A Drug-Free Me!

Unit Overview

A Drug-Free Me! is a comprehensive unit in which Junior High students are provided with the tools and fact-finding opportunities in order to make wise choices regarding drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Students will learn techniques for effective decision-making, and saying no. Students will also be provided with research sites to aid in understanding the consequences of use of the four gateway drugs.

The Lessons

Lesson 1 - Making the Right Decision for Me is a lesson in which students will learn that the decision-making process is complex, and there is a relationship between action and consequences. Students will practice the steps in a decision-making model which will help them understand how responsible people make positive choices.

Lesson 2 - How Can I Say "NO"? is a lesson in which students will learn how to distinguish between saying no in a passive, aggressive, or assertive way. Students will consider situations in which they must respond to negative peer pressure saying no.

Lesson 3 - Getting the facts About the Big 4 is a lesson in which students will learn about the long and short term effects of using the four gateway drugs (tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, inhalants). Student cooperative groups will be assigned one of the gateway drugs to become experts on, will research and present their findings to the class.

Lesson 4 - Putting It All Together/Demonstrating a Drug-Free Me! is a lesson in which students develop and understanding and practice a model for avoiding situations involving potential negative peer pressure to use drugs.
Ann D'Angelo-Orton is a teacher at El Camino Junior High in Santa Maria, California. She has been a BTSA and CTAP mentor. Ann and her husband, Michael, authored an integrated technology unit posted with the Telemation Project, entitled, "Eruptions". Ann is presently teaching health to seventh grade students in a class called, "Skills for Adolescence". You can reach her online at MNAO@charter.net.

Tips for Teachers

I have taught this lesson to classes which include students from our Immersion, Resource, and Learning Handicapped classes. When classes include students with special needs, groups must be assigned by the teacher in order to support all students' success.

Searching the web for drug information can often result in interference from blocking software. It is more efficient to provide students with an on-line hot-text list of resources which are appropriate and acceptable for drug research (See Web Resources Section).

Assessment

Individual lessons are assessed by completion of activities on a standard 100 percent formula. Presentations are assessed by use of included rubric.

 

Students

This unit is designed for seventh or eighth grade students. Students should be assigned to heterogeneous groups of four to six students.

Time Frame

This unit is flexible in time. It can take between nine and fifteen fifty-minute lessons.

Software/Materials Used

You will need to have computers with internet access for student groups. Student groups may have access with a one-from-each-group, or individual basis, depending on your situation. There are downloadable fact-finding and practice worksheets included on this site.

Overall Value

This unit focuses on a "learn-by-doing" philosophy. Students become actively engaged in role-playing, decision-making, and refusal techniques. As fact-finding and presentation of drug information becomes the responsibility of the student, there is considerable comprehension and long-term understanding of the negative effects of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.