TOPIC AREA: Drugs
CONCEPT: Certain drugs have a stimulating effect on the brain. Two such drugs are LSD and
Methampheta-mines. Under normal circumstances, impulses in the brain travel along nerve fibers in orderly sequences. Serotonin, a neurochemical, permits impulses to jump across synapses from the end brushes of one sensory neuron to the dendrites of another. LSD and Metham-phetamines interfere with the proper transmission of these signals, which results in distorted information being passed along. This can be compared to the spark plugs in your car firing off in powerful but erratic bursts, causing your engine to go haywire. These confused signals cause the brain to “see” music and “hear” colors. The individual may experience a feeling of floating outside their body or itching underneath their skin. They may also become depressed, restless, delusional, paranoid and easily driven to anger. When the brain becomes over stimulated, you lose the ability to concentrate on important information and find your thinking controlled by the drug instead of by you.
METHOD: Classroom activity
TIME NEEDED: 20 minutes and discussion time MATERIALS NEEDED:
One balloon for each person, plus a few extras (Use balloons of varying colors) Forty feet of rope or heavy string
Whistle 5 chairs
ACTIVITY: Set the activity up as if you were playing four square. The rope represents the four
square lines. However, instead of the lines being on the floor, place chairs at each of the four ends and one in the middle of the four square design. Tying the rope to the chairs allows it to be about two feet off of the ground.
Divide your group into four equal teams. Explain that the object of this activity is to keep the balloon out of your square by hitting the balloon over the rope, counterclockwise into the next square using only their open hand. If a balloon hits the floor before the whistle has blown, a player may pick the balloon up and slap it into the next square. You may have the participants stand, kneel or sit on the ground during this activity. The lower the position, the more difficult the activity. However, have everyone do the same thing. Do not have some people standing, while others are sitting. After each round have the participants rotate positions within their own square so everyone gets an opportunity to hit lots of balloons.
Begin by dropping or hitting one balloon into the game area. The kids will continue to hit the balloon into the next square until you blow the whistle. When the whistle blows, there is no more hitting. The balloon will be allowed to settle into whatever square it chooses. The team that has the balloon land in its square is given a point. The low score wins in this game. Repeat this activity a few
times. Each round should last about fifteen to twenty seconds.
Now make it more interesting. Add three more balloons. Let each team start with a balloon in their square. The same rules apply as before except that one color balloon (of your choosing) is worth more points than any other color. The teams will want to be sure that this color is kept out of their square. After trying this a couple of times, keep adding balloons each round until you have more balloons than people. The first few rounds the kids will be able to keep the balloons moving from square to square without too many problems. As you add balloons, the action will become hot and heavy. You will have now created a situation that is very similar to what takes place in the brain when drugs have caused it to become over stimulated.
VARIATION: Have them change directions when hitting the balloons. This can be done before the
hitting starts or when you blow the whistle in the middle of a round. If you use the whistle to indicate a change of directions, then use two short whistles to indicate that the round is over and hitting is to stop. Another option is to let them hit the balloons in any direction during the round. This really causes some great action.
DISCUSSION IDEAS:
How did you feel when there was only one balloon in the game? How did you feel when there were very few balloons in the game? How did the game change as more balloons were added?
How well did your team handle this activity?
Did your team make any changes in their actions as more balloons were added? What impact did the special color balloon have on your actions?
As more balloons were added, did the special colored balloon get lost in the action? Explain. How can this activity be compared to the use of drugs?
How could the use of this type of drug affect your performance in school?
How could this type of drug activity cause problems in your life outside of the classroom? How could this type of drug use affect your relation ships with others?
Would a person who used this type of drug lead a normal life? Explain. How would this affect you at the workplace?