Free Drugs

This week we are learning about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. It's heavy stuff for 3rd grade but you'd be amazed to hear what these kids already know. Some of them told stories about seeing men on the street putting needles in their elbows, parents who won't stop smoking because it makes them "calm," family members who "drink wine and get really angry," and that bread can help absorb the alcohol when someone is drunk (yes, that really happened).

Anyway one of my favorite questions I have gotten throughout the whole week of discussion is this one:

Student: "Miss Hannah, if drugs are so bad, why are they for free at schools?"

Me: "Um, I am not sure what you mean. I don't think drugs are free at schools. Where did you hear that?"

Student: "In our book, it have a picture of a school with a sign that say 'Drug Free.'"

Me: "Ooooooh! [insert trying-not-to-laugh face here] The word free doesn't only mean that you don't have to pay for something. It also means that you don't have something... liiiiiiike when you finish the school year, you will be FREE of math homework for the whole summer! So a Drug Free Zone means that the school is free OF drugs; they are not allowed there."

Class: "AAAWWWW!"

We made posters about 5 ways to say "No!" to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Some of the ideas the kids came up with were:
          1. Are you crazy?!
          2. No way! Never! Nope!
          3. Why don't you just ask yourself that question?! (hahahaha, sassy!)
          4. No thanks, but lets go to the movies or something instead.
          5. No, I care about my health!
Hopefully they won't have to use these phrases anytime soon but if so, they could also pull out the, "Justin Beiber doesn't do those things!" at the people who are peer pressuring them. That one is sure to work ;)