Foundation for a Drug-Free World
The Truth About Drugs
Teenagers hear many messages about drugs from advertisements, their peers, their teachers, and their parents. But who is lying? What is the truth? A thorough, thoughtful unit takes a purposeful look at drug education, drug culture, and...
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
Drugs Awareness
Legal and illegal. Use and misuse. Risks and consequences. Myths and facts. Class members investigate the effects on the body of various drugs, including cannabis, nicotine, and alcohol.
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...
US National Library of Medicine
Drug Use and Abuse: Past and Present
Pick your poison: tobacco, alcohol, opiates, cocaine, or marijuana. An online exhibition launches a research project that asks groups to select one of the five drugs and gather information on how the use of the drug and the regulations...
Curated OER
Brain Buzz: Effects of Caffeine, Nicotine, Alcohol and Drugs on Learning
Students understand how the brain functions and how they can promote a healthy lifestyle. In this health lesson students complete several activities including investigating how stimulates affect the brain.
Nemours KidsHealth
Alcohol: Grades 9-12
Two activities ask high schoolers to consider the role of alcohol culture in their lives. First, groups analyze the types of appeals used in newspaper ads for alcoholic drinks and compare those images with what they have observed....
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
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...
Scholastic
Analyzing Media Messages
Telling young people to just say no can be difficult in a world that inundates them with messages to just say yes. A instructional activity on media messages encourages teenagers to analyze song lyrics and advertisements that...
Curated OER
Alcohol and Marijuana "Gateway Drugs"
Ninth graders use the internet to research the effects of alcohol and marijuana. They present strategies for resisting peer pressure.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What You Need to Know about Marijuana Use and Driving
Research indicates that marijuana can negatively affect coordination and judgment, making it dangerous to drive while under the influence. But does it increase the risk of car crashes? An informative fact sheet describes the ways...
Curated OER
Addiction
Learners warn others about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. In this personal health lesson plan, students research the effects of addiction and share their findings with their classmates. Learners then create posters or songs that...
Curated OER
Good Drugs, Bad Drugs
Add a science experiment on medicine and drugs to your health lesson. After reading a paragraph on the difference between helpful and harmful drugs, kids choose which pictures of bottles they could find at a pharmacy. The last activity...
Curated OER
Drugs
Smoking, alcohol, drugs, and solvents are the topic of this informational presentation. The causes, effects, and health issues that arise from illicit drug use are all covered. While this appears to be a learner-driven presentation, it...
Curated OER
Three Elements of Health
High schoolers identify and discuss three important elements of health: physical, social, and mental health. They go into detail about each and spend a lot of time discussing the dangers of smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating a...
Curated OER
Making Good Decisions: Drug and Alcohol Reports
Young scholars identify the effects and consequences of using and abusing alcohol and drugs. In this drug education lesson plan, students watch a video about underage drinking. Young scholars research an assigned drug and compose a...
Curated OER
Drugs Can Be Good and Bad
How can you tell which drugs are helpful, and which drugs are harmful? Use a health learning exercise in your kindergarten class to determine which drugs can make you healthy. They choose from a group of pictures that includes cough...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: The Cycle of Addiction
Drug addiction, including prescription drug addiction, begins with a reason that's different for every user. High schoolers learn more about the reasons people begin abusing drugs with a set of videos and worksheets that discuss four...
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.
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Contemplating Nature vs. Nurture
Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a lesson that encourages awareness and open...
Carfleo
Substance Use and Abuse
What is substance abuse? What is the difference between a depressant and a stimulant? Here is a comprehensive unit on drug use, including three lessons with such activities as categorizing and defining key terms, identifying...
Health Smart Virginia
Mental Health Journals
Eight prompts, designed to accompany the Health Smart series of lessons, provide high schoolers an opportunity to reflect on and learn from the issues raised by the various activities.
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...
Curated OER
Drug and Alcohol Prevention
Seventh graders investigate the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. They prepare a written report on the chosen topic related to drugs and/or alcohol. Students utilize technology to share the information about alcohol and/or drugs with an...