Harmful Substances Impact

Overview

This 40-minute lesson is designed for a Year 8 class of 7 students, focusing on understanding the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol, aligned with the National Curriculum for England, specifically within the PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) statutory framework.

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National Curriculum Links

• Health and Wellbeing (Key Stage 3: Years 7-9)
  • Pupils should know: the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol and other drugs (DfE 2019 Guidance).
  • Pupils should be able to: recognise the impact of substances on physical and mental health.
  • Statutory Relationships and Health Education: about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco (including legal restrictions).

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Name three harmful chemicals in tobacco and identify two health risks associated with tobacco.
2. Outline two reasons why people start to smoke and state briefly the law relating to the purchase of tobacco.
3. Arrange common alcoholic drinks in order of alcoholic value.
4. Outline current government advice on safe alcohol consumption for men and women.
5. Identify two problems associated with alcohol abuse and state briefly the law relating to the purchase of alcohol.

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Resources

• Presentation slides (20 slides) with visuals, statistics, and interactive questions
• Worksheet (1 per student) with three parts: Tobacco, Alcohol, Reflection
• Whiteboard and markers
• Alcohol bottles labels or printed images (beer, wine, spirits)
• Cards with tobacco chemicals and laws for a sorting activity

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes)

• Engagement: Quick oral brainstorm, “What do you already know about smoking and drinking?”
• Write their ideas on the board to activate prior knowledge.

2. Tobacco Focus (12 minutes)

• Slide Presentation:

  • Describe three harmful chemicals (Tar, Nicotine, Carbon Monoxide) with images and facts.
  • Explain two health risks (lung cancer, heart disease).
  • Discuss two reasons why people might start smoking (peer pressure, stress relief).
  • Introduce the legal purchase age for tobacco (18 years in England).

• Activity:

  • Worksheet Part A: Match chemicals to effects.
  • True/False quiz on tobacco laws and risks (using slides).

3. Alcohol Focus (15 minutes)

• Slide Presentation:

  • Present three common alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, spirits) with typical alcohol by volume (ABV%) values.
  • Students arrange images/cards in order of alcoholic strength.
  • Explain government safe consumption guidelines (14 units per week for men and women).
  • Identify two problems related to alcohol abuse (liver disease, addiction).
  • Briefly mention alcohol purchase law (18 years in England).

• Activity:

  • Worksheet Part B: Ordering drinks by alcoholic value.
  • Fill-in-the-blanks on government advice and laws.

4. Plenary and Reflection (8 minutes)

• Students complete Worksheet Part C: Write a short paragraph summarising what they learned about tobacco and alcohol.

• Class discussion: “How might the laws help protect individuals and society?”

• Exit Ticket: Each student says one new fact they learned.

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Differentiation

• Support worksheets for students with literacy difficulties (sentence starters & visuals).
• Extension questions for more able learners: impact of advertising on smoking/drinking rates.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through worksheets and class discussions checking accuracy and understanding.
• Informal questioning during activities to gauge engagement and comprehension.

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Slide Breakdown (Example)

Slide #	Content	Notes
1-2	Introduction and objectives	Clear, simple objectives
3-6	Tobacco chemicals and health risks	Engaging images (lungs, chemical structures)
7-8	Reasons people start smoking	Discussion prompts
9	Law relating to tobacco purchase	Visual of government age limit
10-11	Tobacco worksheet task	Interactive quiz style
12-15	Alcohol drinks and alcoholic values	Labelled images, ABV percentages
16	Government alcohol advice	Infographic visuals
17	Alcohol abuse problems	Brief explanations
18	Alcohol purchase law	Age limit image and statement
19	Alcohol worksheet tasks	Fill-in-the-blank, ordering
20	Plenary & reflection	Summary and exit ticket

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Teacher Tips

• Use real-life, relatable scenarios to discuss why people might start smoking or drinking — avoid judgement.
• Encourage reflection on the social and legal dimensions, helping students link personal choice with wider society.
• Keep the atmosphere supportive and inclusive for sensitive topics.

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This lesson plan will enrich students’ literacy about tobacco and alcohol and equip them with knowledge aligned with the statutory PSHE curriculum requirements for years 7-9, promoting responsible and informed decisions.