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Substance Savvy: Alcohol, Marijuana, Pills

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Lesson Plan

Substance Savvy: Alcohol, Marijuana, Pills Lesson Plan

Students will be able to identify key facts about alcohol, marijuana, and prescription pills, understand the associated risks, and articulate strategies for making informed decisions regarding substance use.

Understanding the facts about alcohol, marijuana, and prescription pills is vital for high school students. This lesson empowers them to make responsible choices, recognize potential dangers, and navigate peer pressure, ultimately safeguarding their health and future.

Audience

10th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and informational slides will guide students through key facts and risks.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Fact or Fiction? (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Warm-Up Activity: Fact or Fiction? worksheet to students.
    - Instruct students to individually decide if each statement about substances is 'Fact' or 'Fiction'.
    - After 2-3 minutes, briefly discuss responses as a class. Correct any misconceptions without judgment. This sets the stage for learning.

Step 2

Introduction and Setting the Stage (3 minutes)

3 minutes

  • Begin with Slide 1 and introduce the lesson's topic: understanding alcohol, marijuana, and pills.
    - Emphasize the importance of accurate information for making healthy choices.
    - Set a respectful tone for discussion, reminding students that personal experiences are private.

Step 3

Understanding Substances: Alcohol (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Use Slides 2-4 to present key facts about alcohol, including its effects, legal age, and short/long-term risks.
    - Facilitate a brief Q&A, encouraging students to ask questions about common myths or concerns.

Step 4

Understanding Substances: Marijuana (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Transition to Slides 5-7 to cover marijuana, discussing its forms, effects, and potential health and legal consequences.
    - Address common misconceptions about marijuana's safety compared to other substances.

Step 5

Understanding Substances: Pills (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Move to Slides 8-10 to discuss prescription and over-the-counter pills, highlighting the dangers of misuse and sharing medications.
    - Emphasize the importance of taking medication only as prescribed and never sharing.
    - Discuss the opioid crisis in a sensitive manner, focusing on the dangers of addiction.

Step 6

Making Informed Choices (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Use Slide 11 to discuss strategies for making informed choices, including peer pressure resistance and seeking help.
    - Guide a brief discussion using the Discussion Guide: Informed Choices prompts, focusing on practical skills and resources.
    - Encourage students to think about who they can talk to if they or a friend need help.

Step 7

Cool-Down: Exit Ticket Reflection (2 minutes)

2 minutes

  • Distribute the Cool-Down: Exit Ticket Reflection to students.
    - Ask students to reflect on one new thing they learned or one strategy they will use.
    - Collect exit tickets as students leave to gauge understanding and gather feedback.
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Slide Deck

Substance Savvy: Alcohol, Marijuana, & Pills

Making Informed Choices for Your Health

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Emphasize that this is a safe space for learning and asking questions. Outline the objectives of the lesson.

Warm-Up: Fact or Fiction?

Decide if each statement is a FACT or FICTION.

Warm-Up Activity: Fact or Fiction?

Introduce the Warm-Up activity. Hand out the 'Fact or Fiction?' worksheet. Give students a few minutes to complete it, then review answers as a class. This helps activate prior knowledge and identify misconceptions.

Alcohol: The Basics

What is alcohol?

  • Depressant
  • Affects your brain and body

Immediate Effects:

  • Impaired judgment
  • Slowed reactions
  • Loss of coordination

Begin the segment on alcohol. Discuss what alcohol is and its immediate effects on the body and mind. Mention impaired judgment, slowed reaction time, and coordination issues.

Alcohol: Risks & Consequences

Legal Age: 21

Short-Term Risks:

  • Alcohol poisoning
  • Accidents/injuries
  • Blackouts

Long-Term Risks:

  • Liver damage
  • Addiction
  • Brain development issues

Explain the legal age and the severe short-term risks like alcohol poisoning and accidents. Also touch upon long-term risks such as liver damage, addiction, and brain development issues, especially in teens.

Marijuana: Understanding Cannabis

What is marijuana?

  • Derived from the cannabis plant
  • Contains THC (psychoactive) and CBD

Effects on the brain and body:

  • Altered senses
  • Impaired memory and learning
  • Increased heart rate

Transition to marijuana. Explain its various forms and how it affects the brain and body. Discuss both THC and CBD components briefly.

Marijuana: Health & Legal Risks

Health Risks (especially for teens):

  • Impact on brain development
  • Respiratory problems (if smoked)
  • Mental health issues (anxiety, psychosis)

Legal Consequences:

  • Varies by state, but illegal for minors
  • Fines, arrests, impact on future opportunities

Discuss the health and legal risks associated with marijuana use for teens. Address common myths about its harmlessness, especially regarding developing brains.

Pills: Prescription Medications

Designed to treat specific conditions:

  • Painkillers (opioids)
  • Stimulants (ADHD meds)
  • Depressants (anxiety meds)

NEVER share prescription medications.
Only take medication as prescribed by a doctor.

Introduce the topic of pills, starting with prescription medications. Emphasize that these are powerful drugs and should only be used as prescribed. Highlight the dangers of sharing.

Pills: Misuse & Dangers

Dangers of Misuse:

  • Overdose
  • Addiction (even from a single use)
  • Dangerous interactions with other substances

The Opioid Crisis:

  • A severe public health issue
  • High risk of addiction and death from opioid pain relievers

Discuss the serious risks of misusing prescription pills, including overdose and addiction. Mention the opioid crisis as an example of how dangerous these substances can be when abused.

Common Consequences of Substance Misuse

  • Health problems (short & long-term)
  • Academic struggles
  • Damaged relationships
  • Legal troubles
  • Mental health issues

Broaden the discussion to include general risks of substance misuse. Focus on the impact on health, academic performance, relationships, and legal standing.

Making Informed Choices

How can you make healthy decisions?

  • Know the facts
  • Understand the risks
  • Develop refusal skills
  • Seek support when needed

Discussion Guide: Informed Choices

Lead a discussion on making informed choices. Use the provided discussion guide. Encourage students to share strategies for resisting peer pressure and knowing when and how to seek help.

Cool-Down: Exit Ticket Reflection

What is one new thing you learned today, or one strategy you will use to make healthy choices?

Cool-Down: Exit Ticket Reflection

Conclude the lesson by asking students to complete the exit ticket. This helps gauge their understanding and reflection. Collect them as students leave.

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Worksheet

Warm-Up Activity: Fact or Fiction?

Read each statement below and decide if it is a FACT (true) or FICTION (false). Circle your answer.

  1. Alcohol is a stimulant that speeds up your brain activity.
    FACT / FICTION



  2. Marijuana is completely harmless because it comes from a plant.
    FACT / FICTION



  3. Sharing prescription pills with a friend is safe if they have similar symptoms.
    FACT / FICTION



  4. Alcohol only affects your liver in the long term, not your brain immediately.
    FACT / FICTION



  5. Marijuana use can impact a teenager's brain development.
    FACT / FICTION



  6. It's okay to take a prescription medication if it was prescribed to someone else but you know what it's for.
    FACT / FICTION



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Substance Savvy: Alcohol, Marijuana, Pills • Lenny Learning