Standard of Learning

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

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

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Understanding the Standard

The student will identify risk behaviors and understand the consequences of engaging in risky behaviors.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define a risk behavior.
• identify examples of risky behaviors:
  • smoking;
  • riding a bike without a helmet;
  • eating large amounts of "junk" food;
  • in-line skating without safety equipment;
  • going into deep water and being unable to swim;
  • not wearing a seatbelt;
  • being physically inactivity;
  • using alcohol and other drugs;
  • getting in a physical fight;
  • handling firearms; and
  • playing with toxic chemicals.

Lesson Ideas

• Have students create a personalized safety box including a section on each risk area studied, which will be individually represented on pieces of poster board. The students then promote their safety box to students in lower grades once their safety boxes are completed.
• Have students write scripts for a news spot which relates to said topic, then actively engage in a production which requires acting and public speaking. Students assess their work for accuracy, then use technology to videotape this performance and record voice-overs of any unclear speaking areas within the production.

Sample Lessons

Cycle of Addiction
Grades 6-8
Through this lesson, students will understand how families and peers influence their decision making and examine the cycle of addiction to drugs and what can be done to prevent it.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/addiction/
Sponsor: Discovery Education
Free

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
For grades 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

Just Say No to Drugs
Grades 4-6
By completing this lesson, students will learn about the dangers of drugs, awareness, abuse, and the types of drugs.  In the process, they will demonstrate their reading comprehension skills, including reading strategies, inference, literal meaning, and critical analysis.
http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/drugs.asp
Sponsor: Instructor Web
Free

Kids and Guns
Grades 4-8
This lesson will help kids discuss their fears and questions about handgun violence, using the tragedy at Columbine High School as a focus.
http://www.nickjr.com/teachers/lesson_plans/kids_and_guns.jhtml?_template=teachers
Sponsor: Nick Jr.
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

"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

NetSmartz Safety Presentations and Activity Cards
Grades K-12
Presentations: NetSmartz has developed Internet safety presentations for use with children of all ages and adults. Educate parents and communities with slides detailing online risks, statistics, resources, and tips for keeping children safer online. Encourage tweens and teens to examine their online behavior and take steps to prevent victimization of themselves and others. Teach younger children what to watch out for on the Internet and how to avoid these risks. http://www.netsmartz.org/Presentations/
Activity Cards: These activity cards are related to online activities and are easy to implement with few extra materials. Printable handouts are included. You may want to skim through the activities to get ideas for discussing Internet safety with the children. The activities address age appropriate concerns regarding children and teens internet use.  http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/activitycards.htm#k2
Sponsor: NetSmartz
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

Reality Matters: Under the Influence
Grades 6-8
This lesson will review how alcohol affects the brain, map the areas of the brain affected by teenage drinking, and explores what brain functions teenage drinking might impact.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/underTheInfluence/
Sponsor: Discovery Education
Free

Risk Factor Charades
Grades 3-6
To review personal safety concepts in a variety of areas common to the lives of students. To have students work cooperatively in a group.
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=3986
Sponsor: PE Central
Free

Risky Business
Grades 6-12
Through this lesson students will review the possible consequences of making risky choices, become familiar with statistics involving teens, and create and play a board game designed to show how bad choices can lead to setbacks.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/riskyBusiness/
Sponsor: Discovery Education
Free

Social Emotional Learning Lesson grade(s) 5-8
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

Substance Abuse: Deadly Highs
Grades 6-8
Through this lesson, students will be able to describe the effects of drugs on the human body, both short-and long-term consequences, create personal approaches to substance abuse control and prevention, demonstrate effective practices in working within groups, demonstrate general skills of the writing process, and practice skills in speaking and listening as tools for learning.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/deadlyhighs/
Sponsor: Discovery Education
Free

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

Violence Prevention
Grades 6-12
Students will be able to recognize and explain that violence is learned and often carried out through the media. Students will also be able to identify nonviolent scenarios and be able to reconstruct a violence situation into a nonviolence situation.
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=30
Sponsor: PE Central
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• Bike Smart, Virginia! Resource Guide- VDH - http://www.vahealth.org/civp/bike/
• CDC-National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Fact Sheets - http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/cmprfact.htm
• ESR Educators Building Social Skills - http://www.esrnational.org/es/skills.htm
• Family Life Education
• Health Teacher (membership fee) - http://www.healthteacher.com
• Health Textbooks
• Kids Health For Kids- Watch Out - http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/
• Life Skills Program
• Lowes Home Safety Council for Teachers - http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/home
• National Inhalant Prevention Campaign - http://www.inhalants.org
• National SAFEKIDS Campaign - http://www.safekids.org
• RISKWATCH - http://www.riskwatch.org
• Safe USA - http://www.safeusa.org
• VDH, Center for Injury & Violence Prevention (CIVP) - http://www.vahealth.org/civp

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• identify 10 risky behaviors and discuss dangers associated with each risky behavior.
• use case studies to identify and alter the outcome of situations involving risky behavior.

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