Elizabeth Ferguson

PS 98M The Shorac Kappock School

Teenage Obesity in

New York City

Introduction:

Teenage obesity in New York City has been receiving a lot of media lately. The previous Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, tried to ban soft drinks larger than 16 ounces in all City restaurants. He argued that large soft drinks were one of the leading causes of teenage obesity. The law was challenged and the policy was reviewed by New York State highest court and his ban on soft drinks was struck down by the state’s Court of Appeals.

New York City’s current Mayor, Bill de Blasio, is a supporter of Michael Bloomberg’s policy. The Mayor has selected your class to do a research on the effects of large soft drinks in New York City teenagers and what can be done about it. You must use the Public Policy Analyst in your research.

Task:

Using the 6 step Public Policy Analyst (PPA), your group will create a PowerPoint to identify the effects and some of the possible solutions to eliminate or alleviate teenage obesity in New York City. In your groups you will create 3 new policies to aid in this effort. Then select the best one using the last step of the PPA.

Process:

The class will be broken down into 3 groups. Each group will work together to gather data using the PPA and complete the PowerPoint.

Step 1: Define the problem

These websites will provide you with helpful information to define the problem.

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Then complete this form.

Step 2: Gather evidence

These websites will provide you with helpful information to gather evidence.

Article 3

Article 4

Then complete this form.

Step 3: Identify causes

These websites will provide you with helpful information to identify causes.

Video 1

Article 5

Then complete this form.

Step 4: Evaluate existing policies

These websites will provide you with helpful information on the existing policies.

Article 6

Article 7

Then complete this form.

Step 5: Develop solutions

These websites will provide you with helpful information on developing solutions.

Article 8

Article 9

Article 10

Then complete this form.

Step 6: Select best solution

Using all the information that you have gathered, decide on the best policy to address the issue. (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)

Then complete this form.

Step 7: Creating a PowerPoint

Click here to learn how to create a PowerPoint

Evaluation:

You will be evaluated using the rubric below.

Assessment Rubric for PowerPoint Presentations

	Exemplary 4	Accomplished 3	Developing 2	Beginning 1
Organization	Information presented in logical, interesting sequence	Information in logical sequence	Difficult to follow presentation--student jumps around	Cannot understand presentation--no sequence of information
Subject Knowledge	Demonstrates full knowledge by answering all class questions with explanations and elaborations	At ease with expected answers to questions but does not elaborate	Uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions	Does not have a grasp of the information. Cannot answer questions about subject
Graphics	Explain and reinforce screen text and presentation	Relate to text and presentation	Occasionally uses graphics that rarely support text and presentation	Uses superfluous graphics or no graphics
Research	Uses a variety of sources in reaching accurate conclusions	Uses a variety of sources in reaching conclusions	Presents only evidence that supports a preconceived point of view	Does not justify conclusions with research evidence
Screen Design	Includes a variety of graphics, text, and animation that exhibits a sense of wholeness. Creative use of navigational tools and buttons	Includes a variety of graphics, text, and animation. Adequate navigational tools and buttons	Includes combinations of graphics and text, but buttons are difficult to navigate. Some buttons and navigational tools work	Either confusing or cluttered, barren or stark. Buttons or navigational tools are absent or confusing
Oral Presentation Elocution/Eye Contact	Maintains eye contact and pronounces all terms precisely. All audience members can hear	Maintains eye contact most of the time and pronounces most words correctly. Most audience members can hear presentation	Occasionally uses eye contact, mostly reading presentation, and incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing	Reads with no eye contact and incorrectly pronounces terms. Speaks too quietly

Conclusion:

After gathering and analyzing the data, your group selected one new policy to help alleviate this problem. Use this information to write an opinion essay stating whether you agree or disagree with the soda ban ruling in New York City? Use details from your research to support your opinion.

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7

Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.9

Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.A

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.B

Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7

Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.10

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.