GRADE 6: LESSON PLAN 1
Lesson 1 : Making Sense of Substances: Understanding Drugs and Their Effects
Students will learn about different categories of substances and their effects on the body. They will also build skills to make safer, more informed decisions about substance use.
This lesson is aligned with the following learning outcomes from the NL Grade 6 Health Curriculum:
Drug Education
- Identify different categories of drugs (medical, non-medical, legal, and illegal) and their effects on health and well-being.
- Discuss the personal and societal cost of smoking, drinking and other drug use.
- Recognize the potential for addiction to tobacco and alcoholic beverages.
- Practice problem-solving and decision-making skills for preventing substance use.
- Recognize that criminal activity is sometimes related to drug use.
Mental Health
- Outline the steps to follow in dealing appropriately with a personal problem.
- Demonstrate some appropriate techniques in response to stressful situations.
Relationships
- Identify responsibilities of family members.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills.
Learning Activities
The following activities are designed to support the delivery of this lesson and help reinforce key concepts. Some activities are available in multiple formats to offer flexibility and accommodate teacher or student preferences.
- Learning Activity 1: Investigating the Types of Drugs
- Introductory Activity: K-W-L Chart
Students will use a KWL chart to express what they know (K), what they wonder (W), and what they’ve learned (L) about drugs.
- Exploration Activity: Detective on Duty
Students will work in groups on a detective-themed carousel activity to solve mysteries about medical, non-medical, legal, and illegal drugs.
- Infographic: Drug Categories
Students may find it helpful to refer to the Drug Categories infographic as they work through this Learning Activity.
- Sharing and Reflection: Detective Findings
Students will reflect on their findings from Detective on Duty activity.
- Learning Activity 2: Get to Know Drugs: Effects on the Body
- Introductory Activity: Jeopardy
Teachers will facilitate the game using a Google Slides presentation that includes questions on different categories of drugs and their effects on the body.
- Exploration Activity: Comic Strip
Students will create a comic strip illustrating the effects of various drugs (medical, non-medical, legal, illegal) on the body.
- Sharing and Reflection Activity
Students will reflect on their findings from the Comic Strip activity.
- Learning Activity 3: Making Smart Choices: Case Study and Role Play
- Introductory Activity: Myth/Fact
Through a presentation, students will review common myths and facts about different substances.
- Exploration Activity: Case Study and Role Playing (Jordan and Taylor)
Students will read Jordan’s case study and use the FACE Decision-Making Model to discuss and record answers. In groups, they will act out possible choices and explore how different people involved might feel and respond.
- Infographics: FACE Decision-Making Model
Students may find it helpful to refer to the following infographic as they work through this Learning Activity.
- Sharing and Reflection Activity
Students will wrap up the lesson by creating a decision-making scenario and adding what they’ve learned to their K-W-L chart.
These resources may help support the delivery of the lesson plan and learning activities:
Educational Materials
The relevant Educational Materials for this lesson are referenced throughout the lesson plan; additional ones are available here.
Substance Snapshots
Relevant Substance Snapshots are noted in the lesson plan; more may be accessed here.