drug awareness presentation for elementary students

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Lesson Plans and Activities

Search for free lessons and activities on the science and consequences of drug use. All lessons are based on national science and education standards and were developed by scientists from leading universities and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Understanding an Overdose and How to Respond to One

Understanding Polysubstance Use and How to Make Health-Enhancing Choices

Cannabis: The Facts You Need to Know

Can Too Much Screen Time Harm You?

Toxicity Testing: The Effect of Chemicals on Radish Seeds

Is This Legit? Accessing Valid and Reliable Health Information

Opioids: What You Need to Know

What You Need to Know About Prescription Stimulants

Stressed Out Activities

Nurturing My Mental & Emotional Health

Mind Matters: Drugs and the Brain

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Prescription Stimulants

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Opioids

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Nicotine, Tobacco and Vaping

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Methamphetamine

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Marijuana

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to K2/Spice and Bath Salts

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Inhalants

Mind Matters: The Body's Response to Cocaine

How Nicotine Affects the Teen Brain

NDAFW Activity Ideas: Community, School-wide, and Online

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Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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Resources for Educators

Last Updated: Wednesday February 22, 2023

When it comes to preventing drug use among young people, education plays a very important role. This page contains online drug education resources – lesson plans , activities, videos – from different websites targeted to various grade levels that both parents and teachers can use.

Teen vaping – of both tobacco and THC ( marijuana ) – is on the rise and is a growing concern in schools. Check out these resources on the topic.

In addition, get information on how you can help students you think may have a problem , and more.

Get lesson plans and info for the drugs below:

Cocaine | Marijuana | Inhalants | Heroin | Methamphetamine | Opioids  

General drug education resources, operation prevention.

DEA and Discovery Education teamed up to produce Operation Prevention's classroom resources to provide educators with engaging tools that are aligned to national health and science standards and integrate seamlessly into classroom instruction. Through a series of hands-on investigations, these resources introduce students to the science behind opioids and their impact on the brain and body. Go to the site.  

Operation Prevention: Virtual Field Trip

Take your students on a virtual journey! Opioids: Real People. Real Stories. Real Science.  is currently featured on the Operation Prevention website’s Virtual Field Trip section. During the journey, you'll meet two retired professional athletes, a musician and three generations -- all affected by opioid misuse in some way. The trip includes a companion guide that can be used to prepare your students for the “trip.” Go to the site.

Drugs and Your Body - Interactive  (For grades 6-12)

Scholastic and the scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have created this poster/teaching guide, Drugs + Your Body: It Isn’t Pretty, to provide factual details and critical-thinking questions on the effects drugs have on the developing brain and body.

Poster: http://www.scholastic.com/drugs-and-your-body/

Teachers’ Guide: http://headsup.scholastic.com/teachers/drugs-your-body-it-isnt-pretty

Heads Up: Real News about Drugs and Your Body (For grades 6-12)

NIDA and Scholastic teamed up to create a treasure trove of resources for both teachers and teens about the dangers of drug use in general and the dangers of specific drugs as well. You can access them using the links below.

Teens: http://headsup.scholastic.com/

Teachers:   http://headsup.scholastic.com/teachers/

Empowering Teens: NIDA Toolkit for Out of School Time

This toolkit offers science-based activities and resources on drug use and addiction for educating teens during out of school time (OST). The OST setting—before and after school, in the summer, or any time teens attend a supervised program outside of the typical school time—offers a unique opportunity for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning. Read more.

Drug Facts and Lesson Plans

Are you interested in lessons or activities focused on a specific drug? The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has an awesome Lesson Plan Finder  that features FREE science-based lessons and interactive activities on teens and drugs.  Go to their site to check it out.

Also, see quick facts about each drug below:

Classroom Resources

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Cocaine   (SAMHSA)

Quick Facts  (DEA)

Video Lesson: Stimulants   (DEA and Operation Prevention)

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Heroin   (SAMHSA)

Inhalants: A Looming Threat for All Teens (Scholastic)

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Inhalants   (SAMHSA)

Video Lesson: Inhalants   (DEA and Operation Prevention)

Marijuana: Breaking Down the Buzz  (article)

Marijuana: Facts for Teens   (NIDA)

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Marijuana  (SAMHSA)

Video Lesson: Marijuana   (DEA and Operation Prevention)

Methamphetamine

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Methamphetamine   (SAMHSA)

Quick Facts   (DEA)

Opioids and Prescription Drugs

Opioid Facts for Teens   (NIDA)

Tips for Teens: The Truth About Opioids  (SAMHSA)

Quick Facts (DEA)

Fentanyl    

Vaping Info

Vaping: know the facts (addiction policy forum).

Check out this awareness campaign and toolkit for parents, teachers, school administrators, and teens.

Vaping Posters (Food and Drug Administration)

Print out these posters to hang in your classrooms. The posters feature eye-opening facts about vaping.

What if You Suspect a Student is Using Drugs?

Substance Use Prevention: A Resource Guide for School Staff

If you work in a school setting you may be looking for information about youth substance use, the most commonly used drugs, the latest research and more.  The Office of National Drug Control Policy  recently released a guide for school staff. Read more.

Other Drug Enforcement Administration Websites

Just think twice.

Created by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) specifically for young people, this site provides information about drugs and their consequences. Go to the site.

Campus Drug Prevention

This website is a part of DEA’s effort to support drug abuse prevention programs on college campuses and in surrounding communities. Go to the site.

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Elementary Student Resources

Medication Safety Patrol

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines are typically accessible and visible in our homes, and children should understand prescription and over-the-counter medication safety at an early age. What follows is a collection of age-appropriate, engaging resources that educate children about medication safety principles, equipping them with a foundation for understanding how to use medicines safely before they enter their teen and adult years. They may be used in small or large groups, as stand-alone activities, or in combination with other lessons. Some activities may be better suited for younger children (grades K-2), while others may be more appropriate for older students (grades 3-5).

• 1 Getting Started
• 2 Activity Stations
• 3 Medication Safety Games
• 4 Supplemental Worksheets
• 5 Visual Aids
• 6 Other Resources
• 7 Elementary en Español

Getting Started

This section provides an introduction and overview of the Medication Safety Patrol resources and how to use them. It also includes a letter to parents.

Elementary Presentation Trips and Tricks

The following video was created to help presenters prepare to present the Elementary Toolkit. It includes tips and tricks on everything from talking to youth, to setting up a classroom to playing the games and activities outlined in this toolkit. It is a great resource for first-time presenters!

Elementary Presentation Videos

The following videos were created to capture a real-life Elementary Toolkit presentation, so viewers can understand how to play certain games and activities while teaching the Generation Rx messages and interacting with children.

Activity Stations

This section includes a set of stations and a facilitator’s guide to support active  learning about medication safety principles.

Medication Safety Games

This section includes games to help children learn important medication safety  lessons.

“Medication Safety Trivia”

“medication safety: is it candy or medicine”, “medication safety: good choice or bad choice”, supplemental worksheets.

This section includes activities that can be added to your program.

Visual Aids

This section includes visual aids that can be used as standalone tools or with other activities.

Other Resources

FDA’s Kids Home Page The FDA’s Kids’ Homepage is an interactive site detailing everything the FDA does and how it impacts children. The child friendly site offers quizzes, an interactive skeleton named Yorrick, opinion polls, an “In The News” section and more. Its “Health Information for Teens” provides information about drugs, other issues related to drug use and overall health.

Elementary en Español

GenerationRx Elementary en Español (.zip)

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