Drugs and Society
WHS Drugs CG PE
| Unit | Timeframe | Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions) | Major Learning Experiences from Unit (what do you want kids to know and be able to do) |
| Unit 1 - Introduction, Course syllabus expectations, Common Language | 3 Class periods | A Common Language What is addiction? What are the behaviors of addicts? What are key terms when talking about addiction |
Definition of Drug use/Misuse/Abuse, distinguishing between substance abuse and misuse, key terms related to addiction and what is addiction, psychoactive vs. non-psychoactive |
| Unit 2 - Drugs and the Brain How Drugs act on the brain |
5 Class Periods | How do drugs affect the brain? What causes the high? Neurotransmitters | Distinguishing parts of the brain Distinguishing between emotions, how we feel when we see pictures that make us happy/sad/angry and how it relates to addiction Overview of the nervous system Neurological responses Long term health effects of drug use on the brain Short term health effects Overview of the anatomy of nervous system |
| Unit 3 - The process of Addiction | 2-3 Class Periods | What happens when individuals become addicted to drugs? | Physical Dependence, Route of Administration, Tolerance, Withdrawal, Set an setting, Cross Tolerance, Synergism, Antagonism |
| Unit 4 - Classifications of Drugs | 4 Class periods | What are different drug classifications and what drugs go into each classification? | Research different drug classifications Research street names of drugs Health effects of commonly abused drugs |
| Unit 5 - Stimulant Drugs | 5 Class Periods | What are the major stimulant drugs? How many overdoses a year? Dangers of Vaping and Tobacco products | What are stimulant drugs? Cocaine/Crystal meth fact sheets- note taking Vaping Cigarette/nicotine tobacco Dangers of vaping products |
| Unit 6 - Depressant /Narcotic | 5 Class Periods | What are depressant drugs? What is the difference between depressants and narcotics? |
How do narcotics contribute to the heroin epidemic? What are depressant drugs? Street names for Depressant drugs What is Fentanyl? How does alcohol affect drunk driving? Physical effects of depressants/narcotics Why overdoses occur How narcotics work in helping with pain management |
| Unit 7 - Marijuana/Cannabis | 3 Class Periods | Dangers of Marijuan/Cannabis Medicinal uses Legalization |
Physical Effects of Marijuana Legalization-controversy (debate) What states are legalizing marijuana and what are their policies? Dangers of Marijuana Medicinal use of Marijuana |
| Unit 8 - Club Drugs and Case Studies | 3 Class Periods | Dangers of Club Drugs, MDMA, MOLLY, review of all drugs and effects | What are club drugs? Effects of Club drugs? Review of all previous drugs, physical effects through case studies Create RAFT project Assessment |
| Unit 9 - Social Structures and Drug Use | 5-6 Class Periods | What communities are affected by drug use the most and WHY? | Social Structure Economic Structure At “risk population” what are they? What does it mean to be “at risk” Immigrant communities and drug use Low income communities and drug use |
| Unit 10 - Drug Culture | 3 Class Periods | How does the media, TV, social media, music impact drug use | Drug culture in music,youth, hippies, raves Why is it so popular in these areas? |
| Unit 11 - War on Drugs | 5 Class Periods | War on Drugs Drugs and Crime |
What is the war on drugs? Over of war on drugs Historical timeline Myths Vs Facts U.S. Prison population and the drug war Different communities and the war on drugs |
| Unit 12 - Support and Drug Prevention | 6 Class Periods | Public Health Policies and approaches to drug policy and treatment | Local support and Drug prevention Public health policy AA/NA meetings Support groups The role of a drug/alcohol counselor Research Acts What does Waltham have? What does Massachusetts have? What does the US have? |