
to form friendships and be involved in our communities. Ask: What are
some positive groups or activities that we learned about or discussed in
the Friendship Foundation Lesson? (Planner Page 21) Have students think
back to groups in their school, neighborhood or community where they
have friends. Write responses on chart paper or board. Ask: Why do you
think students want to join these groups? Using the Friendship Circle
overhead, facilitate a discussion of the student responses. Conclude the
discussion with emphasis that includes the following: • People need to
be involved in groups to give them a sense of belonging, the feeling of
being cared about and being recognized.
NOTES • Positive activities provide opportunities to fulfill our need
to belong and feel cared about. • These are called social needs and
being involved with other people in a positive environment helps meet
these social needs. Have students identify groups in which they feel
accepted and cared for. List responses making sure that family, friends,
school, and neighborhood are included – another reminder of the
Friendship Foundation lesson. Ask: What do you think might happen if
these needs are not fulfilled in positive places? Get several student
responses.
ACTIVITY 4 (4 minutes) LARGE GROUP WHAT IS A GANG? Ask: Can you give
me an example of a group that you might not want to join? Why? Say:
Sometimes people join gangs for the very same reasons people join other
clubs and activities that are positive. Ask: What do we mean by a gang?
Take several student responses for their definition of a gang. Introduce
the definition of the word GANG by using an overhead or writing the
definition on the board. GANG: Any group of people whose members take
part in acts of violence and other activities which break the law.
ACTIVITY 5 (12 minutes) PAIR/LARGE GROUP WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GANGS AND
VIOLENCE Say: We are going to work with a partner on an activity that
will help determine how much you already know, or think you know about
gangs and gang activity. www.dare.com 3
NOTES Distribute the handout: “What I Know About Gangs” Say: Work with
your partner and read each statement. Decide if you think the answer is
true or false. Discuss with your partner WHY you think your response is
correct. Allow time for students to complete the worksheet. Ask for
student responses and make sure that students give their reasoning.
Facilitate a discussion to make sure all students have the correct
answers, as well as an understanding of the truth about gangs.
Answers:
1) T 2) F 3) F 4) F 5) F 6) T 7) F 8) F 9) T 10) T 11) F 12) F Remind
students that groups of people who scare, threaten, bully, act violently
or break the law are considered gangs. Gangs use fear and threats to
draw some people into their group. Joining and getting out of a gang
usually requires an act of violence. Ask: What does the word violence
mean to you? Solicit several responses, having the students explain
their thinking beyond the definition. Introduce the definition of the
word Violence by using an overhead or writing the definition on the
board. VIOLENCE: a destructive action directed toward people and things:
living and non-living. (Examples of non-living things are school
lockers, walls (damaged with graffiti), cars (damaged by keying), etc.)
Violence can be verbal or nonverbal and may involve a weapon that can
cause bodily harm.
NOTES - Ask: Where are some places that you might see examples of
violence? The officer will record 5 - 10 responses from the students on
the board. Answers might include: Home, School, Neighborhood, TV,
Movies, Game and Music Videos, Internet, etc. Say: Now you will use the
D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model and the information that you have learned
today about gangs and violence in the following scenarios to help make
safe and healthy choices.
ACTIVITY 6 (12 minutes) TEAMS MAKING SAFE AND HEALTHY CHOICES Note to
Officer: Use four out of the five scenarios that best meet the needs of
your community for the following activity. • Officer will divide the
class into groups and each will be given a scenario. Students will be
asked to discuss the different responses and explain their decision. •
Each group will be given the opportunity to read their situation and
discuss the group’s decisions.
ACTIVITY 7 (2 minutes) LARGE GROUP REVIEW AND CLOSE Ask two or three
students to give responses to the following question: “What are some
reasons that you would NOT want to join a gang?” Name a positive group
you would want to join. Example, Boys and Girls Club of America, PAL,
YMCA, Scouts etc.
ACTIVITY 8 (3 minutes) NOTES PLANNER ENTRY / REFLECTION LARGE GROUP
Note to Officer: Have students use notebook paper for the reflection
activity. Write a response to the following question: “What would you
say to a friend who is interested in joining a group or gang to help
them make a safe, healthy decision?” Ask a few students to share their
responses. Thank the class for their participation and encourage them to
continue to use the D.A.R.E. Decision Making Model as they encounter new
situations.
SCENARIOS
Scenario # 1 Julia’s older brother
James is a member of a neighborhood gang. Julia looks up to James and
would do anything for him. James told Julia there would be a gang fight
later in the afternoon and he needed someone to be a lookout. Julia
wants to help her brother. She is concerned about what to do.
Scenario # 2 Samantha likes a boy
named Terrence, who is in her class. Terrence dresses like some of the
local gang members in her town. Samantha thinks Terrence likes her
because he is he cute and smiles at her. One morning Terrence asks her
to hold a small handgun he has brought to school. Samantha knows guns
are not allowed at school, but she wants Terrence to like her.
Scenario # 3 Marcus and Richard are
friends. Marcus has been trying to get into a local gang. Marcus asks
Richard to go to the mall to look at the newest style of tennis shoes.
The shoes cost $200.00, but Marcus doesn’t have the money to buy them.
Marcus asks Richard to go over and talk to the store owner while he
takes the shoes. He says that he has to have the shoes to be accepted in
the gang.
Scenario # 4 Darryl is being pressured
by his best friend Scott to join a neighborhood gang. Darryl remembers
his cousin was injured during a drive-by shooting in the neighborhood,
and is now confined to a wheelchair.
Scenario # 5 Michael is the best
student in art class. Many classmates want him to draw pictures for them
and help with their art projects. One day, Tony, a classmate who is a
member of a local gang, asks Michael if he will join him in spray
painting gang symbols on the outside wall of the restroom at the local
community park. He tells Tony this is a way to show off his artwork to
the entire school.
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GANGS Directions: The following statements are
about gangs and violence. Read each statement. In the spaces provided
decide if the answer is (T) true or (F) for false. _____
1. Violence is
the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of
15 – 24. _____
2. Talking about a problem rather than fighting is a sign
of weakness. _____
3. Gang members are always easily identified by their
tattoos, clothes, signs or actions. _____
4. Gang activities are usually
legal. _____
5. Once you are a member of a gang, you can leave the gang
any time you want without anything bad happening. _____
6. People who
join gangs usually have low self-esteem. _____
7. It is impossible to
prevent violence from happening in our community. _____
8. To solve a
problem, there is always a winner and a loser. _____
9. Girls are
allowed to join gangs. _____ 10. Gang members often get young people in
serious trouble by making them do violent or illegal acts in order to
become a member of the gang. _____
11. The only way to stop gang problems
is to arrest the members and put them in jail. _____
12. Feelings of
anger and fear have nothing to do with violence or gang activity. _____
GANG Any group of people whose members take part in acts of violence and
other activities which break the law. VIOLENCE A destructive action
directed toward people and things: living and non-living.
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