STARVING FOR ATTENTION

WEB QUEST:

Anorexia and Today’s Youth

EVANDER CHILDS HIGH SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION

Anorexia is an increasing danger to adolescents. Recently, much attention has been placed on obesity and rightfully so. However, along the lines of body development, anorexia has not been addressed as much. Anorexia is known as the “silent killer” because the causes, symptoms, and treatments are not well identified by adolescents today. As a result, the physical and psychological consequences are on the rise for an image conscious generation of teenagers. You, as future scientists, will research the psychological and physical signs of anorexia as they pertain to adolescents and present such data in a multimedia product and oral presentation. You will also identify some solutions that may counteract the spread of this disease.

TASK

Create a multimedia product long with an oral presentation highlighting teenage awareness of the disease anorexia. In order to be successful in completing this task, you will have to use the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) to investigate this problem identify some solutions.

You are being asked to assist your peers become aware of the disease anorexia.

You have 2 choices:

1. Create a website on a large poster board and present your findings to the class in a 3-5 minute oral presentation.

2. Create a power point presentation (minimum 10 slides) and present to the class in a 3-5 minute oral presentation. Be sure to include pictures, graphs and/or animation.

PROCESS

You break up into groups. Each group will use the Public Policy Analyst to target the problem of anorexia by researching data, recording the data and presenting such data that reflects the current problem as well as possible solutions.

Use the following worksheets to help organize your efforts in each group:

First, define the problem .

Second, gather evidence to support the existence of the problem.

Third, determine the causes of the problem.

Fourth, evaluate the existing policies.

Fifth, develop new public policies.

Sixth, decide which policy will provide the best solution to the problem.

Your poster board website or Power Point presentation, together with your oral presentation must identify some issues concerning awareness of anorexia and should clarify myths and misconceptions about the disease.

Access the internet and hyper-links about anorexia.

Gather information about the physical and psychological signs of anorexia.

1. www.anorexia.com.

2. Bambooweb: Eating disorder

3. ANAD - We help those struggling with Eating Disorders - Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Compulsive Overeating –

4. http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-anorexia-menu.htm

EVALUATION

Your grade will be based on how well you do on the worksheets and the quality of your poster board website or PowerPoint presentation. Your oral presentation will be graded on the following rubric:

	UNSATISFACTORY Less than 65	SATISFACTORY 65-79	GOOD 80-90	EXCELLENT 90-100
Organization	Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow.	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.	____
Content Knowledge	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration.	____
Visuals	Student did not have any pictures or visuals.	Student occasional used visuals that rarely support text and presentation.	Visuals related to text and presentation.	Student used visuals to reinforce screen text and presentation.	____
Mechanics	Student's presentation had four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation had three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.	____
Delivery	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for students in the back of class to hear.	Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Student's voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly.	Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms.	____
				Total---->	____

STANDARDS:

TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Standard 1 – Basic operations and concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.

Students are proficient in the use of technology.

Standard 3 – Technology productivity tools

Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

Standard 4 – Technology research tools

Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS

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.

Math, Science, Technology

Standard 1 - Analysis, Inquiry, and Design

Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering designs, 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.

CONCLUSION

Many teenagers and adults do not know if they are anorexic or not. One high student states, “I didn’t know what the word ‘anorexic’ meant. I thought it was a person who didn’t eat just to get thin.” In terms of exposure, teenagers today often find themselves in the “dark” about such diseases like anorexia and are at a greater disadvantage than adolescents who suffer from obesity. They need to know that anorexia is both a physical and psychological disease that can be treated. In this Web Quest you have been acting as research scientists. You have gathered their research in groups, identify possible solutions, and present this information to the class through a multimedia product and oral presentation.