Substances & Risky Behaviours Lessons for Schools
Help students understand substance risks, recognise pressure and social influence, and make safer, informed decisions about alcohol, drugs and vaping.
Explore 20+ ready-to-teach lessons that help students in Australian primary and secondary schools understand substances and risky behaviours through knowledge, critical thinking and informed decision-making. These lesson plans cover alcohol, drugs, vaping and nicotine, gambling, prescription medication misuse, substance addiction, and the difference between legal and illegal substances, alongside how media and social influence shape choices. The lesson set builds gradually across stages. Early foundations begin in primary with clear, age-appropriate awareness, then lower secondary lessons introduce more detail around social influence, choices and consequences. Upper secondary lessons move into more complex and sensitive territory, including dependence, addiction and the wider social context around substance use.
Primary • Secondary • PDHPE • Wellbeing • Health • Inclusion • Human Rights
Why this topic matters in schools
Students encounter messages about alcohol, vaping, drugs and gambling through peers, media and everyday life long before they face direct choices. Learning about these topics in a calm, factual classroom setting helps them understand risks, question influences and think through consequences rather than react in the moment. These are skills that need to be taught, practised and revisited over time, not left until something goes wrong.
This topic matters in schools because it helps students:
recognise how peers, media and marketing shape attitudes to substances
understand the difference between legal, illegal and prescription substances
think critically about risk, consequences and personal choices
identify where and how to seek help and support
practise informed decision-making before real situations arise
For teachers and school leaders, Wellio's Substances & Risky Behaviours lessons offer a structured, harm-informed way to build knowledge and decision-making skills, and to reinforce wellbeing, health and pastoral priorities across the school.
Teachers come to Wellio looking for practical, ready-to-teach lessons that match their classroom goals, cohort needs and teaching context.
Browse by stage
Find Substances & Risky Behaviours lessons that match the age group you teach.
Lower secondary
Lessons grow in complexity to explore social influence, peer pressure, vaping, alcohol and the difference between legal and illegal substances, alongside consequences and informed choices.
Browse by subtopic
Explore these lesson plans by the topic area you need most.
A few strong starting points from these lesson plans.
Teaching outcomes supported
These lessons support more than topic knowledge alone. They help schools build wider capabilities in critical thinking, decision-making and help-seeking that students can apply beyond the classroom.
These lessons can support outcomes such as:
Knowledge and understanding
identify different substances, including alcohol, drugs, nicotine and prescription medication
explain the difference between legal, illegal and prescription substances
describe how substances and gambling can affect health and daily life
recognise how dependence and addiction can develop
Critical thinking and influence
analyse how media, marketing and peers shape attitudes to substances
evaluate risks and consequences of substance use and gambling
compare accurate information with common misconceptions about vaping and other substances
Decision-making and help-seeking
apply decision-making strategies to weigh choices and consequences
identify where and how to seek help and support
demonstrate safer, informed thinking about pressure and risk
These outcomes are supported across 20+ lessons, making the lesson set useful across PDHPE, health, wellbeing and pastoral contexts in Australian schools.
Why teachers use these resources
Substances and risky behaviours are difficult to teach well without structured support, because the topic is sensitive, fast-changing and easy to get wrong in tone.
With 20+ lessons created by psychologists and experienced teachers, the lesson set gives teachers a dependable, structured starting point.
Designed for real school settings
These resources are built for the reality of school use, not just for covering a topic on paper.
They are designed to help teachers teach Substances & Risky Behaviours in ways that are:
age-appropriate
classroom-friendly
relevant to student life
practical for discussion and reflection
adaptable for different school contexts
suitable for both planned and responsive teaching
Schools can use these lessons in both planned wellbeing teaching and more responsive pastoral support.
structured wellbeing and health lessons across the school year
discussion-led sessions where students can ask questions safely
revisiting key topics such as vaping or alcohol as cohorts mature
transition points where new pressures or social settings emerge
pastoral and advisory sessions that build on planned teaching
responsive follow-up after a topic has already been introduced
Curriculum/Framework Support teachers use these resources
Substances & Risky Behaviours can support a wide range of school priorities and curriculum areas in Australian schools.
Depending on stage and school context, these lessons may contribute to:
These lessons can support planned curriculum, wellbeing, pastoral and safeguarding teaching, depending on stage and school context.
Frequently asked questions
How do these lessons fit into the curriculum?
How do I choose the right lesson?
Do I need specialist training to teach these lessons?
How do these lessons handle sensitive content?
Are these lessons only for responding to an incident?
Related Lessons
Browse by stage, explore by subtopic, or start with a ready-to-teach lesson.
