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This KS3 Science resource provides a complete teaching pack on alcohol, its effects on the human body, and its wider impact on health and society. It is designed for use in KS3 Biology or PSHE lessons but can also serve as an introduction to health science for GCSE students. The resource explains what alcohol is, how it acts as a depressant drug, and how it affects the brain, liver, and nervous system.

The resource begins by introducing alcohol as a legal recreational drug that slows down the nervous system and reactions. Students learn that small amounts may cause relaxation and lowered inhibitions, while larger amounts can lead to poor coordination, slower reflexes, blurred vision, and poor decision making. Long-term effects are clearly explained, including liver damage, addiction, and social consequences.

Clear diagrams are included to show how alcohol enters the bloodstream through the digestive system and travels to the brain. Tables compare short-term and long-term effects, helping students make clear distinctions between immediate impacts and health problems caused by prolonged misuse.

The pack also highlights the concept of addiction and what it means for a drug to be addictive. It explains tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and why alcohol misuse can have both physical and psychological consequences. Legal issues and social aspects of alcohol are also discussed, such as the age restrictions on buying alcohol, the dangers of drink-driving, and the impact of alcohol on families and communities.

To consolidate learning, the resource includes a range of student activities: multiple-choice quizzes, true or false statements, short-answer questions, and exam-style questions that require longer explanations. Differentiated worksheets provide structured support for lower ability students and challenge tasks for higher ability students, such as considering case studies of alcohol use or debating whether alcohol should remain a legal drug.

This resource is ideal for KS3 teachers delivering topics on drugs, health, or the effects of lifestyle choices on the body. It can be used in science lessons to link with the nervous system and the liver’s role in metabolism, or in PSHE lessons to explore social and health issues. It is suitable for classroom teaching, homework assignments, or independent study.