Educating Students about Drug Use and Mental Health - Grade 9: Expectation 5 Teaching Learning Strategy 1

Gr 9 Over

5 T/L S 1

5 T/L S 2

5 T/L S 3

5 T/L S 4

5 T/L S 5

Demonstrate and use decision-making and assertion skills with respect to media influences and peer pressure related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Activity 5: Using Strategies to Manage Substance Use and Abuse — Teaching/Learning Strategies

Bold text between the orange lines are excerpts from Grade 9 Healthy Active Living Education Course Profile, Unit 3, Activities 4 & 5.

Teaching/Learning Strategy 1:

Walk students through the steps of a decision-making model. Use a relevant drug related problem (e.g., being offered a ride from someone who had been drinking). The model should include:

Identify the decision to be made. (What is it? Is there more than one?)
Discuss the decision options and their consequences. (What are the positive and negative consequences?)
Evaluate the options and select a choice. (Which solution is the best choice?)
Act on your decision. (Follow through. Is there anything else you need to consider?)
Learn from your decision. (What did you learn? Would you make the same choice again?)

Encourage students to learn the acronym “IDEAL” to remember these steps.

Suggested Drug-Related Scenarios:

1. John and Omar are playing baseball in the park. Richard arrives and starts to brag about his skills and abilities. "Hey! You could hit home runs, too, if you tried these!" he said, showing them some pills. He explained that the pills would help them to "bulk up". He offers both boys some pills to try. Discuss what John and Omar should do.

2. Your boyfriend's/girlfriend's parents are away for the weekend. He or she invites you over to watch movies on Saturday night. When you arrive, you discover that an older sister has bought some beer to liven up the evening. After your first beer, you start to have second thoughts, but you don't want to lose your boyfriend/girlfriend. What should you do?

3. The principal of your high school speaks to your class regarding a classmate who has been hospitalized for a near-fatal drug overdose. The school staff and the classmate's parents are worried that if the person trafficking the drugs isn't caught, someone else could suffer the same fate. It is suggested that all information can be reported anonymously. You are aware of a classmate, with whom you are friends, who sells these drugs. What should you do?

I.D.E.A.L. Problem-Solving Worksheet:

Identify the problem:

________________________________________________________

Discuss (describe) or list three possible ways you might choose to
help solve the problem.

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

Evaluate each solution. How would choosing the solution make the problem better or worse?

Solution 1.	Better because:	Worse because:
Solution 2.	Better because:	Worse because:
Solution 3.	Better because:	Worse because:

The best solution is # __________.

Act on a plan to use the best solution. Describe how you plan to use the best solution.

Learn about your plan. How do you think your plan will turn out?

Educating Students about Drug Use and Mental Health - Grade 9: Expectation 5 Teaching Learning Strategy 1

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