It's My Life . Parents/Teachers . The Dangers of Drug Abuse . Printable Lesson Plan

"The Dangers of Drug Abuse"

Estimated Time of Completion: Two to three classroom periods.

Summary

Objectives

Materials Needed

Procedure

Classroom Assessment

Extensions and Adaptations

Relevant National Standards

I. Summary:
For grades 4-7. Students this age should understand that they will be faced with a variety of decisions regarding their health, and that some of them might involve substances of abuse. Experimentation with drugs often begins in early adolescence. According to the results of the 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov):

78.2% of high school students had one or more drinks of alcohol in their lifetime.
47.1% had one or more drinks of alcohol in the past 30 days.
29.9% had 5 or more drinks of alcohol on one or more occasions during the past 30 days.
In addition to morbidity and mortality due to injury, drug use is related to suicide, early unwanted pregnancy, school failure, delinquency, and transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.27
Despite improvements in recent years, drug use is greater among youth in the United States than has been documented in any other industrialized nation in the world.28
In 2001, 42.4% of high school students had used marijuana in their lifetime and 9.4% of high school students had used some form of cocaine in their lifetime.
From 1991 to 2001, the percentage of high school students who said they used cocaine in the past month increased from 1.7% to 4.2%.

II. Objectives:

Students will be able to evaluate the health hazards of illegal and legal drugs.
Students will be able to evaluate and explain why it is important to stay drug-free.
Students will be able to interpret knowledge about drug abuse.
Students will describe the short-term and long-term health risks of using drugs.

III. Materials Needed:

Computer with Internet access.
Printed pages from the It’s My Life topic “Drug Abuse”: Topic sections, Drug Abuse Crossword Puzzle, IML Journal, and Discussion questions for kids to bring up with adults
“Example of Drug Figure”
“Knowledge is Prevention” Worksheet

IV. Procedure:

Use an introductory anticipatory set for this lesson on drug abuse. Read to students the “You Said It” question from the It’s My Life Drug Abuse section. The question reads, “What types of drug use have you seen and experienced in your school, in your family, and in the media? What do you think about it?” Choose several students to read some of the excerpts posted on the site. Explain to students that the next several lessons will be focused on drug abuse.
URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/you_said_it.html
Important:As a teacher you are required by law to report any situation where a student’s health and welfare is in danger. You will be discussing drug abuse over the next several class periods. If any student openly talks about his or her own drug abuse, you have a responsibility to speak with someone such as a parent, principal or guidance counselor.
Ask students to think about how they would answer the It’s My Life “You Said It” question you brought up in the introduction. Hold a class discussion related to the following:
- Why it is important or not important for students to know the facts about drug abuse?
- How are drugs viewed in our culture?
- Why do they think people use and abuse drugs?
- What are some strategies and inner resources people use to remain drug-free?
- What does drug abuse do to people, as well as their friends and family?
- What is drug addiction?
Before introducing students to the objectives of the lesson, have them take It’s My Life’s” Bonko’s Body Quiz.” Instruct students to write down any question they didn’t know. You will go back to the quiz at the end of the lesson. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/games/bonko.html
In addition, distribute to each student a 3 X 5 index card and ask them to anonymously write down any question they may have about drugs and drug abuse. Collect the cards and privately read through them in preparation for your unit, with a goal of answering all questions.
Introduce students to the objectives of the unit:
- Students will learn the health risks of drug abuse.
- Students will identify activities and situations that facilitate being drug free.
Briefly explain to students the difference between drug use and abuse. A possible example may be that when they are sick and go to the doctor, they use drugs to get well. Anytime someone uses drugs irresponsibly or a way in which they were not intended, he or she is abusing drugs.
Next, hand out the printed pages from the It’s My Life “Drug Abuse” topic. These pages should include: “Marijuana,“ “Club Drugs,“ “Inhalants,“ “Methamphetamine,“ “Hallucinogens,“ “Cocaine and Crack, “Heroin,“ “Prescription Medications,“ “Rumors and Myths,“ and “Making A Difference.” URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/index.html
Break students into 8 groups and assign each group a drug category. Give each group copies of the page for their assigned category, as well as copies of the pages from “Rumors and Myths” and “Making A Difference.” Using the printed pages, groups need to complete the following tasks:
1. On a large piece of butcher paper, trace the outline of one person in the group.
2. Label basic areas and systems of the body such as brain, stomach, lungs, spinal cord, heart, muscular system, nervous system, and cardio respiratory system.
3. Each group should use its printed resource page to review the drug category. After reviewing the signs, symptoms, and health risks of the assigned drug, students will label the body systems and parts with the health risks and adverse reactions related to abusing the assigned drug. For example, if the drug adversely affects the brain, the group may label the brain with the words, “cloudy thinking, affects the thought processes,” and color it gray. (See Example of A Drug Figure)
4. Once the figure is labeled with body parts and the adverse affects of using the assigned drug category, the group will brainstorm tactics that help keep kids drug-free. The group should review their copies of “Rumors and Myths” and “Making a Difference.”
5. The group should hold a brief discussion about the ways people stay drug-free, then write down these ideas all around the outside of their figure.
6. The group can come up with a creative name for their poster such as “Drugless Donna Doesn’t Use.”
7. Each group should then take turns using their figure as a visual to present the information about their assigned drug category, as well as ways to be drug-free. Hang the figures around the classroom.
During group presentations, have students complete the Mind Map Worksheet titled “Knowledge Is Prevention.”
Organize students into think-pair-share to partners to complete the “Drug Abuse Crossword Puzzle.” Review the answers to the crossword puzzle with the entire class and use it as a springboard for discussion. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/print_crossword.html
Review the questions students submitted at the beginning of the unit and answer any that were not covered in the lesson.
Culminating Activities:
- Read the “From the Mentors” page from the It’s My Life “Drug Abuse.” Ask students to write a “From the Mentor” section using both informative and persuasive writing techniques. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/mentors.html.
- Other activities could include:
  1. Making comic books with drug-free characters.
  2. Creating skits about the health risks of drug abuse.
  3. Creating commercials and advertisements depicting the health risks of drug abuse.
  4. Starting a red ribbon campaign to educate peers about drug abuse.
  5. Write a fictitious newspaper story or magazine article about a situation involving drug abuse.
  6. Create raps or poems about the dangers of drug abuse and being responsible and drug-free.

V. Classroom Assessment

The “Knowledge is Prevention” Worksheet and “Drug Abuse Crossword Puzzle” can be graded and assessed. The group project can be assessed on group cooperation, presentation and material covered. A culminating project can also be used to assess student knowledge.

VI. Extensions and Adaptations

Connections with adults are important for helping students stay drug-free. Ask students to take a copy of the handout “Discussion Questions for kids to bring up with adults” and use the questions to hold a discussion with a parent or trusted adult. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/print_discussion_qs.html
Have a school guidance counselor come into the classroom and discuss with the students what they should do to seek help if they themselves, friends or family members have a drug abuse problem.
Invite a local police officer to visit the classroom and discuss drugs and the law.
Read from It’s My Life’s list of “Great Books about Drug Abuse” and complete book reports. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/body/drugabuse/print_books.html
Introduce students to support programs such as Ala-teen and Ala-non.
Create a drug-free pledge.
Have students respond to their thoughts and feelings about drug abuse issues by completing the “IML Journal” page. URL: /pbskids2008/itsmylife/journal/drugabuse_journal.html
Create a calendar of drug-free activities to distribute to students at school.
Invite a local pediatrician in to speak to students about the risks of drugs.
Invite a drug and alcohol counselor to discuss the dangers of addiction.
Invite a recovering person to speak to the class.

VII. Relevant National Standards

Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.

Students will recognize health problems caused by drug use and abuse.
Students can explain the healthy choice of being drug free.

Standard 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services.

Students can describe valid health information related to abuse of drugs.
Students can explain how to combat the lore of drug use.

Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks.

Students can identify responsible and harmful behaviors, develop health-enhancing strategies, and manage stress.

Standard 4: Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health.

Students can describe what peer pressure is and ways to use refusal skills.
Students can describe activities that promote being drug free.

Standard 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.

Students practice refusal skills.

Standard 6: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health.

Students can set goals related to good health habits including strategies for remaining drug-free.

Standard 7: SStudents will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Students can identify community resources related to seeking help for drug use and abuse, activities to engage in to remain drug free and accurately communicate health information related to drug use and abuse.

About the Author:
Donna DeTommaso-Kleinert is an elementary physical education teacher in the North Penn School District in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. She has been a learning coordinator as well as an elementary and middle school health and physical education teacher, and is presently completing graduate work in Kinesiology in the areas of curriculum and instruction at Temple University.