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...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign
The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...
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
Drug and Alcohol Awareness
Fourth graders examine the statistics when it comes to teens and drug and alcohol abuse. In groups, they research the side effects of four different drugs. Using the information, they perform a skit, or puppet show to share their data...
Nemours KidsHealth
Drugs: Grades 6-8
What happens to your body when you use drugs? What do you do if your friend wants you to start using? Learn about the signs of addiction and the ways to withstand peer pressure with two classroom activities. After storyboarding the...
Teaching Tolerance
The War on Drugs—Mechanisms and Effects
The war on drugs doesn't have definite results. An interesting lesson examines the social, political, and economic effect of the war on drugs. Academics learn how the war on drugs has led to mass incarcerations and negatively affected...
American Physiological Society
Drug the Water Flea
This is a flea. This is a flea on drugs. Any questions? Your class will have questions aplenty during an impactful experiment. Lab groups get to know Daphnia magna, the humble water flea, and study the effects of stimulants and...
Curated OER
The Drug Dope Show
In small groups, students research an assigned drug category including its physical effects, addiction treatments and the societal, academic and economic impacts of drug abuse. They engage in a "talk show" and discussion about drug...
Scholastic
Recovery From Drug Addiction
Are there factors that put some individuals at a higher risk for drug addiction than others? Learn more about the risk factors that may make some people more susceptible to addiction, as well as protective factors that help prevent...
Nemours KidsHealth
Drugs: Grades 9-12
What do drugs do to the body and to the mind? What are the dangers of using drugs? How can teens respond to the pressure to use drugs? After reading a series of articles related to drug use and abuse, class members prepare a skit to...
Curated OER
Drugged Out Daphnia
Ninth graders participate in experiments to investigate the the effects of nicotine, caffeine, aspirin, alcohol, and sleeping pills on the heart rates of Daphina. They describe the relationships between common drugs and heart rates....
Curated OER
Dangers of drugs, lying
Students read articles and write an essay about three college students who wanted to see what it felt like to get high. Students discuss legal and ethical questions of illegal drug use, and stealing medication from someone else. Students...
Curated OER
The House That Drugs Built
Learners evaluate the long and short term effects of substance abuse on the individual, family, and society. The lesson includes numerous instructional and learning strategies such as role-playing, discussion, research, demonstrations,...
Curated OER
Just Say No to Drugs
Students explore the dangers of drugs, drug awareness and abuse and different types of drugs. They demonstrate reading comprehension sills including inference, literal meaning and critical analysis.
Curated OER
The Effects of "Recreational" Drugs on the Development of Chick Embryos as a Model for Human Embryogenesis
Young scholars conduct experiments on fertilized chicken embryos to determine the possible developmental effects that various recreational drugs (caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and aspirin) might have on them.
Curated OER
Drugs Change the Way Neurons Communicate
Students examine that certain drugs interfere selectively with neurotransmission, and realize that the effect of a drug is dependent upon dosage and route of administration.
Curated OER
Statistical Drug Abuse and Adolescents in the U.S.A.
Students 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...
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.
Scholastic
Straight Talk on Prescription Drugs
Young scholars discover how doctors custom fit prescription drugs to patients. For this health science instructional activity, students explain the risks associated with drug abuse. They discuss common myths about prescription drugs.
Scholastic
Prescription Drug Abuse: Teens in Danger
Students identify the most abused prescription drugs. In this drug awareness lesson plan, students discuss the harmful effects of taking drugs prescribed to someone else. They take a quiz before and after the lesson plan to check how...
Scholastic
Drug Abuse and Impairment
Students discuss the consequences of abusing drugs. In this drug awareness lesson, students complete a worksheet to find out how much they know about the danger of drugs. They suggest ways to avoid this situation.
Scholastic
Drug Abuse in Social Settings: A Serious Task for Teens
Students discuss why drug abuse risk is higher in social settings. In this health science lesson, students interpret real life statistics on teen drug use. They describe refusal and prevention strategies.
Curated OER
The House That Drugs Built
Students evaluate the effects of drug use on behavior, appearance and the ability to contribute to society. In this drug education lesson plan students analyze the relationship between drug use and injury, violence and criminal activity.
PBS
Opioids in Our Community—Middle School
How do opioids affect the lives of families and individuals within a community? Scholars explore the topic with a series of informative, thought-provoking videos. They also complete worksheets and discuss the effects of the opioid...