TEENAGE

PREGNANCY

 

 

 

BY:

 

Suzanne Devlin

Grace Dodge Vocational High School

 

 

Introduction:

 

           “Come on Baby… you know I love you. ………Come on, If you love me you’ll do this for me”…….   These are typical “come ons” that boys often use to pressure girls into having sex.  In the United States today, 8 out of 10 teenagers feels pressured into having sex.  35% of these teenage girls become pregnant at least once before they become 20 years old; about 820,000 girls.  Almost all these pregnancies are unplanned.  79% of these girls are unmarried when they give birth.  When asked, 2/3 of these girls wished they had waited. 

The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least 7 billion dollars annually. In addition to the financial burden, there are numerous other negative consequences involved with teenage pregnancy.

Your health class is participating in the annual Health Fair sponsored by the Bronx High Schools.  Your group will make a power point presentation illustrating the negative consequences of teenage pregnancy. 

TASKS:

1.                  You will write a 2 page report discussing the negative effects of teenage pregnancy and explaining your ideas for solutions to this social problem.

 

2.                  You will create a Power Point Presentation that will:

 

                  A.      have 5 or more slides

                  B.   include some graphics

        C.    include sounds and/or music (optional)

D.           follow the Public Policy Analysis

E.           create a short narration that will accompany your slides( based on your written report above)

 

 

Process:

 

Step 1.   You will work in pairs.

Step 2.  You will follow the Public Policy Analysis Process (outlined below) to help put your project together.

 

Public Policy Analysis Process

 

1.   DEFINE THE PROBLEM:   

a. Complete Worksheet 1 from the PPA;

Worksheet1: "Defining the social problem"(MSWORD)

 

2. GATHER EVIDENCE:  This part requires you to use the internet

To locate information that gives evidence that the problem of teenage pregnancy exists.

 

a. Use the following links to gather your evidence: 

http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/data/national.asp

http://www.noah-health.org/english/pregnancy/teenpreg.html

http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/teen_preg_stats.html

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/TEEN-PREGNANCY/Reducing.html

and then

           b.   Complete Worksheet 2 from the PPA:

Worksheet2: "Gathering evidence of the problem"(MSWORD)

 

3.   IDENTIFY CAUSES:  Some of the Internet sources you used above to complete Step 2 probably contain some information about the causes of teenage pregnancy.  Review those sites.

         a. Use the following links to identify the causes: 

http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/data/national.asp

http://www.noah-health.org/english/pregnancy/teenpreg.html

http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/teen_preg_stats.html

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/TEEN-PREGNANCY/Reducing.html

 

                   and then

 

 b. Complete Worksheet 3 from the PPA:

 

Worksheet3: "Identifying the cause of the problem"(MSWORD)     

 

 

4. Evaluating Policy:  Evaluating policy that is in place now can lead to improvements.  Review the advantages and disadvantages of the present policies can lead to policy change by looking at the present policy, you can suggest which parts should be kept or strengthened and which parts should be changed.

 

 

a.   Use the following links to Evaluate Policy:

http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/up.htm

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/TEENPREGNANCY/Reducing.html

www.agi-usa.org/pubs/fb_teen_sex.html

www.siecus.org/media/press/press0005.html.

 

And then

 

b.   Complete Worksheet 4 from PPA:

Worksheet4: "Evaluating Existing Public Policies"(MSWORD)

 

  5.  DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS:    This part of the PPA requires you to change the policy that already exists or make new public policy that must include a way the government will reach the goal.

 

a.   Complete Worksheet 5 from the PPA:

                      Worksheet5: "Developing public policy solutions"(MSWORD)

 

 

         6.  CHOOSE THE BEST SOLUTION:   Is your new/changed policy feasible? That is …is your change likely to be used by the government?  Is your new/changed policy going to be effective?  That is, is it going to have results?

 

a. Complete Worksheet 6 from the PPA:

Worksheet6: "Selecting the best public policy solution" (MSWORD)

 

RUBRICS:

 

Excellent

90-100

Very Good

80-89

Satisfactory

65-79

unsatisfactory

Below 65

Research 

Problem clearly identified and thoroughly researched

Problem identified and reasonably well researched

Problem identified with limited research.

Problem identified but research is lacking

 

 

Public Policy Analysis

 

 

All six steps of the PPA  are clearly addressed and all worksheets correctly completed

 

 

All six steps of the PPA are addressed  and most worksheets correctly completed

 

 

 All steps of the PPA are addressed, but worksheets could be improved on.

 

 

 

Incomplete worksheets.

Written Paper

Well organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure

 

Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure.

Well organized, but illogical sequencing and sentence structure.

Poorly organized.

 

 

PowerPoint

5 or more creative slides that include animated graphics and sound

5 or more slides using color graphics, clear and annotated

5 slides with some graphics, slides are too busy

Fewer than 5 slides, not clear and no graphics

 

 

 

Presentation

Social problem introduced with authority based on information.

Generate questions and responses from audience around their topic of discussion.

Every member in group participates in presentation.

 

Social problem introduced with some authority

 

Generate questions and responses.

 

Most members of group participate.

Students state the social problem.

 

 

Students require  prompts to generate questions

 

Limited participation within the group

Teacher generated discussion

 

CONCLUSION:

Your completion of this webquest should provide you with the following knowledge and skills:

1.                You should be able to define why teenage pregnancy is a social problem.

2.                You should understand the causes of teenage pregnancy.

3.                You should be able to suggest new approaches to policy making

4.                You should make a convincing argument supporting your findings.

 

Standards:

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 2:   Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

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.

 

 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:   Technology

Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Standard 4:   Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.