MEZCLA BITUMINOSA EN CALIENTE

TOPIC AREA: Alcohol

CONCEPT: When under the influence of alcohol, you body reacts in various ways. One reaction is

that you can’t control your movements with as much dexterity as you can when you are sober. This activity will show the loss of muscular control that you experience when under the influence of alcohol.

METHOD: Classroom Demonstration

TIME FRAME: 5 minutes plus discussion time MATERIALS NEEDED:

A pencil and paper or a piece of chalk and the black board A pitcher of water, a glass and a towel

ACTIVITY: Bring one student up in front of the class. Have him write his name on the blackboard or

on a piece of paper. This is to establish his ability when he is sober. Now to simulate having him under the influence, spin him around until he is dizzy. When you stop him, immediately have him repeat writing his name. The attempt will not be anywhere near what it was before in either speed or clarity.

VARIATION:

A second method is to once again have one student up in front of the class. Have him pour water from a pitcher into a glass. Both the pitcher and the glass are to be held in his hands. Now put the pitcher and glass down and spin him to get him dizzy. Immediately upon stopping, hand him the glass and pitcher and have him pour the water in the glass. He will probably spill some, so be sure a towel or something is under the glass.

DISCUSSIONS IDEAS:

How did you feel when you wrote your name the first time?

How did you feel when you tried to write your name after becoming dizzy? How did you feel when you poured the water the first time?

How did you feel when you tried to pour the water after becoming dizzy? What were the signs that we saw showing that the student was impaired? What can these two activities show us about being under the influence?

Would you want to ride in the car with either of these two people if they were driving? Why not? What kinds of activities that you participate in would be hampered if you participated in them while under the influence? Why?

What kinds of jobs would be impossible to perform while under the influence?

How drunk would a person have to be before you wouldn’t let him drive the car you were riding in? Fly the plane you were flying in?

SQUEEZE

TOPIC AREAS: Tobacco, Other Drugs

CONCEPT: When nicotine enters the body system it constricts the blood vessels. This causes the

blood to flow through a narrower opening. This elevates the body’s blood pressure and causes the heart to work harder. Nicotine may enter the body through the smoking or chewing of tobacco. So switching from cigarettes to chewing tobacco is not a healthy solution. Other drugs, such as “speed”, also constrict the blood vessels and cause the same effects.

METHOD: Classroom Activity

TIME FRAME: 15 minutes plus discussion time MATERIALS NEEDED:

A rope long enough to go around all of the students in your class when they are standing in a group. The length will be about 35 feet for a group of thirty.

ACTIVITY: Have your students stand in a group in the middle of the room. Do not have them

squeeze in close together. Take a rope and lay it on the ground so that it goes completely around the group and forms a circle. Now have all of the students step back out of the circle. Explain to them that you will be making the circle smaller and smaller. Each time you move the rope and make the circle smaller, it is their job to still get the entire class into the circle. They must have each person in the circle and no part of anyone’s body may be Touching the ground outside of the circle. Stress to the class that all movements must be done safely. No one is to jump or push their way into the circle. This rule is very important. Take some time to stress safety.

After a few rounds of making the circle smaller, they will have exhausted the easy solutions to the problem. No longer will it work to just squeeze in tighter. It is at this point that you may have to mention that they need to start working together and help each other if they are to continue being successful. At some point the circle will become too small for them to fit the entire class into. Don’t let them quit too early; they are capable of more than they think they are. Do not give them too many suggestions or it will take the impact of the exercise away.

DISCUSSION IDEAS:

What was happening during this activity?

Why was it getting harder for you to fit inside the circle?

Could the same number of people fit in the circle when it became smaller?

Was it more difficult for the entire class to fit in the circle when it became smaller?

What were some of the techniques you used the first couple of times the circle became smaller to still fit inside?

What were some of the techniques you used after the circle became too small to easily fit into? How can we relate this activity to the constriction of the blood vessels when nicotine is introduced into the body?

What other drugs cause the blood vessels to narrow?

In what ways does the body have to work harder when the blood vessels become narrower? What happens to body parts when they have to work harder than normal?