Teaching Sequence

20 minutes	Part A: Sticky-note brainstorm
20 minutes	Part B: THE OASIS Part 9
15 minutes	Part C: Supporting a friend and group discussion
05 minutes	Reflection

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

Part A: Sticky-note brainstorm

Step 1.

Begin by handing each student a sticky-note. Ask each student to write an example of an influence that may impact a person’s health decisions and behaviours on the sticky-note. Student answers could include:

Media
Level of education
Access to education facilities
Peers
Income
Employment
Family relationships
Cultural beliefs
Access to services

Step 2.

On the board, draw a table with two columns labelled 'Social Environment' and 'Physical Environment'. Invite students to come up to the board and read out their sticky-note before sticking it in their understanding of the column it fits into. Students could then note the contents of the lists from the board onto their Student Worksheet.

Note: Aspects of the physical environment include structures built by people and physical infrastructure such as housing. The social environment includes social aspects that influence behaviours, such as peer pressure and unemployment.

Step 3.

Lead a class discussion around the effect of positive social environments and adequate physical environments, and how they can act as a protective mechanism on an individual’s health decision-making or health behaviours. Guide the class in a discussion on how conversely negative social environments and inadequate physical environments can be a risk factor for an individual’s health decision-making or health behaviours.

Part B: THE OASIS Part 9

Step 1.

As a class, watch Part 9 of THE OASIS. As the clip progresses, ask students to record the social and/or physical environmental influences that the characters of THE OASIS experience in the relevant columns on the Student Worksheet.

THE OASIS - Part 9 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHJ4GL4zm2I&list=PL5D5EBAE4CF2F2D61)

Some possible links from the clip may be:

Housing (physical environment): Emma, Trent and Destiny
Access to social services (physical environment and social environment): Emma, Trent and Destiny
Family cohesion (social environment): Moulds Family
Family support (social environment): Owen
Access to recreation facilities (physical environment): Tommy
Employment (social environment): Owen
Housing (physical environment): Owen

Step 2.

As a class, brainstorm and note down how each of the examples identified may lead to either positive or negative health behaviours or health decision outcomes. You could display student thinking in the form of a mind map on the whiteboard, or use a web tool such as bubbl.us or mindmeister.

Part C: Supporting a friend and group discussion

Step 1.

Ask students to form pairs and imagine that they are chatting with one of the characters from THE OASIS. Using the questions on the Student Worksheet to guide them, ask students to suggest some strategies the character might use to counteract any negative influences and behaviours in order to help make safer and healthier choices, regardless of their social and physical environment influences.

You could direct students to some of the Reach Out resources below to help them with this step:

https://au.reachout.com/what-makes-a-good-friend#
https://au.reachout.com/how-to-help-a-friend-with-drug-addiction
https://au.reachout.com/how-to-ask-a-friend-if-theyre-okay
https://au.reachout.com/helping-a-friend-with-depression
https://au.reachout.com/all-about-peer-pressure
https://au.reachout.com/all-about-violence

Step 2.

Once students have found some strategies to help the chosen character, ask them to join up with another pair and discuss the strategies that they think are most useful. Encourage students to role-play some potential conversations in their groups of four, using some of the skills that they found from the Reach Out tips.

Reflection

Students respond to the question below by conducting an image search or taking their own photograph that depicts their idea. Have a brief discussion with the class about the best way for students to submit their pictures.

What do you think is the biggest influence on a young person's health and well being outcomes?

Differentiated Learning

Extension: Ask students to compile a list of 'Do’s and Don’ts' that they would present to a person their own age who is facing homelessness. They could consider factors concerning safety, substance use/abuse, relationships, support services, sleeping arrangements, communication skills, etc.

Provisional Learning Support: Provide students with examples of social environment influences and have them categorise them appropriately. Provide students with one of the Reach Out tip sheets and ask them to highlight the main points and then write a paragraph about how they could use those tips when helping a friend.

The Oasis - Learning How to Offer Help

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