Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 6
Life Skills Topic for Term 4, Week 2
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Life Skills Topic for Term 4, Week 2
Download the Lessonotes Mobile South Africa app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Life Skills
Class: Grade 6
Term: Term 4
Week: 2
Theme: General lesson support
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Substance abuse is a serious problem in South Africa, affecting individuals, families, and communities. Understanding the dangers of substance abuse, especially alcohol and tobacco, is crucial for Grade 6 learners to make informed and healthy choices. Early prevention is key, as children are often exposed to these substances through their environment and sometimes even by older peers or family members. Learning about the risks, understanding how addiction works, and developing refusal skills are essential life skills that will empower learners to resist negative peer pressure and make healthy choices for their future.
What is Substance Abuse? Substance abuse is the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and tobacco. These substances can alter your mood, behaviour, and perceptions. It's important to remember that using these substances, especially when you are young, can have serious consequences for your health and well-being.
Alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant drug found in drinks like beer, wine, and spirits (brandy, gin, vodka, whiskey). In South Africa, alcohol abuse is a significant problem, contributing to accidents, violence, and health issues. Even though the legal drinking age is 18, exposure and experimentation often start much earlier.
Immediate Effects of Alcohol: These are the effects you feel soon after drinking alcohol.
They include: Loss of coordination (difficulty walking straight) Slurred speech (difficult to understand what you're saying) Slowed reaction time (making it dangerous to drive or operate machinery later in life) Impaired judgment (making poor decisions) Nausea and vomiting Headache (hangover)
Long-Term Effects of Alcohol: These are the health problems that can develop over time from regular alcohol use.
They include: Liver damage (cirrhosis) Heart problems Brain damage Increased risk of certain cancers Addiction (alcoholism)
Addiction: Alcohol is addictive. This means that your body can become dependent on it, and you will experience withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using it. Withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and can even be dangerous.
Tobacco: Tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive drug. It is most commonly used in the form of cigarettes, but it can also be found in snuff, pipe tobacco, and e-cigarettes (vapes). Smoking is a major cause of preventable death and disease in South Africa and worldwide.
Immediate Effects of Tobacco: These are the effects you feel soon after smoking or using tobacco.
They include: Increased heart rate and blood pressure Bad breath Yellow teeth Reduced sense of taste and smell Long-Term Effects of Tobacco: These are the health problems that can develop over time from regular tobacco use.
They include: Lung cancer Heart disease Stroke Emphysema (a lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe)
Addiction (nicotine addiction)
Addiction: Nicotine is highly addictive. This means that your body can become dependent on it, and you will experience withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using it. Withdrawal symptoms can include irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and cravings.
Peer Pressure: Peer pressure is the influence that people your age (your peers) can have on you. It can be positive, but it is often negative, leading you to do things you wouldn't normally do, such as trying alcohol or tobacco. In South Africa, many young people start using these substances because of peer pressure.
How Peer Pressure Works: Peers often try to influence each other to fit in or be accepted. They might offer you alcohol or a cigarette, make fun of you if you refuse, or tell you that it will make you look cool.
How to Resist Peer Pressure: Say "No" firmly: Be clear and assertive in your refusal.
Suggest an alternative activity: Suggest something else to do that doesn't involve alcohol or tobacco. Hang out with friends who don't use substances: Choose friends who make healthy choices. Avoid situations where substances are being used: If you know that your friends will be drinking or smoking, try to avoid those situations.
Blame your parents: A good excuse is “My parents will kill me if they find out.” Media Influence: Advertisements often portray alcohol and tobacco use as glamorous, cool, and socially acceptable. This can be misleading and can influence young people to start using these substances. It's important to be critical of these messages and to understand that they are designed to sell products, not to promote your health and well-being.
Scenario: Your older cousin offers you a sip of his beer at a family braai. He says it's "just a taste" and that it won't hurt.
Why this is a problem: Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your judgment and coordination. It's also illegal for someone under 18 to drink alcohol. Family pressure can make it harder to refuse.
How to resist: "No thanks, I don't like the taste of beer. I'd rather have some juice." (Be polite but firm. Offer an alternative.) Or, "No, thanks, my parents would be really angry if I drank alcohol." (Blaming your parents is a very effective strategy.)
Scenario: Your friends at school start vaping. They pressure you to try it, saying it's "just flavoured air" and that it's not addictive.
Why this is a problem: Vaping contains nicotine, which is highly addictive. It can also damage your lungs. Peer pressure to fit in can be strong.
How to resist: "No, thanks, I don't want to damage my lungs. Plus, vaping is really expensive, and I’d rather save my pocket money for something else." (Explain your reasons clearly.) Alternatively, simply stating that you have asthma, whether true or not, can often deter pressuring peers.
Scenario: You see advertisements for alcohol that show people having fun at parties.
Why this is a problem: These ads try to make you think alcohol is necessary for having a good time. They don't show the negative consequences of alcohol use.
How to resist: Recognize that these are just advertisements. They are designed to sell a product. Think about the real consequences of alcohol use, such as accidents and health problems.
Guided Practice (With Solutions)
Question 1: Define substance abuse in your own words.
Solution: Substance abuse is the harmful or dangerous use of substances like alcohol and tobacco, which can change your mood, behaviour, and health. It can lead to addiction and other problems.
Question 2: List three immediate effects of alcohol consumption.