Cora Hiebinger

Evander Childs High School

Living Environment

You are hired by the Department of Health to investigate the growing problem of diabetes, especially among children and teenagers. This is a recent phenomenon that is not yet fully understood. Growing up is challenging under the best of circumstances. Having a chronic disease such as diabetes makes the challenges become even greater. Fortunately today, advances in treatment and monitoring of blood glucose levels have made diabetes far less difficult to deal with than it used to be. However, about one-third of total diabetes among Americans is undiagnosed. Uncontrolled diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, end-stage kidney disease, and limb amputations. It also doubles the risks of heart disease and increases the risk of stroke. Eye problems including cataracts, and glaucoma are also more common in diabetics.

How is your body supposed to regulate blood sugar levels? What are the two types of diabetes? What goes wrong in the bodies of teenagers afflicted with diabetes? Are there groups of people that are more likely to be affected by one of the two types? What might cause the increasing numbers of type I diabetes among teenagers? What can be done to prevent teenagers from getting diabetes? How can patients with diabetes be helped? Why is it that a lot of teenagers are not aware that they have diabetes?

You will be working as a team of 3. Your team is to prepare

1. a typed report (3-5 pages) using the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) model

2. an educational pamphlet targeting teenagers and their parents affected with diabetes

You will use the internet (some useful websites are listed below) and other resources to find your information. You need to use at least 5 different internet websites and 2 print media (newspaper or magazine article).

The PPA will aid and advise your team step by step in accomplishing your task.

3. Your team will do an oral presentation and distribute the educational pamphlet to the class.

The report (including all PPA worksheets), presentation and pamphlet will count for 200 points (two tests). The rubric you find under “Evaluation” will tell you exactly how your team’s work will be graded.

1. Break up into groups of 3. Choose a team leader, recorder of information, and timekeeper to keep the group on task.

2. The following T.I.P.S. links (1. - 6.) will guide you in completing the six steps PPA process for your report. You will use the internet websites listed below to complete the steps.

Click onto the link, read the information provided and fill out the worksheets for each step. Use the internet resources provided below as needed.

1. Define and describe the problem as a group. Decide who is going to:

2. Gather evidence for this problem – who is going to:

3. Identify causes for this problem – who is going to:

4. Describe and evaluate the existing policy for this problem. Rejoin in your group and discuss your findings. Together, you will then:

5. Develop solutions/policies for the problems for this existing policy and:

6. Select the best policy for this problem

3. Once your group has thoroughly researched your topic and completed each worksheet, you will write your research paper. The following guidelines must be implemented when writing:

q 3 to 5 typed pages

q double spacing

q font type of your choice

q font size of 12

q page numbers on the bottom of each page with the exception of page one.

q incorporation of your research information and data within the Public Policy Analyst format and worksheet guidelines.

q cite references

4. Your report must contain a cover page with the following information:

q Title of project

q Name of individuals in the group

q Teacher name

q Date submitted

q Class name and type

q Be creative and colorful:.include clip art, graphic art and pictures from the website and your computer program.

5. Each group member must be prepared to orally present an area of his/her research to Department of Health officials. Each individual should be prepared to answer any questions posed to them regarding the topic of diabetes.

6. In preparing the educational pamphlet, follow the guidelines below:

1. Begin with an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper (landscape/horizontal) view. Create 3 columns on each side of the paper so that when folded you have a total of six columns.

2. Use the following questions as a guideline for the pamphlet: Again, divide the research among your group members; one person researches questions 1, 2, and 8; one 3, 4, and 9; one 5 , 6 and 7. Discuss your findings and prepare the pamphlet together.

1) Why do we need sugar in the blood?

a. How does digestion of Carbohydrates work?

b. How is ATP produced in the Mitochondria?

2) How does the body regulate blood sugar levels?

3) What happens if a person has diabetes?

a. Diabetes I

b. Diabetes II

4) Why is diabetes called a “silent disease?”

5) What are the risk factors for getting diabetes?

6) Are there groups in the population that are more likely to get diabetes?

7) How can a person improve his/her health while living with diabetes?

8) How can people become more informed about the risk of diabetes?

9) Is there a cure for diabetes? What choices are available?

1. First deadline: one week from now

Hand in a rough draft of your written report.

2. Second deadline: - one week and three days from now

Hand in a rough draft of your Educational Pamphlet.

3. Final deadline: - two weeks from now

Hand in the final items:

§ Your written report (4-5 pages, double spaced, 12 pt. Font)

§ Educational Pamphlet

Your oral presentations will be scheduled on an individual basis on or after the final deadline.

The websites below will help you in answering your questions. Be specific in what you are looking for!

You can also do your own search, by typing in keywords (Ex. “Diabetes” + teenagers) in the following search engines: Google, AltaVista, and Lycos.

Note: To return to this webquest from the respective websites, click on the “back” button

Blood Sugar Regulation:

http://www.biology-online.org/4/3_blood_sugar.htm

http://members.aol.com/Bio50/LecNotes/lecnot35.html

Mitochondria & ATP

http://www.kapili.com/m/mitochondria.html

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_mito.html

http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/mitochondria_1.htm#powerhouses

http://www.sc2000.net/~czaremba/explanations/cellresp.html

Diabetes:

General Information:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faqs.htm

The American Diabetes Association

http://www.diabetes.org/main/application/commercewf

New York State Department of Health

Diabetes in New York State: Demographics

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/search/index.htm

Discovery Health Channel

http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/1816.html

Minority Health Resource Center

http://www.omhrc.gov/healthgap/diabetes.htm

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/diabetes.htm

Diabetes in Minorities

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/ubs/hispan/hispan.htm

http://www.diabetes.org/main/community/outreach/african_americans/default.jsp

Diabetes in Teenagers

Lifetime Television

http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/health/features/kids_fitorfat.html

Healthy People 2010

http://www.health.gov/healthypeople/Document/HTML/Volume1/05Diabetes.htm#_Toc494509742

(scroll down and click on Overview, etc.)

Control and Prevention of Diabetes

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/pubs/nutritn/what/index.htm#2

The following rubric will be used to grade your written report and the educational pamphlet:

Points	5	4	3	2	1
Facts and information	From at least 9 different sources per group	From at least 7 different sources per group	From at least 5 different sources per group	From at least 3 different sources per group	Only 1 or 2 different sources per group
Synthesis of information from multiple references	The report shows clear evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows some evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows little evidence that team members have done their research, discussed their findings with each other and molded their findings into something of their own.	The report shows that team members have done little research, but failed to discuss and synthesize their findings into a coherent final product. Some sections are merely copied from the sources.	There is no evidence for any serious research, discussion, or synthesis. Whole passages are copied from the source(s).
Conclusions drawn from the results of the investigation	Numerous detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Several detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Some detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	A conclusion is made from the evidence offered.	No valid conclusion is made from the evidence offered.
Organization	Well organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing and sentence structure.	Weakly organized.	No organization discernible.
Grammar and Spelling	Punctuation, spelling and capitalization are correct.	There are two to three errors in punctuation, spelling, and/or capitalization.	There are three to four errors in punctuation, spelling and/or capitalization.	There are five or more errors in punctuation and/or capitalization.	There are numerous errors. You did not use a spell check.
Neatness, Format, Completeness	The report is neatly typed in the format specified. A coverpage according to instructions is provided. All 6 steps/questions are covered extensively. All worksheets are completed.	The report is neatly typed. A coverpage is provided. All 6 steps/questions are covered. All worksheets are completed.	The report is typed. A coverpage is provided. All 6 steps/questions are covered. Some worksheets are not completed.	The report is not typed. No coverpage is provided. All 6 steps/questions are covered. Some worksheets are not completed.	The report is sloppy and incomplete.

Your oral presentation will be graded according to the following rubric:

Points	5	4	3	2	1
Eye Contact	Holds attention of entire audience with the use of direct eye contact	Consistent use of direct eye contact with audience.	Displayed little eye contact with audience.	Displayed minimal eye contact with audience.	No eye contact with audience
Pacing	Excellent use of drama and student meets apportioned time interval	Good use of drama and student meets apportioned time interval	Delivery is patterned, but does not meet apportioned time interval.	Delivery is in bursts and does not meet apportioned time interval.	Delivery is either too quick or too slow to meet apportioned time interval
Voice	Use of fluid speech and inflection maintains the interest of the audience.	Satisfactory use of inflection, but does not consistently use fluid speech.	Displays some level of inflection throughout delivery.	Consistently uses a monotone voice.	Whispers or mumbles, hardly audible.
Introduction and Closing	Student delivers open and closing remarks that capture the attention of the audience and set the mood.	Student displays clear introductory or closing remarks.	Student clearly uses either an introductory or closing remark, but not both.	Student does not display clear introductory or closing remarks.	No introduction or closing remarks.
Visuals	Student made excellent use of visuals to reinforce screen text and presentation.	Visuals related to text and presentation.	Student occasional used visuals that support text and presentation.	Student occasional used visuals that rarely support text and presentation.	Student used no visuals.

New York State Performance Standards: 

This web quest focuses on the following Science Performance Standards:

S5 Scientific Thinking

S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.

S5e: Identifies problems; proposes and implements solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design, and outcomes of investigations.

S5f: Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and data.

S6 Scientific Tools and Technologies

S6d: Acquires information from multiple sources.

S7 Scientific Communication

S7a: Represents data and results in multiple ways.

S7b: Argues from evidence.

This web quest also focuses on the following English Language Arts Performance Standards:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Through researching and analyzing data regarding diabetes, you will understand what goes wrong in somebody’s body afflicted with this disease. You will list possible reasons for why a lot of diabetes cases, especially among minorities are undiagnosed and for the increase of diabetes cases among teenagers.

In designing a informational brochure, you will be able to suggest new approaches in policy-making and reach more minority families and teenagers in your community.

You will understand the need of early diagnosis and preventive measures in order to avoid dire health consequences later in life.

You will be introduced to the PPA-format for future WebQuests and Power Point Presentations.