Grade 6-8 Decision Making

Colorado Education Initiative coloradoedinitiative.org!

Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

Background Information:

Students make decisions everyday, however, many of the decisions they see and experience

may not have been carefully considered. It is important for students to understand that the use

of this skill will allow them to sort through problems, brainstorm options, analyze the positive

and negative outcomes, and then implement and reflect on the choices they make. When

applied to health issues, this process gives students the ability to make decisions individually,

or collaboratively, to improve their quality of life.

The decision making model for grades 6-8 involves five basic steps. It is a good idea to have

these steps posted in the room or available as a handout. The model and an example should

be shared with students during the teaching of the skill. By understanding how to make good

decisions students will learn that they will have more control over their lives.

The Model

Identify

Decision

Identify

Possible Outcomes

Make

Decision

Brianstorm

Options

Reflect

On Decision

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Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

The Steps

Skill Steps

Teaching progression

Grades MS Decision Making Example:

Step 1:

Identifying a

Decision That

Needs a

Decision

Before students can identify a decision, they need to be able

to have a discussion about circumstances that can help or

hinder healthy decision-making.

They need to anticipate when and where situations will arise

that will require them to make a healthy decision.

• Going to a party with friends

• Parents are gone-what are kids expected to do here?

• Choosing healthy foods

The next step is being able to evaluate when a thoughtful

decision is needed versus an everyday decision. For

example, smoking marijuana vs. what to wear to school.

Another concept for students to examine is the difference

between an impulsive versus a thoughtful decision.

Students should discuss what situations they will need help

with a decision.

Finally, students need to be able to verbalize why this

decision is important to their health and how making a

healthy decision will benefit themselves and/or others.

A couple of my friends have gone to parties

and are bragging about smoking cigarettes. I

am going to a party this next weekend and I

am afraid that I may be pressured to smoke.

“If someone at the party asks me to smoke,

am I going to say yes or no”

Step 2:

Brainstorm

Possible

Options

Make a list of all of the possible options you would consider.

Brainstorm Options:

1. Don’t go to the party at all.

2. Go to the party and try smoking.

3. Go to the party and say no.

Step 3:

Identify the

Positive and

Negative

Outcomes for

Each Option

The use of a chart is beneficial in listing all of the positive and

negative outcomes of each option: The criteria to be used is

as follows:

• Is the option healthy or unhealthy?

• How does the option affect myself?

• How does the option affect others?

• Does this option support my values?

• How do these options affect my goals?

• Does the decision follow the law?

Outcomes:

1. Don’t go to the party at all. Outcomes,

positive no pressure to smoke, negative I miss

out on being with friends.

2. Go to the party and try smoking. Outcomes,

positive fit in with my friends; negative labeled

by others as a smoker and may become

addicted.

3. Go to the party and say no. Outcomes,

positive not breaking the law, be with my

friends, negative, might lose my smoking

friends

Step 4:

Make a Decision

and Follow

Through

Students are now ready to make their decision based on their

analysis of the positive and negative outcomes.

The decision will be to go to the party and say

no.

Step 5: Reflect

on the Decision

That was Made

Students need to take time to reflect on the decision that was

made and analyze the outcome of the decision. Students

can answer a variety of questions related to the decision

making process.

• What was the decision I made?

• Why did I make the choice that I did?

• Did the decision that I made work? Why or Why not?

• How did this decision affect my health?

• Would you make this decision again?

Use the reflection questions to analyze if

the decision was the correct one for me.

It was good choice because I was able to

be with my friends and I did not break the

law. They accepted my decision to say no.

Colorado Education Initiative coloradoedinitiative.org!

Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

Sample Student Handouts

Teaching Tips:

● Vocabulary, outcomes, positive, negative,

reflection, decision, values

● Time needs to be spent differentiating between

an easy decision and a thoughtful decision.

● Middle school students can also make

impulsive decisions. Discussing how the brain

works at this age level and having kids practice

stopping and thinking before engaging in an

activity are important.

● The use of role-play to practice decision

making can be beneficial because it allows

students to consider the potential outcomes.

● Time also needs to be spent recognizing which

situations might require the help of an adult or

other trusted resource.

● More time is spent on the role of values in

decision making at the high school level.

However, this is a good time to introduce what

a value is and how it can influence decision

making.

● Decision making is different than refusal skills.

Decision making should be done before

students actually get into an unhealthy

situation, while refusal skills helps students get

out of a situation

What Does Mastery of Accessing Information

Look Like:

Grades 6-8 students will have mastered the skill of decision

making if they can first of all, anticipate situations where

they might have to make a thoughtful decision. Then, they

should be able to identify the decision to be made and

determine if the decision can be made alone, or if they

need the help of an adult or trusted source. Next, students

will be able to list healthy options and predict positive and

negative outcomes. Finally, they will be able to make a

healthy decision and then analyze the outcome of the

decision and how it will benefit their life in the future.

Teaching/Student Resources

The Colorado Education Initiative

http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/ch

pe/

RMC Health

http://www.rmc.org/

Colorado Department of Education

http://www.cde.state.co.us/cohealthpe/statestan

dards

!

Colorado Education Initiative coloradoedinitiative.org!

Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

Name: ___________________________

Decision-Making Process

STEP 1: Identify the Decision to be Made

Describe the situation that involves a decision that needs to be made:

___________________________________________________________________________

What is the decision to be made? ________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Why is this decision important to me and my health? _________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Does this situation require me to use the decision-making process? YES or NO

Explain. ____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Can I make this decision alone, or do I need the help of an adult or trusted resource?

Explain. ____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How will this decision affect me the rest of my life? __________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Colorado Education Initiative coloradoedinitiative.org!

Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

Step 2: Brainstorm Possible Options

Step 3: Identify Possible Outcomes

Options

Positive Outcome

Negative Outcome

1.

2.

3.

Step 4 - Make a Decision and Follow Through

According to the options above, which one looks like the best and circle it.

Now, look at the criteria below, answer each question about the option you chose. If you

answered no to any of the questions, then you need to re-evaluate your option.

YES

NO

Is the option healthy?

Does this decision respect my mind and body?

Does this decision respect people that care about me?

Does this option support my values?

Does this option promote my goals?

Does this decision follow the law?

Which healthy option did you chose? _______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Colorado Education Initiative coloradoedinitiative.org!

Health Skills Models: www.rmc.org/healthskills

Step 5: Reflect on the Decision that was Made:

Decision Making Reflection

Write a paragraph that will reflect on the decision you made and how it worked.

Use some of the answers to the questions below in your paragraph.

● Why did I make the choice that I did?

● Did the decision that I made work? Why or Why not?

● How did this decision affect my health?

● Would I make this decision again?

● How did the decision-making model help you come up with a decision?

___________________________________________________________________________