Stimulants
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe what stimulants are, explain why people might use them, identify the risks involved and know how to help if someone has taken them.
Key learning points
- A stimulant is a drug which speeds up the central nervous system to increase neural activity in the brain.
- Stimulants raise blood pressure, heart rate and respiration, and reduce sleepiness and the desire to eat.
- There are legal stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine.
- Illegal stimulants include amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy.
- Taking illegal stimulants can have serious physical, psychological and legal consequences.
Keywords
Stimulant - a substance that speeds up the brain and body’s functions, increasing alertness and activity levels
Nervous system - the body’s command system made up of the brain, spinal cord and nerves
Dependency - when a person's body or mind relies on a drug to feel or function normally
Common misconception
All stimulants are illegal.
Not all stimulants are illegal. Caffeine, found in everyday drinks such as coffee and energy drinks, and nicotine, found in cigarettes and vapes, are both legal. However, even legal stimulants can be harmful if used incorrectly or in large amounts.
Teacher tip
The lesson includes organisations which can support people struggling with drug misuse. You may wish to add local charities and organisations specific to the context of your school or setting.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is a stimulant drink that many people have at breakfast?
Q2.Which of these is a part of the nervous system?
Q3.A drug is a substance that changes how the brain and/or works.
Q4.What are the risks of taking someone else's prescribed medication?
Q5.Match the type of drug to its example.
Q6.Why might taking illegal drugs be more risky than taking prescribed medication?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Which of these is an effect that stimulants have on the body?
Q2.Which statement about stimulants is true?
Q3.What is the most important thing to do if someone is having a bad reaction to a stimulant?
Q4.Which of these are illegal stimulants?
Q5.Match each consequence of taking illegal stimulants to its type.
To help you plan your 9 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Stimulants, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Stimulants, 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 3 RSHE (PSHE) lessons from the Risky substances: What do I need to know about illegal and prescription drugs? unit, dive into the full secondary RSHE (PSHE) curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.