Tobacco Unit Plan
Chemicals in Tobacco
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Tobacco Advertising
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Effect of Tobacco Products on Health/
Disease Prevention
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Secondhand Smoke
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Smokeless Tobacco
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Effect of Tobacco Products on Health/Disease
Prevention
Health Education Standard
Students will comprehend concepts related
to health promotion and disease prevention
to enhance health.
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Performance Indicators
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Analyze influences of tobacco use
on health.
Use resistances skills.
Demonstrate good character by
making responsible, healthenhancing decisions.
Health Goals
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I will not use tobacco products.
I will use resistance skills if given the
opportunity to use tobacco.
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3. Along with the effects of tobacco on one’s body, there are
many different diseases associated with the use of tobacco.
Diseases linked to tobacco use are the following:
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Materials
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Number of straws as students in the
class
Stopwatch/timer
Guided notes outline
Bicycle pump & C-Clamp
Clear jar & 8 ounces of molasses
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Motivation
Place jar of molasses on front table, in all
students’ view.
2. Introduce the lesson by asking the class if
they know anybody that smokes. Following
the question, explain how tobacco affects
different parts of your body:
 Brain: nicotine causes the release of
chemical in the brain that makes
tobacco users crave tobacco.
Heart: as a result of atherosclerosis, the heart must
work harder to pump blood. This extra stress on the
heart can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack,
and stroke.
Lungs: smoking blocks the airways, impairs the lungs,
and increases the risk of lung cancer and other
respiratory diseases.
Skin: smoking ages and wrinkles the skin
Fingers: long term tobacco can stain the fingers yellow
Mouth, teeth, and throat: tobacco causes bad breath,
stains on teeth, and decrease senses of taste and
smell. It can cause gum disease, mouth, throat, and
esophageal cancer.
Stomach, colon, and bladder: tobacco can cause
stomach ulcers and bladder, kidney, and stomach
cancers.
1.
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Cancer: a disease in which abnormal cells from and
spread. People who smoke have an increased risk of
cancers in the mouth, throat, breast, lungs, and
pancreas. Smoking is the most common causes of
death from cancer.
Chronic Bronchitis: a condition in which mucus blocks
the airways. People with bronchitis must cough to
dislodge the mucus
Respiratory Infections: such as colds and pneumonia.
Smoking robs the body of vitamin C which helps keep
the immune system strong.
Emphysema: a condition in which the air sacs in the
lungs become damaged. As a result, the body does not
get all the oxygen it needs. It is responsible for
100,000 deaths per year.
Asthma: a chronic inflammatory disease of the
airways. Secondhand smoke exposure causes children
who already have asthma to experience more
frequent and severe attacks.
4. Pass out the straws to everyone in the
class. Instruct the students to stand up next
to their desks. Inform them to run in place
as fast as they can for one minute. Tell the
class the follow: When I say “stop”, sit down
in your chair and place the straw in your
mouth while plugging your noses. This will
simulate how a person with emphysema
breathes. Once the students are done with
the activity, discuss the difficulties they had.
Inform the class that cigarette smoking is
the major cause of emphysema – a disease
that slowly destroys a person's ability to
breathe. For oxygen to reach the blood, it
must move across large surfaces in the
lungs. Normally, thousands of tiny sacs make
up the surface area in the lungs. When
emphysema occurs, the walls between the
sacs breakdown and create larger, but fewer
sacs. This decreases the amount of oxygen
reaching the blood. Eventually, the lung
surface area can become so small that a
person with emphysema often must gasp for
breath. In later stages of the disease,
patients must keep an oxygen bottle nearby
or breathe with the help of oxygen tubes
inserted into the nose.
5. Ask for three volunteers in the class.
Direct one students to pump the bicycle
pump, another to tighten the C-clamp on
the pump hose, and the third to continually
tell the first child to “pump faster”. The
point of this activity is to simulate the effect
of nicotine on the blood vessels. Nicotine
makes the heart beat faster and blood
vessels smaller, which causes blood pressure
to rise. Following this activity, as the first
student to describe to the class the difficulty
he or she had with pumping the bike pump.
Ask how he or she felt when the third
student kept saying “pump faster”.
5. To wrap up the class session, ask the class
if they have any idea what the jar on the
front table is/meant to represent. Take a
few guesses. Inform the students the jar
shows how much tar accumulates in the
lungs of a person who smokes one pack of
cigarettes per day for a year.
Evaluation
Inform the class that they will now be presented with a
quiz to test their knowledge on the information gone over
in class today. Pass out the prepared, 10-question quiz and
give the students adequate time to finish. Once all
students have finished, collect the quizzes for the
evaluation.
Tobacco Advertising
Health Education Standard
2. Introduce the lesson by asking the students the following:
Students will analyze the influence of family,
peers, culture, media, technology, and other
factors on health behaviors.
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Performance Indicators
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Analyze influences on health.
Become aware of media
propaganda a make responsible
decisions.
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What is an advertisement?
An ad is when a company pays to promote their
product/service.
Where do you see advertisements?
Almost everywhere! TV commercials, magazines,
billboards, radio, & internet. Convenience stores, car races,
stadiums, rodeos, other sporting events.
What is product placement?
Product placement is a way to sell you something in a place
where you’re not used to seeing a commercial or
advertisement.
Following each question, allow for a discussion that will end with
the “correct answers” of each of the questions.
Health Goals
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I will not be influences by tobacco
advertisements and promotions.
I will avoid tobacco products.
Materials
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Videos:
o American Idol
o Iron Man
o The Longest Yard
o Tropic Thunder
o Misunderstanding
PowerPoint slide show
Guided notes outline
Motivation
1. Prepare for this lesson by
getting a URL for each video
handy and easily accessible.
3. Say, “I’m going to show you some clips and I want you to tell
me where the advertisements are”. Play the clips from Waynes
World and Iron Man to give the students an idea of what product
placement is.
4. Say, “Now, we will look at tobacco being placed in movies as a
way of advertising. Play the clips from The Longest Yard and
Tropic Thunder. Following each clip, ask the class the following:
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Where was the tobacco?
What brand was being advertised?
5. Lead the class into a discussion regarding tobacco
advertisements. Say, “There are laws against advertising tobacco on
TV. Therefore, most ads for tobacco are seen elsewhere. Tobacco
companies have found other ways to reach their target market
regarding advertising.” Ask how much money the class thinks
cigarette companies spend on advertisements annually in the U.S.?
After taking a few guesses, inform the class that in 2011 cigarette
companies spent $8.37 billion on advertising and promotional
expenses in the United States alone.
6. Ask the students “Why do you think the industry spends so much
on advertising?” Again, after taking a few guesses, inform them
that over 400,000 people in the U.S. die each year from tobacco
related illnesses—that’s 1,200 people a day. The tobacco
companies need new users, often called “Replacement Smokers”,
because users are constantly dying. Young people will smoke for
more years and spend more money on tobacco products. This is
more money for the tobacco companies.
Evaluation
7. Wrap up the discussion by introducing the
last video. Say, “The next video will outline
main points regarding tobacco products,
users, advertisements, and the industries
target market.” Ask the class to pick out the
main points while watching the video. Play
Misunderstanding. OR Tobacco Targeting
Kids, TV Spot
8. Discuss the following points made in the
video:
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Tobacco use kills more than 400,000
people every year.
Tobacco companies make billions of
dollars every year.
Teens are the biggest target of
tobacco advertising.
Tobacco is addictive.
Tobacco companies have to get new
users to replace the many users who
die every year.
8. Many students will know and love
people who smoke. The lesson outlined
here may cause some stress to
individual learners as they become
increasingly aware of the health risks
associated with their friends’ or family
members’ smoking. It is important at the
conclusion of the session to emphasize
the health benefits of quitting smoking.
People who give up smoking have
almost immediate health benefits and
the benefits to health continue
proportionately to the length of time
since the last cigarette was smoked.
For the evaluation, students will pair up with a partner. Each
group will be asked to search the internet for a tobacco ad.
The groups will share what they found with the class. The
students will analyze the ad and discuss with the class what
brand is being advertised and who the ad is meant to attract
(who is the target market?). What strategy is the company
advertising using to attract their target market: bandwagon,
fact vs. opinion, fantasy, humor, sensory appeal, statistics, or
testimonial? Does the ad give a good reason for using the
product? What is the reason? Does the ad give useful
information about the long or short-term effect of tobacco
use?
Hold a class discussion to conclude the lesson about personal
responsibility and decision making. Who is ultimately
responsible for an individual’s smoking? Why might it be more
difficult for younger people to make responsible choices about
smoking? Should this be a factor in how tobacco
advertisements are regulated?
Multicultural Infusion
Secondhand Smoke
Health Education Standard
Students will demonstrate the ability to use
decision-making skills to enhance health.
Performance Indicators
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Analyze the influences of
secondhand smoke on health.
Make responsible decisions
regarding the avoidance of cigarette
smoke.
Become a health advocate and
inform others of the influences of
secondhand smoke.
2. Ask the students to pair up with a partner and discuss the
harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Have the students
come up with lists to discuss with the class.
3. Have the students share their list with the class. When all
students have presented, make sure the following key
points were addressed:
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Health Goals
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I will avoid secondhand smoke.
I will inform others of the effects of
secondhand smoke.
Materials
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“Jeopardy”-like questions and
answers
Chalkboard
Guided notes outline
4. Ask the class how many chemicals they believe are in
cigarettes. Inform the class that there are over 4000
chemicals in cigarettes (50 carcinogens), including the
following:
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Ammonia
Lead
Carbon monoxide
Methane
5. Break the class up into two groups. Once the class is split
up, explain the rules of the revised Jeopardy activity.
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Motivation
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1. Introduce the lesson by displaying
the definition of secondhand smoke
on the chalkboard: Secondhand
smoke is the smoke that others
inhale when they are around
smokers. Secondhand smoke is
composed of mainstream smoke
(the smoke exhaled by a smoker)
and side stream smoke (the smoke
that comes from the cigarette
People who are effected by secondhand smoke are
exposed to similar health hazards as the smoker,
which can include the flowing:
o Wheezing
o Coughing and shortness of breath
o Respiratory problems/disease
o Blood vessel and heart damage
o Increased chance in developing lung cancer
and nasal sinus cancer
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Each team will pick a question from a different
category of questions to answer.
A correct answer results additional points for the
team based on the point value of each question.
(The higher the point value, the harder the
question).
If a team gets the answer to a question wrong, the
opposing team will have the chance to answer the
question for the points.
The team with the most points after going through
all the questions, wins.
6. Lead the game by asking each team the questions and
keep track of the points on the chalkboard.
Evaluation
Inform the class that they will now be
presented with a quiz to test their
knowledge on secondhand smoke and the
information gone over in class today. Pass
out the prepared quiz and give the students
adequate time to finish. Once all students
have finished, collect the quizzes for the
evaluation.
Chemicals in Tobacco
Health Education Standard
Students will demonstrate the ability to
practice health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce health risks.
Performance Indicators
Make responsible decisions regarding
tobacco use.
Comprehend health concepts involving
tobacco.
Health Goals
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I will avoid harmful chemicals by not
using tobacco products.
I will know what chemicals
cigarettes contain.
Materials
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Batteries
Ammonia
Nail polish remover
Vinegar
Lighter
Pure denatured alcohol
Insecticide
Candle wax
Small toy car
Motivation
1. Talk about the poisons such as
arsenic and cyanide that are in
cigarettes. Also talk about
formaldehyde, which is used to
preserve dead bodies. Give them a
moment to think about these
chemicals actually being in
cigarettes and that people smoke
them.
2. Now pick up each one of the samples you have labeled
and talk about them.
Vinegar: the main ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid. Why
would you want to smoke something like this? When you
think of vinegar you think of salad dressing.
Lighter: Cigarettes contain butane, which is the fluid in this
lighter.
Denatured Alcohol: There Is a skull and crossbones on this
bottle to indicate that it contains poison. You wouldn’t
drink it. So why would someone smoke it?
Insecticide: There’s DDT in cigarettes and this is what is in
insecticide to kill bugs. Just imagine what smoking is doing
to a person’s insides?
Candle: Stearic acid is in candle wax, also in soap, cocoa
butter, lotions and other lubricants.
Nail Polish remover has acetone in it to take off nail polish
and it’s in cigarettes
Cleanser: The smell of ammonia can make you sick, just
imagine inhaling it
Batteries: cadmium is found in batteries, a mineral that can
damage lungs, stomach, liver and kidneys
Toy car: The tailpipe on a vehicle releases CO2 and so does
the cigarette. CO2 stays in a smoker’s blood up to six hours.
Follow up by leading a discussion: Do you think people who
smoke know what’s in the cigarette? If they’ve been told
then how come they still smoke?
3. Inform the class the following: The reason most people
keep smoking, even after deciding to quit, is that most are
dependent on the drug nicotine. Surveys of people who
smoke tell us that over 80 percent of smokers want to stop
smoking, but find quitting very difficult due to the addictive
nature of the drug nicotine.
4. Ask the class the following questions:
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Should tobacco companied be required to list the
contents and additives of their products on the
packets similar to food manufacturers?
What would be the reaction from the community if
a food or pharmaceutical company was discovered
to be killing people who used their products
entirely as intended?
Evaluation
Inform the class that they will now be
presented with a quiz to test their
knowledge on the chemicals in tobacco and
the information gone over in class today.
Pass out the prepared quiz and give the
students adequate time to finish. Once all
students have finished, collect the quizzes
for the evaluation.
Short term Effects of Tobacco use/Addiction
Health Education Standard
Students will demonstrate the ability to use
decision-making skills to enhance health
Students will demonstrate the ability to
practice health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce health risks.
Performance Indicators
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Health Goals
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Materials
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Cartoon-guy poster or Cartoon-guy
transparency
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Dry-erase markers
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Stickers and/or pencils for prizes
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Students should be prepared with
pen/ pencil & sheet of paper on
their desks
Motivation
1. Hang the Cartoon-guy at the front of the
class so that all the students can see him or
use the transparency.
Take out dry-erase markers
Say, “Tobacco use has both long-term and
short-term effects.” Ask, “What’s the
difference between long-term and shortterm effects?” ANS: Long-term effects
take years to occur and are harder to
reverse. Short-term effects occur quickly
and are often reversible. Middle and high
school smokers are more likely to have
short term effects.
2. Class Activity: Short-Term Effects of
Smoking & Tobacco Use
• Say, “Let’s talk about the short-term
effects of tobacco use that may affect a
middle-school student.”
• Say ”This cartoon-guy represents a
smoker.”
• Ask students to think of things that
would happen to a person who is
smoking.
• Encourage participation. Wait for class
to participate, but you & other health
professions team members can elaborate
and encourage by giving some of the
suggested examples below.
• Draw physical changes to the stick
figure as they give examples. Or, ask for a
student volunteer to draw the changes.
Focus on cosmetic changes kids are likely
to experience:
3. • Ask “What would happen to this guy
if he stopped smoking today?” ANS: All of
these could be reversed.
• Erase the drawing until the cartoon-guy
looks the way he did at the beginning.
Emphasize that young teens can prevent
and reverse these changes because the
changes you have been talking about are
still the short-term effects of tobacco.
4. Class Activity: Habits and Addiction
5. Discussion:
• Say: “We just learned about the shortterm effects of tobacco use, but often
people continue to smoke causing more
serious problems.”
• Make the point that tobacco use is a habit;
but, for most tobacco users it is not JUST a habit,
it is also an addiction to the drug nicotine.
• Say: “Earlier this, we learned about the
ingredients in tobacco and smoke. One of
these ingredients was Nicotine. Nicotine is
the ingredient in tobacco that causes
addiction. Let’s spend some time talking
about addiction and habits.”
Ask, “What is a habit?” ANS: Some
behavior that has a regular pattern – ex.
Watching a certain TV show regularly,
biting fingernails, grinding teeth, etc.
• Ask the class to fold their hands. (You
may need to demonstrate by interlocking
fingers and folding your hands.) Then ask
them to notice their hands. Tell them to
note which thumb is on top. Then, ask the
class to once again fold their hands but in a
way where the other thumb is on top and
the opposite little finger is on the bottom.
• Ask the students which way they think
was more comfortable – the first way or
the second? “Did the second way feel a
little strange?” “Why?”
• Now have the students fold their arms,
noticing which arm is on top. Then, ask the
class to once again fold their arms, but in a
way where the other arm is on top.
• Say, “The way you fold your hands and
arms is often done by habit. You don't
think about it, you just do it. It is a slow
process that happens over time. The first
time we do it, as a small child, we probably
give it some thought. But, as the action is
repeated over and over again our body
and mind become used to it. Habits are
hard to break
• Ask: “What is an addiction?” ANS: (a)
preoccupation with the drug – Addicts think
about the drug all of the time. (b) Continued use
even though there are negative consequences.
Addicts continue to use the drug even when it
hurts their health, loved ones, and their
pocketbooks.—This is why tobacco users keep
using tobacco even though it is dangerous.
• Explain: Some addictions may occur gradually.
It used to be thought that tobacco addiction
happened gradually over time and that people
had to be fairly heavy smokers before they were
at risk for addiction.
• Important: Some teenagers, however,
become addicted even before smoking on a
daily basis. Some teenagers show signs of
addiction with smoking an average of two
cigarettes a week. This strongly suggests that
teens are more vulnerable to nicotine
dependence than adults, possibly because the
brain is still developing through adolescence.
• Stress: Simply put, nicotine affects the brain.
Because of the addiction, it is very difficult to
quit smoking.
People have been successful in quitting;
however most smokers need help to quit.