The Ultimate Curriculum Guide

HEALTH &SCIENCE

DRUG AWARENESSchron.com/cie

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D rug policy, drug abuse and the drug trade make news almost daily in the local, national and interna-tional sections of the Chronicle, as well as in sports

and entertainment. The Unit 1 activities in this guide make it easy for teachers to introduce the Houston Chronicle and the issue of “Drugs in our Culture” to students. Units 2, 3, and 4 build on that knowledge with “Why Do Drugs?” a group of activities exploring the roots of drug use; “Where Do You Stand?” a series of activities on personal and govern-ment decision-making; and “Drug Prevention,” a collection focusing on various tactics to address drug usage.

CONTENTsUnit 1 – �Drugs in

Our Culture Teenage Drinking Marketing StrategySmoke Free or Not Smoke FreeMiracle CureLegalize Marijuana? Scavenger Hunt

Unit 2 –�Why Do Drugs? Peer PressureBreaking the RulesGateway ProfileMaking the Right ChoiceSchedule the DaySelf-Esteem Poster

Unit 3 – �Where Do You Stand?

Acting OutCrime and PunishmentDrug PoliciesDrinking on TelevisionAdvice ColumnDrugs and Crime

Unit 4 – Drug Prevention Drug TestingPolicies for AthletesWho Can Help?This Is Your Brain on DrugsDrug Use TodaySpokesperson

HealtH and Science Ultimate cUrricUlUm GUide

DRUG AWARENESS

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1. TeenageDrinking

It is illegal to drink alcohol before the age of 21, but 18-year-olds are allowed to vote and serve in the armed forces. What should be our guidelines for determining when teen-agers are responsible? Ask students to look through the Chronicle for examples of teens who acted responsibly and some who did not. Have them use the articles as a resource to argue whether the drinking age should be changed.

2. MarketingStrategy

There are many benefits derived from legal drugs. They can prevent heart attacks, fight cancer or relieve a headache. Have the class look through the Houston Chronicle for advertisements for drug products. Have them pick one and decide how they might better market this product. Challenge them to rede-sign the ad and make changes to the text and graphics to improve the marketing. Make sure they include necessary warnings, as appropriate to inform the public.

3. SmokeFreeor NotSmokeFree

Research indicates that second-hand smoke has an adverse effect on those who come in contact with it. Many public buildings, places of business and even airplanes ban smoking. Cigarette smokers think that is an infringe-ment on their right to smoke. Discuss with your class whether these policies are fair. Using the Houston Chronicle as a resource, have students list what locations and estab-lishments should be smoke free and which should not. Do all students agree?

4. MiracleCure

Each year Americans spend more than $10 billion on drugs to treat their afflictions. Still, there is no cure for some of the major diseases of our time. Have students write a headline for the front page for a break-through in the discovery of a miracle drug. What disease would they want the drug to cure? Ask students to develop an outline for an article to run with their headline.

5. LegalizeMarijuana?

Marijuana is the name given to the dried leaves of the hemp plant. It is one of the most popular recreational drugs around today. Some people believe that marijuana use should be legal when prescribed by a doctor. It can be effective in the treatment of the eye disease, glaucoma, in relieving nausea associated with anti-cancer drugs or easing pain associated with AIDS. Opponents of legalizing marijuana believe that legal-izing it will make it accessible to people who will misuse the drug. Have your students write a letter to the editor to express their opinion on the issue.

6. DrugAwareness ScavengerHunt*

Drugs touch many aspects of our lives, from drug abuse to drug dealing to prescription or over-the-counter drugs. A good way to see this is to send students on a search through the newspaper. This also helps familiarize them with the paper. Use the “Scavenger Hunt” activity sheet that accompanies this guide.

Drugs have been used for thousands of years to cure sickness or relieve pain. Some drugs occur naturally in nature and some are man-made from chemicals. Some are legal and some are illegal. When used properly, drugs can be life savers but when they are abused they can be dangerous. These activities allow students to examine how legal and illegal drug use affects our culture.

*Includes activity sheet for students.

Unit 1 : DrugsInOurCulture

activities

DRUG AWARENESS

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Drugs touch many aspects of our lives, from drug abuse to drug dealing to prescription or over-the-counter drugs. A good way to see this is to search through the news in the Houston Chronicle. See if you can find the following items in the paper today. Finish by numbering them in order of how easy they were to find in the newspaper.

Scavenger HuntAn activity sheet for students

An orgAnizAtion thAt prevents drug Abuse

An Advertisement for An over-the-counter drug

the nAme of A police officer

A person who is drug-free

the nAme of An illegAl drug

A person who is Accused of committing A drug-relAted crime

the locAtion for A story About drugs

can you find?(_)

(_)(_)

(_)(_)

(_)(_)

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1. PeerPressure*

Some people do drugs because their friends do and they want to be accepted. Have students look through the Chronicle for examples of people doing things together. Who is participating? What is the activity? What was the result? Ask them to complete the chart on the “Peer Pressure” activity by filling in the information.

2. BreakingtheRules

Imagine a country without laws or a school with-out rules. It is necessary to follow rules to maintain an orderly society. There are times, of course, when rules and laws are broken. Ask students to locate an article that focuses on a person who violated the rules in some way. What are the rules that were broken? What are the results of not follow-ing the rules? Finish by having students make a list of rules in their lives to be followed at home, at school, or in the neighborhood.

3. GatewayProfile

Some people are more likely to experiment with drugs than others. Have the class brainstorm a list of personality traits for someone who would be most susceptible to trying tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana. These are called “gateway” drugs, because users of them are more likely to go on to other drugs. Next, have students create a person-ality list for people who would be least likely to experiment with gateway drugs. Send students on a search of the Houston Chronicle to find examples of both types of people. Have them write a para-graph to justify each of their choices.

4. MaketheRightChoice

We are always confronted with problems and have to make choices to solve them. Ask students to find a story in the paper about a problem situa-tion. Direct them to write down the problem and then provide a list of alternative actions and solu-tions. Finally, have them rank the solutions from best to worst.

5. ScheduletheDay*

Often teens or pre-teens get involved with drugs because they do not have outside interests or extracurricular activities. The Houston Chronicle is an excellent resource for finding worthwhile things to do. Instruct the students to skim through the Chronicle for activities that are interesting, fun and entertaining. From what they find, have them create a schedule for a quality day of activity on the “Schedule the Day” activity sheet.

6. Self-EsteemPoster

People who feel good about themselves are less likely to be candidates for using drugs. What are the things that make your students feel good about themselves? Have students page through the Houston Chronicle for pictures and words that have something to do with them. If they like sports, they can look through the sports section. If they like movies, they can try the entertain-ment section. Have students print pages, cut out pictures and words of things that are important to them to make a collage poster about themselves. Encourage them to be creative. Get them to add song lyrics, rap or poetry to their poster.

*Includes activity sheet for students.

Unit 2 : WhyDoDrugs?

People do drugs for many reasons. Some want to be cool and part of the crowd. Some are pressured by friends into participating. Some are curious to see how drugs make them feel or want to experience some-thing new. Some think that drugs will help them escape or forget their problems. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that drugs are dangerous—and illegal drugs can bring serious penalties that can change kids’ lives.

activities

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People do drugs for many reasons. Some are curious to see how drugs make them feel or want to experience something new. Some think drugs will help them escape or forget their problems. Some people do drugs because their friends do and they want do be accepted. Look through the Houston Chronicle today for examples of peo-ple doing things together. Who is participating? What is the activity? Is the result positive or negative?

Peer PressureAn activity sheet for students

who +/ -activity

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Often teens or pre-teens get involved with drugs because they do not have outside interests or extracurricu-lar activities. The Houston Chronicle is an excellent resource for finding things to do. Skim through the Chronicle for activities that you find interesting, fun and entertaining. In the space below create a schedule for a quality day of activity for you and your friends.

Schedule the dayAn activity sheet for students

10:00 am 11:00 am

1:00 pm

4:00 pm 5:00 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm 8:00 pm

noon

2:00 pm 3:00 pm

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Unit 3 : WhereDoYouStand?

1. ActingOut

Have students skim through the Houston Chronicle for a drug-related article. Ask them to list the characters and determine the setting for the story. Then challenge them to write a skit to fit the scene and situation. Let them work in pairs or as teams, if they prefer. Get them to perform their plays for their classmates.

2. CrimeandPunishment*

In this activity, students can decide what the penalties should be for drug use and/or drug crimes. Direct them to find stories in the Houston Chronicle that involve drugs and the commission of a crime. Ask them to pretend they are judges responsible for setting the penalties for drug convictions. What would their guidelines be for penalties? Using the stories they find, have them write down what laws have been violated and the appropriate punishment. Using the “Crime and Punishment” activity sheet, have them make a chart for drug-related crimes and establish a pun-ishment for each crime.

3. DrugPolicies

Government reports continue to indicate that drug use is still a problem among teens. What do your students know about the president’s policies regarding drugs? Have students look for an article in the Houston Chronicle that is about drug use. Ask them to consider what the president might say after reading the same article. Have them write down their response. Then have them write out what changes they would make to reduce the use of drugs by teens.

4. DrinkingonTelevision

Characters on TV are often pictured engaging in drug and alcohol use. Get students to consider how alcohol is a part of television by looking through the television schedule and evaluating the pro-grams. Ask them to print program page, put a checkmark next to shows that they think are like-ly to have people drinking alcohol. Have them put an X next to shows on which it would be highly unlikely to see alcohol being drunk. Ask them to write a paragraph analyzing the role alcohol plays on TV.

5. AdviceColumn*

Have students check out an advice column in the Houston Chronicle. Then ask them to sup-pose their good friend is becoming involved with drugs. What advice would they give if their friend wrote in to a column they were writing? Using the “Advice Column” activity sheet, have students write their advice in the form of a column. Or ask them to think of a drug-related situation they know about and write their advice column about that.

6. DrugsandCrime

Direct the class to skim today’s Houston Chronicle for articles about crime. How many can they find in five minutes? Of those found, how many men-tioned drugs as part of the situation? What con-clusions can they draw from the small sample of information? Have the students write a paragraph summarizing their conclusions. Ask them to make a graph to go with the paragraph.

Deciding to use—or not use—drugs is a choice people make. Setting policies for drug abuse or rehabilitation is a decision government makes. These activities will give students an opportunity to explore decision-mak-ing as it relates to drug use, drug policy and drug enforcement.

*Includes activity sheet for students.

activities

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What should the penalties be for drug use and drug-related crime? Find stories in the Houston Chronicle that involve drugs and the commission of a crime. If you were a judge responsible for setting the penalties for drug convictions, what guidelines would you use for sentencing? Using the stories you found in the Houston Chronicle, write down what laws were violated and what would be, in your opinion, an appropriate punishment for each crime.

crime and punishmentAn activity sheet for students

crime punishment

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Flip through the Houston Chronicle and find a column that offers advice to readers who write in. Now suppose your good friend is becoming involved with drugs. What advice would you give if your friend wrote in to a col-umn you were writing? In the space below, write some advice you would give to a friend getting involved in drugs. Or think of a drug-related situation you know about and write the advice column about that.

advice columnAn activity sheet for students

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Unit 4 : DrugPrevention:ADrugFreeSociety

1. DrugTesting

Are there jobs for which it is imperative that people who use drugs, even on their own time, not be allowed to work? Should employers be allowed to demand a drug test as a condition of hiring or continued employment? How do we bal-ance an employer’s needs with individual rights to privacy? Have students explore these issues by looking through the classified ads for various jobs. Ask them to make a list of jobs for which they think mandatory drug testing would be justified as a hiring requirement.

2. PoliciesforAthletes

Sports figures are role models for kids. Because they are in the public eye, they are expected to set an example for proper behavior. However, wealth and fame do not make them immune from the temp-tations of substance abuse. Have students look through the Sports section for articles that discuss drugs and sports. Ask them to assume the role of commissioner for professional sports. Have them outline a drug policy for pro sports, or a set of rules that should be followed by all athletes.

3. WhoCanHelp?*

When we have difficulty solving problems, it makes sense to ask for help. Direct students to the Help Wanted ads and ask them to read the job opportunities. Then using the “Who Can Help?” activity sheet, have them select occupations of people who could be helpful in a drug-related situ-ation. Ask them to make a list of the jobs and how each person could be helpful.

4. ThisIsYourBrainonDrugs

A few years ago there was a TV commercial compar-ing the effect of drugs on your brain to the effect of a hot frying pan on an egg. This was a very effec-tive anti-drug message. What other images would be effective to kids today? Ask students to scan ads in the Houston Chronicle for ideas and inspiration. Then have them break into groups and write a script for a TV commercial. Make sure that they include an outline for graphics, as well as the copy for the ad.

5. DrugUseToday

Can we determine from the news whether drug use is on the decline or increase? Have students look through the Chronicle for several days for articles and stories that are related to drug use. What evi-dence can be found about the latest trends? Based on the number of stories and their content, what conclusions can they draw from their search?

6. Spokesperson

Any cause benefits from a spokesperson who is widely admired by members of society. Have students list criteria for the perfect can-didate to be a spokesperson for the war against drugs. Then ask students to look through the paper and find a person who is well qualified for the position. Have them write a paragraph explain-ing why they believe they made a good choice. Then have them write out how they think they would measure up for the job personally.

How can we create a society that is drug free? Emphasis needs to be placed on drug-awareness education for young people. People also need access to the many organizations that provide drug counseling, therapy and rehabilitation. Law enforcement officials, politicians, and social agencies must all work hand in hand with communities to prevent drug trafficking and to enforce drug laws. But ultimately, the key to success will be individuals making the right choices based on sound information.

*Includes activity sheet for students.

activities

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When we have difficulty solving problems, it makes sense to ask for help. Turn to the Help Wanted ads and read the job opportunities. Then select the occupations of people who could be helpful in a drug-related situation. In the space below, make a list of the jobs and how each person could be helpful.

who can help?An activity sheet for students

job how they help

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local agenciesContact local drug-prevention and rehabilitation centers to schedule speakers to come to your class or school. Have your students write letters to these agencies requesting information about the effects of drugs. Ask them to prepare a list of questions for the guest speakers. As a follow-up, see if students could visit a drug-rehabilitation center or talk with people going through a program.

anti-drug dayHave the students create a slogan and posters for an anti-drug campaign. They can use pictures and headlines from the Houston Chronicle and magazines or create their own original art work. Have the class make a bulletin board and locate articles under the following headings: People and Drugs, Facts About Drugs, Drugs and Crime, Drug Prevention.

over-the-counter drugsWhat should be the drug rules in a school? Recently, some school administrators have punished students because they were found in school with over-the-counter drugs like aspirin, Midol, and Alka Seltzer. Have students write what they believe is an appropriate policy for students using over-the-counter drugs in school. Present the policies to the school principal for review and feedback.

creative writingDrug awareness can be expanded with challenges and assignments in areas beyond science and health. Challenge students to make drugs into characters in fantasy or science fiction writing. The nicknames for some street drugs can be used to suggest what kind of characters the drugs might be. Make sure the writing includes some of the real effects of chosen drugs. Enter the results in creative writing contests.

video libraryCreate a Video Library listing of movies that effectively show drug situations, results, or themes. “The Basketball Diaries,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio would be one example. “Trainspotting,” “Clockers” and “Leaving Las Vegas” would be others. Challenge students to divide the list into catego-ries: drug abuse, drug dealing, etc. Arrange as a class to rent and view age-appropriate movies and dis-cuss the effects. Make the movie-viewing a regular event.

drug rehabilitationTo fight drug abuse and addiction, it is necessary to provide resources. Have students use the Chronicle and other resources to build a database of agencies or organizations that could assist with drug related problems. Have them be sure to include addresses, phone numbers and fees where they exist. Print and distribute the database to students, or make it available at a central location at school for reference.

These activites have explored drug use and abuse and outlined the effects of both legal and illegal drugs. But more can be done. Here are some suggestions for extending the lessons throughout the school year.

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EXTENSIONSEXTENSIONS

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