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Alcohol and Drug Reduction Education Lesson Plans
 A Gateway to Lesson Plans, Programs and
Online Learning Activities


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Table of Lesson Plans

The lesson plans, learning activities and student resources listed below have been catalogued under three general categories: prevention, harm reduction, special needs. This reflects the different health messages needed for three sub-populations of youth. Most students only experiment with alcohol and drugs, so the prevention messages are usually sufficient. More specific or intensive messages are needed for the other types of students within these three categories. The lesson plans are grouped by:

bullet prevention/promotion programs to abstain or experiment carefully 
 
bullet harm reduction programs to reduce risks
 
bullet prevention and harm reduction for special needs students/situations
 
bullet cross-curricular lesson plans
 

The Lesson Plans (LP), published learning resources/programs (LR), fact sheets (FS), articles (A)  for student reading) and on-line learning activities (OLA) are listed under these  categories by grade level. The numbers under each category denote the number of resources available. Please note that some topics are covered in more than one domain.

NOTE: Tobacco is not covered in these lesson plans.
 

Table of Lesson Plans
 

  Prevention/Promotion Programs to Abstaining or Experiment Carefully K-3 4-6 7-10 11-12
A. Preparing students to discuss alcohol/drugs/addiction        
 
B. Functional Knowledge        
1. Recognizing the harmful use of legal (caffeine, alcohol) medications and illegal drugs (it's not just illegal drugs)  

5

 3 3
2. Signs and Symptoms of Abuse. Difference between experimental, moderate, heavy and harmful level of use (continuum of use) and stages of change in drug use or withdrawal  

2

3

2
3. Meaning of addiction, dependence, addictive behaviour  

7

10

7
4. Relationship between A/D use and mental health, emotional well-being        
5. Short-term social and school risks of problem substance use (relationships, suspension from school, academic performance, physical endurance)   6 11 6
6. Long-term health risks of problems substance use  

13

 18 13
7. Long-term social and economic risks of problem substance use (drop-out, economic opportunity, divorce, workplace productivity, etc.)  

7

 11 8
8. Recognize specific issues and related problems        
a. drinking and driving/use of machinery  

1

2

2
b. other accidents and injuries   1 2 2
c. drinking while making decisions (sex, relationships, etc.)  

1

    
d. drinking contests/binge drinking    

1

1
e. abuse of prescription drugs

4

2

6

5
f. abuse of non-prescription drugs

4

 5 5 4
g. sexual risks        
h. pregnancy/FASD  

6

 8 8
i. teen suicide/social isolations        
9. The law, regulations, penalties and enforcement    

2

2
a. under-age drinking    

1

1
b. impaired driving  

2

 8 8
c. search and seizure        
d. possession/distribution or marijuana        
10. About drug types, properties, proper and street names, effects

1

22

 23 22
a. non-prescription medications

4

5

 5 4
b. medications

4

2

6

5
c. alcohol  

4

 6 6
d. cannabis (marijuana, hashish)  

8

 27 25
e. hallucinogens (LSD, Psilocybin)  

3

 8 7
f. mixed action drugs (PCP, Meth)  

2

 4 3
g. inhalants  

5

 5 4
h. cocaine/crack/heroin  

2

 6 5
i. other  

7

 11 10
11. Gambling  

4

14

14
12. Steroid use  

4

 8 7
C. Skills and Learned Behaviours        
1. General personal/social/thinking skills    

1

1
a. social skills (listening, non-verbal, eye contact, group skills, etc.)        
b. assertiveness training     1  
c. decision-making skills

1

 2 2 2
d. critical thinking skills/values/respect   2    
e. conflict resolution/negotiation skills        
f. stress management skills        
g. emotion, anger management skills   3 1  
2. Specific personal/social skills        
a. avoiding risks        
b. resistance/refusal skills/walk away   7 6 1
c. reading, handling prescription/medication labels 3 1    
D. Beliefs/Attitudes/Perceptions        
1. Awareness of social influences        
a. media literacy/role of media   3 5 4
b. alcohol advertising/role of corporations   1 2 1
c. family influences/characteristics/practices        
d. community influences/norms   1 1 1
e. peer group/friends   1 1 1
f. youth sub-culture/norms   1 1 1
g. society/cultural influences     2 1
h. part-time employment        
2. View/perceptions about laws, government role, rules   1 1 1
a. regulation/control of use        
b. regulation of advertising        
c. taxation/government use of taxes, gambling, etc.    

1

1
d. enforcement and youth/privacy/rights        
e. substance use and society        
2. Myths, facts and misconceptions        
E. Self-Knowledge/Image/Intentions        
1. Anticipating adolescents' developmental challenges and substance use   3 3 1
a. forming peer relationships   1 1 1
b. taking risks        
c. being recognized        
d. recognition as adult   1 1  
e. fighting boredom        
f. lack of control of resources/privacy        
2. Awareness of specific adolescent problems        
a. family stress/divorce        
b. moving to different schools/neighbourhood        
c. bereavement        
3. General awareness of self/health problems        
a. know own strengths/weaknesses  

5

 3 2
b. have life goals  

4

 2 1
c. develop personal action plans  

3

 2 1
d. know how to get help  

3

 2 1
4. Develop personal health action plan about substances  

3

1

  
a. alternatives to non-prescription medications    

2

1
b. moderate or no use of caffeine/stimulants  

1

3

2
c. careful use of prescription medications    

2

1
d. experimenting or abstaining from alcohol use     3 2
e. avoiding high risk situations    

1

  
f. reducing harm (eg. not drinking and driving)  

1

3

2
F. Access to Social Support        
1. Support from friends/siblings    

1

  
2. Support from parents        
3. Support from trusted adult/mentor programs   1    
4. School clubs/groups/youth centres        
G. Access to Health/Other Services        
1. School or community-based peer helper programs  

1

 1 1
2. In-school support services (counsellor, nurse, addiction worker, etc.)  

1

 1 1
3. family physicians  

1

 1 1
4. Local addictions clinic/workers  

1

 1 1
5. Local mental health clinics/workers   1 1 1
6. Addictions treatment services   1 1 1
7. Family counselling services        
8. Emergency protection services        
9. Youth or family self-help groups        
10. Workplace assistance programs        
11. Awareness of local services        
12. Awareness of online services/telephone        
H. Willingness to Support Others        
1. Critical thinking/action on school policies (suspension, etc.)        
2. Critical thinking/action to support friends/siblings and peers        
3. Advocacy skills/knowledge/tips/projects        
4. Advocacy on improving school drug education programs/policies        
5. Participation in youth, school or neighbourhood activities       1
6. Advocacy for improved health and treatment services for youth        
7. Willingness to help friends/family    

1

1
           
           
  Harm Reduction Programs to Reduce Risk K-3 4-6 7-10 11-12
A. Knowledge        
1. Awareness of local services        
2. Awareness of online or telephone services        
B. Skills        
1. Avoiding risky situations        
2. Anger management  

1

 2 1
3. Basic social skills        
4. Basic literacy skills/employment skills        
C. Attitudes/Beliefs        
1.          
D. Self-knowledge/Image/Intentions        
1. Awareness of personal strengths        
2. Setting life goals        
3. Personal health action plan        
a. reducing risk   1    
b. reducing use        
E. Access to Social Support        
1. Mentoring programs        
2. Counselling/youth services        
3. Child protection services        
F. Access to Health/Other Services        
1. Youth treatment services  

1

 1 1
2. Alternative schools/programs        
3. Reintegration/transition services        
G. Willingness to Support Others        
1. Access to youth advocate programs        
           
           
  Special Needs K-3 4-6 7-10 11-12
1. Children of alcoholics/substance abusers

4

5

 5 5
2. Children with FASD   3 2 2
3. Students recovering from addictions        
4. Students in conflict with the law        
5. Special needs        
a. gay and lesbian youth        
b. ethnic minority youth        
c. aboriginal youth        
d. students with disabilities        
e. students working part-time        
f. youth living in rural communities        
           
           
  Cross-curricular Lesson Plans K-3 4-6 7-10 11-12
1. Language Arts  

1

1

  
2. Literature/Creative Writing        
3. Communications/Media Studies  

2

 3 3
4. Mathematics    

1

1
5. Science/Technology   2 2  
6. Fine Arts/Music/Dance        
7. Physical Education  

1

 1 1
8. Home Economics/Family Studies        
10. Technical-Vocational Education        

 


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