Montessori School #11

Yonkers, NY

Ms. Corrigan-Connell

In recent years, health authorities and school officials have become alarmed over the increasing number of elementary children who are considerably overweight. While this problem is not new, the numbers have been increasing at an ever growing rate.

You have been asked to serve on a panel of students who will advise the Superintendent, Mr. Pierorazio, as to the policies that should be undertaken both at Montessori School 11 and within the Yonkers Public Schools. Your recommendations will help lead to new policy concerning foods to be sold in the cafeteria and around the building. Your decisions will affect every student in the district, so consider carefully what should be done. Good luck!

Using the PPA process you will design a poster which will show both the healthy ways of eating and the unhealthy conditions which exist within our cafeteria and school environment.

Using the PPA process, you will be asked to write a community letter to the superintendent making suggestions for a specific plan of action to help improve the conditions which currently promote inactivity within our schools.

In addition, using some of the resources provided, you will develop your own program of exercise which can be done on a day to day basis and can include your entire family. You will demonstrate your program by handing in a log sheet explaining your program. This should also include a sample menu plan which includes healthy snacks.

Make sure that you are able to back up your suggestions based on the research you have done.

THE SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

Step 1: Identify the problem - Worksheet 1

Step 2: Gather the evidence - Worksheet 2

Step 3: Determine the Causes – Worksheet 3

Step 4: Examine an existing Policy – Worksheet 4

Step 5: Develop (3) Policy Solutions – Worksheet 5

Step 6: Select the Best Solution/Policy based on Effectiveness vs. Feasibility – Worksheet 6

Use the following information to help with Worksheet 2.

Things to consider:

• The percentage of New York State adults who are overweight or obese increased from 42% in 1997 to 57% in 2002.
• The percentage of obese adults in New York State more than doubled from 10% in 1997 to 21% in 2002.
• Obesity among children and adolescents has tripled over the past three decades.
• Obesity-related illnesses cost the United States an estimated $117 billion and New York State more than $6 billion.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for many serious chronic diseases and conditions including:

• cardiovascular (heart) disease,
• high cholesterol,
• high blood pressure,
• type 2 diabetes,
• cancer and
• osteoarthritis

What is the cause of this? How serious a problem is this for you as a first and second grader? What can be done to alleviate this growing epidemic? The following web pages will assist you in finding answers to the questions on the worksheets and in writing your letter and finishing your poster.

How Obesity Harms Children

How We Got There

Kids Health

Healthy Schools Act (New York)

Department of Health – Use for Worksheet 4

Family Eating – Use this site for Step 5

ActiveKids8 – Use site for Step

The Food Guide Pyramid Use site for Step

BMI Calculator (Use bottom of sheet for Body Mass Table)

Inertia at the Top

Physical Education Standards

Dole Super Kids –

Fruit and Vegetable Encyclopedia

Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Scale (4 to 8 year old)

Now that you have spent time researching the issue of obesity and how it affects the lives of children, hopefully you can share this information with your family and friends. Each of you has developed your own 'expertise' in the areas of nutrition, exercise and impact on health so you are now able to see a bigger picture of what poor choices can lead to along the road of life You all know a lot more as a result of your hard work. CONGRATULATIONS! You should be proud of yourselves! I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS AND WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ATO KEEP MAKING THE CHOICES THAT BENEFIT HEALTH AND WELL BEING! REMEMBER, LEANING NEVER STOPS!

Your work will be graded according to the following rubrics:

Rubric for a letter

Writing Rubric
Objectives	Performance Indicators
Organization	Points:1 Lack of structure, unfocused and difficult to follow.	Points: 2 Limited overall structure.	Points: 3 Good overall structure, organized, but has minor lapses in structure.	Points: 4 Overall structure is clearly organized from beginning to end.	Score
Style *Vocabulary and word choice *Sentence structure *Awareness of audience and task	Points: 1 Inadequate vocabulary. No awareness of audience and task. No sentence variation	Points: 2 Limited vocabulary and often incorrect word choice. Limited awareness of audience and task.	Points: 3 Generally effective use of vocabulary and mostly accurate word choice.	Points: 4 Consistently effective use of vocabulary. Clear awareness of audience and task.
Mechanics *Capitalization and punctuation *Spelling *Grammar	Points: 1 Numerous capitalization and punctuation errors. Extreme difficulties with spelling and grammar impeded comprehension.	Points: 2 Limited use of capitalization and punctuation. Many words spelled incorrectly. Many grammatical errors.	Points: 3 Commendable use of capitalization and punctuation. Most words spelled correctly.	Points: 4 Exemplary use of capitalization and punctuation. All words spelled correctly. Perfect use of grammar.
Workmanship *Presentation(neatness, legibility, format) *Completeness	Points: 1 Poor presentation and completeness (did not follow format, work is not legible, work is incomplete)	Points: 2 Limited presentation(followed some of the format, work is complete)	Points: 3 Meets almost all of the required expectations.	Points: 4 Meets all required expectations.

Rubric for a poster

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1	Score
Required Elements	The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements were missing.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Many items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. Some borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. One or two borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Attractiveness	The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.	The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness.	The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy.	The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
Grammar	There are no grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 1-2 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 3-4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are more than 4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.

Grade for scores (total points will come from both rubrics):

36-29=A

28-22=B

21-15=C

14-8=D

7-0=F

ELA standards

• Standard #1 Student will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
• Standard #2 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
• Standard #3 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Standard #4 Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Health, Physical Education

Standard 1:   Personal Health and Fitness

Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity, and maintain personal health.

Standard 2:   A Safe and Healthy Environment

Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment.