Life Skills is a practical resource that gives teachers 225 ready-to-use worksheets that cover a wide variety of key life skills. The book addresses topics such as drug and alcohol use, sex, relationships, stress, food-related issues, and self-esteem. Life Skills is an easy-to-use, time-saving book that is designed for grades 6-12 and helpful for both new and seasoned teachers. For quick access and easy use, the worksheets are organized into eight sections and are printed in a large 8 1/2” x 11” format that folds flat for photocopying. Here’s an overview of what you’ll find in each section:

Drugs, Alcohol, and Smoking: Trends in smoking, second-hand smoke, reasons why people smoke and ways to help people quit, facts about drug use, the classification of different drugs, alcoholism, fetal alcohol syndrome, as well as drinking and driving.

Sex and Sex-Related Issues: Male and female sex organs, why people have sex, facts and myths, birth control, options after getting pregnant, sexually transmitted diseases, homosexuality, infertility options, sexual harassment, and date rape.

Love, Relationships, Marriage, and Family: The role of friends in our lives, negative aspects of cliques, dating and love, love and infatuation, qualities in an ideal mate, problems in marriage, why marriages end, family life cycles, and nontraditional families.

Life Skills: High and low self-esteem, long and short range goals, learning assertive behavior, dealing with difficult people, conflict resolution, what makes a good leader, effective communication and time management skills, and problems with violence.

Stress: What makes you stressed?, reactions to stress, coping with stress, suicide, death, and dying.

Food and Food Related Issues: Improving eating habits, the food pyramid, information about calories, water, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, additives, and eating disorders.

Know Your Body and Body Image: Body image and type, the functions of differnet organs, body parts, body systems and terminology, viruses and bacteria, basic first aid, diagnosing and solving emergency problems, fitness habits, and four components of fitness.

Self Esteem and Knowing Yourself: Favorite things, handwriting, personality type, birth order, highs and lows, and five senses.

Sandra McTavish is a former high school English teacher and now works in educational publishing. She and her partner, Doug, divide their time between Toronto and his family farm in Ontario, where they have a few “pet” cows and barn cats.

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