Sixth Grade Curriculum Resources

Standard of Learning

6.4 The student will analyze the consequences of personal choices on health and wellness. Key concepts/skills include:

the connection between personal actions, self-image and personal success;
the importance of accepting responsibility for personal actions;
the use of resistance skills to avoid violence, gangs, weapons, and drugs;
identification and avoidance of risk-taking behaviors.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the importance of resistance skills in avoiding violence, gangs, weapons, and drugs.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

define negative peer pressure.
demonstrate refusal skills:
- say NO in a firm voice;
- explain why you are saying NO;
- offer other options; or
- leave.
explain the importance of avoiding gangs, weapons, and drugs:
- they are likely to lead to serious trouble;
- gangs are often involved in violent and illegal behavior;
- you or a family member may get hurt;
- possession of a weapon may result in someone being accidentally hurt;
- possession of a weapon at school results in expulsion; and
- the use of drugs affects your ability to make wise decisions.

Sample Lessons

"Cycle of Addiction"
Grade(s) 6-8
Students will examine the cycle of addiction to drugs and what can be done to prevent it. At the same time they will learn how families and peers influence their decision making.
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/addiction/
Free

Discovery Education: Reality Matters, Big Decisions
Grade(s) 6-8
As the lesson goes on students will learn about influences of health, choices, and risk taking. The middle-schoolers will be able to gain this knowledge by role-playing and answering questions amongst one another.
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/bigDecisions/
Free

Do the Right Thing: Finding Solutions for the Causes of Gang Violence
Grade(s) 6-12
In this lesson, students will consider the relationship between gang violence and the factors that can contribute to its increase. After researching the issues behind one such factor, students will make recommendations for implementing changes in local government, law enforcement, and other local agencies, that may help reduce gang violence.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021025
Free

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Grades: 6-8
Substance abuse prevention program for youth. Teaches youth how to resist peer pressure and live drug and violence-free lives.
Contact: http://www.dare.com

Healthy B.A.S.I.C.S. Lesson Plan: "What to do when I’m Angry"
Grade(s) 6-8
Students will define anger as a normal emotion, then will list three behaviors that show when anger is out of control. After finishing both of these activities the students will describe three positive ways to deal with anger.
http://www.childrenshealthfund.org/publications/HBLPanger.pdf
Free

It's My Life: "The Dangers of Drug Abuse"
Grade(s) 4-7
Students this age should understand that they will be faced with a variety of decisions regarding their health, and that some of them might involve substances of abuse. Experimentation with drugs often begins in early adolescence.
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/parents/lesson_plans/dangers_of_drug_abuse.html
Free

LifeSkills Training
Grades: 6-8
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. Includes self-image, self-improvement, decision-making, anger management, assertiveness, communication, media, and conflict resolution issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescence
Grades 6-8
Positive youth development program focusing on social and emotional competencies; good citizenship skills; strong, positive character; drug-free lifestyle; and service to others.
Sponsor: Lions Quest
Contact: http://www.lions-quest.org
Cost

"Making Decisions"
Grade(s) 4-6
Children in grades 4-6 can learn to make decisions other than by default, by whim or chance, on the basis of emotions, or because of influence from others. This lesson helps children develop tools that they can use in a variety of situations requiring decisions. When this approach is practiced and becomes familiar, it can provide a way for children to decide not to use drugs and or make other harmful choices in life.
http://www.sodat.org/Lesson%20Plan%204-6.htm
Free

"Peer Pressure"
Grade(s) 6-8
At ages 12 to 14, youths are aware of drugs and may already have been offered or pressured to use drugs by older siblings and friends, or by their own peers. This lesson helps students recognize peer pressure and decide how to refuse drugs.
http://www.acde.org/educate/78plan2.htm
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

Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS)
Grades K-6
Model program to promote emotional & social competencies and reduce aggression and acting out. Includes emotional literacy, self-control, social competence, positive peer relations, and interpersonal problem-solving skills.
Sponsor: Pennsylvania State University and Channing Bete Company
Contact: http://www.preventionscience.com
Cost

Social Emotional Learning Lesson
Grade(s) 5-8
Students will learn to recognize own anger and develop appropriate responses
http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/internal/SELWebPg/COP5-8Oregon.htm
Free
Grade 6
Students will identify circumstances that make people angry and how anger makes your body feel and respond.
http://www.dist102.k12.il.us/internal/SELWebPg/COPUnit6Ls1.htm
Free

Teachers.net Lesson Bank: "#285. Stepping Out"
Grade(s) 4-12
Lesson designated for students who have already have gotten into trouble, but helps them learn new skills of respect and coping so that they will not get into the same situation again. The lesson teaches respect, conflict resolution, and self control.
http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/285.html
Cost

Tough Truces: A Lesson on the Causes and Prevention of Gang Violence
Grade(s) 6-12
In this lesson, students will learn about the factors contributing to the growth of gangs and gang violence. Groups will discuss causes for gang violence and suggest measures that can be taken by various community groups to reduce such activity.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020412
Free

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
Avoiding Gangs and Bullies - http://www.healthteacher.com/lessonguides/injuries/middle
Center for Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws – http://www.udetc.org
The Cool Spot – http://www.thecoolspot.gov
DARE Program
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
Inhalant Abuse – http://www.inhalant.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
A Parent's Guide for Preventing Gangs - http://www.lunaweb.com/pargang.htm
Partners for Substance Abuse Prevention – http://www.samhsa.gov/preventionpartners
Partnership for a Drug-Free America – http://www.drugfreeamerica.org
Peer Pressure and Choices - http://www.doitnow.org/pages/163.html
Preventing Violence - http://www.Colorado.EDU/cspv/index.html
SAMSA Model [Drug Prevention] Programs – http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov
School Resource Officer
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:

role-play situations in which positive peer pressure is used to avoid gangs, weapons, and drugs.
discuss the hazards and implications of becoming involved with violence, gangs and drugs.