Prohibited substances and methods
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify different types of performance enhancing drugs, their effects and the reasons for and against taking them.
Key learning points
- Anabolic agents, stimulants, peptide hormones (EPO) and blood doping can have positive effects on performance.
- Diuretics can help aid weight loss or mask other drug use.
- Narcotic analgesics can be used to mask pain and allow the athlete to perform, even when injured.
- Athletes using prohibited substances and methods to gain an advantage over others may do so for fame, money and success.
- Athletes using prohibited substances or methods do so at the risk to their health, reputation and career.
Keywords
Anabolic steroids - artificially produced male hormones mimicking testosterone and promote muscle and bone growth, and reduce recovery time
Blood doping - a technique to increase the amount of red blood cells in the body
Beta blockers - drugs that are used to steady nerves by controlling heart rate and have a calming and relaxing effect
Stimulants - drugs that have an effect on the central nervous system, i.e., they increase mental and/or physical alertness
Narcotic analgesics - drugs that can be used to reduce the feeling of pain
Common misconception
All PEDs are automatically illegal and banned substances.
Not all are instantly illegal or banned. For example, some stimulants are legal such as caffeine which is used by many as a stimulant. Beta blockers are available on prescription and therefore have certain restrictions.
Teacher tip
This is a fantastic topic to ask pupils to debate in order to promote deeper thinking around the subject. You could use the motion that "all PEDs should be made legal" or "we should have separate competitions for people who want to use PEDs" (you may include reference to the 'Enhanced Games' idea).
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.To enhance something means ...
Q2.What is a reason the use of some drugs is banned in sport?
Q3.If you perform the named sport, what might persuade you to use a performance enhancing drug? Find the best fit.
a drug that allows you to hold your hand really steady
a drug which allows you to train really hard in the weights room
a drug which helps you to have really fast reaction times
a drug which helps you to deliver more oxygen to your muscles
Q4."Bending the rules to their limit but not breaking them in order to gain an advantage" is a description of what?
Q5.Which of these drinks would you find the stimulating substance called caffeine?
Q6.Which component of the blood is responsible for carrying oxygen?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the performance enhancing drug to the reason athletes might choose to use it.
substances that increase alertness, energy and activity
medications that reduce blood pressure
mask the pain of an injury
to lose weight quickly
Q2.Which of the statements about performance enhancing drugs is true?
Q3.Reducing muscle shakes is a benefit to the performer if they use which PED?
Q4.Match the sport in which performers are most likely to use the PED.
anabolic steroids
stimulants
beta blockers
Q5.How might PED use negatively impact an athlete if caught using a banned substance?
Q6.Which of these statements questions the morality of using PEDs?
To help you plan your 11 physical education lesson on: Prohibited substances and methods, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 physical education lesson on: Prohibited substances and methods, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 physical education lessons from the Socio-cultural influences: ethics and behaviour unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.