STEPS Brochure Information

WHY IS DRUG PREVENTION EDUCATION SO IMPORTANT ?

The use of illegal drugs is the number one killer of our young people .

PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. is proud to announce the development of a drug-prevention curriculum for kindergarten through third grade.

Through a grant from the Nebraska Department of Education’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools Coordinator, the curriculum is meant to provide classroom teachers, counselors, parents, church youth leaders, home schoolers, scout leaders and others with a valuable teaching tool.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF PREVENTION CURRICULUM ?

Students will learn that “the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is unhealthy, unsafe, and illegal for youth; and it is not a young person’s choice whether or not to use drugs.”

Concepts students need to learn include:

Effects of drugs on body function

Use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in society

Misuse and dependency

Self-concept

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Coping skills

Responsible decision-making

STEPS • Simple Tools Employing Prevention Skills curriculum includes age/grade-level appropriate lessons covering the topics of decision-making, peer-pressure, medicines, alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, safe/unsafe, and people to trust. While the lessons are approximately twenty minutes in length, they are designed so the teacher may shorten or expand the lesson according to the maturity level and needs of the classroom.

WHAT IS included in the "STEPS" curriculum ?

This curriculum consists of simple, practical lesson plans for drug prevention. The curriculum manual is nearly all inclusive. It is important to note that little or no training is necessary to implement the STEPS • Simple Tools Employing Prevention Skills curriculum.

One of the goals in writing this model is for the classroom teacher to be able to teach prevention lessons with limited preparation, infusing the lessons into the regular classroom schedule. Each lesson plan includes recommendations as to where the lesson may be easily infused into the regular classroom subjects. This curriculum is not meant to replace current school curriculum, but to supplement and reinforce it. All key information, copy-ready sheets, transparencies, letters to parents and support materials for each lesson are included in the manual.

Other sections include:

Things To Know Before You Begin

Scope and Sequence

Kindergarten Lessons

1^st Grade Lessons

2^nd Grade Lessons

3^rd Grade Lessons

Support Materials

Parent Letters

Definitions

Drug Facts

Prevention Materials

Resources

Transparencies

WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE PREVENTION LESSONS?

Much consideration has been given to the “teacher’s needs” and his/her limited time available. For ease of use, the lesson format includes:

Lesson objective

Suggestion of where to infuse into instruction time

Materials necessary for the lesson

Introduction to the lesson

Activities

Closure

Vocabulary (See Definitions Tab)

Teacher Tips

Source

The Teacher Tips section provides suggestions of areas or topics to emphasize, strategies to extend the lesson, additional lesson ideas, words of caution, and/or additional resources available for the topic.

It is the hope of PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. that the simplicity and practicality of this curriculum will enable it to be readily used by those who share our concern to create safe, nurturing, healthy, drug-free environments in which children can grow to their fullest potential.

CURRICULUM RESOURCES

Grade-level lesson objectives are based on extensive research and recommendations from a variety of sources which include:

US Department of Education, Guide To Safe, Disciplined & Drug-Free Schools

US Department of Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program

US Department of Education, Drug Prevention Oversight Staff, Drug Prevention Curricula, A Guide to Selection and Implementation

Schools That Work, Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools/Communities

Drug Prevention – Curriculum and Resources Review – Guidelines for Selection or Development K-12, National Federation for Drug-Free Youth

The White House Conference for Drug-Free America

US Office of Substance Use Prevention (OSAP)

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

This resource is adapted from “Learning To Live Drug-Free”, “Soozie says ‘Only Sick People Need Drugs!’” and other materials in the public domain by PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, mechanical or electronic, for monetary gain, without the written permission of PRIDE-Omaha, Inc. Unaltered parts of this publication may be reproduced without written permission for individual classroom use only.

Just click here for a link to a small sampling of the STEPS Curriculum.