Smoking Movie Activities for Kids

In this set of activities adaptable for grades K-3, parents and educators will find ideas for teaching about smoking. These activities are designed to complement the BrainPOP Jr. Smoking topic page, which includes a movie, quizzes, online games, printable activities, and more.

Classroom Activities for Teaching About Smoking

Smoking PSA
Have small groups write and perform a public service announcement about smoking or smokeless tobacco. They may want to focus on ways to decline offers of cigarettes or share information about specific health risks associated with smoking. Groups can write scripts, rehearse, and perform in front of the whole class. If possible, they can film their PSAs and post them to a classroom blog.

Chemicals

There are hundreds of chemicals found in cigarettes. Some are used to clean homes, remove paint, or pave roads. Have small groups look up additives or chemicals in cigarettes and research how else they are used. Their findings might be surprising. Have students share what they learned with the whole class.

Family and Homeschool Activities for Teaching About Smoking

Help Someone Be a Quitter

It’s okay. to be a quitter! Does your child know a family member who smokes? Together with your child, encourage the person to quit. Remind him or her of the health risks and come up with a plan to cut down and eventually quit. Your child can write e-mails or letters to the family member checking in on progress.

Silly Cilia

Remind your child that cilia are tiny hairs along the airways that sweep up germs and prevent them from getting into the lungs. Demonstrate this by having your child sweep a floor with a broom. Then explain that over time, cigarette smoke can damage cilia. Take the bristles or the head off the broom and have your child sweep again. What happened? What might happen if cilia were damaged or paralyzed in the airways? Discuss with your child.