- Explain to
the class that recognizing when a family member is having
a problem with alcohol or another drug can be difficult.
It happens often enough, though, that it is helpful to
look at it in greater detail. As a class, they will be
asked to do some detective work in looking at the
situations of a few hypothetical families and trying to
figure out what may be going on and what might be done to
help.
- Divide the
class into five groups and assign each group one of the
items from Student Handout
8.C—Family
Stories. Ask each group to review
their story and respond to the five questions
on Student Handout
8.D—Family Story
Questions.
- After
reviewing their stories and questions for about
10–15 minutes, ask each group to share their story
and their responses with the larger class.
- Ask the students to share what they have learned from the family stories.
Note: It is possible that some of the students in the class will have similar experiences to those described in the Family Stories. It is important to be aware that this activity could make some students uncomfortable or even disclose that this is happening to them. It may be beneficial to talk to the school guidance counsellor in advance of the class and decide how to handle the discomfort or disclosure of students, should it arise.