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Ad Decoder: Vapes, THC & Pills

Lesson Plan

Ad Decoder: Vapes, THC & Pills

Students will deconstruct at least two vape/alcohol/THC/pill promotions to identify persuasive tactics and missing risks, apply a 5‑step decision model to select a healthy response in one scenario, and list five stress‑management alternatives; change will be captured with a pre/post 10‑item Likert survey and rubric.

Understanding how advertisements manipulate perceptions is crucial for making healthy choices. This lesson empowers students to critically evaluate media messages about substances and develop effective refusal and coping strategies, promoting their long-term well-being.

Step 1

Pre-Assessment and Norms

5 minutes

Step 2

Explore: Deconstructing Ads

15 minutes

  • Project Slides: Media Messages Versus Health Facts (Slides 1-6).
    * Distribute the Ad Analysis Organizer: Claims, Tricks, Missing Facts.
    * Lead a discussion using the slides to identify common persuasive tactics in ads for vapes, THC, alcohol, and pills, including the video examples.
    * Guide students to deconstruct 2-3 sample ads (from the video or by teacher) using their worksheets, focusing on claims, persuasive tricks, and missing health risks/facts.
    * Discuss basic facts about nicotine addiction, THC potency, and prescription misuse/opioid risks as presented on the slides, contrasting them with the misleading ad messages.

Step 3

Teach and Apply: 5-Step Decision Model

10 minutes

Step 4

Practice Communication: Fishbowl Activity

10 minutes

  • Set up a fishbowl discussion using the guidelines in Fishbowl Practice: Assertive Responses and Help‑Seeking Lines.
    * Have a small group of students (inner circle) role-play assertive responses to peer pressure scenarios or practice asking an adult for help regarding substance-related concerns.
    * The outer circle observes and provides constructive feedback, guided by the teacher.
    * Rotate groups as time allows.

Step 5

Post-Assessment and Commitment

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Ad Decoder: Vapes, THC & Pills

Cracking the Code of Ads and Making Healthy Choices

* What messages do you see about vapes, THC, and pills?
* Are these messages always telling the whole story?

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Emphasize the importance of critical thinking when it comes to messages about substances. Briefly outline what will be covered in the lesson.

Media Messages: More Than Meets the Eye

Ads use smart tricks to get our attention and influence our choices.

Persuasive Tactics:
* Glamorization: Making it look cool, popular, or sophisticated.
* Testimonials/Influencers: 'Everyone's doing it,' or 'cool people use this.'
* False Solutions: Suggesting it solves problems like stress or boredom.
* Omission: Leaving out important negative facts or risks.
* Appeals to Emotion: Targeting feelings of insecurity, desire for belonging, or rebellion.
* Normalizing: Making substance use seem common or expected.

Introduce the idea that ads often use tricks. Ask students to brainstorm some ways ads try to convince people before revealing the bullet points. Connect this to the Ad Analysis Organizer: Claims, Tricks, Missing Facts that students will use with the upcoming ad examples.

Let's put our 'Ad Decoder' skills to the test!

Watch these examples and use your organizer to break down the messages.

Play a video (or show 2-3 static images) with examples of advertisements for vapes, THC products, or misleading health claims. After each example, pause and guide students to use their Ad Analysis Organizer: Claims, Tricks, Missing Facts to identify the claims, persuasive tricks, and missing health facts. Encourage discussion and critical thinking.

Health Facts: What Ads Don't Tell You

Vapes (E-cigarettes):
* Contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.
* Harmful chemicals found in vape aerosols can damage lungs.
* Can impact brain development in teens.

THC (in Marijuana):
* THC is the main psychoactive compound.
* Potency has increased significantly, leading to greater risks.
* Can impair memory, learning, and attention.
* Risk of developing mental health problems (e.g., psychosis).

Pills (Prescription Medications):
* Misuse of prescription pills (like opioids or stimulants) is dangerous.
* Can lead to overdose, addiction, and serious health issues.
* Only use medication prescribed to you by a doctor.

Transition from ad tactics to the often-missing health facts. Briefly explain what each substance is and its potential risks. This section directly contrasts the 'glamor' of ads with reality. Refer to the Ad Analysis Organizer: Claims, Tricks, Missing Facts for student use.

Making Healthy Choices: The 5-Step Decision Model

When faced with a tough choice, especially involving substances, use these steps:

1. Stop & Think: Don't react immediately. Pause and consider the situation.
2. Gather Information: What are the facts? What are the potential consequences?
3. List Your Options: What are all the possible things you could do? Include healthy alternatives.
4. Evaluate Pros & Cons: What are the benefits and drawbacks of each option?
5. Make a Responsible Choice: Choose the option that is safest, healthiest, and aligns with your values.

Introduce the 5-step decision model. Emphasize that this is a tool students can use in many life situations, not just related to substances. Explain each step clearly and provide a brief example if needed. This ties into the Decision Pathway Mat: 5‑Step Model with Scenarios.

Your Power to Choose

You have the power to make decisions that protect your health and future.

* Use the 5-step decision model.
* Practice saying 'no' clearly and confidently.
* Know when and how to ask for help from a trusted adult.
* Find healthy ways to manage stress.

Your health, your choice!

This slide reinforces the decision model and sets up the practice activity. Encourage students to think about how they can apply these steps in real life. Remind them of the importance of assertive communication and seeking help.

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Quiz

10-Item Pre/Post Likert Survey: Knowledge, Attitudes, Self-Efficacy

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Rubric

4-Point Likert Survey Scoring Rubric

This rubric is designed to assess student responses to the 10-item Likert survey, evaluating their knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding substance use and healthy decision-making. Each item on the survey is scored from 1 to 5 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree). For the purpose of this 4-point rubric, responses are grouped to reflect levels of understanding and readiness.

Scoring Key:

  • Strongly Disagree = 1
  • Disagree = 2
  • Neutral = 3
  • Agree = 4
  • Strongly Agree = 5

Note: Questions 2 and 9 are reverse-scored, meaning a 'Strongly Disagree' (1) indicates a healthier or more knowledgeable response, and a 'Strongly Agree' (5) indicates a less healthy or less knowledgeable response. For these questions, reverse the scores before totaling: 1=5, 2=4, 3=3, 4=2, 5=1.

Performance Benchmarks and Cut Scores (Total Possible Score: 50 points)

Score Range (Points)Performance LevelDescription
40-50 pointsAdvancedStudent demonstrates a strong understanding of health risks, positive attitudes towards healthy choices, and high self-efficacy in refusal skills and seeking help. Consistently agrees with accurate statements and disagrees with misinformation (after reverse-scoring).
30-39 pointsProficientStudent demonstrates a good understanding of health risks, generally positive attitudes, and moderate self-efficacy. Shows a clear grasp of most concepts but may have minor areas for growth in specific knowledge or confidence.
20-29 pointsDevelopingStudent shows some understanding but also areas of misconception, neutral attitudes, or lower self-efficacy. Needs additional support and reinforcement to build knowledge, shift attitudes, and develop stronger skills.
10-19 pointsBeginningStudent demonstrates limited understanding of health risks, potentially negative or uncertain attitudes, and low self-efficacy. Significant intervention and instruction are needed to address knowledge gaps, influence attitudes, and build essential skills.

Interpreting Pre/Post Survey Results

  • Growth: An increase in the total score from pre- to post-survey, especially moving up a performance level, indicates improved knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy.
  • Areas for Further Instruction: Identify questions where the class average or a significant number of students score low or show no change to target future lessons.
  • Individual Needs: Use individual scores to identify students who may need Tier 2 or Tier 3 supports in specific areas.
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Worksheet

Ad Analysis Organizer: Claims, Tricks, Missing Facts

Instructions: Choose an advertisement or social media post promoting vapes, THC, or pills. It could be one we discussed or one you've seen outside of class. Analyze it using the questions below.

Ad/Post Information:

  • What is being advertised? (e.g., specific vape brand, type of THC product, a pill)



  • Where did you see this ad/post? (e.g., social media, website, TV show, word-of-mouth)



Deconstructing the Message:

  1. What explicit claims does the ad/post make about the product? (What does it say the product will do or be?)






  2. What persuasive tricks or tactics does the ad/post use? (Check all that apply and explain how it uses them.)

    • Glamorization: Making it look cool, popular, or sophisticated.

    • Testimonials/Influencers: "Everyone's doing it," or "cool people use this."

    • False Solutions: Suggesting it solves problems like stress or boredom.

    • Omission: Leaving out important negative facts or risks.

    • Appeals to Emotion: Targeting feelings of insecurity, desire for belonging, or rebellion.

    • Normalizing: Making substance use seem common or expected.

    • Other (please describe):






  3. What important health facts or risks are missing from this advertisement/post? (What information should be there that isn't?)











  4. Based on your analysis, how does this ad/post try to influence its audience?






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Activity

Decision Pathway Mat: 5-Step Model with Scenarios

Instructions: In your small group, choose one of the scenarios below. As a team, use the 5-step decision model to work through the situation and determine the healthiest, safest, and most responsible choice. Be prepared to share your group's pathway with the class.

The 5-Step Decision Model:

  1. Stop & Think: Don't react immediately. Pause and consider the situation.
  2. Gather Information: What are the facts? What are the potential consequences?
  3. List Your Options: What are all the possible things you could do? Include healthy alternatives.
  4. Evaluate Pros & Cons: What are the benefits and drawbacks of each option?
  5. Make a Responsible Choice: Choose the option that is safest, healthiest, and aligns with your values.

Scenario 1: The "Chill" Vape

Your older cousin offers you a vape pen at a family gathering, saying, "It's just flavored, helps me chill out when things get stressful. No big deal, everyone does it." You've been feeling stressed lately with school and home life.

  • Stop & Think:


  • Gather Information:





  • List Your Options:





  • Evaluate Pros & Cons:










  • Make a Responsible Choice:






Scenario 2: The "Focus" Pill

A friend tells you they have some

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Discussion

Fishbowl Practice: Assertive Responses and Help-Seeking Lines

Objective: To practice assertive communication skills when faced with peer pressure and to learn how to effectively seek help from trusted adults regarding substance-related concerns.

Instructions:

  1. Setup: The class will form two circles: an inner circle and an outer circle. The inner circle will consist of 3-5 students who will role-play the scenarios. The outer circle will observe and provide feedback.

  2. Role-Play Scenarios (Inner Circle):

    • Scenario 1: Refusing a Vape. A friend offers you a vape at a party, saying, "Just try it, it helps you relax." Practice an assertive refusal.



    • Scenario 2: Saying No to Pills. Someone you know suggests taking a prescription pill they got from home to "focus better" on a big test. Practice an assertive refusal.



    • Scenario 3: Asking for Help. You are worried about a friend who seems to be using substances. Practice how you would approach a trusted adult (parent, teacher, counselor) to ask for help for your friend.



  3. Observation and Feedback (Outer Circle): As the inner circle role-plays, the outer circle will observe the following:

    • Clarity: Was the message clear and direct?
    • Confidence: Did the student appear confident in their refusal or request?
    • Body Language: What non-verbal cues were used (eye contact, posture)?
    • Effectiveness: Was the response likely to be effective?
    • Suggestions: What could be done differently or better?
  4. Discussion: After each role-play, the teacher will facilitate a brief discussion with the outer circle, providing positive feedback and constructive suggestions.

  5. Rotation: Rotate students so that different groups have a chance to be in the inner circle and practice.

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Journal

Stress-Busters Menu: Pick Five Drug-Free Alternatives

Instructions: Everyone experiences stress. Instead of turning to substances like vapes, THC, or pills, which can cause more problems, it's important to have healthy ways to cope. Below is a menu of

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