Toolbox: Gang Feud Activity

Title: Gang Feud

Curriculum Relevance:

• Health and Physical Education, Grade 9 and 10 (Substance use and abuse, Personal Safety and Injury prevention, Decision Making, Conflict resolution, Social skills)
• Health and Physical Education, Grade 11 and 12 (Substance use and abuse, Personal Safety and Injury prevention, Decision Making, Conflict resolution, Social skills)

Format: TV show with host, much like the popular TV show Family Feud

Target Audience: students grades 9-12

Length: 30 min.

Goals:

• Promote awareness of the gang phenomenon.
• Gain an understanding of what the students have learned about gangs.
• Demonstrate, through the format of the activity, how easy it is to develop family-like ties in a gang and how gangs can seem like a family.

Instructions:

1. Split the group in two teams. Each team can choose their team name.
2. The game unfolds like this:

• the host will be asking both teams a series of questions, which you can find below. If time allows, the host can print the questions on cardboard cards to give it more of a TV show feel
• each correct answer is worth 10 points. During the face-off, the first team to answer correctly wins the right to go first. This team has three chances to provide all the answers to the question, after which it becomes the other team’s turn.
• the team that ends up with the most points wins. There are 70 points up for grabs (7 answers).

1) What are the 3 different types of gangs?

Answers:

1. criminal gangs
2. youth street gangs
3. wannabe gangs

2) Which 4 provinces are most affected by the gang phenomena?

Answers:

1. Ontario (3320)
2. Saskatchewan (1315)
3. British Columbia (1027)
4. lberta (668)

3) State 4 different myths associated with gangs:

Answers:

1. The gang will protect you.
2. The gang is like a family.
3. The gang is respected by the community.
4. Each gang is created based on a shared ethnic background.

4) State 4 different places where gangs might look for potential recruits:

Answers:

1. arcade
2. school yard and parks shopping mall
3. families of their existing gang members

5) State 5 possible reasons why someone might want to leave a gang:

Answers:

1. fear
2. severe incidents have happened
3. wants to follow a different path
4. wants to spend time with someone outside of the gang
5. he gang is monitored by a police force

6) State 8 signs that could warn you that your friend is in a gang:

Answers:

1. wears clothing or accessories associated with a particular gang
2. acts more aggressively, less patient
3. carries a weapon
4. has bruises and cuts and has trouble explaining where they’re from
5. uses a new hand signal or body language
6. skips classes
7. has new friends
8. personal belongings covered with gang slogans or logos

7) State 7 things you can do to help a friend who’s involved in a gang:

Answers:

1. talk to your friend
2. listen without judging or preaching
3. together find the advantages and disadvantages
4. respect his or her feelings
5. suggest alternatives
6. suggest professional help
7. know your limits

Bonus Question: State 2 useful resources that can help you learn more about gangs:

Answers:

1. DEAL.org’s Blogs
2. DEAL.org’s Knowzone