Substance Abuse and Violence

Lesson 5 of 6
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: C1.2, C3.2, 1.4, 1.5
Topics: Healthy Living

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

demonstrate an understanding of the abuse of different types of legal and illegal substances and the
impact on themselves and others of abusing these substances
use interpersonal skills and critical and creative thinking skills to demonstrate the ability to make
connections that relate to health and well-being how their choices and behaviours affect both
themselves and others and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others health and
well-being.

Facility

Classroom

Equipment List

From Lesson 1: Teacher Resource 2: Understanding Concepts Checklist

From Lesson 4: Teacher Resource 4: Healthy Behaviours Checklist

Student Resource 8: Media Jingle

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making | Substance Abuse and Violence | Page 1 of 5

Substance Abuse and Violence

Lesson 5 of 6
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: C1.2, C3.2, 1.4, 1.5
Topics: Healthy Living

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making

Minds On

Share and clarify the lesson Learning Goals using student-friendly language.
Teacher prompt: In the last lesson, we talked about the influence of media on our perception of
violence, and how this can make it hard to tell the difference between real and fictional violence. In the
previous lesson, we talked about different types of legal and illegal substance abuse. Now were going
to look at how violence and substance abuse may be connected. What types of legal or illegal
substance abuse have you seen on TV, in movies, on the Internet or in magazines? Student response:
Dependence on the nicotine in cigarettes or on the caffeine in coffee, energy drinks and colas, or on
the sugar and salt in sports drinks, or on the alcohol in beer, wine and spirits.
Teacher prompt: Do you think the media has any influence on substance use? Student response:
The media can make it look like many people use substances like alcohol, tobacco and even illegal
drugs and that its OK to use these things and that there may be no real consequences. We know that
just like media violence, that is not the case.
Share with students that when a person abuses or is addicted to drugs or alcohol, he or she often has
problems such as being unable to think clearly or make good decisions. People can do dangerous
things that could hurt them or other people when they abuse drugs or alcohol. Drinking and driving
is one example. Sometimes peoples behaviour can become violent and cause them to act differently
toward those around them because it is difficult for them to control their temper.

A&E - Minds On

Teacher observation of students ability to identify the ways substance use is portrayed in the media

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making | Substance Abuse and Violence | Page 2 of 5

Substance Abuse and Violence

Lesson 5 of 6
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: C1.2, C3.2, 1.4, 1.5
Topics: Healthy Living

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making

Action

Thinking about the ideas that were discussed in Minds On and in previous lessons, students develop a
jingle, poem or rap to demonstrate the unreal view of consequences in the media for violence or
substance abuse.
Divide students into groups of 4 5 and distribute copies of Student Resource 8: Media Jingle to help
each group create one oral response.
Students include information about the following in their jingle:

different types of substance abuse shown in the media

the impact of abusing these substances
how substance abuse affects both the user and others.

OR

violence in the media

how the portrayal of violence in the media creates an unrealistic view of consequences
how violence affects both the people involved and others.

With students, construct the Success Criteria for the task. Working in their groups, students complete
their oral response.

A&E - Action

Teacher observation with verbal feedback of students demonstrated ability to apply critical and
creative thinking skills and make connections to how their choices and behaviours affect both
themselves and others, using Teacher Resource 2: Understanding Concepts Checklist (from Lesson 1)
and Teacher Resource 4: Healthy Behaviours Checklist (from Lesson 4)

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making | Substance Abuse and Violence | Page 3 of 5

Substance Abuse and Violence

Lesson 5 of 6
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: C1.2, C3.2, 1.4, 1.5
Topics: Healthy Living

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making

Consolidation

Have students present their jingle, poem or rap to the class (or, to accommodate various types of
learners, to the teacher only). Ask audience members to share what they enjoyed about the
presentations.
Review the lesson Learning Goals with students. Students use the Thumbs-Up Strategy (see Appendix)
to self-assess their ability to achieve the lesson Learning Goals.

A&E - Consolidation

Teacher observation of students responses during the Thumbs-Up self-assessment

Teacher observation with verbal feedback of students demonstrated ability to apply critical and
creative thinking skills and make connections to how their choices and behaviours affect both
themselves and others, using Teacher Resource 2: Understanding Concepts Checklist (from Lesson 1)
and Teacher Resource 4: Healthy Behaviours Checklist (from Lesson 4)

Ideas for Extension

At home, at school or in the community, students identify current media campaigns focusing on
violence prevention or substance use prevention, and identify the campaigns key messages and the
intended audience.

Next Steps

Students will make connections between how local foods and food from different cultures, substance
use and violent behaviour impact themselves and others.

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making | Substance Abuse and Violence | Page 4 of 5

Substance Abuse and Violence

Lesson 5 of 6
30 minutes
Curriculum expectations: C1.2, C3.2, 1.4, 1.5
Topics: Healthy Living

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making

Additional Resources

Ministry of Health Promotion and Long-Term Care http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca This website provides an
overview of programs and services offered by the Ministry of Health Promotion, including health
promotion campaigns like stupid.ca on smoking prevention and youth.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
http://www.camh.net/education/Resources_teachers_schools/index.html The Centre for Addiction and
Mental Health (CAMH) has developed lesson plans that meet the expectations of the substance
use/abuse componenet.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving http://www.madd.ca This website provides information and resources
on the MADD campaign against drinking and driving, including school-based programs.
Media Awareness http://mediasmarts.ca This website offers lesson plans, classroom activities, articles
and resources related to media awareness education.

Grade 3 | Healthy Decision-Making | Substance Abuse and Violence | Page 5 of 5