Causes of Substance Abuse

Grade 7 · Religious and Moral Education

Semester 1 | Period 2 | Week 9

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Subject: Religious and Moral Education

Semester: 1

Period: 2

Week: 9

School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: Religious and Moral Education
Grade Level: Grade 7
Date:
Week 9 Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 9, Period 2
Topic: Causes of Substance Abuse
Sub-topic: Individual, family, peer, societal, and environmental factors contributing to substance abuse in Liberia

Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Identify different causes of substance abuse among young people and adults.
  2. Explain how family, peer, societal, and environmental influences contribute to substance abuse.
  3. Relate these causes to real-life examples within their Liberian context.

Previous Knowledge
Students already know:
• Meaning of substance abuse
• Commonly abused substances in Liberia and their effects (Week 8)

Instructional Materials
• Textbook: Religious and Moral Education textbooks for Grade 7
• Teaching aids: Chart showing causes of substance abuse, short video clip or case studies, role-play scenarios
• Students' notebooks and writing materials

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Activity: The teacher will ask the class:
• Why do you think some young people start using drugs or alcohol?
• Is it always because they want to, or are there other reasons?
The teacher will record their responses on the board.
Teacher’s Role: Guide brainstorming session and link student ideas to the topic.
Learner’s Role:
• Share their opinions freely.
• Engage in warm-up discussion by giving real-life examples they may have seen or heard about.

 

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)
Time: 25–30 minutes

Teacher’s Role (Expanded):

  • Explain and expand on the causes of substance abuse, emphasizing the interplay between individual, family, peer, societal, and environmental factors.
  • Individual Factors:
    • Curiosity and desire to experiment.
    • Lack of self-control or inability to resist temptation.
    • Stress, anxiety, or trauma leading to drug use as a coping mechanism.
    • Poor decision-making and impulsive behavior.
  • Family Factors:
    • Broken homes, parental neglect, and lack of guidance.
    • Domestic violence or dysfunctional family relationships.
    • Having parents or relatives who misuse substances.
  • Peer Influence:
    • Pressure from friends to join in drug or alcohol use.
    • Desire to “fit in” or avoid being mocked for refusal.
    • Peer modeling, where seeing friends use drugs encourages similar behavior.
  • Societal Factors:
    • High unemployment and poverty leading to idle time and vulnerability.
    • Easy availability of drugs and alcohol in communities.
    • Glorification of drug use in music, movies, or social media.
  • Environmental Factors:
    • Living in areas where substances are openly sold (street corners, bars).
    • Lack of recreational facilities or productive activities for youth.
    • Exposure to crime and other risky behaviors in the community.
  • Use real-life Liberian examples: street corners where alcohol/drugs are sold, unemployed youths engaging in drug use, communities with limited supervision of adolescents.
  • Discuss how these causes are interrelated and how addressing them requires both individual responsibility and community action.

Learners’ Activities (Expanded):

  • Listen attentively and take detailed notes on the different causes and examples.
  • In small groups, select one cause of substance abuse and provide a community-specific example, then present it to the class.
  • Participate in a role-play scenario demonstrating peer pressure: one student tries to influence another to take drugs, followed by a discussion on resisting pressure.
  • Reflect on personal experiences or observations where any of these factors contributed to substance abuse.
  • Engage in guided questioning:
    • “Which factor do you think affects teenagers most and why?”
    • “How can families prevent young people from abusing substances?”

Assessment Checks (Expanded):

  • Oral questions:
    • “Name three individual causes of substance abuse.”
    • “How can peer groups influence a person into drug use?”
    • “Give one example of a societal factor that encourages substance abuse among youths.”
  • Evaluate group presentations and role-plays for understanding of causes and realistic examples.
  • Observe learners’ participation in discussions to ensure comprehension of interrelated causes.

Notes (Expanded & Detailed):

  • Causes of substance abuse: often linked to personal choices, family upbringing, peer pressure, societal norms, and environmental exposure.
  • Individual causes: curiosity, experimentation, lack of self-control, stress, poor decision-making.
  • Family causes: broken homes, neglect, domestic conflict, relatives who use drugs.
  • Peer influence: pressure to fit in, imitation of friends, fear of rejection.
  • Societal causes: poverty, unemployment, availability of substances, glorification of drug use.
  • Environmental causes: living in areas where drugs are easily accessed, lack of recreational activities, exposure to crime.
  • Understanding causes is essential for prevention and intervention strategies in schools, homes, and communities.

Practical Extension Activities:

  • Learners conduct a mini-survey in school or community to identify common causes of substance abuse among peers.
  • In groups, create a poster showing causes of substance abuse and preventive strategies.
  • Write a short reflection essay: “Which cause of substance abuse do you think is most serious in Liberia and why?”
  • Debate: “Is peer pressure more influential than family background in leading youths to abuse substances?”

 

 

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary:
• The teacher will ask the students to recall:
– The five broad categories of causes of substance abuse.
– At least one example for each cause.
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
• Exit slip/quiz: Students will write short answers to:

  1. State two family-related causes of substance abuse.
  2. What is one individual factor that leads to substance abuse?
  3. Mention one societal cause of substance abuse in Liberia.
    Teacher will collect and review for understanding
    • Provide oral feedback before class ends

Assignment (Expanded):
Students should write a short paragraph in their notebooks on: “How peer pressure can lead to substance abuse and how to resist it.”

Follow-up Activity:
Students will interview one peer or adult about why young people in their community start using drugs and share responses in the next class.

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
• Struggling Learners: Provide simplified notes and examples.
• Advanced Learners: Ask them to research how unemployment contributes to substance abuse in Liberia.
• Students with Disabilities: Use oral explanation, visual aids, and pair work to support learning.

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
• What worked well? ______________________________________________________
• What needs improvement? _________________________________________________
• Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low
• Next steps: Prepare students for Week 10 topic on Prevention of Substance Abuse.