How bad is the opioid crisis in America? Has it gotten worse in the last few decades? Why? High schoolers delve into these questions with a thorough and thoughtful lesson from The New York Times on heroin prescription opioids....

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...

The national epidemic of opioid addiction is making its way into high school populations. Educate the students in your class about the ways prescription opioids can both block pain and deliver large amounts of dopamine that make it very...

What's on a prescription medicine label? After learners practice measuring Malachi's prescribed dosage for his medication, they collaboratively discuss and explain why measuring it with the proper measuring tools is essential. Young...

Four stations challenge scholars to show what they know about the safety of taking and storing medications. Small groups rotate to read and answer questions regarding prescriptions drugs, examine prescription labels, identify appropriate...

It trivia time! Small groups work collaboratively to answer questions all about medication safety. Groups earn points with each correct response, and as the ultimate game changer, they wager all or a portion of their points on one final...

Students consider the risks of the over-the-counter (OTC) drug use. In this personal health lesson, students watch "Prescription for Trouble," and discuss illegal use of drugs. Students complete a survey about OTC and illegal drug use in...

Students study different pain medications and their side effects.  In this drug usage lesson students read articles and complete a worksheet. 

Does it matter where medication is stored in your home? Absolutely. The best way to identify proper and improper storage of medications is to participate in different role-play scenarios. A activity models the safe storage of medications...

How can prescription drugs be dangerous if they were prescribed by a doctor? Is it okay to share your prescription drugs with friends if they really need them? Clear up any common misconceptions about prescription drugs with a set of...

Students identify the most abused prescription drugs. In this drug awareness lesson, students discuss the harmful effects of taking drugs prescribed to someone else. They take a quiz before and after the lesson to check how much they...

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...

Want to discuss the prevalence of prescription drug abuse among teenagers, but running out of class time? A series of short, straightforward activities address topics such as sharing prescription drugs, coping mechanisms for stress, and...

Feeling high is not the only side effect of abusing prescription opioids. Middle and high schoolers learn more about specific painkillers, including Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Clonazepam, as well as their common brand names and extensive...

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...

High schoolers examine the concepts of media literacy and how they apply to prescription drug advertising. They watch and discuss the Frontline video, "The Other Drug War," complete a worksheet, and answer questions regarding magazine...

Students explain the beneficial uses of pain relievers. In this health science lesson, students discuss the harmful effects of prescription drug abuse. They complete a worksheet at the end of the lesson.

Students, after encountering an intense vocabulary list on every day medications, identify various ways to ask for assistance with over the counter medications and their usage. In addition, they develop a set a flash cards to assist them...

Pupils demonstrate the appropriate way to read a medicine label. They read and interpret dosing instructions for both prescription and over the counter medications. Students discuss the usage of over the counter medications based on...

Children discover with parent supervision, places where medications are stored and identify any chemical substances that are taken to change how one's body or mind works. Child discusses with parent differences between medicine and...

Your class might be interested in this PowerPoint if they have noticed the peculiar terminology on prescriptions or in medical papers.  Many of the common abbreviations are given, along with the explanation and origin of the term.

Teach young learners that most drug addictions end in one of three outcomes: treatment, jail, or death. After watching a short video segment on the consequences of drug abuse, class members discuss what they viewed and consider what...

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...

Learn about the opioid and overdose epidemic in America with an article that explains what opioids are, how they are used, and how they are abused. Learners discover the death rates associated with opioid overdoses and other factors that...