Table 1.

'Circle of Life' Program: Excerpted Content and Sample Activities.

Module	Unit	Topics	Sample Activities
1. Young People are the Pioneers of New Ways (Provides the conceptual framework for the COL curriculum)	1. Young People are the Pioneers of New Ways	1. Young Adolescents Should Expect Changes and Challenges as They Grow Up	Chief Dan George Speaks About the Challenges of Adolescence
		2. It is Important that Adolescents Learn to Take Responsibility for their Actions	Read About the Courage and Character of SuAnne Big Crow
	2. Strive for Balance in the Circle of Life	3. All Four Parts of the Circle of Life Need to be Strong and Balanced	Understanding the Circle of Life
		4. Each of Us Needs to Exercise Our Volition	Linking Strengths to Volition
2: Protect the Balance of Your Circle of Life: Know What Is Dangerous to Your Health. (Provides the factual framework for HIV/STDs)	1. Diseases that Can Harm your Circle of Life	1. Essential Facts about HIV/AIDS and other STDs	Facts and Fictions /Transmission and Prevention
	2. Looking at the Numbers	2. Statistics on HIV/AIDS and other STDs in Indian Country	What Do Statistics Really Mean?
Module 3: Keep your Personal Circle of Life Strong. Don’t Take Risks With Your Health! (Provides the groundwork for risky situation avoidance skills).	1. Identifying and Understanding New Feelings	1. Adolescents Should Expect to Experience New and Intensified Feelings	What’s Normal? /Identifying Feelings
		2. It is Important that Adolescents be Able to Identify Their Feelings and Take Responsibility for Them
	2. Recognizing Risky Situations and Behaviors	1. Learn to Recognize Risky Situations that Should be Avoided	Recognizing Risky Situations/Stories From A Talking Circle
		2. Identify Specific Behaviors that Increase the Risk of HIV/AIDS and other STDs	Health Risk Thermometer
Module 4: Respect Yourself-Be True to Who You Really Are. (Facilitates Development of Skills for Avoiding Risky Behaviors).	1. Decision Making Skills	1. Skill Acquisition and Practice	Decision Making=Smart Thinking: SODA: Stop, Options, Decide, Act
	2. Communication Skills	1. Skill Acquisition and Practice	Communication Styles- What Works Best?//Assertiveness Role Plays
	3. Refusal Skills	1. Skill Acquisition and Practice	Refusal=Exercising Volition to Protect Your Circle//Refusal Role Plays
Module 5: Celebrate the Power of Your Circle. (Reinforcement Program Material).	1. Taking Responsibility for Your Own Behavior	1. Importance of Making Good Judgments, Assuming Personal Responsibility for Behavior and Resisting Pressure to Engage in Risky Behavior	Celebrate the Power of Your Circle. Use that Power to Stay Healthy.
	2. Celebrating the Transition of Adolescence	2. American Indian and Other Cultural Rites of Passage from Childhood to Adulthood	Adolescence and the Circle of Life