LESSON PLAN: Teens and Vaping: The Real Health Consequences

Tell students you are about to read them a statement, and they should prepare to anonymously write down their response to it on a slip of paper, using: strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, and don't know.

Read the statement aloud: Electronic cigarettes are not harmful to your health.

Collect the slips (a pre-assessment of student perceptions; you'll repeat this at the end) while students work on step 2 below.

Hand out the Get the Facts About Vaping activity sheet and give students several minutes to complete the Predictions portion on the left. Have them set the sheets aside.

Separate the class into small groups. Distribute the student article The Health Impacts of E⁠-⁠Cigarettes to the groups and direct them to take turns reading each paragraph aloud while other members record key facts. Tell the students they will use their notes for an activity coming up.

Send groups to the Vaping 101 articles to find additional facts. Or, if you require a physical document to pass around, print out the Vaping Facts and Misperceptions infographic. Note: If you have a limited number of computers in your classroom, direct half of the groups to complete step 3 while the other half completes step 4; then have the groups switch.

Write the statements from the Predictions section of the Get the Facts About Vaping activity sheet on pieces of paper and hang them around the room. Instruct each group to choose one piece of evidence they found from the informational texts, articles, and infographics that they think is most relevant to support or disprove each statement and have them write it on a sticky note. Have them add the sticky notes to the wall under each statement, creating a running list of evidence.

• To support striving learners: Point out that just because a fact is true does not mean it is relevant to the statement. Guide students to understand that they can make stronger arguments by choosing relevant evidence.
• To increase the challenge: Have students analyze the various pieces of evidence on the wall and try to come to a consensus on which facts make the strongest case for each statement.

Direct groups to complete the Post-Research portion of the Get the Facts About Vaping activity sheet. Reconvene as a class to review. (Answer key: 1. False; 2. True; 3. False; 4. True; 5. True; 6. True.)

Reread the statement from step 1 and again have students respond anonymously on slips of paper, including a sentence about their rationale. Review the slips to measure how students' perceptions have changed after learning the facts.

Wrap up by handing out the Talk to Kids About the Risks of Vaping flyer to each student and encourage them to share what they have learned with their family. To ensure that parents receive this valuable information, consider sending the resource sheets to your students’ families via email.