ASTHMA IN
Ms W. Burnett
5th
Grade.
INTRODUCTION
According to Aaron Lask, (Asthma: Attitude and Milieu) Who is suffering? The
asthmatic or his environment?”
The air in
You now have a chance to make a
change! In this web quest you will become a Public Policy Analyst. You will study
the reasons for the high asthma rates in
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! You can
help to identify solutions to the problem.
TASK
Your task is to research the causes
of the high asthma rate in
Your group will complete the six step
policy in the Public
Policy Analyst to decide on two best public policy solutions that will
result in a significant reduction in the number of asthma cases in
After completing the six steps in the
process, your group will write a letter to the Mayor, suggesting policy changes
to reduce the number of asthma cases reported each year. The letter must
include all the elements of the SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY
ANALYST listed in the process” section of the web quest.
You should state the severity of the
problem, show evidence and causes for asthma and detail feasible public policy
solutions.
Your letter should be a minimum of three pages of text accompanied
by graphs, charts and relevant illustrations.
You must use Ms Word to write your
letter.
This will be collected upon
completion of o the assigned task.
The
symptoms of an asthma attack follow logically from the fact of airways
narrowing reducing the amount of air reaching the lungs. The most obvious
sign of asthma is the wheezing sound made by the narrowed passages
like wind instruments. As less air reaches the lungs you also begin to breathe
faster to make up for losses. And as an asthma attack gets worse the
airways become even smaller and pushing air through them gets more
difficult - like the difference between blowing through a pipe and a straw.
Muscles of your torso then pitch in to help, seen as a tugging
motion at the pit of the throat (2), and sucking in of the belly
just under the breast bone (5) and between the ribs (4).
PROCESS
To complete the task the students
will be divided into groups of four to work cooperatively. Each group will
follow the rules stated below. The
group will be responsible for the completion of the Six-Step Public Policy
Analyst worksheets which will be used to complete the letter to the Mayor of
New York City.
ROLE #1 Project Manager/Lear Researcher----- The leader will keep a record of the
group’s daily work and report all problems to the teacher. This individual will
also keep track of the group researches and directing other members to the
websites listed and also other sites recommended by other students and teacher.
The Project Manager/Lead/Researcher will combine all the reports and also visit
other sites for additional information. He/she will be responsible for removing
irrelevant and unnecessary information from the research.
ROLE #2 AUTHOR---- This student will be responsible for
writing the letter to the Mayor.
ROLE #3 EDITOR---This student will re-read/edit/and
revise the information on the policy analysis work sheets/letter.
ROLE #4 STATISTIAN---- Organize the
numbers and statistics involved in analyzing the data obtained by research.
NOTE ALL STUDENTS WILL
BE INVOLVED IN DOING THE RESEARCH.
All groups will use the Public Policy Analyst
to complete the task.
Each group will use the INTERNET web
sites, and written text material to complete the PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST worksheets
linked below. Each sheet represents one of the SIX
STEPS in the PPA Format.
1. Defining the
Social Problem
2. Gathering Evidence
of the Problems
3. Identifying Causes
of the Problems
4. Identify and
Evaluate Existing Pubic Policy
5. Develop Public
Policy Solutions
RESOURCES
GENERAL SEAECH ENGINES:
ASTHMA IN
BREATHING SPACE-ASTHMA IN
NEW YORK
Childhood
Asthma Initiative : NYC DOHMH Asthma in New York City - Graph COMPARING
ASTHMA IN NEW YORK TO ASTHMA IN OTHER CITIES
EVALUATION
|
CATEGORY |
4 EXCELLENT |
3 VERY GOOD |
2 SATISFACTORY |
1 UNSATISFACTORY |
GRADE |
|
CONTENT |
Shows a full understanding of the topic. USES ALL STEPS OF PPA |
Shows a good understanding of the topic. USES FIVE OF THE SIX
STEPS OF THE PPA |
Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. USES ALL STEPS
OF THE PPA WITH SOME ERRORS |
Does not seem to understand the topic very well. INCORRECTLY
USES OR FAILS TO USE PPA STEPS |
|
|
GROUP PARTICIPATION |
Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts
of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together. |
Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group. |
Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member. |
Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group. Often is not a good team member. |
|
|
LETTER |
-clear description of policy solution -Includes information from all 6 steps of the PPA. -Demon. Full control of language. |
-Clear description of policy solution. -Includes information from most steps of the PPA. -Demon. Control of language conventions with few mistakes. |
-Basic description of policy solution. -includes information from less than 4 steps of the PPA -Some errors in language conventions get in way of presentation.. |
-Insufficient and/or unclear presentation of material. -includes information from less than 4 steps of the PPA. -Significant errors in language conventions get in the way of
presentation. |
|
|
Vocabulary |
Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Extends audience
vocabulary by defining words that might be new to most of the audience. |
Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Includes 1-2 words
that might be new to most of the audience, but does not define them. |
Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Does not include
any vocabulary that might be new to the audience. |
Uses several (5 or more) words or phrases that are not understood
by the audience. |
|
A=18-20
pts. B=15-17 pts. C=12-14 pts. D=11 pts.
F=below 10 pts.
CONCLUSION
From completing this web quest you should have learned the significance
of the problem of asthma in
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!
Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Students will use mathematical
analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as
appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
Standard 2: Information Systems
Students will access, generate,
process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Standard 3: Mathematics
Students will understand
mathematics and become mathematically confident by communicating and reasoning
mathematically, by applying mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving
problems through the integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra,
data analysis, probability, and trigonometry.
English Language Arts
Standard 1: Language for Information and
Understanding
Students will listen, speak,
read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers,
students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts,
and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and
electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and
written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language
to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and
Evaluation
Students will listen, speak,
read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers,
students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by
others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they
will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the
English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and
judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
Students will listen, speak,
read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written
language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for
effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and
listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their
understanding of people and their views.
Health, Physical Education, and
Family and Consumer Sciences
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.
Social Studies
Standard 4: Economics
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States
and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to
allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the
United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the
scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for
establishing governments; the governmental system of the