Substance Abuse Teacher Resources

In cooperative groups, middle schoolers contemplate the probability of 18 different situations occurring. After they make predictions, they compare them to the actual risk factors. This eye-opening exercise demonstrates that the odds of...

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...

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...

Students evaluate the impact of substance use and abuse in society and the workplace. They identify support services in the workplace which deal with substance abuse. They create an "ideal" policy statement governing substance abuse in a w

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...

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...

Are opioids the most abused drug after marijuana? How hard is it for young people to obtain painkillers without a prescription? Middle and high schoolers explore the growing epidemic of opioid addiction with a lesson that prompts them to...

Students 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,...

Students describe the effects of drugs on the human body, both short-and long-term consequences. They create personal approaches to substance abuse control and prevention. Students demonstrate effective practices in working within...

Are schools doing enough to address the opioid crisis in America? One school, Hope Academy in Indianapolis, focuses its entire curriculum on recovery from substance abuse. A nine-minute video from PBS documents the school's efforts to...

Students research alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs using cd-roms, Internet websites, and media center materials. In small groups they write a script and create a computer animated movie using the "Hollywood High" computer software.

Students conduct an open discussion on the legal, social, and health consequences associated with substance abuse. Working in pairs, students discuss the effects of substance abuse and brainstorm possible solutions. Independently,...

Pupils read articles and write an essay about three college students who wanted to see what it felt like to get high. Pupils discuss legal and ethical questions of illegal drug use, and stealing medication from someone else. Students...

Students brainstorm about the different health issues facing teens today. In this health science lesson, students discuss the danger associated with drug abuse. They recommend ways to stay healthy.

Students discuss why drug abuse risk is higher in social settings. In this health science instructional activity, students interpret real life statistics on teen drug use. They describe refusal and prevention strategies.

Students identify the most abused prescription drugs. For 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...

Young scholars identify the different causes of stress. In this health science lesson plan, students find the connection between stress and drug abuse. They discuss about the different kinds of stress they experience everyday.

Students brainstorm about questions they have about drugs. For this health science lesson, students research about frequently asked questions on drugs and addiction. They explain why it is important to get accurate information.

Prepare your learners to make good decisions about drinking by providing them with the real facts about alcohol and substance abuse. This resource includes several worksheets explaining how alcohol affects the brain, as well as a...

Tenth graders demonstrate an ability to access support in the home, school, and community to deal with substance abuse problems. They also evaluate responses to pressure regarding substance use and abuse.

Clear the smoke about cigarette use with an engaging application. Comic strip animation and games teach learners why they should never try smoking in the first place, and how to quit this lethal habit if they have already been lured in.

Telling young people to just say no can be difficult in a world that inundates them with messages to just say yes. A lesson on media messages encourages teenagers to analyze song lyrics and advertisements that mention drugs...

Students explore peer pressure by completing worksheets. For this drug awareness lesson, students define a long list of illegal and prescription drugs while viewing images of each drug. Students complete a word match worksheet and...

Learners 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.