This document provides instructions for a project where students will create a comic strip and PowerPoint presentation about the effects of drugs. Students will be assigned one of 11 drugs to research. They will use the Comic Life program to create a comic strip with at least 10 panels that depicts the effects of the drug. They will also create a PowerPoint covering the name, uses, short and long term effects of the drug. Students will present their comic strip and PowerPoint to the class. The document provides detailed requirements and guidelines for the comic strip, PowerPoint, research sources, and oral presentation.

1. Wellness 9
Comics for Health: The Effects of Drugs
Task:
1. Design a comic strip using the Comic Life Program to inform teenagers
about the effects of your assigned drug on the body and mind. Use your comic
strip as a teaching tool when you present your project to your class
2. Create a Power Point presentation as a visual aid to present your findings
orally to the class and reinforce your comic strip. It should provide complete
information about your specific drug.
Audience: Teenagers
Resources for research: Approved Websites listed in student resources, HSMC, Pathfinder (by K Blackwell)
http://theeffectofdrugs.wikispaces.com/Assignment+Sheet Films shown in class and Unit 3 in Lifetime Health.
Resources for Comic Strip: Comic Life Program, High School Computer Department teacher
Getting Started: Note: Three class sessions will be used to work on this project.
1. Research your assigned drug. Use the Drug Chart in student resources as a guide.
2. Create your power point from the research you and your partner have done.
3. Discuss how you and your partner will use the comic strip format to inform readers. Brainstorm what
will appear in each cell of your comic strip. Remember, comic strip characters “talk” and “think.” See
examples in class.
4. From your collective research and your power point slide show, create a comic strip which is at least 10
cells in length and which includes dialogue in at least 5 cells. Cell templates are available in class or you
may create your own.
List of Drugs to choose from:
1. Tranquillizers (e.g. Valium or Rohypnol or GHB)
2. Crystal Methamphetamine (shabu) or Amphetamines
3. Ecstasy (MDMA)
4. Cocaine
5. Marijuana
6. Heroin
7. LSD (ACID)
8. Inhalants
9. Anabolic Steroids
10. Painkillers
11. Mushroom
Power Point requirements:
1. must include the name and type of drug
2. common ‘street’ names for the drug
3. the way(s) the drug is taken into the body
4. short-term effects
5. long-term effects on the body and mind
6. potential health risks
7. interesting facts or ‘truths v’s myths’

2. Comic Strip requirements:
1. The situation the character is in must be realistic.
2. Use the situation to identify at least 2 reasons why the character is at high risk
for drug use
3. Illustrates use or lack of refusal skills by the characters
4. Identifies the drug by its street names
5. Shows what the drug looks like
6. Illustrates how the drug is taken
7. Identifies both the short-term and long-term effects of your assigned drug
Getting ready for oral presentation of comic strip and power point:
1. Read thru your Drug Information power point with your partner and go thru the checklist below.
2. Read over your comic strip and go thru the checklist below.
3. Transfer your Comic Life, comic strip to a jpeg slide show for use during your class presentation. Use
the Jpegs imagine to transfer.
4. Print your Comic Life, comic strip and mount it for display using either poster board or cartolina paper
(available in class) for the background.
5. Run thru your presentation with your partner.
My Project Checklist:
 My power point has a title
 Author are clearly visible
 pp slides are eye catching
 pp slides easy to read
 pp slides have a specific amount of info on each slide
 power point meets all the requirements listed above
 my images have captions and are included in my bibliography
 bibliography is in MLA format
 My comic strip has a title
 the names of the authors clearly visible
 My comic has a least 10 cells with 5 dialogue
 Comic is printed and mounted for display
 Comic Strip is transferred to a jpeg. slide show
 comic strip meets the requirements listed above
Oral Presentation Checklist
 I have researched my assigned drug and am confident I can answer questions
 Read over my power point and comic strip at least 3 times
 My partner and I have gone thru a dry run of the presentation out loud

3. Substance Abuse Comic Life Project Grade 9 Wellness
Exemplary Proficient Developing Emerging Comments
A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D-
Content The project includes all the
PowerPoint/ project requirements. The Meets most of the Meets very few of Includes little
Prezi project gives the audience project requirements. the project persuasive information
a clear sense of the main Includes persuasive requirements. and only one or two
14 points idea. information from facts about the topic.
Information is accurate, reliable sources and Information is
Some of the
current and comes mainly incomplete, out of date
information may not
from excellent sources. and/or incorrect.
seem to fit. Sources
Sequencing of ideas is
used appear
unclear.
unreliable.
Content
Comic Strip The text contains rich, It contains rich and It contains material There is very few boxes
difficult to find, and/or useful information that is superficial, on the storyboard and
14 points very useful information. distilled into an OR highly they do not provide an
Highly complex material is accessible form. The complicated and hard overview of the topic.
simplified and made audience is left with a to discern OR useful
accessible through very sense of satisfaction and material that is not
effective synthesis. The understanding regarding easy to use in its
audience is left with a what has been learned current form. The
deeper understanding of and/or the direction it audience is left
the drug. might provide. without a clear sense
of the effects of the
drug.
PowerPoint/ Sometimes the fonts are Overall readability is The layout is cluttered,
Prezi easy-to-read, but in a difficult with lengthy confusing, and does not
The fonts are easy-to-read
few places the use of paragraphs, too many use spacing, headings
and point size varies
4 points fonts, italics, bold, long different fonts, dark and subheadings to
appropriately for headings
paragraphs, color or or busy background, enhance the readability.
and text. Use of italics,
busy background overuse of bold or
bold, and indentations
detracts and does not lack of appropriate
enhances readability. Text
enhance readability. indentations of text.
is appropriate in length for
The slides include titles The slide
the target audience and to
and text for each slide presentation is not in
the point. The background
and are in sequential a logical sequence
and colors enhance the
order. and has incomplete
readability of text. There is
information.
a logical sequence to the
presentation
Oral
Presentation Presented with a clear Presented with some No real structure to the
structure and some structure and some presentation and little
Engaging and well-
4 points evidence of prior evidence of prior evidence of planning or
structured with clear
planning and planning and preparation. The
evidence of planning,
preparation. The preparation. The audience was not
preparation and practice.
audience was engaged audience was not engaged with the
The presentation was
most of the time. engaged with the subject.
clearly audible, lasted for
subject most of the
the appropriate length of
time.
time.
Research /
Bibliography Bibliography indicates you Bibliography indicates Bibliography No bibliography
MLA Format accurately researched a you recorded relevant indicates you indicates you didn’t
variety of information information from misinterpreted recorded information
4 points from four or more multiple sources of statements, graphics from four or less
resources. information, evaluated and questions and resources, did not find
and synthesized relevant failed to identify graphics and ignored
Correct MLA format information. relevant arguments. alternative points of
A few errors in the Many errors in the view.
MLA formatting. MLA formatting.
Final Grade = ____________/40