8 Session Sample Curriculum
Day 1: To learn how the brain functions, including the structures and pathways in the brain; to understand the unique features of the adolescent brain and its vulnerability to addiction; to understand the ways the brain reacts to drugs.
Day 2: To develop a definition of addiction, discus addiction physiology and the brain’s response to drugs, address addiction myths; provide information about effects of addiction.
Day 3: To understand nicotine and its addictive properties; to learn how tobacco companies design tobacco properties to be addictive.
Day 4: Learn about the history of tobacco in the United States; identify the targeted marketing practices used by tobacco companies; understand the differences in tobacco products, including their respective risks.
Day 5: Learn about the effects that nicotine in pod-based systems has on the adolescent body and brain; understand the appeal of pod-based systems among adolescents in order to counter the appeal
Day 6: Obtain accurate knowledge about how e-cigarettes/vape pens are made to work; understand the mechanisms by which the products of e-cigarettes/vape pens enter (or are absorbed) into the body.
Day 7: Identify predatory marketing strategies employed by tobacco and e-cigarettes/vape pen industry; understand specific marketing strategies that e-cigarettes/vape pen manufacturers and the tobacco industry use to increase use among adolescents; explore and understand the appeal of e-cigarettes/vape pens among adolescents in order to counter the appeal.
Day 8: Understand information about smokeless tobacco and hookah.
This is a suggested 8-session curriculum that educators can use over a 8-day or 8-period course, with 50-minute sessions. Before using the curriculum, we suggest that educators become familiar with the material including reviewing the teacher-focused crash courses.
Educators should go through each unit and download the PowerPoint for class presentation. Educators should also download the accompanying activities for in-class activities. Speakers' notes are embedded in the PowerPoint. Activities are meant to be printed for students before class begins. We refer to any 50 minute period as a "Session." Sessions can be done once weekly, on consecutive days, or multiple sessions per day, depending on individual need.
Addiction (Sessions 1-3)
Tobacco Products (Sessions 4)
E-cigarettes and Vape Pens (Sessions 5-7)