Social Studies Lesson Plan

Overview:Underage drinking is a constant concern, and the American Medical Association poll of teens 13 to 18 showed how easily they obtained alcohol from their parents – sometimes with the adults’ knowledge and sometimes not. Some cities and states now believe tougher penalties for those who supply alcohol is one answer. These are often called “social host liability laws” and “teen party ordinances.”

Suggested time allotment: Two weeks to research and find out what other communities are doing to curtail teen alcohol consumption. Two weeks to develop a plan of what might be done in your community.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Read the research and links for background and to find out what other communities are doing.
2. Interview local experts in alcohol use and abuse. (see above)
3. Interview local law enforcement officers to get some idea of the number of arrests for underage purchase, possession and consumption in the community. (Check out state laws at the link below)
4. Debate the pros and cons of different practices. What have other communities tried? Tougher penalties for those who supply alcohol? More law enforcement surveillance?
5. Decide if local practices need to be changed. If so, develop a strategic plan to encourage the necessary parties to make the changes.
a. Create a better policy
b. Find out who needs to see and approve such changes
c. Arrange to meet with this person or group.
d. Present the group’s views.

Curriculum Standards from the National Council for the Social Studies: Thematic Strands, from “Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.”
• VI — Power, authority and governance. Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance…. High school students develop their abilities in the use of abstract principles. They study the various systems that have been developed over the centuries to allocate and employ power and authority in the governing process. At every level, learners should have opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to and participate in the workings of the various levels of power, authority, and governan

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information:
• The original polls from the American Medical Association were released Aug. 8, 2005, and they show a great deal about how teens acquire alcohol.
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• Concern about adults supplying alcohol to teens is so great, the federal government even has a Web site devoted to this: “We don’t serve teens.” As the home page says, “This web site provides parents and other with tools and information to reduce teen drinking and related harm.”
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• To check out the laws in your state about consumption, possession, supplying to minors, etc., the Alcohol Policy Information System has provided a map with drop-down information.
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• Another useful part of the site gives a list of what individuals and organizations can do to prevent teen drinking.
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• The STOP Underage Drinking site is a “comprehensive portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking and ideas for combating this issue.”
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• The Marin Institute, according to its Web site, “envisions communities free of the alcohol industry’s negative influence and an alcohol industry that does not harm the public’s health.” Although clearly it has an agenda, the information on it provides can be useful.
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