Workshops - Alcohol and Young People Seminar – 1st February 2006

Introduction

Alcohol education has implications for all educational settings. It includes what is planned and taught as part of science, PSHE, citizenship and other subjects, as well as the way the school and colleges respond to drug and alcohol related incidents and the systems in place to support student welfare. It also requires an ethos that promotes positive relationships and respect for and between all members of the school/college community.

Drug education including alcohol and smoking should enable young people to develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding about drugs and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, relating this to their own and others actions.

The following examples are neither intended to be prescriptive nor to comprise a complete programme of alcohol education. They are examples of teaching and learning activities that could link to PSHE and citizenship and other curriculum areas.

These should be used as starting points for schools/colleges to develop drug, alcohol and tobacco programmes that respond to the specific needs and priorities of all their students, regardless of their ethnicity, background and communities. These needs and priorities will vary widely according to the experiences and beliefs of individual pupils or groups of pupils and their families, and the local school/college setting, for example whether alcohol has been used within the schools/college or is causing a problem in the local area.

Before planning any drug education we would recommend that you are familiar with the contents of the national document “Drugs: Guidance forSchools”, (DfES February 2004). Schemes-of-work can be found on pages 95 – 97.

All schools and colleges in Hertfordshire have received a copy. Further copies are available from DfES publications – Tel: 0845 602 2260 quoting reference number 0092/2004. They may also been available to download from

‘Drugs Guidance for Further Education Settings’ is also available. Tel: 0207 928 7377 or visit

This guidance supports ‘Drugs: Guidance for Schools’ and draws areas of relevance for FE institutions.

Using History to educate young people about alcohol:Alcohol use and promotion through the ages.

: Alcohol laws and the effect of prohibition.

Learning Objectives / Possible Teaching Activities / Learning Outcomes / Points to Note / Resources e.g. leaflets, websites
Young people learn:
1. That alcohol has been a popular drug of choice for thousands of years.
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2. The historical methods of making alcohol.
The many different uses of alcohol.
How alcohol and soft drinks may be marketed at teenagers/ young people.
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3. The prohibition debate. / Ask the class to define ‘alcohol’ and briefly acknowledge the various types, (Beer, Wine, Spirits, etc).
Ask the class to consider how long alcohol has been used both in the United Kingdom and worldwide.
Separate the class into small groups and provide copies of the Alcohol Timeline. The groups must arrange the Timeline in the correct order, from the earliest use to the most recent.
Read out the correct answers then bring the class back together. Ask the students: Was this an easy or difficult exercise? Was there anything that surprised them? Was there anything they were unsure about? Were they aware of the scale of use and the considerable length of time alcohol has been used for? How has alcohol been used for religious or cultural reasons historically?
Individually, the class could draw historical characters whom they have researched.
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Split the class into small groups and give them each the name of a different type of alcohol. Using books and ICT resources, ask the class to research how this type of alcohol has been made.
The class need to consider: Have methods of manufacture changed over the years? What is ‘fermentation’? What gas is produced during this process? Other than for human consumption, what other uses are there for alcohol? (e.g. lacquers / gums, oils, perfumes, after shaves, mouthwash, meths, hospital hand scrubs, etc).
Does this send out differing messages about alcohol?
How have the drinks been marketed over the years? (e.g. “Guinness isgood for you” advertising). What has changed?
Are there any similarities between the marketing of alcohol and soft drinks? (e.g. Coca Cola). Are the advertisements misleading or accurate? What messages are they conveying? Are they being targeted at young people?
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Tell the class that they will be finding out more about prohibition. Ask them: What do they understand by the term ‘prohibition’? Have they heard of this term previously? Can they name any films or television series which have been set during the prohibition era? (e.g. “The Untouchables”).
Split the class into pairs or small groups.
Using ICT resources (or books), ask the class to explore the subject and find out: What was prohibition? When did it happen and where? What were some of the positive and negative effects of the ban on alcohol? What happened after prohibition? Would prohibition work now?
Bring the class back together to share their data.
Individually, the class could write a story about the era from the perspective of a Chicago citizen during the 1920s. They could also illustrate their character to form a wall display.
In pairs, the class could produce a 1920s newspaper front page which reflects events of the time. (e.g. the introduction or repeal of the new laws; the rise of Al Capone; the St. Valentines Day Massacre, etc.)
With older students, hold a “balloon debate”. Ask the class to choose characters from the era (e.g. a barman, a citizen, the owner of a Speak-Easy, a police officer, a politician, a gangster), to present their case for or against prohibition.
How does the American experience of alcohol prohibition compare to the UK’s experience of alcohol and drug use at the present time?
What has changed about alcohol use in the UK since Elizabethan times? / Young People will have:
Worked in small groups and discussed the reasons for their choices.
Considered the timescale and use of alcohol over the years.
(PSHE 3b: How to emphasize with people different from themselves.)
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Worked in small groups.
Considered the historical manufacture and marketing of alcohol.
Gained some insight into the prevalence of alcohol in the UK and discussed how marketing can affect usage.
(PSHE 2b: How to keep healthy and what influences health, including the media.)
(PSHE 4g: Consider social and moral dilemmas.)
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Worked in pairs or small groups.
Considered the positives and negatives of the alcohol laws.
Considered the economic, political and social consequences of prohibition.
Expressed their views through debate.
(PSHE 3a: About the effects of all types of stereotyping, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination and how to challenge them assertively.)
(Citizenship 2a: To research a topical political, spiritual, moral, social or cultural issues, problem or event by analysing information from different sources, showing an awareness of the use and abuse of statistics.)
(Ct.3a: To use their imagination to consider other people’s experiences and be able to think about, express, explain and critically evaluate views that are not their own.) / Students should not disclose details of their own behaviour or that of others, including friends & family.
There are cross-curricular links to Religious Education, Information Technology and Literacy.
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There are cross-curricular links to Science (Chemistry).
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There are no right or wrong answers about the legalisation or prohibition of alcohol. Therefore, the debate is essential to developing and understanding personal beliefs.
There are cross-curricular links to PSHE , Sociology / Social Studies, Citizenship, Media Studies and English.
This session can be developed further by discussing attitudes to alcohol and how the class would feel confident enough to refuse a drink if they were offered one.
(PSHE 2g: To recognise when pressure from others threatens their personal safety and well-being, and to develop effective ways of resisting pressures, including where to get help.)
This is a topical subject – not least because of the recent changes to the UK alcohol licensing laws, permitting 24hr drinking. / Timeline to be cut out and printed onto card.
(Attached)
Alcohol & drug websites:


uk
Paper and pens.
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Different types of alcohol, cut out and laminated.
(e.g. Whiskey, Beer, Red Wine, Cider, Alcopops, Vodka, etc).
Posters, beer mats, adverts, etc used to market alcohol & soft drinks.
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Websites (on-line encyclopaedias), books, films.
Paper & pens.

features information on how to resist peer pressure.
D-World (accessed through contains some useful lesson plan ideas.
A useful source of information for teachers can be found at:
However, the content of this site may not be appropriate for students.
Leaflets about drugs / alcohol & the law are available from Health Promotion.