FOURTH GRADE CURRICULUM

Hardin Elementary uses the Too Good for Drugs program for classroom guidance. This program contains five interwoven components which appear throughout the curriculum: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Bonding With Others, Identifying and Managing Emotions, and Communicating Effectively.

TGFD Fourth Grade

Classroom Guidance Objectives

Lesson 1: You’re in the News

Objectives: The student will be able to:

Define goal setting.

Distinguish between short-term and long-term goals.

List short-term steps to reach a long-term goal.

Discuss why it is important to set personal goals.

Develop a personal goal.

Rationale: The ability to set goals and develop a positive outlook for the future are important skills and attitudes that contribute to healthy, drug-free lifestyles.

Lesson 2: Goal Boosters

Objective: The student will be able to:

Define and differentiate between goal busters and boosters.

Discuss characteristics of supportive, positive role models.

List positive things to say to encourage someone to strive for a goal.

List people who can be goal boosters.

Rationale: This lesson helps students to identify people who can help them achieve their positive goals, and to avoid people and situations that are likely to make that effort more difficult. Bonding with positive people is a key protective factor that promotes healthy behaviors.

Lesson 3: Edit Your I-Message

Objective: The student will be able to:

Recite four parts of an I-message.

Define zinger words.

Discuss the effect of zinger words on I-message.

Discuss why it is important to use I-messages without zinger words.

Demonstrate the use of an I-message.

Rationale: The ability to communicate effectively is an important skill. Effective communication skills help children to make and maintain friendships, work cooperatively with others and express their feelings in positive, healthy ways.

Lesson 4: Peer Pressure

Objective: The student will be able to:

Define effective peer pressure refusal strategies.

Differentiate between the six peer pressure refusal strategies.

Demonstrate peer pressure refusal strategies.

Rationale: This lesson helps students to refuse peer pressure. Peer pressure refusal is a skill which becomes increasingly critical in the later elementary and middle school grades.

Lesson 5: A Different Slant on Tobacco

Objective: The student will be able to:

Define smokeless tobacco products.

List the harmful effects of smoking tobacco products.

Discuss the effect of advertising on attitudes.

Demonstrate peer pressure refusal of tobacco products.

Rationale: This lesson helps students to resist two types of social influences: advertising and peer pressure. It also provides accurate information about the effects and prevalence of tobacco use, in order to correct misperceptions caused by advertising and peer pressure.

Lesson 6: Daily Decisions

Objective: The student will be able to:

Discuss healthy decisions.

Discuss the effect of advertising about o.t.c. drugs.

Demonstrate the use of an effective decision making model.

Rationale: An awareness of social influences and their impact on personal decision making helps children to resist social pressures. This lesson gives students the opportunity to examine some of society's messages about using over-the-counter drugs in our daily lives.

Lesson 7: The Truth About Alcohol

Objective: The student will be able to:

List some harmful effects of drinking alcohol.

List steps in an effective decision-making model.

Discuss the effects of peer pressure on decision making.

Demonstrate peer pressure refusal of alcohol.

Rationale: The ability to predict negative consequences is a key to good decision making. This lesson helps students to predict negative consequences of drinking alcohol.

Lesson 8: Don’t Let Your Dreams Go Up in Smoke

Objective: The student will be able to:

List harmful effects of smoking marijuana.

Define and demonstrate reaction time.

Define depth perception and motivation.

Demonstrate peer pressure refusal.

Rationale: Goal setting and peer presure refusal are key developmental assets.

Lesson 9: The Healthy Mind & Body Club

Objective: The student will be able to:

Define inhalants.

Discuss the negative consequences of using inhalants.

Discuss rules for safe use of poisonous commercial products.

Rationale: Decision making and peer pressure refusal skills are key developmental assets. Studies show that students need opportunities to learn and practice applying the skills in situations related to specific drugs. This lesson provides an opportunity to practice making good decisions about inhalants. One national study show that 3% of U.S. children have tried inhalants by the time they reach fourth grade. National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Lesson 10: Caring Connections

Objective: The student will be able to:

Discuss the needs of others.

Write a letter of support and encouragement or appreciation.

Demonstrate the use of cooperative communication skills.

Demonstrate a commitment to remain drug free.

Rationale: Active participation in the community helps young people to develop positive self concepts, empathy, and cooperative skills. It fosters the perception of young people as community resources, which has been identified as a strong protective factors.