WEBQUEST

 

DIABETES MELLITUS

 

AND

 

THE GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST

BY

 

Ms. LEGARE-SCOTT

 

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

You are a student in a Biology class that is on a mission to find out why Diabetes mellitus has become such an epidemic in the United States of America. Your Biology teacher has been selected by the government’s health and hospital services division to find ways of preventing further proliferation of this disease.  The report must be in the form of a public policy analysis-PPA report which clearly determines how local and national communities can minimize or prevent further increases in the incidences or cases of Diabetes mellitus in the interests of the future mothers of our communities.

 

 

TASK

 

Your Biology teacher requires the students in your class to adhere to the principles of ‘The Scientific Method’. So it was decided at your team meetings that you would find out everything there was to know about  the Glucose Tolerance Test , its history, exactly what it contains, when is it administered and most importantly why it is that, “the test is a part of the pregnancy”, during prenatal care. Next your team will research the incidence of the disease in the NYC boroughs of the Bronx and Manhattan. Using the knowledge gained your team will be better able to propose a public policy law to prevent a further proliferation of Diabetes Mellitus disease.

 

 

PROCESS

 

All four teams of your Biology teacher’s class MUST stay in contact with the PPA at their website

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/

 

The group will be divided into four different teams. Each will identify and then study a specific cause of Diabetes Mellitus.

 

All four teams: the history of the GTT, the main ingredients and the procedure in the GTT, reasons why the GTT is or isn’t administered and, how did the GTT gain a foothold in PRENATAL CARE must research their specific assignment for the necessary information to develop a public policy that will be reported to the New York State Department of Health and Hospital Services Division to recommend steps toward PREVENTING an increase in this disease through EDUCATION.

 

After researching your part of the team task, use the questions from the worksheets to guide you in writing an essay on your research. Now you are ready to complete the worksheets.

 

Return to the welcome page above, and this time double click on I have used the PPA before. This is a useful guide in completing the worksheets correctly. The six essays and worksheets you will be responsible for are:

1.    What is the social problem?

2.    Gathering evidence for this problem.

3.    Identifying causes for the problem.

4.    Evaluating the existing public policy.*

*(Follow the instruction sheet)

5.    Developing public policy solutions.

6.    Selecting the best public policy solution.

 

Your team will prepare a Public Policy Analysis (PPA) report on Diabetes Mellitus and the Glucose Tolerance Test and steps toward PREVENTING an increase in this disease through EDUCATION by:

 

1.    Select a team to be on and familiarize your self with the facts that are relevant for its application with Diabetes Mellitus.

2.    Prepare a written report that includes the above information on Diabetes Mellitus PREVENTION and EDUCATION and your assessment of how Diabetes Mellitus can be reduced by adoption of your policy. You must use The Principles of The Scientific Method:

www.google.com/search?

http://www.arcus.org/ArticAlive/downloads/Background Other.doc

 

3. Visit the several hospital prenatal clinics in your community and interview the doctors, nurses, teenage Mothers, Mothers at risk and ‘mid –wives’.

 

4. Create an Interview questionnaire, or poster or other graphic organizer that would be useful to a public agency that is trying to educate people on how to prevent the disease and decrease the Proliferation of the Diabetes disease.

 

5. Present your work (report back to the community) give an Oral Presentation and effectively explain and defend your suggested policy. All members of the group must participate for each group member to receive full credit.

 

Review the steps of the Public Policy Analyst (PPA). You need to follow these steps and complete all six worksheets in order to develop a rational and potentially effective policy. These steps and worksheets may be viewed at:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

 

 

RESOURCES

 

The following links provide information on specific research topics that will be useful in helping to complete this task. Also you may find other helpful links within these sites for more information.

 

http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/diabetes-history.html

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com

http://wrongdiagnosis.com/d/diabetes/misdiag.htm

http://www.heartcenteronline.com/The_Diabetes_Center.html?WT.srch=1

http://www.naturalhealthvillage.com/reports/diabetes.htm

http://www.parents.com/articles/pregnancy/1046.jsp

http://wwww.itmonline.org/journal/arts/diabetes.htm

http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/diabet-history.html

http://health.yahoo.com/ency/adam/003466/overview

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/medical/ketosis.htm

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761576931

http://health.allrefer.com/health/gestational-pancreas.html

http://health.allrefer.com/health/nutrition.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/8888.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17150.htm

http://www.endotext.org/diabetes/diabetes36/diabetes36.htm

 

 

EVALUATION:

 

Each team will receive a grade which applies to each member of the team will be graded on their written report: team worksheets, oral presentation report back to the community and poster or other graphic organizer/concept mapping poster chart.

 

Guidelines for final essay

       -Your Three page typed report must include the six step public policy analyst format.

 

-        Double space using font number  12

-        Be certain to cite references

-        State why you believe the public policy you proposed is the best.

-        Include statistics, a chart or graph and a picture for your team poster.

 

Guidelines for your teams’ worksheets

 

-        Discuss and compare your essay with team members.

-        Decide upon the best answer for the worksheet.

 

 

RUBRIC :

 

                           55 points              75 Points             100 Points

 Essay                  Incomplete          Answers all          Complete with an excellent understanding

                                                       Questions in         of the PPA format.

 

                                                      Worksheet,

                                               Analyzes and

                                               States statistics             

 

Worksheets            Incomplete           Not enough detail      Thorough, clear

                    Minimum amount    Supports proposed    Excellent presentation

                    Of data                 policy                      Exhibiting your own creativity

                                                                             Supporting policy

 

 

New York State Standards :

 

This Web Quest meets the following New York State Science and English Standards.

 

Science Standards:

 

S5c Uses evidence from reliable sources to develop descriptions, explanations, and models, and makes appropriate adjustments and improvements.

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

S5f Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and ideas.

S7a Argues from evidence.

S7e Communicates in a form suited to the purpose and the audience.

S8a Demonstrates scientific competence by completing secondary research.

 

 

English Language Assessment Standards:

 

E1c Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a Produce a report of information.

E2e Produce a persuasive essay.

E4a Independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work.

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

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that is a social problem in the Bronx, Manhattan and has become a nationwide problem. It is the purpose of this web quest to provide a format of awareness and scientific opportunity through the educational resources included in this web quest. The students gain information and develop potentially effective policies to confront and / or PREVENT the continuation of doubtful medical practices during pregnancy. In so doing students understand the interactions between science, research, debate and policy development which are essential in formulating rational, national and world wide strategies to deal with contemporary and future threats to the public health and welfare .

 

This WEBQUEST document is submitted by:  Linda Le Gare-Scott  -  TIPS

Christopher Columbus High School

March 29, 2005