Educational Media Reviews Online

Human Relations Media has released five new curriculum kits dealing with drug and alcohol use. And while they compliment each other, each DVD can stand on its own, with topics covering marijuana, cocaine, heroin and alcohol abuse. All of the DVDs, with the exception of DUI: The Hard Truth, address a brief history of the drug and its abuse, describing warning signs of abuse, and how the substance affects the mind and body, easily leading to addiction and unrecognizable behavior. The DVDs feature testimonials from teens and adults, but they are geared for an even younger crowd, those in junior high and given the production values of the films (average video and sound components, with some stilted editing), they are well suited for this age group. As pointed out in Cocaine and Heroin, new drugs users are getting younger and younger (as young as age 10), so the earlier students receive this type of anti-drug information, the better. All of the videos feature visual references to drinking and drug use, but nothing that cannot be viewed in the classroom. In addition to the DVD, each curriculum kit includes tests, learning objectives, student activities, fact sheets and suggested research topics, which allows educators to really extend learning and make the topics more meaningful to their students.

DUI: The Hard Truth deserves a special mention as it is by far the most powerful of this suite of DVDs. It is simply and well done, featuring live presentations and witness accounts from a family who lost a loved one to a drunk driver and the medical doctor who treated the victim and her family. The film even presents the perspective of the drunk driver. If time only permits one DVD to be shown in a classroom, show DUI: The Hard Truth. All of the DVDs are recommended (DUI: The Hard Truth is highly recommended), and are best suited for school libraries and classrooms. The titles will compliment curricula units on health education, social studies, and criminal justice.