National Institute on Drug Abuse
The Brain's Response to Drugs
Marijuana affects the brain differently than inhalants, which have a different effect than opioids. Elementary and middle school classes read about these drugs as well as nicotine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and steroids before...
Curated OER
What Do Drugs Do to the Body?
Students research the effects that drugs have on the human body. Using this information, they create a poster showing some of the effects of a specific drug. They work together to summarize the information they have gathered and present...
Curated OER
Drugs: Prevention Tips
Students use the Internet to examine ways they can prevent using drugs. They discover the dangers of these substances and complete online quizzes.
Curated OER
Binge Drinking and Drug Use
Students critically evaluate young peoples' comments on under age drinking. They map out valleys tieing together communities and drinking problems in a variety of situation. In addition, they correlate drinking and education in schools...
Curated OER
What Are Friends For?
Students develop an awareness of the behaviors signaling that a friend may be in trouble with alcohol or drugs of abuse. They practice ways to encourage a friend to seek out adult help by viewing a video, role-playing situations, writing...
Curated OER
An Investigation of the Effects of Marijuana and Alcohol
Students, in groups, research the physical, psychological and social effects of alcohol and marijuana on the people who use them. They prepare a class presentation with their research.
Curated OER
Impaired
Students examine how drug and alcohol use diminishes our ability to perform tasks that require manual dexterity such as driving a vehicle. Using gloves and sunglasses students attempt tasks and compare it with the relationsip to an...
Curated OER
No Title
Sixth graders explore, analyze and explain self concept and five ways that alcohol harms the body. They assess the relationship between positive health behaviors and the prevention of injury, illness, disease, and other health problems.
Curated OER
CLOSE TO HOME - Overboard
Students read a comic about a teen drug overdose that leads to death. For this drug awareness lesson, students role play characters in the story that react to the death of their friend due to drug use in an online forum. Students...
Curated OER
The Kids are All-Right
Students explore alcohol abuse. In this health journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "The Kids are All Right", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete an activity based on the content...
Curated OER
Message in a Bottle
Students consider the implications of the misuse of alcohol. In this personal health activity, students visit selected websites to discover information about the misuse of alcohol and examine advertisements for alcohol.
Curated OER
Family Sculpture Demonstration
Students simulate the personal interactions in a family with an alcoholic parent. In this alcoholism lesson, students read a family situation. They simulate the interactions in the family and create a living sculpture of the dysfunction.
Curated OER
Alcoholic Advertisements
Alcohol is a powerful depressant drug. Over time heavy drinking can lead to severe health problems. This lesson shows how advertisements for alcoholic beverages entice people to buy their product by using wealthy people, or happy people...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Commitment to Recovery
Recovery from substance addiction is an ongoing process. The final lesson plan in a series about painkiller abuse and addiction prompts learners to research various recovery options before writing a short story about a character who is...
Advocates for Youth
How Can I Take Care of My Health?
Life is all about choices, and a healthy life tends to involve a lot of healthy choices. Guide teenagers toward a life full of nutritious food, regular exercise, and responsible decisions with a series of lessons on healthy habits for...
Curated OER
Taking Pills Isn't the Answer
Students explore performance-related drug use. In this health journalism lesson plan, students read the USA Today article titled "Taking Pills Isn't the Answer", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and complete an...
Curated OER
Facts into Action
Learners role play chosen scenario about smart decision making. For this drug awareness lesson, students discuss the danger associated with drug abuse. They practice how to make careful choices when faced with a difficult situation.
Curated OER
Small Actions with Big Purpose
Seventh graders examine the trait of perseverance. In this character education lesson, 7th graders discuss community causes they care about and make plans to contribute their time and energy to overcome their personally-selected issues.
Curated OER
Environmental Causes of Birth Defects
Get your high schoolers thinking about the factors that lead to birth defects. They examine how environmental factors and personal choices can cause birth defects in unborn children. They discover the effects of various handicaps such as...
National Institute of Drug Abuse
Nurturing My Mental and Emotional Health
One exercise does not necessarily work for all! A resource from the National Institutes of Health provides tweens and teens with exercises to help them cope with anxiety and stress. Participants note their stress levels before and after...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Caution: Thin Ice!
Sixth graders listen to a story titled "Thin Ice!" then partake in a whole-class discussion asking and answering questions about what was read. Scholars brainstorm risky behaviors in preparation for a game of RISKO—a game similar to...
Curated OER
Peer pressure
Students identify ways to cope with peer pressure to use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. They use selection from Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.
Curated OER
Substance Abuse/Addiction
Students examine addictions and the effects on people around them. They identify the characteristics of addition and indicators of alcohol abuse. They complete a worksheet for homework.
Curated OER
Boating Safety
Learners are introduced to the safety procedures to follow while boating. After taking a quiz, they complete open-ended questions about boating accidents in Illinois. They discuss as a class how those accidents could have been prevented.