Marijuana

Lesson Plans

Grade level: 6-8
Includes video, educator guide, activity guide (lesson plan), handouts & activity signs
Teaches how marijuana impacts the adolescent brain and body through an activity investigating the impact of THC on different parts of the brain
Duration: 30-45 min
Standards: ELA Common Core State Standards, National Health Education Standards
Source(s): DEA & Discovery Education

Grade level: 6
Includes 1 lesson plan on marijuana, comprehension questions, vocabulary resources, worksheets, student activity, educator primer
Can be paired with lessons 1-7 How Alcohol Affects the Brain
Teaches how marijuana affects the endocannabinoid system, the risk associated with marijuana use, and how students can make healthy choices
Duration: One 30-45 minute lesson
Standards aligned with: Common Core State Standards, National Health Education Standards, Next Generation Science Standards
Source(s): Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility

Grade level: 6-8
Includes: Lesson plans, worksheets, factsheets, Kahoot online quiz, PowerPoint presentations, and activities.
An educational resource created by teachers and researchers that covers four modules including Cannabis: The Basics, Health Effects, THC and the Brain, Refusal Skills and Social Norms
Duration: 45 minutes- 1 hour per module
Source: Stanford University School of Medicine

Grade level: 7-8
Includes 4 lessons with worksheets: Marijuana Facts, Consider the Source, Think It Through, and Analyzing Media Messages
Teaches about the effects of marijuana on the body and brain; the difference between a fact and opinion; how to analyze editorial cartoons; and how to analyze messages in a popular song or music video
Duration: 4 20-min class periods with additional time for extension activities
Standards aligned with: National Council of Teachers of English and National Science Education Standards
Source(s): National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) & Scholastic

Grade level: 6-8
Includes a student booklet and a Teacher’s Guide with suggested classroom activities
Student booklet is available online (with video) or for download
Explains what marijuana is and the short- and long-term effects of marijuana on the brain and body
Sources(s): National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

*Also available in Spanish