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Refusal Skills

Sixth graders build refusal skills — clear, confident ways to say no to peer pressure and unhealthy or unsafe choices — so they can stand up for their own health and values while keeping their friendships.

Grade 6Decision-Making45 minutes1 class periodSHAPE / Skills-BasedExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain refusal skills.
  • ✓Recognize peer pressure.
  • ✓Say no clearly.
  • ✓Stand up for yourself.
Essential Question

Sometimes friends pressure you to do something you know isn’t right or safe. Saying no can feel hard — but it’s a skill you can build. How do you refuse clearly and confidently?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Refusal Skills Check

Project each item and have students answer about refusal skills. The tool explains how to say no clearly and confidently.

🛑 Understand refusal skillsTry it
Answer each question about refusal skills.
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Saying No Is Hard

5 min

Friends can pressure you — how do you say no and mean it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pose a pressure situation.
  • Ask how it feels.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider.
  • Reflect.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Refusal Skills

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Refusal Skills Check.
  • Explain saying no clearly.
  • Explain giving a reason.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note the skill.
  • Note reasons.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Practice a firm “no.”
  • Give a reason and an alternative.
  • Role-play it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Practice.
  • Give reason.
  • Role-play.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Apply refusal skills to a scenario.
  • Suggest an alternative.
  • Know when to walk away.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Apply it.
  • Suggest it.
  • Walk away.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain a refusal skill.
  • Name a strong “no.”
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain it.
  • Name one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to SHAPE America National Health Education & Physical Education Standards.

SHAPE
HE.4

Use interpersonal communication and refusal skills.

SHAPE
HE.2

Analyze influences on health behaviors (peer pressure).

SHAPE
HE.5

Use decision-making skills for health.

SHAPE
HE.7

Practice behaviors to reduce health risks.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Refusal-phrase cards.
  • Sentence frame: “No thanks, I ___.”
  • Role-play saying no.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with a clear “no.”
  • Practice one phrase.
  • Role-play simply.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add several refusal strategies.
  • Role-play harder scenarios.
  • Explain assertive communication.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🗣️Refusal-phrase cards
  • 💻Refusal Skills Check
  • 🎭Role-play scenarios
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

refusal skilla way to say no and mean itpeer pressureinfluence from friends to act a certain wayassertiveconfident and clear, not aggressivealternativeanother choice you can suggestboundarya limit you set for yourselfconfidencetrust in your own choicesrespecttreating yourself and others wellhealthy choicea choice good for your wellbeing
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a refusal skill?
A way to say no to something you don’t want to do, clearly and confidently.
QUESTION 2
Name one part of a strong “no.”
Say no clearly, give a reason, and suggest an alternative.
QUESTION 3
Why is it okay to walk away from an unsafe situation?
Your health and safety matter more than pleasing others.

Cool-Down: your strong no.

Have students practice one clear, confident way to say no that feels natural to them. A printable refusal-skills sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Refusal SkillsFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Refusal SkillsQuiz
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Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Refusal SkillsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: alternative, assertive, boundary, confidence, healthy choice, peer pressure, refusal skill, respect
  1. a way to say no and mean it
  2. influence from friends to act a certain way
  3. trust in your own choices
  4. another choice you can suggest
  5. a limit you set for yourself
  6. a choice good for your wellbeing
  7. treating yourself and others well
  8. confident and clear, not aggressive

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a refusal skill?
  2. Name one part of a strong “no.”
  3. Why is it okay to walk away from an unsafe situation?
Answer key — Part A: 1) refusal skill · 2) peer pressure · 3) confidence · 4) alternative · 5) boundary · 6) healthy choice · 7) respect · 8) assertive
Part B: 1) A way to say no to something you don’t want to do, clearly and confidently. 2) Say no clearly, give a reason, and suggest an alternative. 3) Your health and safety matter more than pleasing others.