? ? BSCS proposes to develop educational materials about the science of drug abuse and addiction that will target middle school students and the adults in their lives, including parents or guardians, teachers, school counselors, school health professionals, and other school personnel. The proposed project will develop an informational video about drug abuse and addiction (to be used with each audience) and supporting materials specific for each target audience. Inquiry-based curriculum materials will be the focus of the instructional experience for students and teachers. A facilitation guide will provide a structure and resources for adult audiences. A Web site will be developed to support the materials. The combination of the video, activities, and guided discussion strategies will provide a coherent program focused on major important concepts through an engaging format. This multifaceted approach will help the public understand drug abuse and addiction, problems that affect millions of people each year and that cause significant problems for people in their school, work, family, and social environments. The objectives for the project include: ? ? Developing 4-5 days of instructional materials for middle school students to inform them about drug abuse and addiction and the impact drugs have on an individual's life and well-being. Information about drugs of abuse will emphasize the science that underlies drug abuse and addiction and how drugs change brain function. The materials will include both print-based materials and a multimedia component. ? ? Providing scientifically accurate information to teachers, school counselors, school health personnel, and administrators about drug abuse and addiction. Creating a resource about drug abuse and addiction that can be used to educate parents and other adults who play important roles in the lives of adolescents so they understand that using drugs of abuse leads to biological changes in the brain, know that treatments can be very effective, and reduce the stigma associated with addiction that prevents individuals from seeking treatment. For this audience, the video will be supplemented with print-based materials included in the implementation guide. ? ?
