Offers an interactive science education program for students in grades 6–9 about the brain and the effects of drugs on the body. Includes six modules, a teacher’s guide, a parent newsletter, and a CD-Rom.
NIH Pub Number: 07-5181
Published: June 2007
Author: National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA) mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on problems of drug abuse and addiction. The Brain Power! Challenge program is one effort in trying to reach this goal. Brain Power! Challenge is designed to take students in grades 6 - 9 through a step-by-step exploration of scientific processes and how to use these processes to learn about the brain, nervous system, and effects of drugs on the nervous system and body. Through the interactive Brain Power! Challenge curriculum and the accompanying CD-ROM, students with different learning styles and strengths are given numerous opportunities to grasp the material. In addition, the project's overall goal is to make learning fun and engaging, and to instill in young students a lifelong interest in science.
The program involves a series of Challenge activities, one presented per module. Students will form Brain Power! Challenge groups and remain in those groups for these challenges throughout the program. Each Challenge is a competitive, interactive, and educational activity based on the information presented in the module. The Challenge activities are noted with a trophy icon. Details on how to implement the overall series in your classroom are described below.
Click on the following links to download the Group Score Card (PDF 60KB), and all Student/Teacher Worksheets (PDF, 668KB) for this Brain Power! Challenge section.
The following describes the six modules included in the Brain Power! program.
Module 1: An Introduction to the Brain and Nervous System - This introductory module provides the foundation for all the modules in the program. It is designed to educate students about the brain and nervous system. Here, students learn the parts of the brain, the functions of these parts, and how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. The process of neurotransmission is described in detail. Following the lesson, students will take part in a Challenge activity, where groups will give visual presentations on brain parts and brain messages. Additional activities include an Internet scavenger hunt, the student magazine, the CD-ROM, and handouts.
Module 2: Legal Doesn't Mean Harmless - In Module 2, students will learn about two widely abused drugs, nicotine and alcohol, that are legal for adults. These drugs, though legal, can have a strong impact on the brain's functioning. In this lesson, students will learn how nicotine and alcohol cause a number of negative effects on the body and brain, ranging from mild symptoms to addiction. Students will also learn why these drugs are illegal for children and teens. Following the lesson, students will complete a puzzle competition as part of the Challenge series. Additional activities include a mock trial on the legal drinking age, an experiment, the student magazine, the CD-ROM, and handouts.
Module 3: Drugs in the Cupboard - Information presented in this module educates students about the abuse of prescription drugs and some household products called inhalants. Abuse of prescription drugs and inhalants can damage the brain and cause serious side effects, even death. Prescription drugs and inhalants are not dangerous when they are used as intended. However, abuse of these drugs can be common because they are legal and easily accessible. Following the lesson, students will participate in a Challenge activity where they will use colored papers to organize facts about these drugs. Additional activities include a public service announcement, the student magazine, the CD-ROM, and handouts.
Module 4: Weeding Out the Grass - Module 4 presents information about the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States, marijuana. A goal of this module is to use science to dispel the myth that this drug is harmless. Marijuana has a strong physical impact on the brain and body. For young people, whose brains are still developing, the effects of marijuana are even more serious. Following the lesson, the Challenge activity is a marijuana bingo game. Additional activities include a research-based presentation, a media log, the student magazine, the CD-ROM, and handouts.
Module 5: Drugs on the Street - This module discusses two illegal drugs: heroin and cocaine. These illegal drugs are abused throughout the country, in all kinds of communities. Both have a huge impact on the health of the brain and body. When heroin or cocaine (or both) are abused, changes in the brain occur. Both of these drugs are highly addictive. Students will learn the short- and long-term effects of these drugs, including addiction. Following the lesson, the students will participate in an acronym activity as part of the Challenge series. Additional activities include group research, the student magazine, the CD-ROM, and handouts.
Module 6: Drugs in the News - Module 6 presents information about drugs that are commonly discussed in the media. The drugs covered here are steroids, methamphetamine (meth), and so-called "club drugs": GHB, Rohypnol, ketamine, and MDMA. Students will learn about the effects that each drug has on the brain and body, and how use of these drugs affects individuals and our society as a whole. Following the lesson, students will complete their final Challenge activity, which is a long-term media watch competition. Additional activities include a "ripple effects" handout, a debate, the student magazine, and the CD-ROM.
The Brain Power! Challenge program includes a wide range of components, each of which serves a different purpose. For example, the Teacher's Guide includes important information the teacher needs to present the program most effectively, while the CD-ROM provides an interesting learning device to use with students to reinforce the modules' concepts. The components are described in more detail on the next page:
Teacher's Guide: The Teacher's Guide outlines the lesson for each module: an Overview of the module, a presentation of Background information on which to base the lesson, a Preparation section to guide the planning of the lesson, an Introduction to begin the lesson's activities, the Challenge Activities and another main activity, a guide to the CD-ROM content, suggestions for Extensions, Assessment questions, and a listing of additional Resources.
Handouts and Diagrams: At the end of each module, all related handouts and diagrams are presented for you to photocopy or create transparencies. Student worksheets, with blanks for students to fill in, are always represented by a dashed line border. Teacher copies are noted by the words "Teacher Copy" on the bottom right-hand corner, as these copies contain an answer log.
Parent Newsletter: Each module includes a newsletter for parents, in both English and Spanish. Each newsletter includes background information about what the students learned, suggestions for discussing the topic at home, and additional resources. These newsletters can be photocopied and sent home.
CD-ROM: The CD-ROM can be used as an enriching, learning tool to reinforce information covered in the lesson. We recommend that the CD-ROM be used after the lesson is completed, either immediately after or as time allows in the classroom schedule.
The program is flexible and adaptable to a variety of situations. Teachers should feel free to use any or all of its components in a way that makes sense for their students. For those who would like some suggestions on how to use the program, several ideas are listed below: