Author: jmcminn

Year 5
(Term 3 )

How can drugs common to everyday life affect health?
PSHE (Drugs, alcohol and tobacco)

In this unit the children will:
Learn how medicines, when used responsibly, contribute to health. That some diseases can be prevented by vaccinations and immunisations and that medicines can help manage allergies.
Explore the risks and effects of legal drugs common to everyday life (eg cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vaping, alcohol and medicines) and their impact on health
Recognise that drug use can become a habit which can be difficult to break; about the organisations that can support people concerned about alcohol, tobacco, nicotine or other drug use
Understand that there are laws surrounding the use of legal drugs and that some drugs are illegal to own, use and give to others
Learn about why people choose to use or not use drugs (including nicotine, alcohol and medicines) and about mixed messages in the media about drugs, including alcohol and smoking/vaping

Key Vocabulary
medicine—a drug for the treatment or prevention of disease
vaccination—treatment to produce immunity to a disease
immunisation—making a person immune to a disease or infection
allergies—a hyper-sensitive response by the body to a substance
drugs– a medicine or other substance that has an effect when introduced to the body
prescription—an instruction from a doctor that allows a person to use a medicine

Key Knowledge
That there are legal and illegal drugs. That legal drugs are often called medicines and prescribed by doctors. Alcohol and nicotine are drugs that are also legal, but don’t need to be prescribed.
Vaccinations and immunisation can stop disease from spreading
That the safe use of medicines can help manage illness and allergies, and can support health and wellbeing
That there are risks associated with using any type of drug, and that drugs effect people in different ways

That drugs have laws related to them and that some drugs are illegal to own, use or give to others
For some people drug use can become an unhealthy habit that can be difficult to break but there is support available to help people and that a trusted adult should be asked for help if there are any concerns about drugs.
That people may choose to use or not use a drug, and that they can be influenced by different factors including peer pressure.
That there are mixed messages in the media in relation to smoking/vaping and alcohol, and that they are targeted at different people for different reasons. Some of these messages might affect a person’s thoughts, feelings and actions.

Quality Assured Resources
https://pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/drug-and-alcohol-powerpoint-lesson-plans
Lesson 1—Drug and Alcohol Education—Managing Risk: medicines
Lesson 2—Drug and Alcohol Education—Managing Risk: legal and illegal drugs
Lesson 3—Drug and Alcohol Education– Managing Risk: influences and pressure
Lesson 4– Drug and Alcohol Education—Managing Risk: drugs and alcohol in the media
Also worth considering for SEND children:
https://pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/drug-and-alcohol-education-powerpoint-lesson-plans