Being a teenager - A reading, listening and thinking lesson for English Language and Life Skills Gr 6-8

First of all you can have a look at the video on reasons why being a teenager is not always nice or easy.  When you are done with it, you can read the poem/reading piece and answer the questions.

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Read the following and then answer the questions

Being a teenager

Feels like being part of a sandwich 

          

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on the one hand you are a child, and on the other you are suppose to act grown up.

In between, stuck in the middle, you are - the filling of the sandwich.

It feels like yesterday you and your friends were laughing at silly stuff

and went on treasure hunts.

But today you had to swallow your tears

because some things just brings heartache.

          

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Can we not go back to our childhood years,

when we had no worries or fears,

we would swim in the sea, free as fish

and eat chips on the beach with salt and vinegar

and feed the seagulls.

      

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But now our emotions are riding see saw, up and down, down and up ...

Maybe today in love, feeling happy and free, the world is so colorful,

Tomorrow the love is gone 

and you feel so alone and all is black and white again.

         

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Read the questions, think before you answer or write

1. Do you agree with this description of being a teenager?
2. What stress do you as a teenager have?
3. Why would you feel like you are the filling of a sandwich?
4. Think back on how things were different when you were a little boy/girl.  What have changed? Do you miss those days?
5. What causes these changes taking place with your emotions and feelings?
6. Do you think your parents have changed since you become a teenager or do you think you just look at them differently?  Do you think they understand you?
7. Have you ever been in love?  Or had a crush on somebody? How dit it make you feel?
8. Write a few paragraphs on why you like or do not like being a teenager.
9. Write a diary entry of at least 5 days in which you will report on what you do, what interests you for that day and how are your emotions.
10. Watch the video to get extra information on how to solve problems. (which you may feel you have a lot of)

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