To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Personal Development (Child Abuse Prevention) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Introduce the concept of empathy by asking students to imagine the feelings of characters in various situations (e.g., show pictures or read stories featuring people or animals). Have students identify situations in which they felt empathy. Ask them to explain how they acted on their feelings of empathy. Ask them to suggest why empathy is important. (e.g., Would someone abuse another person if she or he felt empathy for others?)
• Highlight stories in which characters display empathy.
• Pair students. Have one describe a fictitious distressing event or situation. Have the other practise responding in an empathetic way. Then have students reverse roles.
• Invite students to consider a situation in which they may have used putdowns, threats, or force against another student. Encourage them to create confidential journal entries addressing questions such as: Why did I do this? How might the other person have felt?
• Have students work in groups to create scenarios in which abuse or exploitation is occurring. Ask groups to exchange scenarios and then describe the possible consequences that might arise from the scenarios. Encourage groups to consider the consequences for the people involved, their families, and society.
• As a class, design a chart listing the consequences of different forms of abuse for individuals, families, and society.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

• After reading stories featuring characters displaying empathy, have students:

• list the empathetic behaviours that occurred in the story
• explain how the other characters responded
• identify how the characters could have reacted differently under the same circumstances
• explain why the characters might react differently in another situation
• describe how they would feel in the same situation

• Have students record their responses. Look for evidence of understanding, accuracy, and logic in their work.
• After students have designed a chart listing the consequences of different forms of abuse, prompt reflection and self-assessment with sentence stems such as:

• I was surprised to find out –––––––––––––– .
• I am concerned that –––––––––––––– .
• I wish that –––––––––––––– .
• Something I can do to prevent abuse is –––––––––––––– .

  Print Materials

• Focus on Bullying: A Prevention Program for Elementary School Communities
• Working It Out: Tools For Everyday Peacemakers

  Video

• Sticks and Stones: Let’s Talk About Teasing

  Multimedia

• The B.C. Handbook for Action on Child Abuse and Neglect
• B.C. Life Skills
• Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum, Grades 4–5

  BC Ministry of Education Home Page