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Life Skills Curriculum (Grades 9-10)

TABLE OF CONTENT 

SESSION DESIGN 5

STRUCTURED SESSIONS 5

UNSTRUCTURED SESSIONS 5

  •  Goals and agreement

  • Find The Leader

  • Three Monkeys

  • Goup Poems

  • Junk Instruments

  • Find The Tree

  • Tree Talk

  • Beautiful You

  • Rideshare

  • Two Up, Two Down

  • Where I'm From

  • Blind Taps

  • Portraiture

  • Paper Drop

  • That's So True

  • Milling With Questions

  • Yes, Let's

  • Pattern Poems

  • Place Making Using People

  • Airport Eexrcise

  • Step Into The Circle

  • Dealing With Parents Role-Plays

  • Gender Stadium

  • Street Theatre

  • Dream Tree

  • Name Of The Activity Sensitivity Line

  • Alien Confererence

  • Gratitude Wall

  • Group Map/Mind Map/Celebration

  • Graduation

PREFACED 

Dream a Dream is an Indian non-profit organisation in India working to transform the experience of education for the 130+ million children living in poverty in India. Our aim is to change the purpose of education towards the idea of Thriving forevery child.

The core of our philosophy is the belief in the inherent potential of every child. At the same time, we recognise that children and young people facing adversity, such as poverty, violence and social exclusion, often experience significant challenges in their personal, social and educational development. The Covid-19 pandemic has also highlighted the struggles of young people and the challenges they face. Hence it is important for government systems, educators and teachers to recognise andwork towards mitigating the long term impact that adversity has on the lives of young people.

We believe education is no longer merely about developing skills, but about holistic development of children, including their social-emotional well-being and life skills. Educators can play a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of generational disadvantage and equip young people with the skills and mindset necessary to lead fulfilling and successful lives. To address theseunique needs and challenges, the Life Skills Curriculum and Facilitator Handbook will guide the facilitators to create safe, supportive environments and provide opportunities for children and young people to amplify their strengths, nurture positive relationships, develop self-expression and other life skills.

The 4 Levels of the Life Skills Curriculum were developed based on the educational format and skills mentioned in the National Education Policy 2020. The Facilitator Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the curriculum framework, pedagogies and session designs that support in conducting engaging sessions for the learners.

With this curriculum, we look forward to a future wherein well-being and life skills are at the core of our education systems both nationally and globally. We hope to redefine success in education systems from narrow academic or economic outcomes topreparing students to thrive at an individual, societal and planetary level. Fuelled by support from teachers, committed donors, strategic partners, governments, longtime supporters, and a global call to action around SDG4- we look forward to changing narratives and shifting mindsets until all young people, have a more equitable and inclusivesociety to live in.

Suchetha Bhat CEO, Dream a Dream

Date: July 2023

Session Design

Structured Sessions

What are “structured” sessions in Life Skills Curriculum?

The curriculum outlines structured sessions that focus on building specific life skills and include clear activity steps, discussion questions, personal story instructions and reflection prompts.

CHECK-IN (5 MINUTES)   

Instruct the learners to quickly check-in with themselves about their moods using several, fun questions.

LIFE SKILLS ACTIVITY (15 MINUTES)

Facilitate given activities focused on developing healthy behaviours related to one targeted life skill. Note that each life skill activity includes activity steps, discussion questions and a space for facilitators to prepare personal stories to share with the learners.

REFLECTION (10 MINUTES)

  1. Lead a discussion on key messages or life skills focused on that day's session. Ask the learners for feedback on what they learned during the session and how they can connect lessons to real life.
  2. Address any conflict that occurred during the session and how the group can resolve it.
  3. Praise a participant for at least one strength that they demonstrated during the session.

CHECK-OUT (10 MINUTES)

Instruct the learners to quickly check-out with themselves about their moods using several fun questions.

Ustructured Sessions

What are “unstructured” sessions in the Life Skills Curriculum?

Unstructured sessions are space given to facilitators to design and deliver the life skills activities and interventions based on the need of their learners. This curriculum does not outline the steps for unstructured activities, but you (facilitator) should use many of the same rituals as in your structured sessions. Begin each session with check-in activities, conclude with a Reflection Circle, and make the most of your Caring Facilitator Time. Use kilos1*,

*Refer Facilitator’s Handbook for details3

How should a Facilitator balance structured and unstructured sessions?

Take support of co-facilitators, other class teachers and staff, headmasters, principal, volunteers and learners to decide how to integrate and schedule structured and unstructured sessions into your school calendar. You should complete all structured sessions at least once in a year and use the rest of the time for unstructured sessions.

How can a Facilitator lead a Reflection Circle in an unstructured session?

Praise at least one learner every Reflection Circle and ask some of the following questions:

  • How did today’s session make you feel?
  • What did you learn in today’s practice?
  • What was your favourite or least favourite part of today’s session?
  • Were there any conflicts in today’s session? How can the team resolve the conflict?
  • Is there anything important going on in your life that you would like to share?

 

USING THE LIFE SKILLS CURRICULUM

  • Please read through each session twice, a day before facilitating, so that you are properly prepared.
  • Refer to the Facilitators handbook as a guide while you work with learners and keep in mind that the:
    1. Words in italic font are instructions for learners which you need to read to learners as it is.
    2. Words in normal font are instructions for you to read on your own.
    3. Outcomes are for your reference and you need not share them with the learners.
    4. Reflection questions are just guiding questions. You can refer to them based on where your learners are at.
    5. Check-In and Check Outs questions are mapped considering the main activity and age appropriateness.
  • Identify your learners' learning needs and use unstructured sessions to meet those learning needs in case the are not covered in the curriculum.

1.GOALS AND AGREEMENT

OUTCOMES

  • Learners are united and work as a team in the classroom.
  • Learners become self-aware and express their needs of an agreement to create safety.
  • Learners can negotiate the points that need to go on the list.

MATERIALS: Marker Pens and one or more charts to write the list of Agreements and Written goals sheet to present to the learners. 

FACILITATOR NOTES

This activity intends for the learners to reflect and come up with a common list of ground agreements (rules) for the life skills sessions as we advance. As a facilitator, you are creating a space for them to feel that this is their learning process, and the ownership lies with them. Make sure you write the goals on the chart paper before entering the classroom. Don’t forget to decorate the chart paper with lots of colours.

CHECK IN: What is one thing you love that most people hate?

INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome the learners with lots of excitement and smile. Introduce yourself and your name, where are you from and what role you play in the session. Invite learners to share their name and favourite food. Afte that, set the context and present the below goals and agreements which you prepared before entering the session.

Show the chart paper you have created (don't forget to decorate it a little! Make it attractive and fun) with the following goals:

  1. To Expand Our Creativity

  2. To Learn From People Different Than Ourselves

  3. To Explore Our Inner Life

  4. To Discover Ways To Work On What We Care About In Our Communities

  5. Have Fun!

Go through each goal with the group. Read out the sentences in Italics. If the group gets stuck, you can suggest some of the points. Show lots of curiosity and positivity while you explain the goals of the programme in your own understanding once done. Please share below mentioned Agreement and invite learner to come up with some more agreement which they need to fully participate.

Address the Classroom.

"Today, we will create an agreement for our life skills classes. Think about all the agreements you need for this class to create safety for everyone. We are going to have life skills classes throughout the year. In these classes, we will be sharing a lot about ourselves, learning many things and having fun. But we must ensure that we don't act in ways that can stop us from sharing our learnings and having fun. As the word 'agreement' suggests, these are not rules someone else sets. While working together as a classroom, the entire classroom takes these decisions together. What are some of the agreements we would need?" (Pause here and allow the group to come up with their responses). Some sample agreement points could be:

    1. Be on time.
    2. Be willing to try new things.
    3. Listen well to others.
    4. Refrain from teasing others.

If you feel something important needs to be added as an agreement, ask it out to the classroom, and after consensus, add it to the list. For effectiveness and ease of remembering, it is best if community agreements are few (not more than 10 or 12) and are written in an easy-to-understand and short form. Also, instead of having don'ts (negative statements), ask the group to rephrase that more positively.

Once all the agreements are on the chart, ask the learners to read through them to see if they agree. You might need to remind them that these are not rules written in stone. Instead, they are intentions we will hold for our time together. Once they've looked through the agreements, it's time to seal the deal. You can tell the learner, "If you can go with these agreements, please raise your right hand in the air and put your left hand out in front of you. On the count of 3, bring your hands together in a clap and say 'yes' so loud that people in (pick a faraway place) can hear us. OK, 1, 2, 3, Clap."

 CHECK OUT: If you can express your feelings about today's session in one word, what would that be?


2. FIND THE LEADER

OUTCOMES

  • Working together
  • Dealing with Frustration,
  • Imagination and Concentration.
  • Leadership, Empathy, Support

MATERIALS: No need

 FACILITATOR NOTES

Create a safe space for learners to play the game, encourage them and ensure lots of fun in the class by inviting different learners to volunteer.

 CHECK IN: If you could have the opportunity to spend an entire day outside the classroom, what activities will you do?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask the learner to make a circle and invite one learner (A) to leave the room.
  • Ask the learner to choose a leader who will make a simple pattern of claps, leg pats and finger clicks that everyone else will follow.
  • Invite (A) to return to the room by calling their name on the count of 3.
  • When they return, (A) will stand in the middle of the circle and try to point out who the leader is. The leader must change the pattern while (A) is in the middle. Everyone else should try to hide the leader by copying as closely as possible and not staring at the leader.
  • Person A has three tries to guess. Coach them gently if they are having trouble.
  • Play a couple of times with different volunteers. The leader can vary the movements as the game goes on.
  • Depending on what happens, you may want to mix the reflection circle into the game and do a mini reflection after each round on what the experience of each leader and the finder was.

 REFLECTION

  1. What happened in the game? Was it easy or difficult to find the leader?
  2. What was difficult? What would you have done differently to make it easy?
  3. How did you support your leaders?
  4. What did you learn from it?
  5. How do you use this learning in life?

 CHECK OUT: Share one place where you took up a leadership role.


3. THREE MONKEYS

 

OUTCOMES

  • Learn new and creative ways to communicate with each other.
  • Learn to work together to achieve a common goal.

 MATERIALS: A small soft toy or any object, four chairs if available to sit on it.

FACILITATOR NOTES

Set up a safe space for learners to play the game and arrange the chair as shown in the below activity instructions.

CHECK IN: What colour was your day today and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

In this activity, five learners participate first. The rest of the class's learners will sit and watch what is happening as an audience until their turn comes.

  • Begin by inviting five learners and blindfolding one learner out of five.
  • Place an object somewhere in the room without showing to the blindfolded learner.
  • Tell the blindfolded learner to find the object with the help of the other four learners.
  • The other four learners arrange themselves as follows:

Three learners sit on chairs in a row with their backs facing the blindfolded player. These learners are allowed to speak. The fourth learner sits facing the blindfolded learner, with a line of three sitting between them and the blindfolded learner. This learner is not allowed to speak.

  • All five learners must work together to help the blindfolded learner to get the object.
  • The learner who cannot speak will point to the learner in the chairs who will attempt to talk about the gestures and direct the blindfolded learner to get the object. The results are funny, frustrating, and satisfying but learners will have lots of fun.
  • Once these learners complete the task, invite other learners to play the game.
  • Continue until everyone gets the chance in the game.
  • Below table gives you an idea how to arrange the players.

 REFLECTION

  1. What did you notice or experience during this game?
  2. What kinds of dynamics did you see?
  3. What were the strongest emotions you saw in this activity?
  4. What was the communication like?
  5. What can we learn about communication?
  6. Where have you seen communication like this before?
  7. When we have trouble communicating, what can we do?
  8. What are your strongest or weakest communication strategies?
  9. How will your communication strategies shift after this discussion?

 CHECK OUT: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?


4. GROUP POEMS

 

OUTCOMES

  • Gain an understanding of working with different ideas in a team.
  • Using imagination and creativity to create something new.
  • Working Together, Self-Expression, Writing, Creative Risk, Compromise.

MATERIALS

  1. A Paper, A Penfor each learner.
  2. Chart paper for a group.
  3. A watch or timer for facilitator.

 CHECK IN: Choose an animal for how you are feeling. Without telling us what it is, act out how you would behave if that animal felt like you.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite learners to get into groups of five and sit in a circle.
  • Instruct them to take out a pen and paper, discuss and write words representing a healthy and unhealthy community in two columns.

Three words Free write: 

Instruct the learners, as a group, to choose three words from the discussion they just had.

  • Ask them to write freely for exactly 3 minutes, using all three words. (facilitator to keep the time and inform when to start and stop)
  • After 3 minutes, ask them to Stop.
  • Ask them to choose three more words.
  • Continue to write for 3 minutes using all three words.
  • Repeat one more time.
  • Reread your work and underline your favorite three lines.

Line Selection

  • Take some time to choose the lines you like the best.

Group Poem Creation

  • Share all the lines in the group.
  • Stand near someone whose lines, you think, matches yours in any way.
  • If they think their line matches someone else's, they can stand with that person on their other side.
  • Line up as closely as possible connecting lines that go together.
  • Read the lines out in the order you are standing. Move around to shift the lines. Try reading again.
  • Now try reversing the order. As a group, discuss which seems like the first line and which seems like the last. Which should be read loudest? Which softest?
  • Reread it. Add actions if any lines seem to demand it. Give a round of applause for your group poem!

 REFLECTION

(Remember, these questions are just guidelines. Please do NOT ask them as they are written below. Listen to what the youth share and follow their lead in this conversation.)

  1. What was it like to write together?
  2. Was anything frustrating? Were you inspired?
  3. What kinds of thoughts did you have throughout the process?
  4. Where do we see dynamics like this?
  5. Have you ever worked on a project together in a group?
  6. Did any of the same kinds of communication happen?
  7. What will you try next time you are in a group situation?

 CHECK OUT: If your mood right now was a vehicle of any kind, what would it be?


5. JUNK INSTRUMENTS

OUTCOMES

  • Use imagination to create something new.
  • Practice active listening
  • Learn how to work in a team to achieve goals.

MATERIALS

  1. Bottles, string, rubber bands, tin cans, strong tape, paper clips etc.
  2. You will need somewhere the learners can walk to in a group. A ground is best, but even a terrace, a rooftop, or a safe and quiet street will do.

FACILITATOR NOTES

Ensure learners have some junk instruments to perform. Encourage them to take creative risks and hold space for everyone to add their bit to create the music. If the learner cannot bring the things, you can arrange a few, like a bottle or chocolate wrappers. 

CHECK IN: What is a song that you love? How do you feel when you hear it or sing it?

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Each learner can pick one item of junk in the classroom or outside of their classroom to use as in musical instrument of their own.
  • You can add any other junk or garbage you find.
  • The idea is to make an instrument with a unique/different sound.
  • Take five minutes use the differently materials to create an instrument and come back to the circle.
  • Go in pairs, help each other watch out for traffic, etc.

When they return, do a sound circle:

  • Begin by walking together on the beat.
  • The first learner will add a sound using their instrument and repeat the sound on the beat with their junk instrument.
  • Once the previous learner has added a sound, the first learner can change theirs or join someone else's, but not until everyone's first sound has been added.
  • Remind the learners to listen to their sounds and the group.
  • The facilitator can step into the circle to work with the sound levels (soft or loud) using their hands, and finally, using their hands and gestures to fade the song to nothing.

REFLECTION

  1. What was it like to make junk instruments and play them?
  2. Did you have fun?
  3. Was it challenging? What kind of skills or strategies did you use to make them?
  4. When do we use these same skills and plans in the community?
  5. Who needs these skills most? Why?
  6. How can we use this understanding to support our community?
  7. Can you think of creative ways to use the same skills in the community?

CHECK OUT: If the way you feel was one thing you could see around you, what would
it be and why?

6. FIND THE TREE

OUTCOMES

  • Learn new ways of connecting with nature.
  • Use imagination and sensitivity to empathise with things in nature.
  • Practice deep listening.

MATERIALS: An outdoor place with lots of trees. Blindfolds for half the group.

FACILITATOR NOTES

If you have limited trees, use your creativity to ensure all learners can experience the activity by listening to the trees. Give a task to learners to try this activity where they find trees and come and share their experience in the following classes. If the trees are unavailable, please feel free to use an object made of wood.

CHECK IN: What was the best time of your day so far? Tell us the story using nonsense
(like Zebra's words) words.


INSTRUCTIONS


Trees have a language that they speak. Just like us, their lives are written on their shape, if you look at their shape, you can see their stories. And, just like us, they use air to speak. Listen. Can you hear them? Trees speak softly. To hear them, we need to be still and listen.

  • In partners, choose who is partner A and partner B.
  • Partner A is blindfolded. Partner B will spin them around Partner A very slowly three times, then take them by a slightly tricky route and very carefully to a specific tree.
  • You will then count for 30 seconds while your partner touches and listens to the tree.
  • Then, please return them to the place they came from. Take off the blindfold.
  • Partner A, now listen with your heart and find your tree.
  • Now switch partners.


REFLECTION

  1. How was the activity? How are you feeling?
  2. Was it easy or difficult to find your tree?
  3. What made you find your tree?
  4. What did you learn from it?
  5. How will you use this in your life?


CHECK OUT: What is one highlight of the day?

7. TREE TALK

OUTCOMES

  • Connecting with nature,
  • Sharing different perspectives
  • Imagination, Sensitivity.

MATERIALS: Place with many trees.

FACILITATOR NOTES

It is a continuing activity from the previous one, so ask learners if they tried listening to the tree. In this class, take them to the nearby area where you found the trees and ask them to do below mentioned primary activity instruction. If the trees are unavailable, please feel free to use an object made of wood.


CHECK IN: What is the one thing you wish to do today?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • This game will be continued from previous day so give a context to learner.
  • This time, return to your tree and put your ear against it.
  • If you had the same tree as someone else, find a different one.
  • Listen for five minutes.
  • Introduce yourself to the tree.
  • Listen carefully. Ask it a question. Listen as profoundly as you can.
  • After 5 minutes, thank your tree and return to the circle.
  • Give a chance to all the learners to experience.


REFLECTION

  • Tell us what you heard. What is your experience?
  • What does this mean? What does it tell us about our communities?
  • What will change in your life after this experience?

CHECK OUT: After experiencing this activity, what is the one thing you will do to protect trees?

8 BEAUTIFUL YOU

OUTCOMES

  • Have an increased awareness of the messages they receive from the media.
  • Accept and appreciate themselves for how they are without aspiring for perfection.
  • Understand the impact that messages from the media can have in their communities.


MATERIALS

  • Black sketch pens or crayons
  • Fashion Magazines, News Paper, Health Magazines- Have one for every three or four learners.
  • Chart Paper or a Sheet of Paper to fast cutting pictures from the newspaper.


FACILITATOR NOTES


If you do not have enough materials use whatever you have in school. Just modify the activity or ask the learner to bring the chart paper and the old new paper to do this activity the previous day.

CHECK IN: What is one thing you are proud of about yourself?


INSTRUCTIONS

This is an opportunity for the learner to start thinking about the messages they get from media like television, ads, newspapers, etc., about their bodies and beauty.

  • Give newspapers or magazines and ask the learner to take three or four minutes to look at the pictures and ads in the magazines. Don't read the articles; look at the photos, especially the ads.
  • On chart paper, make two columns. One says Perfect Man, the other says Perfect Woman
  • Fill in the columns based on the images you see in the magazines and not based on their real-life heroes and role models. What do the perfect man and woman look like? What do they have? What do they dream of? How much money do they have? What are their relationships like? Where do they work?
  • Ask, "Do you know real people who are like this? What is the result or benefit of trying to reach their level of perfection? Is it worth it?"
  • Let each person choose a page or two from the magazines and tear it out. Take a pen and create a new picture that tells a positive message by removing or changing certain words and images.
  • Give your workpiece a title.

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to change the magazine images?
  • What did you think of the messages from the magazine and your images?
  • What do they have in common, and how are they different?
  • How can these messages in magazines harm our communities?
  • How can you help people understand the media images they receive and their effects on self-esteem?

CHECK OUT: What would you say if you could send a message to everyone in the world that would enter each person's heart and grow there like a tree?

9. RIDESHARE

OUTCOMES

  • Expressing and managing strong emotions.
  • Show empathy and connecting with others.
  • Asking for help.
  • Understand other emotions.


MATERIALS: 4 chairs, pen and paper to write the emotions and feelings


FACILITATOR NOTES


Set up for chair facing towards learners that look like an imaginary car. Write down some of the emotions on a piece of paper. Give learners to carry that emotion into the car, if possible, the strong emotions you have seen in the class.


CHECK IN: If the way you feel right now was a piece of clothing, what would it be, and what condition would it be in?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Set up four chairs as if they are the seats in a car. Invite learners to imagine there is a car in the classroom. You can use this car to travel to different places.
  • Have three volunteers sit in three chairs. (A) is the driver, (B) is in the passenger seat, and (C) is in one of the back seats. When the game begins, they will act like they are going on a road trip together.
  • A third volunteer (D) is a traveller. That person will bring a strong emotion into the car. A, B, and C will pick up and absorb that emotion and continue their conversation
    expressing that emotion.
  • After a while, they stop the car, A gets out, and a new volunteer, E, brings different emotions into the car.Have several volunteers ready to be travellers.
  • Play until the Learners cannot think of any different emotions.
  • Invite all learners to try this activity and play till most of the learners get a chanceOnce you feel enough, do conduct the debrief or reflection as mentioned below.


REFLECTION


1. What was happening in the car?
2. What was easy or complicated about this game?
3. Did you enjoy it? What did you enjoy most?
4. Does this happen in life? Do we pick up each other's emotions? Connect this section to people's specific experiences in the game.
5. Is there anything this game inspires us to try in our homes, schools, and communities?


CHECK OUT: How does your feeling change towards others after this activity?

10. TWO UP, TWO DOWN

 

OUTCOMES

  • Support and encourage each other.
  • Lead in a group
  • Listen to each other
  • Awareness
  • Leadership
  • Self Confidence
  • Imagination
  • Encouraging Each Other


MATERIALS

  • Two chairs
  • Music which you can dance to
  • Speakers


FACILITATOR NOTES


This activity from Ruth Zaporah's Action Theatre, an improvisational performance
 technique, is an opportunity for the learner to take a big creative risk. Be gentle and
 encouraging as they try it. Give this information to the learner to remember where the
 activity is developed from.


CHECK IN: Who did you smile at today and why?


INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite learners to sit like an audience. Ask for four volunteers.
  • Two learners sit in the chairs facing the audience, and two other learners stand up behind them. The two in front will offer the words/sounds, and the two behind will repeat it as an echo.
  • One seated learner says a short phrase. The other three repeat it with the same tone and intention as given, but they can change the timing and delivery to make music.
  • Another line is given by one of the other seated learners. The lines offered should be as different as possible in tone, voice, intention, speed and content.
  • The learner standing can only repeat and echo. The learner sitting can echo lines from each other, repeat their lines and add new lines.
  • Together, you will make a sound group by listening carefully to each other and playing with the sounds. It is great if the lines overlap and the learner begins to speak simultaneously.
  • After a minute or two, ask the learner to find an ending to their piece, and then,
  • after a round of applause, ask for more volunteers. Continue the game with anew set of volunteers. Keep increasing the risk to make it more interesting and innovative.

REFLECTION

  1. What was it like to find the leader?
  2. What kind of plan did you use?
  3. How could developing these strategies help you in your life?
  4. What would you be willing to try this week?
  5. Will you try developing one of these strategies and report back to us?


CHECK OUT: One action word (Jump) and one describing word (High Jump) for how you
feel right now.

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