Substance Abuse Lesson Plans

1. A Gateway to Where?- This lesson helps upper elementary children to learn that marijuana is considered a gateway drug and what that means.
2. Beware, Be Aware- Divide the class into four heterogeneous teams. Tell them they're going to read a story together. The stories all have something to do with misperceptions, trickery, deception and preconceived ideas
3. Catch It- To teach students that marijuana causes a decrease in reaction time.
4. Constant Craving- In this lesson, students investigate the ways that various addictive drugs interact with the human nervous system.
5. Deadly Highs- Describe the effects of drugs on the human body, both short-and long-term consequences.
6. Do You Wish You Never Started Smoking?- For students to realize that most smokers wish they had never started smoking. If this is the case, we can presume that starting to smoke is a bad decision.
7. "Drug Abuse Brochure"- Students will be given a list of Drug Information Web sites and a blank "Drug Abuse Crossword". They are to complete the crossword by finding the answers within the various websites.
8. Drugs & Alcohol
9. Group Rope Squares- Use this activity after the students have been involved with lots of group work and communication skills. Be careful of students who may sabotage their team's efforts. Team dynamics are something to consider when assigning teams.
10. Just Say No!- To teach students skills needed to avoid negative consequences related to drugs and alcohol, to identify the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
11. People We Trust- This lesson plan helps students to identify the appropriate persons from whom a child can safely take medicine.
12. Safe Use of Medicines- Using student handouts and magazine pictures, students identify pictures that show when to use medicine and who can safely give medicines.
13. Steroids and the Body- To understand how steroids can harm the body physically and mentally.
14. Substance Abuse Influences- This activity shows that substance abuse education is more effective if it focuses on processes of decision making rather than problems.
15. Substance Use, or Abuse?- In this lesson, students identify the medicinal benefits, and ill effects, of a variety of controlled substances.
16. Tendon Damage from Steroids- To help students understand how using steroids can create problems for tendons in your body.
17. "The Drug Dope Show"- Students work in teams using a "talk show" format to research drug types, the addiction/recovery processes, and effects of drug abuse on society, family, friends, work, school, etc
18. The Magic Bullets- When faced with choices concerning drugs and alcohol, students will utilize the anti-addiction values of the story shared available to them to assist them in making sensible choices on their own.