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...
Curated OER
The Human Mind, Alcohol and the Brain
Young scholars create a diagram showing the effects of alcohol on the brain and then create a lesson plan to teach this information to middle school students. They contact middle school teachers and make arrangements for young scholars...
US Department of Health and Human Services
Alcohol: Why Drink When You Can…
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...
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
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.
Alcohol Education Trust
Talk About Alcohol: Why Are Young People Advised Not to Drink?
What should young people think about before drinking alcohol? Have your class consider the eight reasons listed here, some of which are facts, and others opinions. Pupils rank each statement from one to eight, where one is the most...
University of Minnesota
Motor Learning and Memory
What do our brains have to do with reaction timing? Everything! In a hands-on learning activity, young scientists participate in four card activities that measure reaction timing. Each activity gets progressively more complex, and...
Curated OER
Under the Influence
Students examine the effects of teen drinking. In this personal health lesson, students research alcohol's effect on the teen brain. Students discuss their findings about the alcohol-brain connection and create brain maps.
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...
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...
Curated OER
Alcohol: Turning Down An Offer To Drink Is Easier Than You Think!
Fifth graders describe effects of alcohol on the brain and body. They identify effective statements for saying "no" to alcohol and underage drinking.
Curated OER
Lesson 3 - Marijuana
It's never too early to talk to your young grade schoolers about the dangers of marijuana. Here's a short instructional activity to discuss some basic information about what happens to the body and the brain when someone smokes...
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.
Steered Straight
Marijuana Awareness
February is Marijuana Awareness Month, and a set of interdisciplinary activities can make your class aware of the social, medical, legal, and psychological effects of marijuana. With writing prompts, research opportunities, and...
Curated OER
Alcohol and Its Impact on the Brain
Learners examine water as it changes states. In water and ice instructional activity students study the water cycle and what happens to it as it changes state.
Curated OER
Teen and Decision Making
Students examine how the brain develops. In this neurology lesson students read an article citing evidence that the different areas of the brain mature at different rates. They discuss emotional versus logical aspects of decision-making....
Curated OER
Sex Under the Influence
Students examine the effects of drinking on decision making. In this alcohol use lesson, students discover how their decision making skills are hindered when drinking. Students discuss how HIV is and is not transmitted and analyze the...
Curated OER
The Dangers of Crack and Cocaine
In this health related worksheet, students discuss and analyze why people shouldn't use crack or cocaine and then complete a word search containing forty five words associated with the dangers of crack and cocaine.
Curated OER
Depression and Cannabis
In this current events worksheet, students read an article about cannabis reducing depression and complete eight true or false questions, 10 synonym matching questions, and a cloze activity based on the article.
Curated OER
Cause and Effect
Students identify the effects of using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They work together in groups to list the harmful effects of each substance. They share their harmful effects with the class.
Curated OER
A Drink Is a Drink, but People Are Different
Students observe demonstrations that illustrate the amount of alcohol in various drinks and how it is distributed in the body. They discover the effects of alcohol on the brain due to its high water content. They calculate alcohol...
Museum of Science
Gum Chemistry
Gum be gone! Scholars conduct an experiment to find the best substance that would help remove gum from the bottom of a shoe. They test peanut butter, petroleum jelly, olive oil, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol in their experiments.
Curated OER
The Effects of "Recreational" Drugs on the Development of Chick Embryos as a Model for Human Embryogenesis
Students 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
Brain Health & Brain Anatomy
Pupils study possible causes of dementia. In this brain analysis lesson students participate in several activities about dementia.