Healthy Relationships: Storyboard Activities for Students

Q: How can I teach high school students to identify healthy vs unhealthy relationships?

Start by discussing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships , using real-life scenarios. Encourage students to create storyboards showing both types, highlighting respect, trust, and communication in healthy examples, and control, manipulation, or disrespect in unhealthy ones.

Q: Why is it important for students to set goals and expectations for their relationships?

Setting relationship goals and expectations helps students recognize positive behaviors and avoid manipulation. It empowers them to establish boundaries, make informed choices, and prevent becoming victims of unhealthy dynamics.

Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationship Activities for Students

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Lesson Plan Overview

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Lesson Plan Overview

The ability to recognize unhealthy relationships may seem like an easy thing for students to do until they find themselves the victim. Being a victim of manipulation causes someone to put up blinders and make excuses for behaviors. They may even feel guilty and at fault for causing the aggressor's behavior. Having students create goals and expectations for relationships is a good preventative measure to becoming a victim.

In this activity, students will create a healthy and unhealthy relationship scenario for three different experiences. The example above shows different couples on a date, going through a crisis, and experiencing something that happens to teens daily. Students are encouraged to develop their own scenarios, but you can modify the activity by providing a few scenarios for students to select from.

Asking students to use different characters for each relationship will help foster new ideas without making one person the victim in every situation. Additionally, it allows students to understand that anyone can be a victim or aggressor. It is important for students to not create themselves or their peers as a victim or an aggressor in any of the situations.

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard depicting three examples of healthy and unhealthy relationship scenarios.

Click "Start Assignment".
Title the columns, "Healthy" and "Unhealthy".
Brainstorm three scenarios people can be faced with during their relationship and label the row appropriately.
Create three scenarios in the "Healthy" column of positive goals or expectations using a combination of school appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Compare the three Healthy examples to three Unhealthy examples using the same scenarios.

3 Rows by 2 Columns Storyboard Chart with Titles and Descriptions

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 9-12

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Social Emotional Learning

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Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships

Students will create a storyboard that shows visual examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Structure	There are column titles indicating examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships. The titles on the rows indicate the theme of the cell.	The column titles do not clearly indicate which relationship is healthy and unhealthy or the titles on the rows do not indicate the theme of the cells.	The column titles do not clearly indicate which relationship is healthy and unhealthy and the titles on the rows do not indicate the theme of the cells.
Healthy Relationships	All three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. The healthy relationships are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	Two of the three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. Two of the healthy relationship examples are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	One to none of the cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. The healthy relationship examples did not depict what was discussed in class.
Unhealthy Relationships	All three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. The unhealthy relationships are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	Two of the three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. Two of the unhealthy relationship examples are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	One to none of the cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. The unhealthy relationship examples did not depict what was discussed in class.
Use of Convections	There are few to no grammar or spelling mistakes. The text clearly indicates messages of health and unhealthy relationship verbal cues.	There are some grammar or spelling mistakes, but understanding of content is clear.	There are too many grammar or spelling mistakes creating an unclear understanding of content.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard depicting three examples of healthy and unhealthy relationship scenarios.

Click "Start Assignment".
Title the columns, "Healthy" and "Unhealthy".
Brainstorm three scenarios people can be faced with during their relationship and label the row appropriately.
Create three scenarios in the "Healthy" column of positive goals or expectations using a combination of school appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Compare the three Healthy examples to three Unhealthy examples using the same scenarios.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 9-12

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Social Emotional Learning

Copy Activity

Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships

Students will create a storyboard that shows visual examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Structure	There are column titles indicating examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships. The titles on the rows indicate the theme of the cell.	The column titles do not clearly indicate which relationship is healthy and unhealthy or the titles on the rows do not indicate the theme of the cells.	The column titles do not clearly indicate which relationship is healthy and unhealthy and the titles on the rows do not indicate the theme of the cells.
Healthy Relationships	All three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. The healthy relationships are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	Two of the three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. Two of the healthy relationship examples are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	One to none of the cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of healthy relationship scenarios. The healthy relationship examples did not depict what was discussed in class.
Unhealthy Relationships	All three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. The unhealthy relationships are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	Two of the three cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. Two of the unhealthy relationship examples are accurate visual depictions of what was discussed in class.	One to none of the cells used exemplary school-appropriate scenes, characters, and text to convey examples of unhealthy relationship scenarios. The unhealthy relationship examples did not depict what was discussed in class.
Use of Convections	There are few to no grammar or spelling mistakes. The text clearly indicates messages of health and unhealthy relationship verbal cues.	There are some grammar or spelling mistakes, but understanding of content is clear.	There are too many grammar or spelling mistakes creating an unclear understanding of content.

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How Tos about Unhealthy vs. Healthy Relationship

Introduce classroom discussions about healthy boundaries

Begin each lesson with a brief talk about what boundaries look and sound like in friendships and relationships. Invite students to share examples or questions in a safe, supportive space.

Use role-play to practice responding to unhealthy behaviors

Divide students into pairs and assign scenarios where one person sets a healthy boundary while the other tests it. Guide students to use respectful language and encourage reflection after each role-play.

Create anchor charts of healthy vs. unhealthy relationship signals

Work together as a class to list signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships on large posters. Display these charts as visual reminders for students throughout your unit.

Assign quick-reflection journals after scenarios

Ask students to write a short entry about how they would feel and respond in each scenario. Use prompts like "What would I do if I saw this happen to a friend?" to deepen understanding.

Encourage students to set personal relationship goals

Guide each student to identify one or two goals for healthy relationships, such as "Communicate honestly" or "Respect others' boundaries." Revisit these goals at the end of the unit to discuss growth.

Frequently Asked Questions about Unhealthy vs. Healthy Relationship

How can I teach high school students to identify healthy vs unhealthy relationships?

Start by discussing the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, using real-life scenarios. Encourage students to create storyboards showing both types, highlighting respect, trust, and communication in healthy examples, and control, manipulation, or disrespect in unhealthy ones.

What are some examples of healthy and unhealthy teen relationship scenarios for classroom activities?

Examples include couples handling disagreements respectfully (healthy) versus using blame or guilt (unhealthy), supporting each other's goals (healthy) versus discouraging or controlling behaviors (unhealthy), and positive communication (healthy) versus silent treatment or threats (unhealthy).

Why is it important for students to set goals and expectations for their relationships?

Setting relationship goals and expectations helps students recognize positive behaviors and avoid manipulation. It empowers them to establish boundaries, make informed choices, and prevent becoming victims of unhealthy dynamics.

What is the best way to structure a healthy vs unhealthy relationship lesson for grades 9-12?

Use interactive activities like storyboards where students compare healthy and unhealthy scenarios. Ensure variety by having different characters for each, and avoid using real students in the examples to create a safe learning environment.

How can I help students avoid making themselves or peers victims or aggressors in relationship lessons?

Encourage students to use fictional characters in their scenarios and emphasize that anyone can experience unhealthy relationships. This approach fosters empathy while maintaining a respectful and nonjudgmental classroom space.