How Alcohol Harms Body Systems

HEALTH EDUCATION - Lesson 4 - Week 4/8

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

4TH GRADE VIRTUAL HEALTH

L1: Medicines Affect the Body| L2: Common Substances That Can Be Harmful | L3: How Tobacco Harms Body Systems | L4: How Alcohol Harms Body Systems | L5: Saying No to Alcohol & Tobacco | L6: Why People Become Ill| L7: Infectious Diseases | L8: Fighting Infectious Diseases | L9: Noninfectious Diseases | L10: Staying Well

Substance ABUSE & Disease Prevention

How Alcohol Harms Body Systems

See below for the following:

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


LEARNING TARGET / SUCCESS CRITERIA

I will describe alcohol and the harm it causes to body systems and behavior.

I will identify some effects of problem drinking.

---------------------------------------------------

PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY

Vocabulary

alcohol - a drug found in drinks such as beer and wine and in liquors such as vodka, gin, rum, and brandy

blood alcohol level (BAL) - the amount of alcohol in a person's blood

cirrhosis - a liver disease that results from drinking too much alcohol

intoxicated - being strongly affected by alcohol

alcoholism - a disease in which a person is addicted to alcohol and cannot stop drinking without help

alcoholic - a person who suffers from the disease of alcoholism


OPENING (Engage)

Main Idea

Alcohol is an addictive drug that can harm the body and mind.

Why Learn This?

Knowing the dangers of alcohol can help you refuse to use it.


WORK PERIOD (Explore/Explain/Extend/Elaborate)

READ: How Alcohol Harms Body Systems

Do you know the difference between legal and illegal drugs? Legal drugs can be bough in stores. But it is against the law to buy, sell, or use illegal drugs. Some drugs are legal for adults to use but illegal for young people. Alcohol is a drug that is legal for adults to use, if they use it responsibly.

What is alcohol?

Alcohol is a drug found in drinks such as beer and wine and in liquors such as vodka, gin, rum, and brandy. A single serving of most types of alcoholic drinks contains the same amout of alcohol. One 12-ounce bottle of beer has about the same amount of alcohol as 5 ounces of wine or an ounce and a half of liquor.

The more a person drinks, the higher the person's blood alcohol level will be. Blood alcohol level (BAL) is the amount of alcohol in a person's blood. For example, a person who drinks two beers will have a blood alcohol level of 0.04 and may have trouble remembering things.

Alcohol changes the way a person feels, acts, and thinks. It also changes the way the body works. People may find it hard to walk or speak after drinking alcohol. Size and age can affect how the body responds to alcohol. After drinking the same amount of alcohol, a person who is small will have a higher blood alcohol level (BAL) than will someone who is large. Young people often feel the effects of alcohol more intensely than do older people.

Why do some people use alcohol?

Some adults drink alcohol as part of religious ceremonies, cultural events, or celebrations. For example, some people drink champagne at weddings. Others drink small amounts of wine in church as part of a ceremony.

Some adults have small amounts of wine or beer with meals or at parties. Most adults who drink in these instances do not have problems with alcohol. Alcohol does not interfere with their work or family life.

But some people drink too much alcohol, or drink it too often. They may drink to relax or to hide feelings of loneliness, nervousness, or depression. They may become addicted to alcohol. They crave alcohol and need it more and more often.

Some young people begin using alcohol because they see adults using it. They are curious about its effects. They think drinking alcohol will make them seem grown up. Many young people think drinking alcohol will increase their fun. Other young people may try alcohol because their friends pressure them to try it. They want to feel part of a group.

How can alcohol harm body systems?

The food a person eats is slowly digested into nutrients that are small enough to enter the bloodstream. The blood then delivers these nutrients to all parts of the body. Alcohol does not need to be digested. Instead, it goes directly into the bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. The blood then quickly carries alcohol to the brain.

Alcohol slows down the brain. Because the brain controls the body's functions, alcohol can have many immediate effects, including:

Alcohol changes the way a person feels, too. After one drink an average-sized adult might feel relaxed. After several drinks the person might feel ill, sleepy, angry, or depressed.

Long-time overuse of alcohol can damage the brain permanently. Alcohol affects the way a person thinks and makes decisions and can affect memory. Long-term heavy drinking affects the nervous system and can cause stomach cancer. Drinking too much alcohol also contributes to heart disease.

Other organs of the body, especially the liver, can be damaged by heavy drinking. The liver cleans the blood of poisons, such as alcohol. It also stores some nutrients the body needs. Alcohol can cause the liver to work too hard. Cirrhosis (suh*ROH*suhs) is a liver disease that results from drinking too much alcohol. The liver can become so damaged that it won't work anymore. The drinker can die.

Many heavy drinkers do not eat well. Alcohol makes it hard for the body to absorb nutrients from food. A heavy drinker may suffer from malnutrition because the body doesn't get all the nutrients it needs.


Alcohol in the Body


Driving after drinking alcohol is dangerous.

Driving after drinking alcohol is dangerous. So is riding with a driver who has been drinking. Alcohol affects many skills that are needed to drive safely.


How does problem drinking affect people?

A problem drinker is often intoxicated from drinking too much alcohol. Being intoxicated (in*TAHK*suh*kay*tuhd) means being strongly affected by alcohol. Intoxicated people behave differently than they would if they were not drinking. They have trouble thinking and making good decisions. They may say things that make others angry. They lose friends.

Problem drinkers may get into serious situations that hurt themselves and others. They cause car crashes that may harm or kill themselves and other people. Sometimes problem drinkers fall asleep when smoking cigarettes, resulting in fires that can harm themselves and others.

Problem drinkers often miss work or do a poor job. As a result, they may have trouble keeping a job. Young drinkers can't concentrate on schoolwork and often miss school. As they lose interest in their classes, their grades fall.

Problem drinkers often are addicted to alcohol. They cannot stop drinking without help. They have a disease called alcoholism (AL*ku*haw*lih*zuhm). A person who has this disease is called an alcoholic (al*kuh*HAW*lik).

The families of alcoholics often suffer. People who are intoxicated can't think about the needs of others -- not even family members. Alcohol makes some people verbally and physically abusive. Some intoxicated people become violent and destroy property. They may hurt others or be arrested by the police. Their behavior can change from day to day.


CLOSING (Evaluate)


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)


Big Idea(s)


RESOURCES / INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS


DCSD Board-Approved Instruction Materials


Technology