Grade 08: Values and life skills

In this unit, 'Ethical decision making', you learn to weigh choices using a simple framework. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Ethical decision making' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: weigh choices using a simple framework. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Situation: Waleed finds a tablet in the corridor with a lock screen photo of a younger child and a name label reading 'Hamad G5'. Nobody else is nearby. He wonders whether to keep it, ignore it or return it.
2. Step 2, Framework: He uses four questions. Who is affected? What are my options? What are the likely results of each? Which option is honest, fair and caring? Writing the answers helps him think clearly instead of reacting.
3. Step 3, Who and options: Affected people are Hamad, Hamad's family, Waleed and the school. Options are: keep it, leave it where it is, return it to the office, or find Hamad. Four options are listed.
4. Step 4, Results: Keeping it harms Hamad and is dishonest. Leaving it risks it being lost. Taking it to the office is safe, honest and quick. Finding Hamad directly could work, but the office can check and avoid mix-ups.
5. Step 5, Decide: Waleed takes the tablet to the front office, says where he found it, and gives the name on the label. The staff contact Hamad's class teacher. The choice is honest, fair and caring.
6. Step 6, Review: Later Hamad says thank you. Waleed notes the framework slowed him down just enough to choose well. If the choice were harder, such as being asked to keep it secret, he would talk to a trusted adult.
7. Your turn: You see a friend copy another student's project and hand it in. Use the four questions. Model answer: affected are the owner, friend, teacher and you; options include silence, talking to the friend, telling the teacher; best is asking your friend to fix it, then reporting if not.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Weigh choices using a simple framework: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Peer pressure', you learn to describe ways to respond to peer pressure. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Peer pressure' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: describe ways to respond to peer pressure. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Situation: At lunch, Ismail's group says, 'We are skipping the last lesson, come with us.' Six friends are going. Ismail does not want to skip because there is a test review, yet he fears being called boring.
2. Step 2, Spot the pressure: He notices three signs: the group is all agreeing, someone is calling him names if he refuses, and the choice is not his own. Peer pressure is when others push you to act against your own values.
3. Step 3, Options: Ismail can say yes, say no plainly, say no with an alternative, or walk away. He thinks about what he wants and what might happen: missing the review, getting a detention, or losing some friends.
4. Step 4, Say no with a line: He says calmly, 'No, I am going to class. I'll see you after school for football.' He uses a short, steady voice, keeps his word choice simple, and offers a different shared plan.
5. Step 5, Handle a push back: A friend says, 'Come on, don't be a baby.' Ismail answers, 'It's my choice,' and walks to class. He repeats the same sentence and does not argue, because arguing gives the pressure more power.
6. Step 6, Result and support: Two friends later admit they wished they had stayed. Ismail tells his counsellor about it to be safe. Tools for pressure are: say no, give a reason or alternative, leave, find an ally and tell an adult.
7. Your turn: Friends dare you to post a rude joke about a teacher. Respond. Model answer: say 'No, I'm not posting that', suggest another activity, walk away, and tell an adult if they keep pushing.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Describe ways to respond to peer pressure: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Service and gratitude', you learn to plan and review a service act. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Service and gratitude' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: plan and review a service act. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Choose the act: Grade 8 wants to thank the 12 school support staff: cleaners, guards, canteen and bus helpers. Dalal proposes handwritten thank-you notes and a tidy-up of the staff room. Gratitude means noticing and valuing what others do for us.
2. Step 2, Plan: There are 4 classes with 24 students each, so 96 students. They agree that every student writes 1 note, so that is 96 notes. 96 divided by 12 staff is 8 notes per person.
3. Step 3, Set roles: Each class picks a lead, collects notes in a box and sorts them into 12 envelopes, 8 notes each. Dalal checks the count: 12 envelopes times 8 notes is 96, matching the number of students.
4. Step 4, Do the act: On Thursday the leads hand out envelopes. Notes include specific details, like 'Thank you for opening the gate early every morning.' Specific thanks show real attention, unlike a general 'thank you'.
5. Step 5, Staff room help: Six volunteers wipe tables and recycle papers in 15 minutes after asking permission. They leave without asking for praise. Service is for the other person, not for being seen.
6. Step 6, Review: Dalal asks the staff and students what went well. A guard says he kept his note. Next time they plan a thank-you for the bus team. Reviewing improves the next act, and honest feelings are better than claiming huge results.
7. Your turn: Plan a thank-you act for 5 teachers from 30 students. Model answer: each student writes 1 note, 30 divided by 5 is 6 notes per teacher, 5 envelopes of 6, give them on a set day, then review.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Plan and review a service act: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Digital wellbeing', you learn to plan balanced screen time. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Digital wellbeing' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: plan balanced screen time. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Find your time budget. A week has 7 times 24, which is 168 hours. Sleep at 8 hours a night takes 56 hours and school at 6 hours on 5 days takes 30. That leaves 82 hours for meals, family, study, sport, hobbies and screens.
2. Step 2, Track current screen use. Check the device's usage report for a week, or tally it in a notebook. Separate learning use from leisure use. Be honest about the total; a plan only works when it starts from real numbers.
3. Step 3, Set limits. Plan 2 hours of leisure screen time on 5 school days and 3 hours on 2 weekend days. That is 10 plus 6, which is 16 hours. As a share of the week, 16 divided by 168 is about 9.5 percent.
4. Step 4, Protect sleep and eyes. Stop screens about an hour before bed and keep the phone out of the bedroom overnight. Use the 20-20-20 habit: every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet (about 6 metres) away for 20 seconds.
5. Step 5, Add balanced alternatives. Plan time for exercise, face-to-face friends, reading and hobbies. Write the weekly plan in a table with days across the top, and review after 2 weeks to see whether it feels realistic.
6. Step 6, Your turn: plan screen time of 1.5 hours on 5 weekdays and 2.5 hours on 2 weekend days, and find the weekly total. Answer: 1.5 times 5 is 7.5, plus 2.5 times 2 which is 5, so the total is 12.5 hours.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Plan balanced screen time: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

On the slide: L1 Basic · Kind and safe

Notes: Show one kind action and state one safe rule, such as telling a trusted adult when worried. Notes: role-play sharing a toy; learners name three trusted adults and practise saying clearly, stop, I do not like that.

On the slide: L2 Awareness · Feelings and honesty

Notes: Name four feelings and say why telling the truth matters. Notes: use a feelings chart for happy, sad, angry and scared; read a short story of a broken cup and let learners practise saying what happened and offering to help fix it.

On the slide: L3 Foundation · Friends and small savings

Notes: Settle a small disagreement by listening and save a small amount regularly. Notes: practise the sentence I feel ... when ...; for money, save 10 from a weekly 50, which reaches 80 after 8 weeks, and learners say what they would plan to buy.

This course: Grade 08 Values and life skills is at this level. Its units include Ethical decision making; Peer pressure; Service and gratitude; Digital wellbeing.

On the slide: L4 Practitioner · Choices, budget and online safety

Notes: Weigh choices, keep a simple budget and protect personal information online. Notes: use stop, think, choose; split an income of 200 into needs 120, wants 50 and savings 30, which adds back to 200. Learners list four things never to share online.

On the slide: L5 Specialist · Wellbeing and responsibility

Notes: Plan study, rest and sleep, and give a respectful no under peer pressure. Notes: teenagers usually need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep, so waking at 6:30 means bed by 21:30 for 9 hours. Learners plan one week and rehearse a calm refusal in pairs.

On the slide: L6 Advanced · Ethics and behaviour evidence

Notes: Evaluate ethical frameworks and psychology evidence on habits, stress and decision making. Notes: compare consequence, duty and character approaches on one dilemma. Practice: 1,000 saved at 5 per cent a year for 10 years compounds to about 1,628.89; learners say why early habits matter.

On the slide: L7 Super expert · Design a wellbeing programme

Notes: Design and critique an evidence-based wellbeing or ethics programme with safeguarding and evaluation. Notes: survey 120 pupils before and after; 78 positive (65 per cent) rising to 96 (80 per cent) is a 15-point rise. Learners state limits, such as no comparison group, and how consent is protected.