Who can order the free Take Action resources?
Take Action (Kindergarten), Take Action (1-3), Take Action (4-6), and Take Action (7&8) are available to certified elementary teachers and public health units in Ontario.
Can school-based programs really overcome the powerful social influences that encourage substance use?
Yes, research supports that prevention needs to start early. Schools have a unique opportunity to provide children and youth with ongoing education about substance use and abuse and the development of skills to make healthy lifestyle choices.
I am already aware of substance use issues and prevention programs. What is different about this one?
Take Action has been designed to address the substance use and abuse learning expectations in the curriculum. Recent research supports that it is effective to focus on teaching and building skills, such as decision-making and refusal skills- the foundation of the Take Action Initiative. The Take Action resources will also provide practical ideas for in-class activities that can be extended to the entire school and community.
What does the Take Action (Kindergarten) resource look like?
Enclosed with this language-based storybook, Adventures in STAR Park, is a resource package containing: lesson plans and activities based on concepts from the primary section of the H&PE Curriculum Support Documents as well as rubrics and black line masters.
What does the Take Action (1-3) resource look like?
Enclosed with this language-based storybook, Adventures in STAR Forest, is a resource package containing: lesson plans and activities based on concepts from the primary section of the H&PE Curriculum Support Documents and components of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) curriculum guide as well as rubrics and black line masters.
What does the Take Action (4-6) resource look like?
This resource teaches students about substance use and abuse through the integration of health and physical education and language and literacy expectations. An interactive newspaper tool for each grade is included as well as rubrics and black line masters.
What does the Take Action (7&8) resource look like?
This resource is aimed at youth in Grades 7 and 8 (ages 12-14). Some of the tools provided in this resource include: lesson plans and assessment materials, fact sheets, links to curriculum expectations, a process for working in partnership with other community organizations, and activity sheets for implementing student run, school-wide and community-based health promotion activities.
What does the Take Action in Secondary Schools resource look like?
Take Action in Secondary Schools: An Educator's Guide to Substance Use Prevention is a reference guide is intended to increase the confidence of educators and other members of the school community to address and prevent student substance use by providing information to connect schools with supports that are available in the areas of curriculum and instruction, policies and guidelines, and to link schools with available community programs, resources, and services.
What has been the response from teachers towards these resources?
Take Action is easy-to-use. Experienced teachers and health professionals working with students in these age, and grade, groupings designed these resources. In addition, to help ensure success, each of the elementary resources were extensively field tested in classrooms across Ontario.
The Take Action initiative is an extension of the H&PE Curriculum Support Documents, providing teachers with the tools they need to successfully reach students about all aspects of substance use and abuse.
Is this resource available in French?
Take Action Kindergarten, Take Action (1-3), Take Action (4-6) and Take Action (7&8) areavailable in English and French.
Take Action in Secondary Schools is currently only available in English.
