Uppers, Downers and All Arounders

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

 Differentiate how each class of drug affects the body

 Evaluate the short and long term effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances on the
body and draw conclusion on the impact of these substances on personal, social, and
economic threats to society
 Evaluate personal abilities to gather information, generate alternatives, and anticipate the
consequences of decisions

Introduction:

The 2010 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey shows an increase in the Nation’s drug use—
especially among the youngest teens. Thus, it remains vitally important to educate students about
short-term and long-term drug use/experimentation. This lesson will help students make
informed decisions when confronted with those difficult choices.

Body:

Supplies: Uppers, Downers and All Arounders Cards

Present your students with the Uppers, Downers and All Arounders Cards - OR - post cards at
different locations in the classroom. Give students definitions for the class of drug, then
randomly give names of drugs from each class. Students will raise the card showing the category
that matches the drug called - or - go stand by the sign posted.

Uppers: Uppers are stimulants that affect most of the basic processes that happen in your body
that keep you alive, like your temperature, heart rate and breathing by causing them to work
faster.

Downers: Like uppers, downers also affect most of the basic processes that happen in your body
to keep it alive by slowing or inhibiting processes causing users to experience sedation,
disinhibition of emotions and impulses, muscle relaxation and drowsiness.

All Arounders: All-Arounders are a group of substances that distort the user’s perception of
reality by manipulating the brain’s interpretation of the senses. The user’s brain experiences
sensory messages that are intensified and often mixed up. Impaired judgment and reasoning are
often side effects as well.

Uppers, Downers and All Arounders created by BJC School Outreach and Youth Development Department © 2016
EXAMPLES OF EACH CATEGORY

UPPERS DOWNERS ALL-AROUNDERS

Cocaine Heroin K2
Crack Alcohol Bath salts
Methamphetamine Opioids Kush
Cigarettes Krockodil Steroids
Electronic- Shrooms
Cigarettes
Ecstasy Spice
Nicotine LSD
Adderall Angel dust
Hallucinogens
Marijuana

Uppers, Downers and All Arounders created by BJC School Outreach and Youth Development Department © 2016