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Wild About Being Drug-Free!

Mariana

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Wild About Being Drug-Free!

Students will identify healthy choices that help them stay drug-free and articulate ways to say 'no' to unhealthy substances, reinforcing the Red Ribbon Week theme.

Empowering students to make healthy choices early on is crucial for their well-being. This lesson provides them with the tools and confidence to understand the importance of being drug-free in a fun, relatable way, laying a foundation for future healthy decisions.

Audience

3rd Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and a creative drawing activity.

Materials

Small whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Animal-themed stickers (optional), Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck, Wild About Being Drug-Free Script, Wild Choices Activity Sheet, and Cool Down: Drug-Free Promise

Prep

Materials and Space

5 minutes

  • Gather a small whiteboard or chart paper and markers.
    * Prepare optional animal-themed stickers as a reward.
    * Review the Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
    * Read through the Wild About Being Drug-Free Script to prepare for guiding the discussion and activity.
    * Print copies of the Wild Choices Activity Sheet for each student.
    * Ensure a comfortable space for small group interaction.
    * Review the Cool Down: Drug-Free Promise to wrap up the session.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Roar for Good Choices! (3 minutes)

3 minutes

  • Begin with an engaging warm-up using the Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck and the Wild About Being Drug-Free Script.
    * Ask students to share one 'wild' (exciting or favorite) healthy choice they made recently. Encourage them to make an animal sound after sharing. (e.g., 'I ate an apple for a snack! Roar!').
    * Briefly connect this to making good choices for our bodies.

Step 2

Introduction: Wild About Being Drug-Free (2 minutes)

2 minutes

  • Introduce the theme: 'We're Wild About Being Drug-Free!' using the Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck.
    * Explain that being drug-free means making choices that keep our bodies healthy and strong, just like wild animals need to be strong to thrive in their habitats.
    * Briefly discuss what 'drugs' are in simple terms (substances that can hurt our bodies) and emphasize that we only take medicine when a grown-up gives it to us.

Step 3

Activity: Wild Choices (8 minutes)

8 minutes

  • Distribute the Wild Choices Activity Sheet.
    * Explain the activity: Students will draw an animal making a healthy, drug-free choice. For example, a monkey choosing a banana over candy, or a lion running and playing instead of sitting still.
    * As students draw, circulate and ask questions like: 'What healthy choice is your animal making?' or 'How does that choice help your animal stay strong and wild?'
    * Encourage students to share their drawings and explain their animal's healthy choice with the group.

Step 4

Cool-Down: Our Drug-Free Promise (2 minutes)

2 minutes

  • Gather students' attention for a quick wrap-up.
    * Have each student complete the Cool Down: Drug-Free Promise.
    * Encourage them to verbally share one thing they learned about staying drug-free.
    * End with a positive affirmation: 'We are wild, smart, and drug-free!' and a collective animal sound.
lenny

Slide Deck

We're Wild About Being Drug-Free!

Welcome, Future Wild Leaders!

Welcome students with enthusiasm. Ask them to think about a healthy choice they made recently. Encourage them to share and make an animal sound after their share.

What Does Drug-Free Mean?

Making choices that keep our bodies:

  • Healthy!
  • Strong!
  • Happy!

Just like wild animals need to be healthy and strong to thrive!

Explain that being 'drug-free' means making choices that keep our bodies healthy and strong. Briefly touch on what drugs are (substances that can harm us) and reinforce that medicine is only taken with a grown-up's help.

Wild Choices Activity!

Draw an animal making a healthy, drug-free choice!

  • What healthy choice is your animal making?
  • How does it help them stay strong and wild?

Introduce the 'Wild Choices Activity Sheet.' Explain that they will draw an animal making a healthy, drug-free choice. Give a few examples and encourage creativity.

Our Drug-Free Promise!

We are wild, smart, and drug-free!

What is one thing you learned today about staying drug-free?

Guide students to complete the cool-down activity and encourage sharing. End with the affirmation and collective animal sound.

lenny

Script

Wild About Being Drug-Free! Script

Warm-Up: Roar for Good Choices! (3 minutes)

(Display Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck - Slide 1)

Teacher: "Hello, my amazing 3rd graders! Get ready to be 'Wild About Being Drug-Free!' Today, we're going to explore what it means to make healthy choices that keep us strong and happy, just like our favorite wild animals. To start, I want each of you to think of one healthy choice you made recently. Maybe you ate a nutritious snack, played outside, or got a good night's sleep. When it's your turn, share your healthy choice, and then make your favorite animal sound! Let's hear some wild enthusiasm!"

(Facilitate student sharing. Provide an example if needed, e.g., "I drank a big glass of water today! Gulp, gulp, gulp! (like a thirsty animal)")

Teacher: "Fantastic! I heard so many wonderful healthy choices and some super wild sounds! Making good choices helps us feel great and stay strong."

Introduction: Wild About Being Drug-Free (2 minutes)

(Display Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck - Slide 2)

Teacher: "Our theme for today and for Red Ribbon Week is 'We're Wild About Being Drug-Free!' What does being 'drug-free' mean? It means making choices that keep our bodies healthy, strong, and happy, all on their own. Just like a lion needs to be strong to hunt, or a bird needs clean air to fly, we need our bodies to be healthy to play, learn, and grow!"

"Sometimes, there are things called 'drugs' that can hurt our bodies and make us sick. These are things we should always stay away from. The only time we should ever take something that looks like medicine is if a trusted grown-up, like a parent or doctor, gives it to us. It's super important to remember that!"

Activity: Wild Choices (8 minutes)

(Display Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "Now, it's time for our 'Wild Choices' activity! I'm going to give each of you a Wild Choices Activity Sheet. On this sheet, I want you to draw an animal making a healthy, drug-free choice. Think about an animal, and what healthy thing it might do. Maybe a monkey choosing a fresh banana over a sugary candy, or a cheetah running fast and playing instead of staying still and feeling tired. Be creative!"

(Distribute the Wild Choices Activity Sheet. Circulate as students draw, asking guiding questions.)

Teacher: "What healthy choice is your animal making? How does that choice help your animal stay strong and wild? What does it say to stay drug-free?"

(After a few minutes, ask for a few volunteers to share their drawings and explanations with the group.)

Teacher: "Wow, these are incredible! You've all shown such fantastic ideas about staying healthy and drug-free!"

Cool-Down: Our Drug-Free Promise (2 minutes)

(Display Wild About Being Drug-Free Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Teacher: "Alright, wild learners, let's wrap up with a promise to ourselves! I'm handing out a quick Cool Down: Drug-Free Promise sheet. On it, I want you to write or draw one thing you learned today about staying drug-free."

(Distribute Cool Down: Drug-Free Promise. Give students a minute to complete it.)

Teacher: "Who would like to share one thing they learned today about being drug-free?"

(Allow 1-2 students to share.)

Teacher: "Excellent job everyone! Remember this: We are wild, we are smart, and we are DRUG-FREE! Let's make one last, big, collective animal sound to celebrate our commitment to healthy choices! 1, 2, 3..."

(Lead a collective animal sound.)

lenny
lenny

Activity

Wild Choices Activity Sheet: We're Wild About Being Drug-Free!

Name: _________________________

Date: _________________________

Instructions:

Think about the theme, "We're Wild About Being Drug-Free!" On this sheet, you will draw an animal making a healthy, drug-free choice. This choice helps the animal stay strong, healthy, and happy.

Your Wild Choice Drawing:

(Use the space below to draw your animal and its healthy choice!)













































Tell us about your Wild Choice:

  1. What animal did you draw?



  2. What healthy, drug-free choice is your animal making?



  3. How does this choice help your animal stay wild, strong, and drug-free?






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lenny

Cool Down

Cool Down: My Drug-Free Promise

Name: _________________________

Date: _________________________

Instructions:

Before you go, let's make a promise to ourselves to stay drug-free and make healthy choices!

  1. One thing I learned today about being drug-free is...






  2. One healthy choice I will make to keep my body strong and wild is...






  3. Draw a small picture of yourself making that healthy choice!






I promise to be wild, smart, and drug-free!

Signature: _________________________

lenny
lenny