The goal of the instructional unit is to educate 9-12th grade students about issues related to intimate partner violence.  The unit will help students identify physical and emotional indicators of unhealthy relationships and identify mitigating strategies.  In addition, the unit will help students identify how they can advocate for better conditions for themselves and others. To achieve these goals, the unit will strive to execute the following through teacher facilitated classroom and virtual activities: 

 

• Collaborate with fellow students to identify the consequences of bias

• Provide opportunities to examine gender role stereotypes in media using technology as a medium

• Explore personal bias and recognize signs of abuse

• Engage students in committing to avoid violence in their relationships

• Increase awareness of the ways in which sexism can perpetuate intimate partner violence

 

In developing the curriculum, there was consideration for technology tools that provide visual examples through media and video to support the issues discussed in class. Students might view the influence that the internet, social media, mobile tools have on their emotional and mental well-being. By using the technology to explore such a complex and emotional subject, the students might have a different perspective regarding the power of technology and social media. Visual tools can also break down complex subjects and make the discussion more palatable for this age group. In addition, video scenarios from objective sources can also allow students to relate those examples to prior experiences in a different perspective. The instructional unit addresses specific New Jersey Common Core Health Literacy Standards.

 

The following menu options provide staff with the frameworks used to clarify the learning approach, Getting Started framework for planning the course, example lesson plan templates, and links to the CDC and advanced training site.