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...
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...
Florida Department of Health
Understanding the Risk of Substance Abuse Unit
Teenage brains are different! Understanding that the teenage brain is still developing and thus more impacted by substance abuse is the key concept in a three-lesson high school health unit. Participants learn about how the brain and...
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
Anti-drug Shock Tactics
Students evaluate the effectiveness of 'shock tactics' to discourage drug abuse. They view a video about the death of a 21-year-old heroin addict. In small groups they discuss the video and complete comment sheet.
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 instructional activity, students watch a video about underage drinking. Young scholars research an assigned drug and...
Curated OER
The House That Drugs Built
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,...
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
Red Ribbon Week
Students identify the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. In this drug and alcohol abuse lesson plan, students research the dangers of drugs and alcohol and prepare a presentation for the information. Students write a paper on their...
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 instructional activity that encourages...
RAND Corporation
Project ALERT
Why do people use drugs? What are the consequences? The alternatives? How can young people resist the pressures to use drugs? The Project Alert drug prevention program provides middle schoolers with the information they need and the...
PBS
Stories of Painkiller Addiction: Commitment to Recovery
Recovery from substance addiction is an ongoing process. The final lesson plan in a series about painkiller abuse and addiction prompts learners to research various recovery options before writing a short story about a character who is...
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 lesson on media messages encourages teenagers to analyze song lyrics and advertisements that mention drugs and/or...
Curated OER
Science In Society
Fifth graders study diseases that are related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, both prescription and illegal. They determine illnesses that can occur as a direct result of the use of or inappropriate use of these substances....
Curated OER
A Test Case for Individual Rights
Young scholars examine the different points of view regarding testing students for drug use. They then work in pairs to create and perform dialogues that flesh out two sides of the argument around this controversial issue.
Missouri Department of Elementary
How Much Does Smoking Really Cost?
Following a brief survey about tobacco, scholars examine a fact sheet to answer questions about the substance. A practice page challenges the class to determine the cost of the habit using money math. Pupils discuss their findings...
Curated OER
Treating Substance Abuse Problems
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,...
Curated OER
Crystal Meth
Students read and discuss an article on the devastating effects of crystal meth on a fetus development in mice. They relate this research to the possible causes of birth defects in babies whose mothers have used meth during pregnancy.
Curated OER
Effects of Drugs and Alcohol
Learners examine how drugs and alcohol impair athletic performance They discuss the reduction in aerobic activity through drug use and discover what is most affected by abuse. In their journals they write about how maintaining...
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...
Department of Education (Ireland)
Understanding Influences
"Understanding Influences," a richly detailed, carefully scaffolded unit, asks middle and high school scholars to examine how internal and external factors like friends, media, and society influence their attitudes and behaviors.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Risk Taking Behaviors
Sophomores can be sometimes wise and sometimes foolish. The same can be said for their behaviors. After watching a presentation about risk taking behaviors, class members discuss the presentation in small groups, and then complete a...
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,...