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Dangers of Football: The Rise of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in Football Players
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Mrs. Elisabeth D’Antonio George Westinghouse High School Brooklyn, NY Edantonio2@schools.nyc.gov
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Introduction:
What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)?
- CTE is a progressive degenerative disease, which can currently only be definitively diagnosed postmortem, in individuals with a history of multiple concussions and other forms of head injury.
-CTE occurs when repetitive head trauma begins to produce abnormal proteins in the brain known as “tau.” The tau proteins work to essentially form tangles around the brain’s blood vessels, interrupting normal functioning and eventually killing nerve cells themselves. Patients with less advanced forms of the disease can suffer from mood disorders, such as depression and bouts of rage, while those with more severe cases can experience confusion, memory loss and advanced dementia.
Who is affected?
- CTE has been most commonly found in professional athletes participating in American football, ice hockey, professional wrestling and other contact sports who have experienced repetitive brain trauma.
-CTE has also been found in soldiers exposed to a blast or a concussive injury
What are the effects?
-Individuals with CTE may show symptoms of dementia, such as memory loss, aggression, confusion and depression, which generally appear years or many decades after the trauma.
What is the issue?
-The research helps address what had been a key sticking point in negotiations — the issue of prevalence. Players in the lawsuit have accused the league of concealing a link between football and brain disease. While the settlement includes no admission of wrongdoing, actuarial data filed in federal court this month showed the NFL expects nearly a third of all retired players to develop a long-term cognitive problem, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, as a result of football.
Your Task:
-We are seeing an increase in CTE cases, so the question becomes: Who is responsible for the health and safety of professional athletes? Should league organizations be held accountable or does responsibility solely fall upon the players and to what extent?
-You will research the issue and then present a written debate persuading the audience of your argument
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The Process:
You will use steps of the PPA process to analyze the problem
5. Develop New Policy Solutions
Forming your Claim through video evidence (defining the problem and gathering evidence)
1). Watch “The League of Denial” by PBS Frontline Series:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/league-of-denial/
2). Complete the T-Chart and graphic organizer while/ after watching the video:
3). Read the following article discussing the prevalence rate of concussions in High School and College athletics:
4). Complete the following graphic organizer after reading the article (gathering evidence)
5). Read and use the following suggested resources to use to support your claim and address your counterclaim/rebuttal for opposing arguments (gathering evidence, and identifying the causes)
-Need to include 5 sources for your debate
· http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/timeline-the-nfls-concussion-crisis/
· http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/debating-the-science-of-concussions/
· http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/the-autopsy-that-changed-football/
· http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/concussion-watch/about-concussion-watch-2/
6). Complete the graphic organizer to document your resources (gathering evidence, and identifying the causes)
7). Counter Claim-
(Evaluating an Existing Policy/Argument)
8). Develop solutions:
Write a debate speech including your resources and responses from the graphic organizers
Reference elements of a debate speech to format your speech
Introduction Format Suggestions:
a. Asking (dramatically) a question or series of questions that arouse an interest in your topic;
b. Telling a short anecdote that demonstrates your case in simple emotional terms;
c. Making a historical, personal or timely reference. The historical reference adds authority; the personal and timely references add sincerity and an appreciation in the audience that you are genuine. For example, “In 1867, such and such happened ...” or “I read in the paper this morning ...”;
d. Quoting something relevant to your debate;
e. Using an analogy or theme that continues through the debate until the conclusion. This can be effective and unify the speech.
Development of Your Argument
a. Make certain that your points are relevant to the resolution;
b. Support your argument with examples: “History is clear; ...”
c. Rely on quotation as an effective, persuasive means of documenting your point;
d. Use statistics when they are available. (But do not bore the audience through overuse, and do not use questionable sources.) Give your source;
e. Prefer to make a few, well supported points rather than a plethora of unsupported assertions. Do not exaggerate a weak point;
f. Use rhetorical questions;
g. Add humor to your debate (remembering that your purpose is to persuade, not to entertain);
h. Reinforce, but do not repeat, your partner’s arguments;
i. Describe your points vividly and concretely. Be concise;
j. Explain exactly what you are trying to say; (assume that the audience is intelligent but ignorant of your subject;)
k. Express yourself simply (never a fault unless it interrupts coherence).
Use the notes on persuasive devices to include when writing your debate speech.
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Evaluation Rubrics:
CLASSROOM DEBATE RUBRIC
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Levels of Performance |
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Criteria |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
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1. Organization and Clarity: viewpoints and responses are outlined both clearly and orderly. |
Unclear in most parts |
Clear in some parts but not over all |
Most clear and orderly in all parts |
Completely clear and orderly presentation |
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2. Use of Arguments: reasons are given to support viewpoint. |
Few or no relevant reasons given |
Some relevant reasons given |
Most reasons given: most relevant |
Most relevant reasons given in support |
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3. Use of Examples and Facts: examples and facts are given to support reasons. |
Few or no relevant supporting examples/facts |
Some relevant examples/facts given |
Many examples/facts given: most relevant |
Many relevant supporting examples and facts given |
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4. Use of Rebuttal: arguments made by the other teams are responded to and dealt with effectively. |
No effective counter-arguments made |
Few effective counter-arguments made |
Some effective counter-arguments made |
Many effective counter-arguments made |
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5. Presentation Style: tone of voice, use of gestures, and level of enthusiasm are convincing to audience. |
Few style features were used; not convincingly |
Few style features were used convincingly |
All style features were used, most convincingly |
All style features were used convincingly |
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources,
connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the
text as a whole.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key
details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which
explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text
leaves matters uncertain
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse
formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in
order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8
Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or
challenging them with other information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9
Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a
coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
