Dollar Bill Jump

Purpose: When you are under the influence of some drugs, typically your judgment is impaired and you believe you can do things that in reality you can’t. This activity poses the same dilemma.

Materials:

1. For the classroom demonstration - a dollar bill

2. For the classroom activity – a roll of masking tape

Activity: For the classroom demonstration choose one person to come up in front of the class. Place the dollar bill down on the floor, extending the long way, right in front of the volunteer’s feet. Tell the group participant to reach down (he or she does not have to keep his or her legs straight) and grab onto his or her toes and jump over the dollar bill. The participant can not let go of his or her toes when he or she does this. Give the participants a couple of tries. For the classroom activity, place 2 lines of masking tape on the floor. Place the masking tape the same distance apart that a dollar bill would be. Now you can have the entire group line up on one side and give the jump a try. You may have them try one at a time or the entire group at once.

Processing:

1. How hard does this activity look?

2. How did you feel when you gave it a try?

3. What can this activity tell us about alcohol or drug impairment?

4. Does the person who is impaired know that he or she can’t do certain activities like drive a car?

5. What is he or she thinking as he or she gets behind the wheel of the car?

6. How good is our judgment working when we are impaired?

7. Would we do things while impaired that normally we would not do?

8. What kinds of things might we do that could result in trouble?

9. How can we help a friend when he or she is impaired but doesn’t know it?

Resource: Activities that Teach, Tom Jackson