Unit Area: SexualityGrade Level: High SchoolTime: 40 minutes

“It’s Not You, It’s Me: Ending Relationships”

National Health Education StandardStudents will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.

Ready(Objective)Analyze problems in relationships and the contributing factors that end relationships.

Set(Preparation)Role play cards: Student A and Student BVideo: “Once and Again” (17 minutes) or other taped TV show involving a couple having problems/breaking up

Go(Procedure)1. Have two male and two female student volunteers go out into the hall. Call one

male and one female back into the classroom. Hand the Male the Student A card and hand the Female the Student B card. (they should not see each other’s card!). Have them take a minute to read the card to themselves. Student A speaks first.

2. Observe the role play. When they are done, have them take their seats.3. Call other two students into the room. This time, give the Male the Student B

card and the Female the Student A card. Proceed with second role play. Discussion Questions-In the first role play, did the Female have a hard time breaking the news to her boyfriend that she wanted to break up? How did she attempt to communicate her feelings and desires to him? How did he take it?

-In the second role-play, did the Male have a difficult time breaking the news to his girlfriend that he wanted to end their relationship. How did he communicate his feelings and desires to her? How did she take it?

-What was similar in both scenes? Different? Does the sex of the person have anything to do with how they communicate? Why or why not?

*Note to instructor: Reproduce the role-play instructions below on index cards and give separately to volunteers.

Student A

You and Student B have been dating for six months. You have really become close and feel that your relationship is one of the best things in your life. Your friends and family like your partner and are happy that things are going so well. You have decided that you are ready to take your physical relationship to a new level. You feel that you really love him/her and, if you are both responsible about preventing pregnancy, that a sexual relationship will only make things better.You are meeting with them after school at your house. You are planning on telling him/her how you feel this afternoon.

When you begin your role-play, you will speak first.

Student B

You and Student A have been dating for six months. You have really become close and for a while, felt that this was the person that you wanted to have a long-term relationship with. Lately, however, you have felt differently. You have begun to feel like you are spending every waking minute with them. You feel like you have no time for your friends and feel like you need to “take a break” from your partner. You still care about him/her and do not want to hurt his/her feelings. As a matter of fact, you suspect that they may kind of feel the same way about you, but have not been able to tell you. You are meeting with him/her after school at their house. You are planning on telling him/her how you feel this afternoon. You have decided to break up with them.

When you begin your role-play, Student A will speak first.

Dom SplendorioPresident at Prime Time Health Consulting Greater New York City Area