EDUC 351 Reading and Writing
in the Content Areas, 6-12
2.4
Apply constructivist theory to teach and assess learning effectively.
Lesson Plan
Name: Raymond Dougherty
Subject: Health Education
Virginia SOL:
Start time: 0 minutes
6.1 The student will apply critical-thinking skills and personalmanagement strategies to address issues and concerns related to
personal health and wellness.
6.2 The student will use knowledge of the body’s structures and
functions to make sound decisions related to personal health.
6.4 The student will analyze the consequences of personal choices on
health and wellness.
Lesson Title: Drug Awareness and Prevention
Objectives
1.
TSWBAT list and describe drug facts and statistics to the teacher.
2.
TSWBAT display/discuss appropriate responses to peer pressure.
3.
TSWBAT list ways in which drugs can affect the brain.
4.
TSWBAT reflect on what they have learned by writing a paper about drugs.
Critical vocabulary:
Materials/resources:
Cocaine
Marijuana
Amphetamines
Hallucinogens
Prefrontal Cortex
Amygdala
Paper, pencils, computers/laptops, KWL handouts
Date:2/26/15
Grade: 6th Grade
Stop time: 1 hour
Opiates
Hippocampus
Intro: Once the class is seated and quiet, the teacher will break the students up into groups to begin the initiating
activity, brainstorming. The class will discuss in their groups facts, myths, and misconceptions about drugs. Once
given sufficient time for discussion, the teacher will handout KWL charts to each student. Once finished giving out
handouts the teacher will instruct the class to collaborate with their group members and write down what they
believe they know about drugs in the K column. After they are given time to complete this, they will be instructed
by their teacher to write down what they want to know about drugs individually in the W column. Once finished, the
teacher will call on several students asking them what they want to know about drugs which will lead into the rest
of the lesson.
Body: The next part of the lesson will begin with the teacher having the students split up their groups further by
grabbing a partner and either pulling out laptops or going to the computers. This is for the constructing activity ask
a partner. The students will be directed to this website: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/educators/nida-teachingguides/drugs-and-health-blog-teaching-guides-teen-drug-abuse which will be written on the board by the teacher.
The teacher will then instruct each paring of students to split responsibilities. One student will read the first article
which talks about the teenage brain and its development while the other will read the second article which talks
about different drugs that can be abused. In regards to what the students are specifically looking for, the student
assigned the teenage brain article will write down specific ways in which drugs can adversely affect the brain. The
other partner will concentrate on finding facts which pertain to the drugs in the key vocabulary and how they can
affect the body. When the students have been given enough time to read the articles and write down facts about
them, they will ask their partners intelligent and meaningful questions as to its relevance to our class and any
prevalent information it contained. Once the partners have exchanged notes the students will bring the class back
together for the final activity which will be the conclusion of the lesson.
Closure: The teacher will once again assign the students into groups so that they can come up with and later
perform a skit in front of the class. The skit must be in response to peer pressure. In the skit the students must use
at least three facts and/or statistics they learned today about drugs and the teenage brain in order to articulate an
educated response as to why drugs are bad for you and why you should not use them. Allow the students to plan
and work collaboratively until the end of class. The skit will be performed at the beginning of next class to lead into
substance use and abuse and how peer pressure contributes to it. Before the students are allowed to leave they
must provide the teacher with an exit slip that contains either two facts about a specific drug or two facts about
how drugs affect the brain.
Homework: The students will write a 2-page paper double spaced about how different drugs affect the brain and
body using what they learned today in class.
Assessment: I will assess the student’s mastery of the material in three ways. First is through the use of the exit
slip. They must immediately call upon the information they just learned and went over with their classmates
numerous times. Next I will use the skit to assess the students. Based upon how they are able to act out their skits
I will be able to determine if they grasp the material based upon proper usage in regards to the situation. Finally I
will use the paper as my last means of assessment. They must describe how each of the specific drugs can affect
your body and mind which draws the entire lesson together.