Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.3C Grade 6 CPI 3

 

Standard: 2.3 - Drugs & Medicine

 

Strand: C - Dependency/Addiction and Treatment

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator:  3 -  The student will discuss factors that contribute to the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by adolescents, such as advertising and the media, group pressures, low self-esteem, genetics, and poor role models.

 

Grade: 6

 

Sample Activities:

 

·       GATEWAY DRUGS - Ask students to describe the purposes and uses of a gate. From there, define a gateway drug (a drug of first use, most commonly alcohol, tobacco products, or marijuana). Divide the class into small groups to debate a statement, such as: “Individuals who use tobacco products go on to use hard drugs.” Circulate during the discussions and clarify misconceptions. Reconvene the entire class and ask how many agree or disagree with the statement. Reformulate into new groups and pose a second statement such as: “Individuals who smoke marijuana will eventually try other drugs.” After group discussion, reconvene the entire group, and once again ask who agrees and disagrees with the statements. Clarify any misconceptions.