8th grade Life Skills at GSFS

Identifying High Quality Sites:
Anyone can publish on the Internet.
Learn to carefully evaluate sites and decide which ones are trustworthy.

Grit and Overcoming Obstacles:
Persistence and resiliency help us learn and reach goals.

Racial Identity
All of us have experiences based on our racial identity that help define who we are.

The Reality of Digital Drama:
Compare online drama and reality TV drama. Think critically about how drama plays out and impacts people.

What's Wrong With Sexting?:
Sexting has emotional, social, and legal impact. Overcome pressure by using humor, being firm, or turning it around on the asker.

Sometimes You're the Caterpillar:
A simple story illustrates the concept of privilege.

Cyberbullying: Crossing the Line
Distinguish good-natured teasing from cyberbullying. Learn what to do as a bystander.

The Problem With Colorblindness?
It overlooks the racial experiences of many groups. It's not racist to talk about race.

Your Decision:
Each decision about high school is different. Weigh hopes, needs, and options to make your choice. Support others' choices.

When Somebody Claps Twice:
This challenge proves that each group member plays a key role in reaching a shared goal.

Feeling on Display:
Is there pressure to look a certain way online? How do we grapple with this?

Stereotypes of Masculinity:
We've learned about female stereotypes. What messages do boys and men receive about being male? What's the impact of sexism on masculinity and male culture?

Discrimination
We all have experiences as a result of our race, and these have impact.

Dealing With Stress:
Too much stress affects mood, relationships, learning, and health. Identify signs, predict impact, and use a strategy.

Haters & Trolls
Analyze motives behind trolling.
Explore how it impacts individuals,
groups, and communities.

Microaggressions
Unintentional insults and indignities hurt and add up.

The Escalation of Hate
Hate crimes, violence and genocide grow out of unchecked bias. Think about our roles as allies and agents of change.

Casting Your Role
Starting in a new school can be unsettling, exciting, or both. How do you want to cast your role through actions and words?

Stereotype Threat
Even if we don't believe stereotypes, we can internalize them, which makes them harder to prove wrong.

Gendered Spaces:
Consider how to help individuals of all gender identities feel at home in spaces that are usually very "gendered."

Movers & Shakers
How are young people using the Internet to spark social change?

Would You #YOLO?
How does "You Only Live Once" play out online? How can living in the moment impact one's online reputation or identity?

Fighting Anti-Muslim Bigotry
Acts of bigotry are rooted in misunderstandings and stereotypes . Identify ways to be allies in the face of bias and discrimination.

Entrepreneurship
How are young people bringing ideas to the world through the internet?

Being An Ally
Recognize privilege, listen, speak up, make mistakes, apologize, and act.

Confronting Bias without Shaming
When we confront bias with empathy, patience, and persistence, we are effective advocates for equity and social justice.

Building Community Online
What factors increase community engagement on the Internet? Design a website to foster community.

Stress Relief Strategies
Find the stress reduction skills that work for you. Feel better and offset negative impacts of stress.

Lessons resources from:

• Commonsense Media's Digital Citizenship Curriculum
• Teaching Tolerance Lessons
• Anti-Defamation League Lessons
• GSFS Life Skills lessons through 6th grade