Lesson Plan
Understanding Medicine Measuring Tools, Storage, and Safe Disposal
In this third lesson of the OTC Medicine Safety program, students will practice pointing out information on the drug facts label and learn about measuring tools, where to store medicine, and how to safely dispose of it.
Grades
3–5, 6–8
Duration
40 MINUTES
Quick links to lesson materials:
Objectives
Students will:
- Identify information found in dosing instructions on drug facts labels (when, how, and how often to take the medicine)
- Explain the importance of reading and understanding dosing information
- Understand why using proper dosing tools is important
- Discuss possible consequences of not following dosing instructions
- Describe what makes a location safe or unsafe for medicine storage
- Identify potential consequences of unsafe medicine storage
- Brainstorm ways students can talk to family members about safe medicine storage and safe disposal
Materials
- Over-the-Counter Medicine Safety Classroom Poster printable
- Pediatric medicine bottle filled with colored water
- Dosing device that came with pediatric medicine
- Adult medicine bottle filled with different-colored water
- Dosing device that came with adult medicine
- Kitchen spoons of different sizes
- Responsible Medicine Dosing printable
- Safe Medicine Storage printable
- OTC Medicine Safety Answer Key printable
- Paper and pen or pencil
- Optional: Medicine Safety for Families Newsletter printable
Set Up
- Emphasize to students that they should never take medicine without the supervision of a parent or trusted adult.
- Make copies of the printables for each student in your class.
Lesson Directions
Step 1: Begin with a class discussion about the importance of using the right tools when measuring different things. Ask students:
- If I wanted to measure how far it is from the school to my house, would I use a ruler? Why or why not?
- What are some different ways that people make mistakes when measuring things out?
Step 2: Encourage students to think about why accurate measurements are important. Ask:
- When is it okay to get less-accurate measurements or even to estimate?
- When is it important to get really accurate measurements? Why?
Step 3: Ask students to think back to the previous lesson on Reading and Understanding the Drug Facts Label.
- Do you remember which section of the label talks about how much medicine to take?
Discuss different information contained in the Directions section of the Drug Facts label (amount of medicine to take, how often to take the medicine, and how to take it). If you deem it appropriate, display the Over-the-Counter Medicine Safety Classroom Poster printable. Explain that students are going to learn why reading and understanding dosing instructions is important, and why medicines should always be measured using the proper dosing devices under adult supervision.
Step 4: Show students the different medicine bottles (filled with colored water) and measuring devices.
Step 5: Read the dosing information for the pediatric medicine. Then try to measure out the correct dose using the dosing devices that are not meant for the pediatric medicine. Reflect on the results. Next, measure out the dose using the correct dosing device. Discuss with the class why using the correct device is important.
Step 6: Repeat the activity with the adult medicine, but try to measure it out with devices that are too small for the correct dose. Reiterate the potential dangers of using the wrong device and why using the correct one is important.
Step 7: Show students a medicine bottle that recommends a dose of 2 teaspoons of medicine. Then take out a handful of different-size household spoons, the kind that students might find in their kitchen drawers at home. Measure out 2 spoonfuls of “medicine” into any of the spoons, pouring the measured liquid into a dosing cup that has an accurate measurement for 2 teaspoons. Discuss the discrepancy with the class.
Step 8: Distribute the Responsible Medicine Dosing printable. Have students complete the worksheet; this can either be done individually or you can lead the class and work through it together, discussing each example.
Step 9: Talk about how measuring doses incorrectly (measuring out tablespoons instead of teaspoons, for example) can cause an overdose or underdose. Reinforce the importance of always communicating with a trusted adult before taking any medicine. Connect this discussion with a brief introduction to safe storage, which, when ignored, may lead to accidental ingestion and medicine poisoning.
Step 10: Ask students to name the locations where medicines are stored in their households. Write answers on the board for students to refer to later. Common answers may include kitchen cabinet, bathroom cabinets, or parents’ or trusted adult’s bedroom.
As students answer, ask for specifics.
- Are the medicines in drawers or cabinets or on the countertop?
- Are the medicines easy for young children to see or reach?
Get students thinking about how easy it is for young children in the house to find medicine. Explain that medicines need to be kept out of reach and sight of their naturally curious younger brothers and sisters, or young visitors to their home.
Step 11 Distribute the Safe Medicine Storage printable. Explain to students that they are looking at the inside of a home and it is their job to identify the medicine storage errors that could lead to accidental medicine poisoning.
Step 12: Ask students how their families get rid of unused medicine. Common answers may include putting the medicine in the trash or flushing the medicine.
Step 13: Explain to students that just as safe storage is important for keeping medicines away from people who shouldn’t have them, safe disposal is also important. Before throwing away OTC medicines, mix them with an unappealing substance (such as kitty litter or coffee grounds) and place them in a closed container (such as a sealed plastic bag). The FDA has additional guidelines for certain prescription medicines (like disposal by flushing or using the National Take-Back Initiative). The Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can answer any questions you have about how to dispose of medicines.
- Why do you think that the FDA has these guidelines for safe disposal of medicines?
- What could happen if a medicine is not disposed of properly?
Step 14: After the students have completed their Responsible Medicine Dosing printable, continue the discussion.
- What did you learn about safe storage?
- Is there anything from today’s discussion that might be important to mention at home?
Lesson Extensions
1. Ask students to create a tool or advertisement to help people remember how to keep a home medicine-safe. Some possibilities include:
- An idea for an app that can help families remember all of the ways to make a home medicine-safe. Research for the app idea may involve connecting with a local health expert (pharmacist, nurse, etc.) or an expert from an organization similar to Safe Kids via email for insight.
- A jingle for the Poison Control Center’s purpose and phone number
- A mnemonic device to remember the directions for safe medicine storage and disposal
- A survey to distribute to families to determine how medicine-safe their home is
Home Connections
- If you haven’t already, send home the Medicine Safety for Families Newsletter printable so students may continue the discussion at home.
- Encourage students to discuss what they have learned about the Poison Help number, to post the number in a visible place in their homes, and to get family members to save the number in their mobile phones.