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
Statistical Drug Abuse and Adolescents in the U.S.A.
Young scholars examine statistics of teenagers using alcohol and marijuana. In groups, they brainstorm the reasons why they believe usage is higher than in years past. As a class, they role-play different roles in scenerios to help them...
ProCon
Drug Use in Sports
The ancient Greeks used performance enhancing drugs, such as opium juice, when they participated in the original Olympic Games. Pupils research a website with debate topics to decide if athletes' use of such drugs in modern sports is...
Curated OER
Journalism: Ritalin Abuse
Young scholars conduct research and interviews to examine abuses of Ritalin to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. They interview doctors and students and collect contact information to include in a sidebar.
Curated OER
High-Risk Areas
Students create concept maps exploring causes of drug abuse that, in Siberia and around the world, often lead to the contraction of H.I.V., and develop solutions papers.
Kenan Fellows
Unit 4: The Brain
Drugs interact with the brain to alter moods, emotions, and behaviors by changing the brain's chemistry, perceptions, and interactions. The final lesson in the Pharmacology unit shows scholars experiments, has them complete four labs,...
Discovery Education
Is Our Community Influenced by the Opioid Epidemic?
Opioid abuse is becoming a national crisis, but combating the influence of opioids requires examining the ways it affects individual communities. A thorough teacher guide provides step-by-step instructions about implementing an...
Curated OER
Class A Creates Trouble
Students explore the history of drugs and drug use. In this anti-drug lesson, students research information about drugs, then enhance their knowledge by digging into the subject even farther by researching the health implications,...
Curated OER
Substance Abuse Influences
Learners role play peer pressure situations and decision-making using cookies. They assess their own influences and reactions to the role play.
Curated OER
Baseball's Steroid Test Program: Fair or Foul?
Students examine the issue of performance enhancing drugs. In this health journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "Baseball's Steroid Test Program: Fair or Foul?", respond to discussion questions regarding the...
Curated OER
Making Choices about Tobacco Use
Students examine the dangers associated with smoking. In groups, they discuss what it means to be addicted to a drug and how the media influences our decisions. After watching excerpts of films, they identify the use of smoking and the...
Curated OER
The human barometer
Students read the story: 9-year-old girl dies on railway line. They engage in the 'Human Barometer': Collect a range of names of dangerous activities from the class. For example: skateboarding, waterskiing, bungee jumping, climbing,...
Curated OER
Influencing the Agenda: The Impact of Interest Groups on Public Policy
Young scholars define the terms "interest groups" and "public policy". In groups, they discuss the ways in which interest groups can have an effect on how a Board member votes. Using examples, they discover the effectiveness of...
Curated OER
Jimmy Carter: Civic Action, Lesson 1
Inspired by the humanitarian work of President Jimmy Carter after he left office, high schoolers explore the history of civic action in the United States and generate ideas about problems at the local, national, and international levels....
Curated OER
Crime and Young People
Pupils read the story, "Police in Schools". They view a list of common offences committed by young people and identify the victims of these offences and consider how the offence would affect those people.
BSCS Science Learning
Bscs: Drug Abuse and the Adolescent Brain
This module focuses on the science that explains the effects that drugs have on the brain and, by extension, a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Specifically, it focuses on the adolescent brain. Adolescents may be more...
PBS
Pbs in the Mix: Drug Abuse Altered States
This PBS series takes a hard look at teenage drug use. Content includes a focus on how and why teens use drugs, the long-term health effects of drug use, and more.
Other
The Partnership for a Drug Free America
Working to reduce the illicit drugs in America, this is the website of Partnership For A Drug Free America. This site contains a database of drugs with slang names as well as standard. For each drug there are descriptions of the drug...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Drugs, Politics, and Culture
From mind-altering drugs for pleasure to the push for pharmaceutical drugs, while examining this course of history and its effects on the world, take advantage of these resources. Includes PDFs (require Adobe Reader).
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Drug Awareness
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is an introductory and informative lesson about (illegal) drug use and abuse. It is geared towards 8th grade, but can be adapted. It has symptoms of use, the effects drugs have on health, addiction...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Inside Opioid Addiction
Learn about the nationwide opioid crisis, its devastating impact on communities and families, and how agencies and individuals are pulling together to respond to this overwhelming public health crisis. Students write a final essay about...