Elementary School Students (K-5)

Reaching Our Youngest Learners

Elementary school presentations are foundational. These students are forming their earliest understanding of health, safety, and decision-making. Your goal isn't to frighten them about drugs—it's to build a foundation of healthy habits and trust in caring adults.

Developmental Characteristics

Understanding how young children think helps you communicate effectively:

• Concrete thinking: Young children understand literal, tangible concepts better than abstract ideas. "Drugs can hurt your body" is clearer than "drugs have negative consequences."
• Rule-oriented: Elementary students generally want to follow rules and please adults. Frame healthy choices as "good rules to follow."
• Limited future thinking: Young children have difficulty conceptualizing long-term consequences. Focus on immediate, relatable impacts.
• Trust in authority: Young children typically trust adults. Use this trust responsibly—never exaggerate or mislead.
• Active learning: Young children learn best through participation, movement, and engagement—not lectures.

Key Messages for K-2

For our youngest students, keep messages extremely simple:

• Medicine is only safe when given by a trusted adult (parent, doctor, school nurse)
• Never put anything in your mouth unless a trusted adult says it's okay
• Some things that look like candy or treats can actually hurt you
• If you find something you don't recognize, tell an adult immediately
• Your body is special and deserves to be treated well

Avoid using the word "drugs" extensively with this age group. Focus instead on medicine safety and the general concept that some substances can hurt our bodies.

Key Messages for Grades 3-5

Students in upper elementary are ready for more specific information:

• The difference between medicine (which can help when used correctly) and drugs (which harm our bodies)
• Why alcohol and tobacco are dangerous for growing bodies and brains
• Basic peer pressure concepts and simple refusal strategies
• The importance of talking to trusted adults when they have questions or feel pressured
• That advertising tries to make unhealthy things look fun or cool

What NOT to Say

With elementary students, avoid:

• Specific drug names and effects: Detailed information about how drugs work can spark curiosity rather than deter use.
• Scare tactics: Frightening images or stories can traumatize young children without effectively preventing drug use.
• Assuming exposure: Don't assume all students know what drugs are or have been offered them.
• Complex statistics: Numbers and percentages don't resonate with this age group.

Engagement Strategies

Elementary presentations should be interactive:

• Use Elroy: DAP's mascot is perfect for this age group. Puppets and characters capture attention and make messages memorable.
• Movement activities: Simple games that reinforce messages keep students engaged.
• Call and response: Having students repeat key phrases helps with retention.
• Stories and scenarios: Short, relatable stories illustrate concepts better than lectures.
• Coloring and activities: DAP activity books give students something tangible to take home.

Sample Talking Points

"Your body is like an amazing machine. To keep it running well, you need to put good things in it—like healthy food and water. But some things can hurt your body, even if they don't look dangerous. That's why we only take medicine when a grown-up we trust gives it to us."

"Has anyone ever seen a commercial that made something look really fun or cool? Sometimes commercials try to trick us into wanting things that aren't good for us. It's important to think for ourselves and not just believe everything we see on TV or the internet."