WebQuest
BIRTH DEFECTS
RESULTING FROM
DRUG ABUSE
The Science and the Social
Issues
Gifty
Asamani
The
High School for Excellence
INTRODUCTION
As you have
studied, reproduction is making more of your own kind, the passing down of
genetic information from both parents.
When everything goes right, a child is physically and mentally
normal. This means that they are born
free of genetic defects that can express themselves in physical deformities,
mental retardation, or both. This is
what everybody hopes for.
What if, however,
one or both parents used to abuse drugs (any drug, illegal, over-the-counter,
or even doctor-prescribed), or the mother abused drugs or alcohol while
pregnant? What would happen to the
child? Why are there always ads on television, in magazines, and on the drug
vials themselves warning pregnant women not to use certain substances without
consulting with a doctor?
TASK
Your task in this
WebQuest is to conduct research into the potential problems for the fetus (such
as mental and physical birth defects) associated with past and present drug use
and abuse. You will use the websites
provided in the Resources section as well as the TIPS Public Policy Analyst
worksheets to help you become an expert on the science of drug-induced birth
defects and the public policies in place to combat this social problem. You will use your research results to create
a PowerPoint presentation of at least ten (10) slides, in which you will
explain the social problem (and science) of drug-induced birth defects, the
existing public policy on this issue, and what you as a public policy maker
would do about it. You will then present
your PowerPoint in an oral presentation of no less than five (5) minutes.
PROCESS
1.
You
will work in groups of three.
2.
Use
the websites provided in the Resources section to conduct your research. Summarize your findings on the following TIPS
Public Policy Analyst worksheets.
a.
Worksheet 1:
Define the Problem
b.
Worksheet 2:
Gather Evidence of the Problem
c.
Worksheet 3:
Identify Causes of the Problem
d.
Worksheet 4:
Evaluate Existing Public Policies
e.
Worksheet 5:
Develop Your Own Original Public Policies
3.
Create
a PowerPoint presentation of at least ten (10) slides. Use the headings of the worksheets as the
major categories for your slide show.
Include the science of at least two (2) drug-induced birth defects
(e.g., asthma, low birth weight, fetal alcohol syndrome, mental retardation,
etc.) in the “Define the Problem” section.
Use visuals (pictures, statistical tables and graphs) and short
descriptions to make your points clear.
4.
Use
the slide show and your research notes to prepare a 5-10-minute oral
presentation. Each member of your group
must present at least two of the slides.
(If one student fails to present, the entire group’s grade will suffer
accordingly.)
RESOURCES
Ø
Do
Prescription Drugs Cause Birth Defects
Ø
Do Illegal Drugs
Cause Birth Defects
Ø
Birth
Defects: Answers to Your Most-Asked Questions
Ø
Major Birth Defects
Caused by Anti-Acne Drugs
Ø
Chemical
Factors, Including Drugs (Causing Birth Defects)
Ø
Birth Defects and
Adverse Birth Outcomes
Ø
Environmental
Causes of Birth Defects
Ø
Birth
Defects Linked to Certain Drugs During Pregnancy
Ø
Alcohol-Related
Birth Defects
Ø
Birth
Defects Center Research Newsletter
EVALUATION
Your work on this
WebQuest will be evaluated according to the following rubric:
Your grade will be based on the following
rubric:
|
Points |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Overall
Total 10 points |
|
Development & Organization Of research materials |
Excellent, High
quality development and organization, thorough clarification |
Very good
development, Organization and
clarification |
Somewhat good
organization, needs some work on organization and development |
Poor,
unprepared, un-organized and not clear |
|
|
Oral Presentation |
All Students
participated; exceptional, clear, thorough and intelligent oral presentation |
All Students
participated; Good, clear presentation |
Students were
somewhat clear; quality of presentation needs effort and careful preparation |
Students were
not clear: noticeable poor careless quality of presentation. |
|
|
Visual Presentation |
Exceptional
presentation of visual resources and materials. |
Good visual
presentation. |
Somewhat good
visual presentation. Needs improvement |
Poor visual
presentation. Visually unprepared |
|
This WebQuest
addresses the following Science and English Language Arts Standards:
SCIENCE:
S2a: Structure and
function in living systems.
S5c: Uses evidence
from reliable sources to develop description
S5f: Works
individually and in team to collect and share information.
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 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.
CONCLUSION
Having completed this WebQuest, you are now
an expert on the problem of drug-induced birth defects. You know one more reason why it is important
to avoid drug and alcohol abuse. You
have evaluated a public policy (or public service campaign) already in place to
combat this social problem, and you have developed your own original public
policy to do the same. Finally, you have
practiced the art of public presentation and have successfully persuaded your
peers to adopt your policy.