Standard of Learning

5.3 The student will analyze the risks of dependence and addiction associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, and other drugs on the systems of the body. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the effects on the integrated functioning of the body systems;
2. the effects on academic performance;
3. the effects on relationships with family, peers, and other individuals.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the effects alcohol, inhalants, and other drugs have on academic performance.

Essential Knowledge and Skills
The student will:

• explain how drugs affect academic performance. (effects on brain function, desire for success, and attendance in school)
• describe how drinking alcohol may affect academic performance. (harms judgment, memory, and muscle coordination; can cause depression, harm friendships, loss of ambition, increased absenteeism, etc.)
• explain how inhalants may affect academic performance. (kills brain cells, impairs memory, causes emotional swings, causes depression, etc.)
• describe how abusing stimulants may affect academic performance. (causes headaches, feel cranky, sad, paranoid, may hallucinate, etc.)
• explain how abusing depressants may affect academic performance. (may get sleepy, have trouble speaking, weak pulse, low blood pressure, trouble breathing, slowed reaction time, cannot think clearly, feel mixed up, etc.)

Sample Lessons

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

Mind over Matter
Grades: 5-9
Students learn about the effects of drug abuse on the body and brain. Includes marijuana, opiates, inhalants, hallucinogens, methamphetamine, nicotine, stimulants, and steroids.
Sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health
Contact: http://www.nida.nih.gov
Cost: Free

Project Towards No Tobacco Use (TNT)
Grades 5-10
Model program to prevent or reduce tobacco use in youth. Ten core and 2 booster lessons. Includes effective refusal and coping skills; effects of media and advertisers; methods to build self-esteem; and strategies for advocating no tobacco use.
Sponsor: Department of Preventive Medicine, USC
Contact: http://www.etr.org
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
• 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
• Guidance Counselor
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• Healthy Competition Foundation (dangers of performance-enhancing drugs) - http://www.healthycompetition.org
• Inhalant Abuse – http://www.inhalant.org
• 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
• http://www.pecentral.org
• Play Clean (performance enhancing drugs in sports) – http://www.playclean.org
• Reality Check – http://www.health.org/reality
• 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
• Teaching Children About Health, A Multidisciplinary Approach -http://www.morton-pub.com
• Tips 4 Youth - http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/tips4youth.htm
• 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:

• describe how alcohol and other drug use harms a student's physical, mental, emotional, and social health.
• explain how inhalants may affect academic performance.
• describe how abusing stimulants may affect academic performance.
• explain how abusing depressants may affect academic performance.

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