Grade 6 · Health Education
Quarter 3 · Week 7 · TEKS
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This lesson helps Grade 6 students identify and describe effective strategies to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including opioids. Students will learn about healthy decision-making, refusal skills, and the benefits of delaying substance use. The lesson includes direct teaching, guided practice, and reflection activities aligned with TEKS standards.
Students should understand basic concepts of personal health and safety, including the importance of making healthy choices and respecting personal boundaries.
Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including opioids, are substances that can harm the body and mind. Opioids are a type of drug often prescribed for pain but can be dangerous if misused. Understanding what these substances are and their effects helps students recognize why avoiding them is important.
Effective strategies include saying no firmly, avoiding situations where substances are present, choosing friends who do not use substances, and engaging in healthy activities like sports or hobbies. These strategies help students resist peer pressure and make safe choices.
Refusal skills are ways to say no confidently and respectfully when offered substances. Examples include saying, "No thanks, I don't want to," changing the subject, or walking away. Practicing these skills helps students prepare for real-life situations.
Delaying use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs helps protect the body and brain as they develop. It reduces the risk of addiction and health problems. Students who delay use often have better academic and social outcomes.
Peer pressure can influence students to try substances. Recognizing peer pressure and choosing healthy behaviors instead helps maintain safety and well-being. Students learn to respect their own boundaries and make decisions that support their health.
In a scenario, a friend offers you a cigarette at a party. How can you refuse using refusal skills?
A student can say firmly and clearly, "No thanks, I don't want to smoke," or "I'm choosing to stay healthy." They can also change the subject or walk away. This shows confidence and respect for their own choice.
Say, "No thanks, I don't want to smoke," and suggest doing something else or walk away from the situation.
You notice your friends are going to a place where alcohol might be used. What strategy can you use to avoid this situation?
Choosing to avoid places where substances are present helps prevent pressure to use them. The student can suggest another activity or choose to spend time elsewhere.
Say, "I don't want to go there," and suggest a different activity or stay with friends who don't use substances.
Introduce the topic by asking students what they know about alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Share a brief story or example of a situation where someone might be offered these substances.
Share their ideas and experiences about substances and discuss why people might say yes or no to them.
This phase activates prior knowledge and sets the context for learning about strategies to avoid substance use.
Present different scenarios where students might be offered alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. Guide students to identify possible strategies to avoid using substances in each scenario.
Work in pairs or small groups to discuss each scenario and suggest ways to say no or avoid the situation.
Students practice applying strategies in realistic contexts to build understanding and confidence.
Define and explain key strategies such as refusal skills, avoiding risky situations, and choosing supportive friends. Discuss the benefits of delaying substance use.
Take notes and ask questions about the strategies and benefits.
This phase provides clear definitions and explanations to solidify understanding of avoidance strategies and their importance.
Lead role-play activities where students practice refusal skills in peer pressure scenarios. Facilitate reflection on how it felt and what worked well.
Participate in role-plays, practicing saying no and avoiding substance use. Reflect on their experiences.
Role-playing helps students develop practical skills and confidence to apply strategies in real life.
Ask students to write or share three strategies they would use to avoid alcohol, tobacco, or drugs and explain why these strategies are important.
Complete the task individually or in pairs, explaining their choices.
This assessment checks students' understanding and ability to apply avoidance strategies.
Work in pairs or small groups to discuss each scenario and suggest ways to say no or avoid the situation.
What is one substance you should avoid to stay healthy?
Alcohol, tobacco, or drugs such as opioids.
Name two strategies you can use to avoid trying tobacco.
Saying no firmly and avoiding places where tobacco is used.
Describe how you would use refusal skills if someone offered you alcohol at a party.
Say no clearly and confidently, explain wanting to stay healthy, and walk away if needed.
Why is it important to delay using alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs until you are older?
Delaying use protects the developing body and brain, reduces risk of addiction, and supports better health.
Imagine your close friends are using opioids, but you want to avoid them. What strategies can you use to maintain your choice and stay safe?
Use refusal skills, avoid situations with opioids, find supportive friends, and engage in healthy activities.
Provide sentence starters for refusal skills. Use visual aids to explain strategies. Allow role-plays in small groups for practice.
Use simple language and visuals to explain key terms. Model refusal phrases clearly and slowly. Pair ELL students with supportive peers for activities.
Challenge students to create their own scenarios and refusal strategies. Discuss the impact of substance use on communities. Explore how media influences perceptions of substance use.
Encourage students to talk with their family about the strategies they learned for avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Ask them to share ways their family supports healthy choices and discuss how they can help each other stay safe.
Students learned to identify and describe strategies for avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including opioids. They practiced refusal skills, understood the importance of delaying substance use, and explored ways to make healthy choices despite peer pressure. These skills help protect their health and support positive decision-making.
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