What the lesson is about

Lessons on drugs and alcohol, with the right resources, can become a forum for enjoyable debate. This collection of resources could be used to refresh schemes of work and enhance lessons on this topic.

How to use it

There is a selection of video resources available on drugs and alcohol, including a series of short clips from Teachers TV, where teenagers talk about their life experiences, that could be used as a lesson starter or a springboard for discussion.

Another, from the charity Drugscope, looks at the increase in drug use across the UK and how the soaring supply of drugs is making them cheaper.

A simple quiz on alcohol (southern_belle) will work with pupils with mild learning difficulties, and can be used in conjunction with another resource on handling anger if you are looking at the impact of alcohol on behaviour.

A PowerPoint on drugs, uploaded by Brummy Boy, looks at the penalties for possession of and supplying drugs and the effects of cannabis on the body. He has also uploaded a resource on class A and class B drugs, with a particular focus on heroin and speed: their street names, effects, risks and penalties.

A lot of pupils may claim to know a lot about drugs, so a quiz can make a useful starter activity or stimulate discussion: Japonica 23 has created a drugs awareness quiz that asks the class to identify drugs simply by their appearance.

To look at the impact of drugs use on others, Charlie Seatherton has uploaded a speech bubble activity where pupils must consider who is affected by 15-year-old Robert’s use of drugs.

Where to find it

www.tes.co.ukdrugsalcohol.