Lesson Plans

The Reach Out Now 30-minute lesson plan provides structure and information for discussing with fifth and sixth grade students what they need to know, do, and say about underage alcohol use. At the end of the lesson, your students should be able to:

• Describe some of the effects of alcohol on the brain and body;
• Identify effective alternatives to using alcohol; and
• Work in groups to develop an effective alcohol prevention message.

Reach Out Now is a collaboration between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Scholastic Inc. to provide teachers with materials for educating students and their families about underage drinking and its consequences. These materials, which are aligned with national education standards, feature a ready-to-use lesson plan and worksheets, an interactive wall poster, bonus skill-building activity worksheets, and take-home Family Pages to reinforce and extend your lesson. The wall poster includes a bonus teacher’s guide and two more lessons on its flip side.

In 2007 and 2009, SAMHSA distributed these materials in time for schools to conduct a Reach Out Now Teach-In during Alcohol Awareness Month in April. Although SAMHSA did not sponsor Teach-Ins for 2011, the 2009 materials still offer valid, science-based information that teachers can use to help students and others understand the consequences of underage drinking and ways to prevent it.

• Reach Out Now: Lesson Plan (PDF 412 KB)
• Reach Out Now: Bonus Worksheets (PDF 7 MB)
• Reach Out Now: Poster (PDF 15 MB)
• Reach Out Now: Poster/Teaching Guide (PDF 7 MB)
• Reach Out Now: Family Pages (PDF 7 MB)