Cannabis Codebreakers

Overview

Students build on their prior cannabis quiz and Padlet reflections by investigating cannabis through seven evidence-based challenges. Working collaboratively, they connect cannabis with hauora, risk and protective factors, decision-making, the law, and personal, interpersonal and societal influences.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• explain what cannabis is and how THC can affect the brain and behaviour
• investigate influences, consequences and protective strategies related to cannabis use
• apply accurate information about cannabis in Aotearoa New Zealand to realistic situations
• work collaboratively to make health-enhancing decisions.

Success criteria

I can:

• describe at least two possible effects of cannabis on hauora
• distinguish between a fact, a risk factor and a protective factor
• explain how personal, interpersonal and societal influences can connect
• recommend practical strategies that promote well-being and reduce harm.

Curriculum links

• Analyse an adolescent health issue: influences, consequences for well-being, and health-enhancing strategies.
• Evaluate factors that influence people’s ability to manage change: risk and protective factors, resilience, and personal, interpersonal and societal strategies.
• Health and Physical Education underlying concepts: hauora, socio-ecological perspective, health promotion, and attitudes and values.
• Key competencies: thinking; managing self; relating to others; participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Padlet do now. Teacher opens the opening and Padlet prompt slide and reminds students not to disclose personal experiences or identify others. Students post: what they learnt from the quiz, what they want to learn today, and what they already know about cannabis, then silently scan two anonymous responses.

2. 5–12 min · Establish the foundations. Teacher uses the cannabis basics and brain slides to explain cannabis as a plant-based drug, the difference between THC and CBD, and that THC can affect memory, attention, reaction time, judgement, mood and coordination; clarify that effects vary with dose, potency, age, frequency, context and the individual. Students complete the “key idea” boxes on the Cannabis Codebreakers investigation sheet and ask questions for the class parking lot.

3. 12–15 min · Brief the codebreakers. Teacher places students in seven groups of three or four, assigns roles (reader, evidence checker, recorder and spokesperson), and explains that each group begins at one room and has approximately three minutes per challenge before rotating. Students read the success criteria and understand that a code is earned only when their answer is justified with evidence, not guessed.

4. 15–36 min · Seven-room escape investigation. Teacher displays the escape-room instructions and rotation timer and circulates, questioning groups with “What is your evidence?” and “Who is affected?” Students rotate through the seven rooms, recording answers and codes on the seven-room recording grid:

• Room 1 — What is cannabis? Match THC, CBD, brain and impairment descriptions; explain why a person may look calm but still have reduced reaction time.
• Room 2 — Cannabis and hauora. Sort possible short- and longer-term impacts across taha tinana, hinengaro, whānau and taha wairua; select two impacts and justify them.
• Room 3 — Influences. Classify scenario clues as personal, interpersonal or societal influences, then draw one connection between two influences.
• Room 4 — Risk or protection? Identify risk factors and protective factors in a realistic adolescent scenario; explain how one protective factor could reduce risk.
• Room 5 — Cannabis and the law in Aotearoa. Use an information set to decide which statements are accurate about recreational possession and supply, medicinal cannabis, age restrictions and drug-impaired driving. Students must identify that recreational cannabis remains illegal and that medicinal use is subject to legal requirements; the teacher checks current wording before the lesson.
• Room 6 — Decision point. Apply a decision-making process to a peer-pressure situation involving cannabis at a party; recommend a safe response and a support person or service.
• Room 7 — Health promotion. Design a three-level strategy: one personal action, one interpersonal action and one school or societal action. Explain how each addresses an identified influence and promotes well-being.

5. 36–44 min · Connect the evidence. Teacher pauses the timer and uses the whole-class connection-map slide to model: influence → consequence for hauora → strategy. Groups share one strong connection from their room; the class challenges unsupported claims respectfully and adds connections between rooms. Students improve one answer on their worksheet using “This matters because…” or “This strategy addresses the influence by…”.

6. 44–50 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher displays the final reflection and exit-ticket slide and collects the individual exit response. Students answer: “Choose one cannabis-related influence. Explain one possible consequence for hauora and recommend a strategy, showing how the strategy addresses the influence.” They also rate their confidence from 1–5 and write one question still needing investigation.

Resources

• the Cannabis Codebreakers slide deck
• the Cannabis Codebreakers investigation sheet
• Seven room signs or envelopes labelled 1–7
• Seven challenge cards with answer clues and code words
• Current, teacher-checked New Zealand cannabis information cards
• Timer, board or projector
• Pens and highlighters
• Anonymous Padlet prepared by the teacher

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of THC, impairment, hauora, influence, risk factor and protective factor during group work.
• Check whether students connect an influence to a consequence and then to a relevant strategy, rather than listing disconnected facts.
• Use the final response to identify misconceptions and students needing a follow-up conference or targeted clarification.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank, icons for the four dimensions of hauora, and sentence starters: “The influence contributes to…”, “This may affect…”, and “A strategy could… because…”.
• Give each group a clearly defined role and allow students to record orally or diagrammatically before writing full explanations.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach key terms, pair terms with plain-language definitions, and avoid idioms in scenario cards.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain interrelationships between personal, interpersonal and societal factors, consider who may be indirectly affected, and critique whether a strategy is realistic and equitable.
• Maintain a non-judgemental environment: discuss evidence and situations, not students’ personal behaviour. Follow school safeguarding procedures if a student discloses current risk.