Middle School Science Lessons

Essential Question: How does substance abuse affect the human body?

Your research & presentation will focus on the Nervous System and two or more additional body systems of your choice.

Categories to choose from:  If more than one type of substance in each category, focus your research on ONLY 2-3 choices within the category.

1. Huffing: Glues, fumes, nail polish, sprays, gases, solvents, etc…
2. Cannabis: Marijuana and Hashish (Legal vs Illegal)
3. Anabolic Steroids: used to build muscle
4. Alcohol: Beer, wine, and hard liquors
5. Nicotine: Cigarettes and chewing tobacco
6. E-cigarettes/Vaping: Juul, etc 
7. Opiates/Opioids: Opium, Morphine, Codeine, Heroin, Fentanyl (Narcan)
8. Cocaine: Cocaine
9. Crack: Crack
10. Methamphetamine & Speed: stimulants
11. Classic hallucinogens: LSD, Psilocybin, Peyote, DMT, Mescaline
12. Dissociative hallucinogens: PCP, Ketamine, DXM, Salvia
13. Club Drugs: Ecstasy (X) or Molly, GHB, Rohypnol
14. Prescription Drugs – Pain Management: Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Percocet, Vicodin
15. Prescription Drugs – Mental Health – Valium, Xanax, Adderall, Zoloft, Benzodiazepines

Basic Requirements:

• Time Frame: 8 – 15 minute (max) presentation 

• Public Speaking:
  • Use of notecards and/or script, or from memory
  • Do not read directly off of the Google Slides

• Information: presented accurately, sources are cited on a Google Doc

• Prop/Demo: a prop and short demonstration or explanation related to your topic, no real items may be used ex: alcohol bottle, cigarettes, vape, etc

• Design: Use of pictures, graphs, colors, layout
  • Don’t ‘crowd’ your slides, more does not equal better
  • Large font & easy to read
  • There must be one or more related images per slide
  • Talking points that you can elaborate with cue cards/script

Information: Here are some GUIDING questions to help you get started, this is not a complete list:

1. What is it? What are some common names that it is known as?
   1. What category does this substance fit into?
2. Where does it come from? How is it made?
   1. Brief history of the substance and its abuse
   2. Does this substance have a legal use?
   3. How is it manufactured?
   4. Where does it come from? 
3. Who uses this substance? 
   1. Is it more prevalent in certain parts of the country, social classes, and ages of the users?
   2. Why do people use this certain substance? Emotional? Physical? Financial? Easy to get? 
4. What are the effects of this substance on the body?
   1. How does this substance enter the body?
   2. What does it do to the nervous system? The brain?
      1. Include 2-3 additional body systems
   3. Can permanent damage to the body occur?
   4. Is it addictive? How strong and why is it addictive?
   5. Once you are addicted, how hard is it to stop using the substance?
   6. How can Rehab help someone stop their addiction? Does it always work?
   7. Statistics on Deaths, Hospitalization, Sickness

Sources to help you start your research:

• Nemours Kids Health – Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco
• Drug Free.com – Drug Guides for commonly used substances
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – Information on how it affects the human brain
  • different substances that are abused, 
  • trends for 8th and 12th graders
  • NIDA for Teens – more info geared towards Teens
• The Science of Addiction – lots of resources and interactive features that show how substance abuse affects the body
• NIAAA – Dedicated to Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism