Unit Area: Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs
Grade Level: Middle School
Time:30-40 minutes
Alphabet Soup
Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drugs
National Health Education Standards
Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
Standard 1 – Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease
prevention to enhance health.
Performance Indicators
1.8.1. Analyze the relationship between healthy behaviors and
personal health.
1.8.5. Describe ways to reduce or prevent injuries and other adolescent health problems.
1.8.8 Examine the likelihood of injury or illness if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
Enduring Understanding
The acquisition of basic information (Functional Knowledge) related to alcohol, tobacco, and
other drugs provide the foundation for promoting health-enhancing behaviors. Comprehending
basic terminology about ATOD and being able to separate myths from facts will better enable
student to make healthy decisions regarding the use of ATOD.
Preparation/Materials:
-Letters of the alphabet (a-z). May be found in Dollar Stores (foam rubber,
magnets, cardboard, etc.)
-Sack, bag or hat for letters
-Chalk board and chalk, or easel and markers to keep score
-ATOD glossary of terms and correct answers (enclosed)
Procedure
1. Explain that this activity is called “Alphabet Soup” because it is a
vocabulary game. It is intended to find out what you know and don’t know
about ATOD.
2. Split class into two teams and have them quickly come up with a team name.
Write each team’s name on the board.
3. Instructions for playing the game:
-By flipping a coin, choose one team to go first. One person from that team will
reach into the bag and pull out a letter. The instructor will then read a definition
of a word that is in some way related to ATOD. The contestant must come up
with the vocabulary word that STARTS WITH THE LETTER OF THE
ALPHABET THAT WAS PICKED OUT OF THE BAG. For example, if the
student picked the letter “C”, the host would read the definition “This is a
stronger form of cocaine that is smoked rather than snorted.” (ans: CRACK)
-The contestant will have 30 seconds to answer. They may ask people on their
team to help, but the contestant must be the one that gives the final answer.
-If they get the correct answer, which in this case is “CRACK”, they get one
point, which is marked on the chalkboard under that team’s name.
-If they get it wrong or can’t come up with a guess, the other team is allowed to
take a guess. If they guess correctly, they get the point.
That team will then send up a contestant to choose another letter from the bag
and the same procedure above is followed.
-Continue alternating teams and keeping score. The point of the game is to
increase awareness of ATOD. Make sure that you explain the correct answers
and clarify any questions that the class may have.
*Note: In some cases, there may be more than one word that starts with the
same letter that would be an important vocabulary word for students to know.
You may, for example, want to include the term “Ecstasy” as well as the word
“Ethyl” in this vocabulary review. It then becomes necessary to include TWO
letter “E’s” in the bag. It is also possible that some letters simply do not warrant
inclusion in the Functional Knowledge vocabulary review. You may want to
omit the letter “Z” or ‘Q” for example. In this case you should instruct
students that not all letters of the alphabet may be used, and some letters
are used more than once.
Words and Definitions
Alcohol-the intoxicating ingredient in fermented beverages
Blood Pressure-smoking even one cigarette can raise “this” 10 or
more points
Crack-this is a stronger form of cocaine that is smoked
Depressant- drugs that slow down the functions of the central
nervous system
Ethyl-this is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome-a baby born with birth defects caused by
the mother’s use of alcohol during pregnancy
Gateway Drugs-drugs that often lead to more serious and
dangerous drugs
Hallucinogens-drugs that alter moods, thoughts, and sense
perceptions, including vision, hearing, smell, and touch
Inhalants-a group of chemicals that produce a “high” when
vapors or fumes are taken into the body
Joint-a slang name for a marijuana cigarette
Ketamine-this drug, also called “Special K”, produces a
hallucinatory effect when taken
LSD-one of the most powerful hallucinogenic drugs
Mainstream Smoke-smoke that is inhaled directly into the mouth
through a cigarette, pipe, or cigar
Narcotics-strong drugs that relieve pain, produce drowsiness, and
have a high risk of addiction if abused
Opium-most narcotics come from this plant
Proof-this term is double the percentage of alcohol in an alcoholic
beverage
Quit-because nicotine is so addictive, it is very difficult for many
smokers to do this
Reaction Time- this “ability to respond to a stimulus” slows down
in drunk drivers, causing many accidents
Synergism-a chemical reaction produced when drugs are
combined, causing an increased effect on the body
Tolerance- a physical adaptation to a drug so that larger doses
are needed to produce the original effect
Urine- when athletes that are tested for steroids or other illegal
drugs, they must submit a sample of this body fluid
Vision- Alcohol can affect this “sense”, increasing the risk of
accidents
Weight- this can have a major effect on Blood Alcohol
Concentration
X-ray – in smokers, a nagging cough may be an early warning
sign of cancer. This medical procedure may be ordered to detect a
tumor in the lung
Yeast-a yellow, frothy substance consisting of a mass of minute
fungi which germinate and multiply in the presence of starch or
sugar and form alcohol and carbon dioxide
Zig-zag- instead of walking a straight line, an intoxicated person
may walk in short, sharp angles or turns in alternate directions.
What is this type of walking called?