Vape Choices Impact

Year Level

Year 10

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

17 students

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Analyse how peers, social media, marketing, and culture influence vaping behaviours, with a focus on the current vape laws in South Australia and Australia, and explore the sustainability issues related to e-cigarettes and vapes.

Australian Curriculum Links

Health and Physical Education - Personal, social and community health

AC9HP10P09: Critique health information, services and media messaging about relationships, lifestyle choices, health decisions and behaviours to evaluate their influence on individual attitudes and actions .
AC9HP8P01 (Year 8 reference for understanding values and cultural influence which supports Year 10 deeper analysis): Analyse and reflect on the influence of values and beliefs on the development of identities .

Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson students will be able to:

Describe current laws regulating vaping in South Australia and Australia.
Identify how peers, social media, marketing, and cultural factors influence vaping behaviours.
Discuss how sustainability is impacted by e-cigarette and vape products.
Critically evaluate the sources of their information about vaping.

Lesson Overview

Time	Activity	Description
0-5m	Introduction & Learning Intentions	Introduce the topic, WALT, and outline the success criteria. Brief icebreaker: “What do you know about vaping?”
5-15m	Presentation: Vape Laws in South Australia and Australia	Overview of legal restrictions including age limits, possession, advertising and sale regulations. Use student-friendly info sourced from current Australian laws and South Australia specifics.
15-30m	Group Analysis Activity	Students split into 4 groups. Each group investigates one influence on vaping: Peers; Social Media; Marketing; Culture. Provide prompt questions. Groups prepare to share insights.
30-40m	Group Presentations and Discussion	Groups present their findings. Class discusses common themes, differences, and real-life implications. Discuss misinformation in social media marketing.
40-50m	Sustainability Focus: Environmental Impact	Brief interactive mini-presentation on environmental impact of e-cigarettes and vape waste. Questions for reflection: “How do vape products affect sustainability?” “What alternatives or solutions exist?”
50-60m	Individual Reflection and Exit Ticket	Students write a short response: “How do influences shape vaping choices among young people?” plus one thing they learnt about sustainability related to vaping. Collect responses.

Detailed Activity Descriptions

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Teacher states WALT and success criteria.
Quick round robin sharing of what students know or believe about vaping.
Set expectations for respectful discussion.

2. Presentation: Vape Laws (10 minutes)

Use simple slides or a printed fact sheet.
Highlight:
- Legal age to buy/use vaping products (18+)
- Restrictions on advertising and marketing
- Where vaping is banned or restricted publicly
- Penalties for underage possession or sale
Provide examples relevant to South Australia and federal laws.

3. Group Analysis (15 minutes)

Assign groups and distribute guided worksheets with questions such as:
- How do peers influence vaping? (e.g., peer pressure, group norms)
- How does social media portray vaping? (e.g., influencers, trends)
- What marketing tactics do vape companies use? (e.g., packaging, flavours)
- How do cultural aspects affect vaping? (e.g., family attitudes, community values)
Groups use phones/tablets or printed articles to research briefly (include vetted student-safe info if possible).

4. Group Presentations and Discussion (10 minutes)

Each group shares a 2-3 minute summary.
Teacher facilitates discussion highlighting media literacy and peer influence.
Discuss how laws try to control marketing and protect youth.

5. Sustainability Focus (10 minutes)

Teacher-led brief talk on:
- Waste from disposable vapes and pods
- Toxic chemicals in vape waste
- Energy and resource use in vape product manufacturing
Show photos/examples of vape waste pollution.
Pose reflective questions and encourage suggestions on reducing impact.

6. Individual Reflection and Exit Ticket (10 minutes)

Students write answers to:
1. How do peers, social media, marketing and culture influence young people’s vaping behaviours?
2. One new thing you learnt about sustainability and vaping.
Collect these to inform future teaching.

Differentiation Strategies

For diverse learners:
- Provide printed summaries of vape laws and sustainability facts with clear, simple language.
- Use visual aids and infographics during presentations.
- Allow students to express understanding verbally if writing is challenging.
- Pair students for research tasks to support peer learning.
For advanced learners:
- Challenge to critique a vaping advertisement for ethical considerations.
- Research the impact of vaping on Indigenous communities or minority groups.
- Propose a public health campaign idea against youth vaping considering cultural diversity.

Assessment Opportunities

Formative through group presentations and discussions.
Exit ticket reflections assess understanding of influences on vaping and awareness of sustainability.
Teacher reviews to tailor follow-up lessons on substance use prevention and environmental education.

Resources Needed

Fact sheets on vaping laws (SA and Australia)
Access to safe digital devices or printed research material
Whiteboard/chart paper for group presentations
Photos/infographics on vape product waste and sustainability issues
Exit ticket slips or digital forms

This lesson plan aligns with the Australian Curriculum (v9) Year 10 Health and Physical Education objectives, emphasising critical evaluation of health information and socio-cultural influences on behaviours . It integrates legal and environmental contexts relevant to Australian students, supporting an age-appropriate, interactive and thoughtful learning experience.

Teaching Instructions