The Misuse of Prescription Stimulants
Scholastic and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) created a powerful lesson to make students aware of prescription stimulants and their impact if abused.
The lesson by (NIDA) is for grades 6-12, and I focused on applying the lesson in a 6th-grade class. The students will begin a class discussion by reading the article " What You Need to Know About Perscription Stimulants." Throughout the reading, students learn about different medications and why there are used to help treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, students will learn terms like Dopamine and Norepinephrine, which are chemicals needed in a balance to help with focus and problem-solving skills. Knowing the purpose of prescription drugs can scaffold the learning of the dangers of misusing them and the risk of addiction. During the class reading of the article, students will also discuss how misusing prescription drugs can lead to lower grades, a lack of creativity, and increased anxiety. After completing the article, the students will work together on the "Important Facts About Addiction" worksheet. The activity worksheet includes previous terms such as addiction and risk factors. Students are then asked to create an infographic focusing on how they can risk addiction by misusing prescription stimulants and other drugs and how to get help.
Link to the lesson: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/lesson-plans/what-you-need-know-about-prescription-stimulants
A strength of the lesson is that it brings up a complex topic in a manner that students can feel comfortable learning about. In addition, the class discussion passage provides background information on words that students might know have complete knowledge about, and there is a corresponding vocabulary list, which is a valuable strength. A weakness of the lesson is that I would provide an alternative to an infographic, having students create a poster or write an informative story about their knowledge and how to spread awareness of misusing prescription stimulants and other drugs.
This week's topic of understanding prescription drugs and their purpose is significant to discuss with young adults. Though it is a challenging topic, providing a safe space for students to learn and feel free to consult with their peers and ask questions can help lower the percentage of young students misusing prescription medication.
References:
Important Facts About Addiction (2021).National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Link
What You Need to Know About Prescription Stimulants (2021). Scholastic and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Link
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI find it extremely important for students to be aware of prescription drugs. If students are aware of what prescription drugs do, this will allow them to be more knowledgable about taking them. Using this type of lesson in 6th grade is important because this is the age where most kids try new things. When reading your blog I found it to be effective that this lesson includes a vocabulary list. Students in 6th grade may not understand the meaning of certain words/definitions, so in order to make sure they are understanding the lesson the vocabulary list is important. I agree that incorporating a thinking routine before reading the article will help the students to better understand the topic. Some students are aware of prescription drugs and the outcome that they can cause so having those students share what they already know about the topic will help in furthering their knowledge. As a future educator, it is important to have a comfortable and safe environment for students so that they view their teacher as a role model. if students are comfortable with their teachers, this will allow them to pay more attention to lessons and understand the importance especially with the topic of prescription drugs.