Use this guide to learn more about the contest!

71060.0114

Curriculum and Contest Guide

Brought to you by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma

Working together for a healthier Oklahoma!

Anti-Tobacco Poster and Multimedia Contest

Blaze the Braggin’ Blue Dragon

and Activity Sheets

Brought to you by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma; the American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region; the Oklahoma State Department of Education; the Oklahoma State Department of Health; and the Oklahoma Asthma Initiative. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Table of Contents

Meet Blaze ........................................................................................................................... 3

Frequently Asked Questions............................................................................................ 4

Entry Form .......................................................................................................................... 5

Poster Entry ........................................................................................................................ 6

How To Upload Multimedia ............................................................................................. 7

Facts About Tobacco .......................................................................................................... 8

Classroom Discussion ....................................................................................................... 9

Classroom Activities ........................................................................................................10

Word Search .....................................................................................................................12

Blaze Coloring Sheet .......................................................................................................13

Crossword Puzzle ............................................................................................................14

Glossary .............................................................................................................................15

Word Search Key .............................................................................................................17

Additional Resources ......................................................................................................18

I’m Blaze the Braggin’ Blue Dragon, and I’m not like other dragons. I don’t smoke or use tobacco. I eat right, get plenty of exercise and feel great. Kids, you can, too! Be a braggin’ dragon like me. Live healthy, and live longer.

It’s fun to be a dragon, especially a healthy one. Too bad most dragons aren’t healthy. Do you know why? A lot of dragons smoke and eat unhealthy foods. Some dragons also play too many video games instead of playing outside and riding bikes, which makes them too heavy to fly.

Tobacco products are bad for you and can make you sick. Second-hand smoke can even hurt the people around you. Tobacco costs a lot of money. It has poisons in it and an addictive drug called nicotine. You can be a hero and be smart by never starting to use tobacco, and by encouraging others not to use tobacco.

Be Smart–Don’t Start!

I’m Blaze! I don’t smoke and never will.

Meet Blaze the Braggin’ Blue Dragon

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What is the Be Smart–Don’t Start Anti-Tobacco Poster and Multimedia Contest?

An art contest where students demonstrate why tobacco shouldn’t be used, through a hand drawn poster or a multimedia message.

Who can participate?Elementary students in kindergarten through 5th grade attending an Oklahoma public or private school, or being home schooled.

When is the contest?Feb. 6 - March 3, 2014

How do students participate?• Use the back of the contest entry form to

create a poster about why it is smart to never start using tobacco. Create a poster that is easy to understand, and draw colorful pictures to illustrate the message. Please avoid using copyright characters. If facts are used, they must be accurate. Poster will be accepted on the back of the contest entry form below OR a 11 x 17 sheet of paper only.

• An individual student or entire class can create a 30-second video or record an audio jingle about the importance of being tobacco free. Submissions will be judged on the creativity and originality of the theme “Be Smart Don’t Start”. Tobacco-related facts used in submissions should be accurate and verifiable.

• Mail completed posters to:

Be Smart–Don’t Start Anti-Tobacco Contest c/o Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma 3817 Northwest Expressway, Suite 300Oklahoma City, OK 73112-1465

Then what happens?• Judges will choose a winner in three grade

categories (K - 1st, 2nd - 3rd and 4th - 5th grade) and one overall winner. Entries will be judged on clarity and effectiveness of message, artistic merit, accuracy and creativity. All winners will be notified approximately six weeks after contest ends.

First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in each of the three grade categories:

• 1st Place - $100 gift card and trophy• 2nd Place - $75 gift card and trophy• 3rd Place - $50 gift card and trophy• Overall Grand Prize - One overall winner will

be chosen from among all entries and win an iPad and trophy.

Questions? Call 405-316-7008 Email: besmart@bcbsok.com or visit bcbsok.com/dontstart.

Teachers and students can win iPads, gift cards and trophies!

Completed entries must be postmarked by

Monday, March 3, 2014

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Posters must be postmarked by Monday, March 3, 2014.

Questions? Call 405-316-7008, email besmart@bcbsok.com or visit bcbsok.com/dontstart.

Please Print:

Sponsoring Parent’s\Teacher’s name Grade

Student’s name

Student’s address

City State Zip code

Sponsoring Parent’s\Teacher’s name

Sponsoring Parent’s\Teacher’s e-mail address

How did you hear about the contest?

Mail to:

Be Smart–Don’t Start Anti-Tobacco Contestc/o Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma

3817 Northwest Expressway, Suite 300Oklahoma City, OK 73112-1465

Contest Entry Form

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Poster Entry Page

How to upload a video or audio entry: 1. Open your Internet browser and type in dropbox.com in the address bar. 2. The web browser should take you to the first page of Dropbox. 3. In the center of the page is a place to sign in. Click it and enter this: email: besmart@bcbsok.com password: dontstart 4. The new Dropbox page shows you several folders. Open the folder that is named “BSDS multimedia”. 5. Click the Upload button from the very top of the window.

6. A window will appear. Click the Choose File button and then select the file on your computer that you’d like to add to your Dropbox.

7. Choose as many files as you like, and then click the Start Upload button. The window will disappear, your files will start uploading, and you’ll be shown a progress indicator. That’s it; you’ve added files to your Dropbox!

Note: Each file you upload through the website must be 10 GB or less. For even larger files, use the desktop application or mobile app, which don’t have this limit.

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On the following pages, you will find information and activities to develop a classroom curriculum around the importance of never starting to smoke. Please also see the resources on page 18 to find websites with additional information.

Why is tobacco education important?1

• Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

• On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers.

• For every person who dies of a smoking-related disease, 20 more people suffer from at least one serious illness from smoking.

• In the United States, 23% of high school students are current cigarette smokers.

• Each day, about 1,000 people younger than 18 years of age become regular smokers; that is, they begin smoking on a daily basis.

• Among adult smokers, 70% report that they want to quit completely, and more than 40% try to quit each year.

• Nearly 21% of U.S. adults (45.3 million people) are current cigarette smokers.

• Spit tobacco contains 28 cancer-causing agents (carcinogens). It is a known cause of oral cancer.

• Spit tobacco use can lead to nicotine addiction and dependence.

• Adolescents who use spit tobacco are more likely to become cigarette smokers.

Oklahoma Tobacco Facts2

• Oklahoma has one of the highest percentages of smoking-related deaths in the nation.

• An estimated 87,000 of Oklahoma children now under the age of 18 will die prematurely as a result of tobacco addiction.

• 21% (41,500) of Oklahoma high school students smoke; 23% of Oklahoma high school males dip or chew tobacco.

• Currently, 12% of Oklahoma youth in grades 6-8 and 31% of youth in grades 9-12 currently use some form of tobacco products. Half of these youth indicate they would like to quit.

1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20082. Oklahoma Tobacco Use Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, 2008

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Consider involving your local high school’s Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) team in delivering these prevention messages to your students. Elementary students look up to and often imitate the behaviors of older youth and siblings. These older teens can be part of the prevention solution. For more information, visit okswat.com.

Did you know?• There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, including formaldehyde, butane, arsenic,

ammonia, acetone, carbon monoxide and cadmium. Two hundred of these chemicals are poisons and 43 chemicals cause cancer.

• It’s hard to stop smoking once you start, because of a drug in cigarettes called nicotine. The body gets addicted to, or “hooked” on nicotine.

• Tobacco is a waste of money. A pack of cigarettes costs about $5.50. The average Oklahoma smoker smokes about 100 packs of cigarettes each year, an annual cost of $550.

• Tobacco causes:

Wrinkles Smelly hair Coughing Addiction Yellow teeth Stinky clothes Lung cancer Emphysema Stroke Heart disease Death Bad breath Asthma Shortness of breath

Why do kids start smoking? On a dare To rebel To seem older To seem cool Peer pressure To stand out To get attention Relieve stress Weight control To be accepted Experimentation Famous people do it Parent smokes To cope Don’t think it will hurt them

What is peer pressure?Writeoutadefinitionof“peerpressure”andexplainittoyourstudents.Thenhaveyourstudentswritetheirowndefinitionsandgiveexamples.

What are some better, inexpensive alternatives to smoking? Call a friend Ride a bike Play a game Play a sport Read a book Eat a healthy snack

What percentage of Oklahoma adults smoke?Studies show children perceive that more adults smoke than actually do. In Oklahoma, approximately 25% of adults smoke and research shows that the majority of adults who smoke want to quit (Oklahoma Department of Health, 2009).

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Adapt these hands-on activites to the age and skill level of your students.

Smoking Takes Your Breath AwaySupplies: You will need a regular drinking straw for each student and a small coffee stir straw for each student.

Warning: Do not attempt this exercise with students who have asthma, bronchitis or any condition that affects breathing.

Say to the children: The problem with smoking is that it damages your body gradually, and it is sometimes difficult to feel the damage right away.

Have each person place the large diameter straw in their mouth and run in place or jump rope for a minute or two while breathing only through the straw. After the time is up, ask the kids if they feel different than normal. Remind them that this is how their breathing would feel as a young person when it is damaged by only a few years of light smoking.

While the students are still out of breath, have them try breathing through the small coffee straw while pinching their noses. Ask, “Can you feel the difference?” They may say they feel pressure in the chest and a panicky feeling. They may not be able to do this without breathing through their nose. Remind the students that this is how it feels to have emphysema, a breathing disease caused by years of smoking. Simple acts such as standing up or walking across the room would make them feel that way. However, with emphysema, you could not go back to breathing normal. Eventually, most people with emphysema have to use an oxygen tank to help them breathe each day.

Ad WatchBring popular magazines to class. Ask the students to count the number of tobacco ads in each magazine. Discuss the variety of messages in the ads. The messages are conveyed through words, pictures, and colors, and show happiness, glamour, youth, popularity and sex appeal. Discuss with students what is missing from the ads: dirty ashtrays, smelly clothes and hair, stained teeth and fingers, people coughing and smoke-filled rooms.

Have students design their own cigarette ads that tell the real story about smoking. Make a collage or bulletin board of cigarette ads they find or create. Students should point out false or absurd implications made by the pictures or slogans in the ads. Discuss how tobacco advertising encourages people to smoke:

Pretty/glamourous models Looks fun/exciting Looks smart Makes you look older Something friends do together Looks like healthy activity

What do tobacco ads not show? Yellow teeth Oxygen tanks for smokersMouth/tongue cancer Used tobacco trash on our streetsMedical bills for treatment Diseased lungsDamaged hearts

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Warning Labels

Different warning labels appear on cigarette packs and spit tobacco. Bring examples to class for the students to see. Ask them to write the warnings on a sheet of paper, and then write a warning label that expresses the many dangers of using tobacco.

Do the MathA pack of cigarettes costs about $5.50. If a person smokes a pack a day, how much does he or she spend on cigarettes in a year? Two years? Ask your students to list or draw pictures of three things you could buy with that much money instead of cigarettes.

Tobacco-Free SchoolsAll Oklahoma schools are currently required to be tobacco-free from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, many schools are implementing 24-hour tobacco-free policies to encourage the health and safety of their community all day – during sports events, banquets and other after hours events. Adults cannot smoke or use tobacco on school grounds, buses or at sporting events according to state laws and school district policy.

Find out if your school has a 24-hour tobacco-free policy by visiting ok.gov/health. Click on “Wellness” > “Tobacco Prevention” > “Programs” > “School Programs.” If your school has not already implemented one, have your students write letters to their school board, asking them to implement a 24-hour tobacco-free policy. Ask your principal or a school board member to talk to your class, and consider helping younger students to sign a petition asking their school boards to implement this healthy policy.

Morbid TruthAbout 6,200 Oklahomans die from tobacco-related illnesses every year (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Oklahoma State Department of Health, 2003). Compare this to the number of people who live in your community and/or the number of students in your school. If your school represented the state of Oklahoma, how many students would lose their lives to tobacco-related illnesses? Do the math and look at the numbers. You can also make a graph.

Act It OutHave students act out different ways to say “no” to tobacco. Get ideas from the kids and offer these:

• Short but sweet: Simply say, “No, thanks.”• Out of sync: “No thanks; that’s just not me.”• Something else going on: “I’m really busy; I have to practice my piano.”• No, no, a thousand times no: “No way, uh-uh, absolutely not, no thanks!”• Here’s my reason: “No thanks. I’m playing soccer. I don’t want to ruin my chances of

making the team. I need to be in top shape.”• Assert yourself: “I think tobacco is gross. How can you do that to yourself?”• Reverse peer pressure: “I don’t want to smoke because it will give me wrinkles.

You really shouldn’t smoke either. It’s not healthy. I’m worried about you.”• Make a joke: “If I wanted to hang around smoke, I’d join the fire department.”• Suggest something else: “Hey, I’d rather play a game.”• Leave the situation: As soon as you feel pressure, leave. Don’t wait around.

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BE SMART DONT START HABIT

BLAZE HEART DISEASE BREATHE

CIGARETTES CANCER ADDICTION

SAY NO PEER PRESSURE COUGH

POISONS EMPHYSEMA TOBACCO

SNUFF NICOTINE STROKE

ASTHMA TOXIC SECONDHAND SMOKE

DIP

D E K O M S D N A H D N O C E S

P O I S O N S B G S I D H O K H

O C N O K D P H Y N T H E U O E

K C P T E N I T O C I N Z G R A

E R U S S E R P R E E P T H T R

A M E P T T O X I C A C E R S T

S T P C B L A Z E F W K T Y I D

A O F H N R T R A M S E B B Z I

Y B F K Y A E U T S D N A J L S

N A T I B S C A O U T H U E L E

O C I G A R E T T E S H S F Q A

X C D D E E R M Q H U A M W F S

N O I T C I D D A X E R E A Y E

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Blaze the Braggin’ Blue Dragon

Complete the puzzle below, based on the terms found in the attached glossary.

Across: 1. social pressure by members of one’s peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted 4. a physical, psychological or emotional dependence on something, especially a drug, that causes intense cravings and makes quitting very difficult 6. organs in the chest that are used in breathing 7. plant with large, sticky leaves that are smoked or chewed 9. a disease in which certain cells divide and grow much faster than they normally do11. a drug, especially an illicit or addictive one13. a structural or functional abnormality of the heart, or of the blood vessels supplying the heart, that impairs its normal functioning14. Cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke that is inhaled unintentionally by nonsmokers and may harm their health if inhaled regularly over a long period16. to draw air into the lungs and let it out17. a colorless, odorless gas essential to the respiration of living things, or in important compounds such as water, carbohydrates, and oxide minerals18. a disease of the lungs that makes it difficult to breathe and is often caused by an allergy

Down: 2. a substance that can kill or seriously harm living beings if it is swallowed, breathed, or otherwise taken in 3. an amount of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalation or ground and placed between the cheek and gum 5. a poisonous, addictive substance found in the tobacco plant 7. acting as or having the effect of a poison; poisonous 8. an abnormal condition of the lungs marked by decreased respiratory function; associated with smoking or chronic bronchitis or old age10. a short, narrow tube of thin paper that contains cut tobacco for smoking12. a sudden sickness in the brain caused by the breaking or blocking of a blood vessel. Can cause numbness or death15. an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary

1 2 3

4 5 6

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8

9 10

11 12

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14 15

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Addiction A physical, psychological or emotional dependence on something, especially a drug, that causes intense cravings and makes quitting very difficult.1 In physical addiction, the body adapts to the substance being used and gradually requires increased amounts to reproduce the effects originally produced by smaller doses.2

Asthma A chronic disease of the lungs that makes it difficult to breathe. Asthma is often caused by an allergy.3

Breathe To draw air into the lungs and let it out.3

Cancer A disease in which certain cells divide and grow much faster than they normally do.3 Cancer can spread to surrounding tissues and is a leading cause of death in the United States.4

Chemical A substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process; a drug, especially an illicit or addictive one.5

Cigarette A short, narrow tube of thin paper that contains cut tobacco for smoking.3

Emphysema An abnormal condition of the lungs marked by decreased respiratory function; associated with smoking or chronic bronchitis or old age.6

Habit An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.7

Heart disease A structural or functional abnormality of the heart, or of the blood vessels supplying the heart, that impairs its normal functioning.5

Inhale To breathe in; draw in by breathing.

Lungs Organs in the chest that are used in breathing. Lungs are found in mammals, birds, reptiles, and some other animals. They bring oxygen to the body and get rid of carbon dioxide.3

Nicotine A poisonous substance found in the tobacco plant. Nicotine is what causes people to become addicted to cigarettes.3

Oxygen A chemical element that occurs in pure form, as a colorless, odorless gas essential to the respiration of living things, or in important compounds such as water, carbohydrates, and oxide minerals.3

Peer pressure Social pressure by members of one’s age group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted. 7

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Poison A substance that can kill or seriously harm living beings if it is swallowed, breathed, or otherwise taken in.3

Secondhand smoke Cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke that is inhaled unintentionally by nonsmokers and may harm their health if inhaled regularly over a long period.8

Snuff An amount of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalation or ground and placed between the cheek and gum.7

Stroke A sudden sickness in the brain caused by the breaking or blocking of a blood vessel. A stroke can cause parts of the body to become numb. It can also cause death.3

Tobacco A plant with large, sticky leaves that are smoked or chewed. The leaves of this plant are dried and cut for smoking in cigarettes, cigars or pipes.3

Toxic Acting as or having the effect of a poison; poisonous.7

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Glossary Citations

1. Mayoclinic.com

2. The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

3. Wordsmyth.net

4. The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

5. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

6. WordNet® 2.1, © 2005 Princeton University

7. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary © Random House, Inc. 2006.

8. The American Heritage® Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Be smart. Don’t start smoking!

1 P E E R 2P R E S 3S U R EO N

4A D D I C T I O 5N I 6L U N G SI S F

7T O B A C C O F8E O O NM X T 9C A N 10C E RP I I I

11C H E M I C A L N 12S GY 13H E A R T D I S E A S ES R R

14S E C O N D 15H A N D S M O K E EM A K TA 16B R E A T H E T

I 17O X Y G E N18A S T H M A

D E K O M S D N A H D N O C E S

P O I S O N S O K H

N D U O E

T E N I T O C I N G R A

E R U S S E R P R E E P H T R

M E T O X I C S T

S T P C B L A Z E I D

A O H N R T R A M S E B B I

Y B Y A E T S N A S

N A S C A T H U E

O C I G A R E T T E S H F A

C M H M F S

N O I T C I D D A E A E

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Special thanks to contest sponsors, TulsaKids Magazine, and Newspapers In Education from The Oklahoman.

The American Cancer Societycancer.org

The American Lung Associationlungusa.org

Artful Truthartfultruth.org

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kidstobaccofreekids.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov/tobacco/youth/index.htm

National Cancer Institutecancer.gov/cancertopics/smoking

National Spit Tobacco Education Programnstep.org

Oklahoma State Department of Health ok.gov/health

Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Safe and Healthy Schools Program

sde.state.ok.us

Oklahoma Students Working Against Tobacco okswat.com

Smokefree.gov smokefree.gov

Strong and Healthy Oklahomaok.gov/strongandhealthy

The Truth thetruth.com

Tobacco Stops With Me tobaccostopswithme.com

Medline Resources on Smoking and Youthnlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/smokingandyouth.html

Additional Resources

For resources on how to quit, call the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline toll-free at

(800) QUIT NOW (784-8669).

Spanish speaking counselors are available at (800) 793-1552.