Health Education Lesson Plan

Descriptive Information:
Grade Level: 9th through 12th
Date: October 6th 2016
Content Area: Drugs and Alcohol
Title of Lesson: Marijuana Lesson #1

Key Concept(s) to be Covered in Todays Lesson:

Background knowledge, potential uses and effects on the brain and body, and legal status
of Marijuana
Objective(s):
This is what the students will learn, do, and understand: cognitive, psychomotor, affective.
Cognitive: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the risks and
potentially harmful effects of marijuana use through participation in an in-class debate
Affective: Students will be able to discuss and defend their argument while demonstrating
respect for their classmates throughout the in-class debate
Psychomotor:
State and National Standards:
National Health Education Standards (NHES)
NHES 2.12.3 Students will be able to analyze how peers influence healthy and
unhealthy behaviors
NHES 2.12.4 Students will be able to evaluate how the school and community can
affect personal health practice and behaviors
Pennsylvania Standards in Health, PE, Recreation and Dance (PSAHPERD)
PSAHPERD 10.1.12 D Evaluate issues relating to the use/non-use of drugs
PSAHPERD 10.2.12 E Analyze the interrelationship between environmental factors
and community health
Bell Ringer (Instant Activity):
What do these people have in common?
A PowerPoint Presentation will be created that has pictures of a number of celebrities
Students will have to name what these celebrities all have in common outside of their fame
Introduction to the Lesson (Set Induction):
Marijuana is a drug that plays a large role in our lives and society, particularly in the State
College community. Being in a large college town further increases the prevalence of
marijuana. It is vital that all high school students have an understanding of marijuana and
the potential use and effect of Marijuana on the brain and body, as well as the legal status
of the drug.

Learning Activity(ies) & Directions: Present the Prezi presentation on the following information:
What is Marijuana? (emphasize chemical THC causes effects of marijuana)

Dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa

Cannabis contains psychoactive chemical THC (this is what gives marijuana the effects
that users feel when they take the drug)

Cannabis can be concentrated in resin (Hashish) or a sticky black liquid (hash oil)

THC

Varying levels/forms in marijuana

Low grade = 1-3%
High grade = 10-20%
Hashish = 7-20%
Hash Oil = up to 70%

Picture Slide: Emphasize that marijuana is inhaled using these forms

Hand rolled cigarettes (joints)
Pipes or Water Pipes (bongs)
Cigars emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco
Can be mixed on food/teas
Vape/Vapor liquid form Inhaled through vapor rather than smoking
Short Term Effects Small Doses
Poor memory/ability to learn inability to form new memories effects last two days
Short attention span
Food Cravings
Red glossy eyes
Altered sense of time and space
Short Term Effects Large Doses
Poor memory
Anxiety attacks
Feelings of paranoia
Depression
Delusions
Hallucinations
Lethargic (laziness)

Long Term Effects:

Decrease in IQ by up to 8 points!
Breathing Problems
Suppresses immune system
Memory, learning, and energy are impaired
Reproductive hormones are decreased
Bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, soar throats, coughs, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease
Marijuana and the Teenage Brain:
show the Youtube clip and make sure to ask students if they have any questions
How bad is it?
Considered a Schedule 1 Drug:
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) a schedule 1 drug is a
substance that has no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Has Marijuana be used Medically?
Yes Marijuana has been used to treat:
Nausea
Glaucoma
Seizures
Spasticity
Autoimmune diseases
HIV/AIDS
Alzheimer's Disease
Inflammation
Pain
Medical Marijuana legality in 2016 emphasize medical marijuana legalized in 25 states in 2016 and 4
states have legalized recreational use of marijuana
Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania (specifically point out that smoking marijuana is not approved by
the bill)
On April 12, 2016 Governor Tom Wolf signed a bill into law legalizing the use of medical
marijuana in Pennsylvania
Marijuana in State College
Read article Marijuana Possession Moved from Misdemeanor to Summary Offense in
State College
Following the reading, ask students the following questions:
Thoughts on reduction of punishments for possession/smoking marijuana?
Is it good or bad for the community?

Article Takeaways:
Was:

Now:

Misdemeanor

$250fineforpossession

Onrecord

$350fineforsmoking

LossofFinancialAid/Scholarship
Drugs at Delta:
No student of the State College Area School District shall possess, use, sell, distribute, or
be under the influence of any drugs, controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, behavioraltering legal substances or paraphernalia on school property or at any school related
function or school sponsored activity.
A fine may not seem like much, but a great deal can be affected outside of that due
to drug possession
The Great Marijuana Debate Activity: (emphasize that students can only research their argument using
the resources on resource sheet)

Divide the class in 2 groups

One will debate in favor of Marijuana use
The second will be against Marijuana use

Each group will look at their groups resource sheet and work together to choose what
argument they will present to the class
The researching portion of this debate will last approximately 20 minutes.
Additional time can be given to students if time permits.

After thoroughly researching their topics, each group will debate for approximately 10
minutes
Be sure to walk students through the debate process.
One side of the argument will present information
The other side will then have a chance to come up with a rebuttal.

A ball will be tossed between teams whoever has the ball may speak as the team
representative.

If you want to receive the ball, raise your hand and your teammate or opponent will toss
you the ball. Make sure to say the name of the person and make eye contact before
throwing

Final Thoughts/Conclusion to the Lesson:

Exit Assessment Activity:

Using google classroom, have students type up an in depth response to the following
question: (this activity should take approximately 10 minutes)
Do you believe that Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use?
Medicinal use, or not legalized at all? Why do you feel this way? Defend
each of your answers.

Write common street names and the medical name (cannabis) of marijuana on the board
while students debate (weed, pot, reefer, herb, cannabis)

Regardless on what your opinion is on the marijuana debate, it is important to understand

that the decisions you make regarding these topics can have a lasting impact on your life.

Evaluation of Activity(ies):
I will be able to evaluate my students through the responses that they provide on the exit
assessment. As part of the question, students are required to defend their argument and state why they
feel the way that they do.
This accomplishes the cognitive because students are demonstrating their understanding of the
topic of marijuana. Additionally, as the teacher I would observe their participation in the debate to ensure
that students are accomplishing the affective objective of demonstrating respect for their classmates
throughout the debate.
I will take the information learned through the exit assessment (specifically the side of the
argument that they seem to agree with more) and use to present the results of the anonymous poll to begin
the next class activity. This gives students an understanding of how the class feels about marijuana use
without being intrusive. All of the results of the exit assessment will be kept anonymous.
Classroom Management & Materials
1. Laptop and Projector
2. Students are required to use their tablets
Classroom Management
1. Students will be seated in a circle around the room with half of the class on one
side of the circle and half on the other. Students will face one another and actively
listen and respond throughout the lesson and debate
Content Reference(s)
Buzzed The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy by Cynthia
Kuhn, PhD, Scott Squartzwelder, PhD, and Wilkie Wilson, PhD, Duke University and Duke University
School of Medicine

Activity Reference(s)
https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/
https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/top-ten-reasons-to-end-marijuana-prohibition/
https://www.mpp.org/issues/legalization/gateway-theory-debunked/
http://www.leap.cc/about/why-legalize-drugs
http://www.mjlegal.org/http://norml.org/marijuana
http://www.mjlegal.org/essayspeech.html
http://www.people-press.org/2014/04/02/section-2-views-of-marijuana-legalizationdecriminalization-concerns/
http://www.saveoursociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016-FINAL-Legalization-ofMarijuana-in-Colorado-The-Impact.pdf
http://nrfocus.org/latest_topics/ten-reasons-why-marijuana-should-not-be-legalized/
http://nyln.org/19-primary-pros-and-cons-of-legalizing-weed
https://dfaf.org/assets/docs/Top%20Ten%20Reasons%20Not%20to%20Legalize%20color
%20block%20style.pdf
http://calmusa.org/
http://www.saveoursociety.org/the-issues/medical-marijuana/
http://www.poppot.org/marijuana-legalization-is-wrong/