Ms. Breeden

Frederick Douglass Academy II

Good or Bad?—Healthy or Unhealthy?

Are Unhealthy Snacks Sold at FDA?

Teenage Obesity-Why Is It A problem?

Introduction

In recent years health authorities have become alarmed over the increasing number of teens who are considerably overweight. While the problem is not new, the numbers have been increasing at an ever growing rate. What is the cause of this? How serious is this for the health of teens? Is the problem more serious for recent immigrants? What should be done about the problem?

You have been asked to serve on a panel of students who will advise the principal as to the policies that should be undertaken at Fredrick Douglas Academy. Your recommendations will help write a brochure concerning the foods to be sold in the cafeteria and around the building. Your decisions will affect every student in the school, so consider carefully what should be done. Good luck!

Task

Your group will be using the PPA process, you have to write a brochure that will be handed out to students.

You will be making suggestions for a specific plan of action and making a brochure that will be attractive and informative to students at FDA. Make sure that you are able to back up

your suggestions based on the research you have done.

Process

Meeting in groups of five persons, you will gather data from the Websites listed below. You will review the data provided by the charts, tables and statistical data to describe the current conditions at FDA II as well as the scope and nature of the problem of teen obesity generally.

Your group shall select people to fill each of the following roles:

§ Group Leader- Who will organize the group and coordinate the group’s effort. The leader also assists all other members in completing their tasks

§ Recorder and Secretary- Writes the results of researchers in a format that can be presented. The Recorder keeps all research materials for the group’s use

§ Researchers- These two will look at the websites and present the data for the groups as a whole to analyze

§ Presenter- The Presenter will describe the group’s findings to the class as a whole. The Presenter may also work with the whole group in developing a format for the presentation, which may be a chart, poster, PowerPoint, etc.

Your group will read the information explaining each component of the PPA so that you will understand each part of what you need to do.

Use the Public Policy Analyst to assist you in researching for your presentation.

1. Define the problem

2. Gather evidence

3. Identify causes

4. Evaluate a policy

5. Develop solutions

6. Select the best solution

Your group will decide on the best way to write your brochure. You will need to decide the format and illustrations. All presentation formats must be approved in advance.

Keep in mind that a major goal is to produce a brochure that will be attractive and informative to students ; you want them to read it. You also want to have students develop a healthy lifestyle, thus your goal should be for them to keep the brochure for future use. You need to develop a plan for printing and distribution of the brochure as well.

Resources:

As public policy analysts you may use internet research. The following websites are all related to the existing problem.

Web Articles on the topic:

Teen Obesity Cuts Life Expectancy

Teen Obesity Report from Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Teenage Obesity How to prevent teenage obesity - Weight loss for teenagers

Doctors Underestimate Teenage Obesity

NYC Schools Trashing Junk Food - CBS News

Strategic Plan for Overweight and Obesity Prevention - New York State

Teenagers Today: Hope for Overweight Teens

Student Research for Action

More Generalized Search Engines:

https://www.google.com/

http://www.ask.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.altavista.com/

http://www.lycos.com/

Evaluation

This is rubric that will be used to assess your completed work. Use it to make sure you have completed all the steps and can receive the full amount of points.

Criteria

Points

	4	3	2	1
PPA Policy Worksheets Steps 1-6	All questions were answered completely and rationales for the answers were clearly stated.	All questions were answered completely, but rationales for the all the answers were not clearly stated.	Not all questions were answered completely, or greater than 2 rationales for the all answers were not clearly stated.	All questions were not answered completely.	____
Process: Teamwork	It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product.	The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree.	The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred.	The final product is not the result of a collaborative effort. The group showed no evidence of collaboration.	____
Process: Originality	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a high degree of originality.	The ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original. The group may have improved upon a previous idea.	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a low degree of originality.	There were no original ideas expressed in this project.	______
Brochure	A complete and informative publication. Well written and illustrated. Clearly illustrates the social problem and lays out a course of action	A generally well written publication, but with flaws in English usage or incomplete treatment of the issues involved.	A less-well written paper or one missing more than 2 points of the PPA. Incomplete or missing treatment of the social issues involved	Incomplete or missing sections, either of the PPA or of the topic. Poor English usage.	______
				Total---->	_____

4= A 3=B 2=C 1=F

Conclusion

You should have learned from this webquest that teen obesity can be seen as a major social problem at FDA. You have seen the gravity of the problem for all concerned. You also have learned the role of the Public Policy Analyst. Let’s hope your investigation and suggestions will lead to a policy that will make a difference.

Thanks for your participation. It is much appreciated!

Standards

English

English E1 – Read and comprehend informational materials

English E2 – Produce a report of information

Produce a persuasive and reflective essay

English E3 – Participate in group meetings

English E4 – Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness

English E7 – Produce functional documents appropriate to audience and purpose

Social Studies Standard 5 – Civics and Government

Students participate as informed citizens in the political justice system and processes of the United States, including voting

• evaluate, take, and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of American political life are and their importance to the maintenance of constitutional democracy (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994)

• take, defend, and evaluate positions about attitudes that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in public affairs

• consider the need to respect the rights of others, to respect others’ points of view (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1996)

• participate in school/classroom/ community activities that focus on an issue or problem

• prepare a plan of action that defines an issue or problem, suggests alternative solutions or courses of action, evaluates the consequences for each alternative solution or course of action, prioritizes the solutions based on established criteria, and proposes an action plan to address the issue or to resolve the problem