Recreational drug use: depressants
Lesson details
Learning outcome
You can explain the effects of alcohol on the body in both the short and long term.
Key learning points
- Medicines are drugs that people take when they are ill.
- People consume other drugs for recreation, including caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.
- Recreational drugs can be classified as depressants or stimulants.
- Depressants slow down thinking and reaction times.
- Alcohol is a legal depressant, but long-term alcohol use can damage the brain and liver.
Keywords
Drug - A drug is a medicine or other substances that has a physiological effect when introduced into the body.
Recreation - Something that is done for fun is recreational.
Legal - If something is legal it is allowed by the law.
Illegal - If something is illegal it is not allowed by the law.
Depressant - A depressant slows down the messages sent from the brain to the nerves.
Common misconception
Because alcohol is legal it isn't as harmful as other drugs.
Alcohol is related to many lifestyle diseases. The WHO estimated 5 % of all deaths are related to alcohol.
Teacher tip
Discuss each one of the diseases associated with alcohol. Explain that alcohol can cross the placenta to the unborn foetus which is what causes foetal alcohol syndrome.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these could increase your risk of high blood pressure?
Q2.True or false? Chemicals that are harmful to a pregnant mother cannot affect the foetus.
Q3.Which of the following drugs is found in cigarettes?
Q4.When the blood vessels in a person’s brain become blocked they can have a ...
Q5.Match up the key term to the definition.
Q6.Antibiotics are a type of drug that are used to treat which type of pathogen?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the type of drug to the definition.
Q2.Which of these drugs are stimulants?
Q3.True or false? A depressant can speed up the messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
Q4.Which of these diseases have a link to alcohol abuse?
Q5.The drug is found in vapes and cigarettes.
Q6.Which answer best describes why someone shouldn’t drink and drive?
To help you plan your 9 science lesson on: Recreational drug use: depressants, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 science lesson on: Recreational drug use: depressants, 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 science lessons from the Disease and drugs unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.