Tobacco-free teaching guide: exciting language arts, social studies, and life skills activities for grades K-12.

Your students can stand out and speak up against Big Tobacco. It's time for Kick Butts Day, April 13, 2005!

Welcome Educators:

Kick Butts Day (KBD) is an annual celebration of youth advocacy, leadership, and activism in the fight against tobacco. It is the day when thousands of kids stand up against Big Tobacco and adults stand up for kids. Every year young people find new and creative ways to fight youth tobacco use in their communities. Kick Butts Day rallies and events take place in all 50 states and even across the globe, proving that kids are powerful voices in the fight against tobacco.

Despite the tobacco companies' promises to leave kids alone, Big Tobacco still seems to be targeting kids.

Evidence has consistently shown that kids prefer to smoke the brands that tobacco companies spend the most money marketing. (1) More than 6 million children in the U.S. today will die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses unless current trends are reversed. (2)

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Scholastic have teamed up to bring you this poster and guide for Kick Butts Day 2005. Youth-tested activities with step-by-step instructions make it easy for you and other concerned adults to help elementary, middle, and high school students organize and take part in Kick Butts Day events.

How to Use:

1. Photocopy and distribute the Student Reproducible pages.

2. Choose one or more activities to teach your students how to fight tobacco where it matters most--in your community.

3. Copy the "Dear Parent or Guardian" letter and distribute it to your students.

4. Encourage your students to choose activities that will expose the tobacco industry's schemes, and help them say "no" to tobacco.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Palm Vice President/Group Publisher Scholastic Inc.

Matthew L. Myers President Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids