NIDA SCIENCE EDUCATION MATERIALS for 2nd & 3rd GRADERS AVAILABLE ONLINE

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NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTHNational Institute on Drug AbuseNIH NEWS

ADVISORYFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Wednesday, October 2, 2002Contact:Blair

Gately301-443-6245NEW NIDA SCIENCE EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR SECOND AND THIRD

GRADERS AVAILABLE ONLINEThe National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has released

a new elementary school curriculum: " 'Brain Power!' The NIDAJunior Scientists

Program. " Available online and designed for use in second-and third-grade

classrooms, " BrainPower! " focuses on the biological effects of drug abuse on the

body and the brain.Dr. Glen R. Hanson, NIDA's Acting Director, says, " This

curriculum for the early grades is part of NIDA's goal ofmaking age-appropriate,

science-based educational materials available to children and adolescents from

the time theyenter school. Research has shown that the highest-risk periods for

children initiating drug use are as they movefrom one developmental stage to

another, or when they experience important transitions in their lives. Since

the first big transition for children is when they leave the security of their

families and enter school, it is important to educate them about the dangers of

abusing drugs. " The goal of " Brain Power! " is to lay the foundation for future

scientific learning and substance abuse prevention efforts by providing an

early-elementary-school-age audience with a basis of knowledge and critical

thinking skills. The curriculum consists of six modules; each includes a video,

written materials for students, a newsletter for parents, and a guide for

teachers.The " Brain Power " modules include:MODULE 1: " Ooey Gooey! Making Sense

of Scientific Inquiry " -- introducing students to the steps of scientific

inquiry.MODULE 2: " Brains in a Box: What Your Brain Can Do " -- describing to

students the functions of the four major parts of the brain.MODULE 3: " Sending

and Receiving Messages " -- introducing students to how nerve cells communicate

with each other.MODULE 4: " Medicines and Drugs: What's Helpful, What's Harmful "

-- teaching students the differences between medicines and drugs.MODULE 5: " The

Science Behind Smoking " -- discussing nicotine, how it changes the brain, and

how those changes may result in addiction to tobacco products.MODULE 6: " What

Drugs Really Do " -- serving as a culminating activity and learning assessment

for the entire program. " Brain Power! " is based on the National Science Education

Standards, which encourage scientific exploration, development of hypotheses,

and interactive work and presentation. NIDA is also in the process of developing

materials for children in kindergarten and the first grade, as well as those in

the fourth and fifth grades. " Brain Power! " is available online from the NIDA web

site, <http://www.drugabuse.gov>. Limited hard copies areavailable free of

charge for second and third grade teachers. Publication # BPPACK can be ordered

from theNational Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345,

Rockville, MD 20847-2345, or call (800) 729-6686. The National Institute on Drug

Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of

Healthand Human Services. NIDA supports more than 85 percent of the world's

research on the health aspects of drug abuseand addiction. The Institute carries

out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of

researchinformation and its implementation in policy and practice.Fact sheets on

the health effects of drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other

activities can befound on the NIDA home page at

<http://www.drugabuse.gov>Attachment: Other NIDA Educational Materials about

Drug Abuse and Addiction for Teachers,

Students<http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/oct2002/EducationalMaterials.doc>###To

(or ) from this list, go

tohttp://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=hhspress & A=1

 

 

 

 

 

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