Contact your Tar Wars state coordinator and request a presentation. You can also submit the online Request A Presentation form. Your submission will go straight to your state coordinator, who may have a list of potential presenters in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What should I do first?
When should Tar Wars be implemented?
Tar Wars can be implemented at any time during the school year, and the lesson plan can be easily incorporated into your classroom's daily curriculum.
What is the Tar Wars Lesson Plan?
Three components comprise the Tar Wars lesson plan: a pre-activity exercise, a classroom presentation, and a follow-up poster contest. During the classroom presentation, students will engage in a series of six activities designed to:
- Increase their knowledge of the short-term effects and image-based consequences of tobacco use.
- Illustrate the costs of using tobacco and ways they could better spend their money.
- Help them identify reasons why people use tobacco.
- Prompt them to think critically about tobacco advertising and how the tobacco industry markets their products to youth.
The poster contest activity provides students an opportunity to express their creativity while reinforcing the Tar Wars message learned during the presentation.
How much does it cost and what materials will I need to implement the program?
The program is free and only requires access to a copy machine, a supply of drinking straws, and art materials in order to conduct the classroom activities and follow-up poster contest. Access to a computer is necessary to complete the Presentation Questionnaire for Teachers.
Who will present Tar Wars to my students?
Guest speakers, such as family physicians, health care professionals, and parents from your community can be invited to present Tar Wars to your students. You may also choose to have your school nurse present the program or include it as part of wellness week or health fair activities.
Is Tar Wars effective?
Tar Wars has shown to be effective in increasing students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward tobacco use and advertising and should be considered as one of the building blocks in your school’s comprehensive, tobacco prevention education plan.
Tar Wars is consistent with the guidelines for youth tobacco prevention programs set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tar Wars is consistent with the guidelines for youth tobacco prevention programs set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.