Common Substances That Can Be Harmful

HEALTH EDUCATION - Lesson 16 - Week 2/8

Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention (4)

HPE Lesson Plans - Health - KHE, 1HE, 2HE, 3HE, 4HE, 5HE

Safety | Mental, Social & Emotional Health | Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention | Growing Up Healthy

Substance ABUSE & Disease Prevention

Common Substances That Can Be Harmful

See below for the following:

Standard(s), Essential Question(s), Big Idea(s)

LEARNING TARGET / SUCCESS CRITERIA

I will recognize that some common substances, such as caffeine and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, can be addictive.

I will describe the harmful effects of caffeine and inhalants.

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PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY

Vocabulary

addiction - the constant need or craving that makes a person use a drug even when s/he knows it is harmful

expiration date - tells you how long it is safe to take the medicine / medicine should not be used after this date

caffeine - a drug found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some soft drinks

inhalants - substances containing dangerous poisons that give off fumes that when breathed in can cause brain damage, severe illness, and even death

OPENING (Engage)

Main Idea

Common household products and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be harmful if they are misused.

Why Learn This?

If you learn about the dangers of common substances, you are more likely to not misuse or abuse them, and unlikely to be harmed by them.

WORK PERIOD (Explore/Explain/Extend/Elaborate)

READ: Common Substances That Can Be Harmful

You probably have heard about the dangers of using illegal drugs. But did you know that common substances around your home can also be dangerous?

What is addiction?

Shawna had a habit of drinking a cup of coffee in the morning. During the day she drank cola beverages and took over-the-counter (OTC) caffeine pills to stay awake. She started to feel nervous all the time. She could not sleep at night. But when she tried to stop drinking the coffee and soft drinks and taking the caffeine pills, she got a bad headache and she felt sleepy all the time. Shawna had an addiction.

An addiction (uh*DIK*shuhn) is the constant need or craving that makes a person use a drug even when s/he knows it is harmful. People who are addicted to a drug feel ill if they don't use it. It's very hard for them to stop using the drug. The more powerful the drug, the harder it is to break an addiction to it. It's easier to break an addiction to coffee that to most addictive drugs. The best way to avoid addiction is to never take addictive drugs. Some illegal drugs can get a person addicted after just one use. No one can predict who is likely to develop an addiction.

How can over-the-counter medicines be harmful?

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be harmful if they are not used correctly. Never take a medicine unless a trusted adult gives it to you. Children should never decide on their own to take medicine.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can clear your stuffy nose. They can get rid of pimples. They can take away pain, soothe a sore throat, or stop an itch. But OTC medicines can also harm you if you misuse or abuse them.

People can misuse medicines in many ways. In most cases they simply don't read labels and follow directions. For example, medicines can be harmful if you take more than the right dosage. They also can be harmful if you take them more often that you should.

Medicines can be harmful if they are old. When adults buy over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, they should check the expiration date on the container. The expiration date (ek*spuh*RAY*shuhn DAYT) tells you how long it is safe to take the medicine. Medicine should no be used after this date. The safety seal also should be checked. Medicine should not be bought if the seal is broken.

Some people use medicines for purposes other than the intended use. For example, some people drink cough syrup because they like the way it makes them feel. Some people take laxatives to help them stay thin. Such practices often lead to serious health problems.

How can caffeine affect the body?

Caffeine (ka*FEEN) is a drug found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some soft drinks. Caffeine speeds up the heart. It makes most people feel more awake.

Like all drugs, caffeine can change the way you feel, think, and act. Small amounts of caffeine will not harm most people. Small amounts of caffeine will not harm most people. Many people drink a cup of coffee in the morning to wake up. However, too much caffeine can cause harmful changes in the body.

Large amounts of caffeine really speed up the heart. Caffeine can cause nervousness and prevent sleep. It also can cause headaches and upset stomachs. Like Shawna, described above, people can become addicted to caffeine. Children, especially, should be careful not to take in too much caffeine. If you are thirsty, drink water, milk, or other caffeine-free products.

How can common substances in the home be harmful?

Products like nail polish remover, spray paint, markers, glue, and oven cleaners are safe when used correctly. But they give off poisonous fumes that can be harmful. Some people inhale these fumes to get high. A "high" is a common way of describing the effects people feel when they use drugs. Substances called inhalants (in*HAY*luhnts) give off fumes that some people sniff deeply to get high.

Substances used as inhalants contain dangerous poisons. Read their labels. Warnings often state that the products must be used where there is fresh air. Inhalants should be stored in a safe place, away from young children and food.

Using inhalants such as correction fluid and marker pens can ruin your health or even kill you.

Inhalants affect may parts of the body. Immediate effects of inhalants include lack of coordination, tiredness, headache, nausea, confusion, and memory loss. People who use inhalants can become violent. Inhalants also can kill. Some inhalant users have died immediately from breathing in these poisons.

People who use inhalants over a long period of time can ruin their health. Inhalants can damage the skin, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Inhalants also can cause serious brain damage.

It is easy to become addicted to inhalants. Many inhalant users become so used to sniffing these poisons that they need more and more to get high. As they inhale larger amounts of the poisons, they increase their risk of serious illness or death.

REMEMBER...Some common substances, such as caffeine and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, can be addictive. Caffeine and inhalants can have harmful effects.

CLOSING (Evaluate)

Complete Lesson Checkup
Finished Early? (sign into BrainPOP using Clever)
- Watch BrainPOP - Addiction
- Watch BrainPOP - Caffeine

Standard(s)

HE4.1a - recognize the relationship between healthy behavior and disease prevention

HE4.3a - identify the characteristics of valid health information, products, and services

HE4.3b - list resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information

HE4.5b - describe the possible consequences of an unhealthy decision and healthy alternatives when making a health-related decision

Essential Question(s)

Are there common substances that can be addictive?
Can caffeine and inhalants harm you?

Big Idea(s)

Some common substances, such as caffeine and over-the-counter medicines can be addictive.
Caffeine can cause feelings of nervousness, upset stomachs, an increased heart rate, troubles sleeping at night, and headaches and sleepiness when stopping the use of caffeine. Inhalants can cause lack of coordination, tiredness, headache, nausea, confusion, damage to skin, damage to lungs, damage to kidneys, damage to the liver, memory loss, serious illness, and in some cases, death.

RESOURCES / INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

see below

DCSD Board-Approved Instruction Materials

Your Health: Teacher's Edition - Grade 4. Harcourt Brace & Company. 1999.

Technology

Google Sites - HPE website
Chromebook
large video screens for whole-class viewing
sound system for sharing of audio
BrainPOP - Addiction
BrainPOP - Caffeine

Google Sites

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