Understanding Psychology

Chapter 18: Individual Interaction

Web Activity Lesson Plans

"Coping With Divorce"

Introduction
Students have read about individual interaction in love, marriage, and divorce. In this exercise, students will examine children's reactions to divorce and strategies that can help a family going through divorce.

Lesson Description
Students will use information from these Web sites to learn about children's responses to divorce. Students will read about what causes stress for children when their parents divorce, how children of different ages respond differently to divorce, and strategies that can help all family members cope. Students will then apply this information by imagining a friend's parents are divorcing and writing a letter to her suggesting strategies that can help the family cope.

1. Students will be able to evaluate children's responses to divorce and discuss strategies to help each family member cope.
2. Students will be able to apply this knowledge to write a letter to a friend suggesting strategies to help her family cope with divorce.