LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read about how one teen is advocating for LGBTQ youth at her high school; describe ways to contribute to a supportive school environment for LGBTQ students; evaluate how well my school supports LGBTQ students

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 8: Advocate for personal, family, and community health.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Social awareness; responsible decision-making

KEY VOCAB

orientation, reinstate, homophobic

Lesson Plan: She's Helping All Teens Feel Included

One teen is working hard to make sure that LGBTQ youth feel supported at her school. Keep reading to find out how.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How can I be an ally to LGBTQ youth at my school?

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. What does GSA stand for? GSA stands for Gender and Sexuality Alliance
  2. What does LGBTQ stand for? LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning
  3. List at least two reasons that middle school was difficult for Brianna. Accept any two: Brianna’s friends told the school she was gay; she lost all her friends; people who were nice to her in private did not stick up for her in public; she was bullied.

 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Do you think your school has an atmosphere that is supportive of LGBTQ youth? Why or why not? Answers will vary.
  2. Can you think of any other ways to support LGTBQ youth at your school? List at least two ways. Possible answers: Use someone’s preferred pronouns; promote inclusivity with LGBTQ-positive messages on posters or t-shirts; educate yourself on LGBTQ matters.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

EXTENSION ACTIVITY

NHES 7

CASEL Competency: Social Awareness

Give your students the opportunity to learn about activism from an activist! Have them choose one young LGBTQ activist to research. Then, have them design a slide  presentation to shine  a SPOTLIGHT ON LGBTQ ACTIVISM. Also consider allowing students to create and present a poster  to reduce screen time. (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

NHES 8

CASEL Competency: Social Awareness

Help students arrive at ideas for IMPROVING SCHOOL CLIMATE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH. To start, they should evaluate current school climate around LGBTQ issues using some of the same criteria that the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Alliance Network (GLSEN) uses to create reports. Then, have them reflect upon actionable ways that they can help to improve their school’s climate so that all students feel welcomed and supported. (Click here to find this Skill Builder.)

Print This Issue's Teacher's Guide

Text-to-Speech