Day 1: Use, Misuse and Abuse

Overview: Prescription and Over-the- Counter drugs, when not taken according to directions,
can have side effects as serious as illegal drugs. OTC and prescription drugs must be taken
according to direction because of side effects and contraindications associated with each.

State Standard: Students will demonstrate the ability to use drug knowledge, decision-making
skills, and health enhancing strategies to address, the non-use, use, and abuse of medications,
alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

National Health Education Standards

Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease
prevention to enhance health.
Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and
services to enhance health.
Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce risks.
Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

ISTE Standard(s):

1b Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

2b - Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of

media and formats.

6a Understand and use technology systems.

Objective: Investigate effects of prescription and OTC drugs and resulting consequences in
order to:
Analyze physical effects of combining OTC medicines with alcohol and other drugs.
Create a lifelong plan for appropriate use of prescription and OTC medications.
Compare use, misuse, and abuse of prescription and OTC medications.

Warm-Up (5 - 7 minutes): Create a KWL chart and fill in the K and W column. The topic is
Drugs. Also, using Socrative, describe some of the ways medicine can promote good health.

Introductory and developmental activities (15 20 minutes): Compare drug use, misuse and
abuse (ask students to give examples of each). Discuss ways in which drugs are used to promote
health (prevent disease, fight pathogens, relieve pain, etc.). Discuss general information about
medicines in the body and medicine safety (Using sections from the text book).

Guided practice activities (20 25 minutes): Assess information using reliable resources,
research the known benefits and risks of OTC medicines (aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen) and
prescription medicines (penicillin, steroids, etc). Explain why dosage varies with body weight.
Give examples of how medicines are misused.

With the prescription drugs, identify critical information found on the label and analyze the
influence of laws, policies, and practices on the public release of medicines in the US. Have
students share their findings with the class (Using electronic devices to access information).

Independent activities/meaningful use task (25 30 minutes): Have students design their own
prescription medicine. They must include a drug name, medical use, side effects and a
prescription label with warnings.

Assessment (10 minutes): Have students use Socrative to complete an exit ticket in groups.
Students will have to tell what they learned, what they still do not understand, and lastly make a
list of the benefits and risks of OTC/prescription medicines.

Closure activities: Review with students that they have gained awareness of OTC and
prescription medicines and their interactions in the body. They have identified the benefits and
risks associated with a medicines use and misuse to understand the potential for promoting
health.

PROJECT: Give students guidelines for their project due at the end of the unit. Explain to them
that they will be using PowerPoint, Prezi, or Emaze to complete their projects in groups of no
more than 3 students.

Padlet: Give students the class padlet link so that they are able to access it to continuously add
information gained on drug use, drug abuse, and how to get help.

Day 2: Alcohol and Tobacco

Overview: Manufacturers of tobacco and alcohol products focus advertisements to a target

audience to encourage purchase of their products. Advertising campaigns contain messages that
are designed to attract a target audience using demographics that are specific to the target
audience. Initial use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs is usually in the presence of other
adolescents and can be influence both positively and negatively by these peers.

State Standard: Students will demonstrate the ability to use drug knowledge, decision-making
skills, and health enhancing strategies to address the non-use, use, and abuse of medications,
alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

National Health Education Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers,
culture, media, technology and other factors on health behaviors.

Objective: Identify factors that influence the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
Analyze the intended impact of advertising on the sale and purchase of tobacco, alcohol, and
other drugs.
Examine media messages and campaigns for alcohol and other drugs and discuss the targeted
audience outcomes.
Describe the impact of peer pressure on the attitude and behaviors of youth in regard to the use
of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
Demonstrate strategies for refusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Warm-Up (5 10 minutes): Students will make a list of the negative effects of either tobacco or
alcohol use. Write ST by each effect that is perceived as short term and LT by those that students
view as long-term effects. Discuss short and long term effects of tobacco and alcohol use.

Introductory and developmental activities (15 20 minutes): Have students fold a piece of
paper in half and in the left hand column list immaterial things that they want to have in life (i.e.
love, health, success, adventure, achievement, fun). In the right column write one thing they
would have to do to achieve each item listed. Ask students if any items involve the use of drugs.

Discuss subliminal messages and product placement. Show students alcohol and tobacco ads that
depict the desired emotions and have students explain how it appears that alcohol and tobacco is
the path to obtain the desired emotion.

Guided practice activities (30 40 minutes): Review the chemicals present in tobacco and
identify their effects on the body and brain. Review the effects of tobacco on the brain. Discuss
reasons teens begin using tobacco and compare how it has affected their physical health. Ask the
question, do teens think that they will be able to quit after they start smoking? Explain BAC
(blood alcohol concentration) and the factors that influence BAC. Students will get into small
groups to identify strategies to use against peer pressure. Students will share their refusal skills
with the class through skits.

Independent activities/meaningful use task (10 minutes): Have students add to their warm-up
list additional short and long term effects of using alcohol or tobacco that were discussed and not
originally written during the warm up activity. As an alternative, students can choose the drug
that was not used for warm-up (if alcohol was initially used, they will now use tobacco) and list
the short and long term effects associated with that drug.

Assessment (10 minutes): Have students begin to create a public service announcement
pamphlet a sheet of construction paper that reflects the benefits of a drug free life. If students do
not finish in class it is to be completed for homework.

Closure activities: Review the short and long term effects of drugs and the benefits of living a
drug-free life.

Day 3: Getting Help

Overview: Consequences of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use effects the lives of everyone.
There are choices people make every day to stay drug free and options for people who are
abusing drugs.

State Standard: Students will demonstrate the ability to use drug knowledge, decision-making
skills, and health enhancing strategies to address, the non-use, use, and abuse of medications,
alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

National Health Education Standards

Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and
services to enhance health.
Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce risks.
Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and
community health.

Objective: Access information and Services for treatment of addictive behaviors in order to:
Research resources to be used when a friend or family member has a drug problem.
Apply strategies and skills needed to intervene with dependent and addictive behaviors.

ISTE Standard(s)

1b Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

2b - Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of

media and formats.

6a Understand and use technology systems.

Warm-Up (5 7 minutes): Using Socrative, make a list of refusal statements that you could use
for a peer who is pressuring you to use drugs.

Introductory and developmental activities (20 minutes): Provide students with information on
the warning signs of substance abuse and what it takes to remain drug-free.

Have students complete a drinking/drug problem questionnaire to become familiar with the signs
of developing a substance abuse problem.

Have students identify treatment methods they are familiar with in regards to alcohol and illegal
drugs.
Guided practice activities (25 30 minutes): Watch YouTube video The Overtaken
Documentary. Discussion questions should focus on strategies needed to avoid addictive
behaviors of using drugs and resources available for intervention.

Independent activities/meaningful use task (15 minutes): Have students read End of Story
and write a BCR (brief constructed response). Include recommendations for the character that
potentially has a drinking problem.

Assessment (5 10 minutes): Complete the exit ticket using Socrative.

Closure activities: Students have the knowledge to identify warning signs of drug use. They
have identified the negative effects of drugs on the mind and body and the strategies to avoid
addictive behaviors. For homework students are to find facilities in their community that
provide help for those addicted to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.