What You Need to Know About Prescription Stimulants

When taken as prescribed, prescription stimulants can safely and effectively treat ADHD. But misusing them has serious health risks, including addiction. In this lesson, developed in partnership with Scholastic, students read the article “What You Need to Know About Prescription Stimulants” to help them understand the very real health risks of misusing these drugs. Then, assign the “Important Facts About Addiction” activity sheet, and guide students to synthesize what they have learned by creating an eye-catching infographic for other teens. Suggestions for remote learning are included.

Lesson Plan Highlights:

This lesson includes:

  • Lesson
  • Student activity sheets
  • Student article
  • Teacher's prompts

Grade Level(s):

6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  11,  12 

Student Skills:

  • Analyzing and interpreting information, data, and/or evidence
  • English language arts
  • Health and life skills

Time / Duration:

  • 60-90 minutes

Materials:

  • Printer/copier for student handouts (if meeting in person)

Languages:

  • English

Academic Standards:

    Common Core State Standards

    • RI.2. Summarize key supporting details of a text
    • RI.9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar topics in order to build knowledge
    • W.2. Write informative texts to convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through effective selection and organization of content

    Next Generation Science Standards

    • Cause and effect
    • Information processing
    • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Teacher’s Guide and Student Worksheet