Audience: 9 Years and Older

General program objective: Participants will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of caffeine.

Specific program objective: Participants will identify the primary mechanism by which caffeine affects the body.

Behavior change strategy: Self-Efficacy

Educational activities:

• Elicit—ask the students how they think caffeine works in the body.
• Explain—play the provided video for the students.
• Expand—have the students reflect on the information provided in the video.
• Exit—have the students draw a picture of caffeine’s function in the brain.

Length of time to complete: 10-15 minutes, depending on length and depth of conversation.

Materials Required:

• Note paper and writing utensils
• Multi-media display (e.g. computer monitor, projector, or SmartScreen)
• Access to the internet and YouTube
• Optional: paper and drawing materials

Procedure:

• Ask the students to explain how they understand caffeine works in the body (they can write their thoughts, answer in small groups, or discuss as a class):
  • When do most people drink beverages that contain caffeine? Why do you think that is?
  • What effects does caffeine have on a person?
  • Who knows how caffeine causes those effects?
• Introduce the short-form video and play for the students.
• Ask the students to reflect on the video (they can write their thoughts, answer in small groups, or discuss as a class):
  • What did Caffeine do to Adenosine (the tired chemical)
  • What job was Adenosine not able to complete?
  • What kind of things did Caffeine tell the brain to do?
  • What is the overall function of caffeine in the body according to this video?
• Have the students draw a picture depicting caffeine blocking the body/brain from feeling tired. (Option to have children share their work in class or small groups.)

Further enrichment:

The Caffeine Play! Have students in class or small groups write and perform a dramatic sketch of caffeine blocking adenosine from doing its job (making the body tired and ready for sleep). To encourage creative expression, have the student brainstorm different ideas on how an action can be blocked. Some examples include intercepting the ball before scoring a point, taking a pen before someone can sign a paper, or construction blocking a travel lane.