Drugs in sport
I can identify different types of performance enhancing drugs, their effects, and the reasons for and against taking them.
Drugs in sport
I can identify different types of performance enhancing drugs, their effects, and the reasons for and against taking them.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Athletes with a 'win at all costs' mindset may use PEDs to improve performance and gain an unfair competitive edge.
- Anabolic steroids are used to increase muscles mass, train harder and recover from exercise quicker.
- Beta blockers reduce anxiety and muscle shakes, which can be beneficial for precision sports.
- Stimulants impact the central nervous system to reduce fatigue, increase alertness and improve reaction times.
Keywords
Performance enhancing drugs - substances used to benefit and enhance performance in sport, often against the rules
Anabolic steroids - synthetic hormones that promote muscle growth and enhance performance
Beta blockers - a drug used to control heart rhythm and lower blood pressure
Stimulants - drugs used to raise physiological arousal in the body
Common misconception
All PEDs are automatically illegal and banned substances.
The use of some PEDs to enhance performance is perfectly acceptable. Many sportspeople use narcotic analgesics to get through an event or drink caffeine for its stimulating effect. WADA is responsible for determining which PEDs are allowed.
To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Drugs in sport, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Drugs in sport, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 physical education lessons from the Socio-cultural influences: ethics and behaviour unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
a drug that allows you to hold your hand really steady
a drug which allows you to train really hard in the weights room
a drug which helps you to have really fast reaction times
a drug which helps you to deliver more oxygen to your muscles
Exit quiz
6 Questions
synthetic hormones that promote muscle growth
medications that reduce blood pressure
substances that increase alertness, energy and activity
anabolic steroids
stimulants
beta blockers