Asthma and Absenteeism in
PROJECT
CRITICA
Ms. J. Fusco
7th
Grade-Living Science
Learning To Live Without
ASTHMA
Through Knowledge and a
Prevention Program
INTRODUCTION:
“STUDENT MUST HAVE
95% ATTENDANCE TO GRADUATE !”
(This is the Poster at
There
is no place more prone to students ABSENTEEISM due to asthma than in
“The numbers are disturbing: New Yorkers suffer
from the worst rates of asthma in the country, with over 10 percent of
schoolchildren and more than 6 percent of the total population affected by the
chronic respiratory disease. New York, along with Chicago, leads the nation in
asthma deaths. Conditions are especially bad in the
“In low-income communities, health problems can
quickly turn into social ones: Asthma, for example, is the number one cause of
student absenteeism in
Representative Jose E. Serrano,
written September 20, 2004s
Here is your
opportunity! You have a chance, in this web quest, to be a Public Policy
Analyst. You can become community problem solver. You will be asked to be an
adviser to your instructor Ms. Fusco. You will investigate the social problem
of Asthma. Your written report will be used by Ms. Fusco in her presentation to
Principal Hodge, who has the final authority to implement your
recommendations….You can stop this !
GOOD LUCK YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT TASK TO COMPLETE!
TASK: 
You are students in Ms. Fusco class at The Frederick
Douglas Academy. You will be investigating a disease called “Asthma”. Ms. Fusco has been appointed by Dr. Hodge to
join a task force assigned to find ways of preventing the absenteeism related
to Asthma. She
needs your help. She
has to write a comprehensive report. The
report must be written in the Public Policy Analyst format. Thus you will use
the PUBLIC
POICY ANANLYST web site to complete the task. The report will,
eventually, suggest solutions that will be used to minimize school absenteeism.
The class will be divided
into teams and each team will receive a joint grade. However, the joint grade
will be applied
to each individual member.
So team work is critical!
Each team will be graded on
their written report. Below are the guidelines your team must follow.
Guidelines for final report:
-
A minimum of 750 words
-
Each report must be type-written using MS Word
- He report must include the six-step Public Policy Analyst...
-
The report must be Double spaced using font
number 12
-
All references must cited
-
You must include statistics, charts, graphs and
pictures.
These will be used later in
constructing a class poster
PROCESS:
Ms. Fusco’s seventh grade living science will thoroughly
research asthma. Each group will find factors that trigger the auto immune
system reaction as well as how these triggers affect the human body.
You will be divided into teams of four by Ms. Fusco. Each member of the team will have a definite role
to play.
The roles are outlined below:
Lead Investigator – you will lead your team
and will be responsible for making sure that each team member thoroughly does
their research
Scientific Research Assistant-using the knowledge
gained by your team you will be better write about what the research found
Public Policy Analyst-you will propose a public
policy law to prevent asthma thus contributing to less absenteeism.
Report Editor-You will produce a 750 word report
about the problem of absenteeism and how asthma contributes to that
absenteeism. Your team will help you.
All of the teams of Ms. Fusco’s class will follow the steps
of the PPA https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/. You need to follow these steps and complete
all six worksheets in order to develop a rational and effective policy. The steps and worksheets for each step are to
be accessed at:
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html
The group members will make certain that each worksheet is
completed accurately and in detail.
After the six worksheets of the PPA are completed, your
group will then complete the task. You PPA worksheets will be handed in with
your report.
-
Discuss your essay with team members.
-
Decide upon the best answers for EACH worksheet.
Links to the Worksheets:
·
Identify the
nature of a social problem
· Gather
evidence to support the existence of the problem
· Determine
the causes and factors contributing to the problem
· Evaluating
existing public policies
· Developing
public policy solutions
· Selecting
the best public policy solution
Your group will use the internet sites below
for worksheet completion. You should also use print
material
such as magazines, newspapers and textbooks. You may want to use SURVEYS as part of
any PPA step to formulate your arguments.
RESOURCES:
The following links provide information on
specific research topics that will be useful in helping to complete
this
task. You may find other helpful links within these sites for more information.
SPECIFIC LINKS
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny16_serrano/morenews/040920Enviro.html
http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/institutionalDevelopment/cse/
http://www.icisnyu.org/index_005.html
http://www.asthmafreeforlife.com
http://www.nutrilite.com/English/public/whynutrilite
/organicbasedproducts/doc1028f.asp
http://www.uhaweb.hartford.edu/BUGL/immune.htm
http://edcenter.med.cornell.edu/CUMC_PATHNOTES
/Immunopathology/Immuno_02.html
http://healthandenergy.com/asthma_increasing.htm
http://www.rachel.org/bulletin/index.cfm?issue_ID=754
http://heartandenergy.com/inflammation_is_a_secret_killer.htm
http://www.indoorpurifiers.com/nutritn.htm
GENERAL RESEARCH ENGINES
EVALUATION:
RUBRIC:
|
|
CATEGORY
|
4 EXCELLENT |
3 VERY GOOD |
2 SATISFACORY |
1 NEEDS IMPROVEMENT |
|
Organization |
Information is very organized with well-constructed
paragraphs and subheadings. |
Information is organized with well-constructed
paragraphs. |
Information is organized, but paragraphs are not
well-constructed. |
The information appears to be disorganized. 8) |
|
Amount of Information |
All PPA STEPS are addressed and all questions answered |
All PPA STEPS are addressed and MOST questions answered |
All PPA STEPS are addressed, and most questions answered
BUT WITHOUT SPECIFICS |
One or more topics were not addressed. |
|
Sources |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately
documented in the desired format. |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately
documented, but a few are not in the desired format. |
All sources (information and graphics) are accurately
documented, but many are not in the desired format. |
Some sources are not accurately documented. |
|
Mechanics |
No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. |
Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors |
A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors. |
Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. |
|
Paragraph Construction |
All paragraphs include introductory sentence,
explanations or details, and concluding sentence. |
Most paragraphs include introductory sentence,
explanations or details, and concluding sentence. |
Paragraphs included related information but were
typically not constructed well. |
Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were
not typically related within the paragraphs. |
|
Internet Use |
Successfully uses suggested internet links to find
information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance. |
Usually able to use suggested internet links to find
information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance. |
Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find
information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance. |
Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet
links and/or to navigate within these sites. |
|
Diagrams & Illustrations |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to
the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the
reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and
sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add
to the reader's understanding of the topic. |
|
Persuaviness |
THIS PAPER WILL BE OF ENORMOUS HELP TO MS. FUSCO IN HER
PRINCIPAL'S MEETING & WILL CREATE NDW SCHOOL POLICY |
THIS PAPER WILL OF SOME HELP TO MS. FUSCO IN HER
PRINCIPAL'S MEETING AND HAS SOME IDEAS ON POLICY CHANGES |
THIS PAPER WILL GIVE MS. FUSCO SOME IDEAS OF WHAT SHE
WILL PRESENT TO THE PRICNIPAL BUT HAS A VAGUE PUBLIC POLICY |
THIS PAPER WILL BE OF NO HELP TO MS. FUSCO. SHE WILL HAVE
TO DO ALL THE RESEARCH HERSELF BEFORE PRESENTING |
GRADING RUBRIC: Can your group get an ?
A=28-32
POINTS B=23-27 POINTS C= 18-22 POINTS F=BELOW 18 POINTS
CONCLUSION:
You should have learned, from completing this
web quest that Asthma is a major social problem in
drop out rates. You should also have gained
information and policy making skills that have helped
develop effective policies to confront asthma
and its devastating effects on school absenteeism.
By following the steps of the PPA you now have
a better understanding of the interactions
among scientists, researchers, debaters and
policy makers. As you can now clearly see, Public Policy Analysts
play a vital role in improving the lives of all
New Yorkers. Let’s hope you made a difference.
WE SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PARTICIAPTION !!!!
This Web Quest meets the following
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.