Aims of the unit:

• To learn the basic facts about commonly used substances: physical and mental effects, categories of drugs and the legal consequences if drug and alcohol use
• To look at the effects of substance misuse on the user, friends and family, the community and nationally.
• To realise the power of peer pressure and learn some techniques in resisting

Week 1 Activities

• Beach Ball Boogaloo
• Flip chart Circus
• Create substance information sheet
• Share findings

Week 2 Activities

• Beach Ball Boogaloo
• Watch Buzzin’ DVD about solvents
• Complete worksheets on DVD.
• Speed dating opinion poll
• Analyse the lyrics of the song The A Team by Ed Sheerin charting a young girls drug addiction and the effect it has had on her life

Week 3 Activities

• Visit to the local police station/ from a local drugs worker.
• Project work using cuttings from the local press
• Statisitical analysis of smoking, drug and alcohol use in 13 and 15 year olds in Scotland using recent government reports.

Week 4 Activities
Complete projects and present to the rest of the class summing up the effects of substance misuse in our community and providing ideas for solutions to the problem.

Week 5 Activities

• Class assessment – How Much Do You Know?
• How to say “no” and mean it!
• Role Play