Standard of Learning

3.3   The student will identify the effects of drug, alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances on personal health. Key concepts/skills include:

1. improper use of medicines;
2. the use of refusal skills to counter negative influences;
3. the effects of nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs on body systems;
4. the use of common household items as inhalants;
5. the effects of mind-altering drugs on behavior.

<< Back to Index

Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the dangers of using common household items as inhalants.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define an inhalant. (a chemical that is breathed in)
• describe how inhalants harm your health:
  • kill brain cells;
  • hurt your memory and you cannot learn things so your grades and future will suffer;
  • harm your heart, lungs, and nervous system;
  • you may lose control of your muscles or have trouble breathing;
  • you may have nose bleeds, sores around your mouth, or severe headaches;
  • you may see things that are not real;
  • you may lose interest in friends, school, sports, and your family relationships; and
  • you may find that some brain and lung damage that inhalants cause cannot be undone.

Sample Lessons

Brain Power!
Grades: 2-3
Students learn about the brain, what the brain can do, and the effects of drugs on the brain. Includes 6 modules. Program is based on National Science Education Standards. Includes video, written materials for students, parent newsletter, and teacher’s guide.
Sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health
Contact: http://www.nida.nih.gov
Cost: Free

LifeSkills Training
Grades: K-5
Model substance abuse prevention and competency enhancement program focusing on the major social and psychological factors causing substance use and abuse. Teaches drug resistance skills, personal management skills, and general social skills. Focuses on self-esteem, decision-making, influence of media, stress, communication, and assertiveness issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Protecting You/Protecting Me
Grades 1-5
Model 5-year alcohol use prevention curriculum designed to reduce alcohol-related injury and death. Includes student’s intentions not to drive with an impaired driver; focuses on risks of using alcohol; and includes parental involvement.
Sponsor: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Contact: http://www.pypm.org
Cost

 

Additional Instructional Resources

• Al-Anon/Alateen - http://www.al-anon.org
• Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids - http://www.alcoholcostcalculator.org/kids
• American Council for Drug Education - http://www.acde.org
• TheAnti-Drug.Com - http://www.theantidrug.com
• Center for Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws - http://www.udetc.org
• The Cool Spot - http://www.thecoolspot.gov
• DEA State Fact Sheets - http://www.dea.gov/pubs/state_factsheets.html
• Drug and Violence Prevention - http://dave.esc4.net
• A Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy and Drug Free, SAMSA - http://family.samhsa.gov
• Federal Drug Data Sources - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/sources.html
• Global Youth Network - http://www.unodc.org/youthnet
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• Healthy Competition Foundation (dangers of performance-enhancing drugs) - http://www.healthycompetition.org
• Inhalant Abuse - http://www.inhalant.org
• Inhalants - http://www.coolnurse.com/inhalants.htm
• Kids Health - http://www.kidshealth.org
• Monitoring the Future - http://www.monitoringthefuture.org
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving - http://www.maddva.org or http://www.madd.org
• National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information -http://www.health.org
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
• National Inhalant Prevention Coalition - http://www.inhalants.org
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
• National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov or http://www.drugabuse.gov
• National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign - http://www.mediacampaign.org
• Parenting is Prevention - http://www.parentingisprevention.org
• Partners for Substance Abuse Prevention - http://www.samhsa.gov/preventionpartners
• Partnership for a Drug-Free America - http://www.drugfreeamerica.org
• Play Clean (performance enhancing drugs in sports) - http://www.playclean.org
• Reality Check - http://www.health.org/reality
• Safety – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/health.htm(health & fitness 3-5)
• SAMSA Model [Drug Prevention] Programs - http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov
• School Zone - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/schoolzone/index.html
• Straight Scoop News Bureau - http://www.straightscoop.org
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) - http://www.saddonline.com
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - http://www.samhsa.gov
• U.S. Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program - http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Criminal Justice Reference Service - http://www.ncjrs.org
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention - http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org
• Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Education Section - http://www.abc.state.va.us
• Virginia Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program - http://www.safeanddrugfreeva.org
• Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (Office of Substance Abuse) - http://www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov
• Virginia Department of State Police - http://www.vsp.state.va.us
• Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation - http://www.vtsf.org

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• identify the harmful effects of inhalants.
• explain why one should remain drug free.

TOP...