Sleep Deprivation Influence on Academic Performance

Nia Francis

John H. Finely PS 129

Social Problem: Sleep Loss linked to remote instruction.

Introduction:

Do you feel well rested to start your school day? Do you feel too tired to read, write and play? Research has shown a generation of teens growing up chronically sleep-deprived, and more than 87 and young teens get less than the recommended eight to ten hours. Sleep deprivation is linked to a serious threat to health, safety, and academic success (Stanford Medicine, 2015). Social and cultural factors that accompany the advent of technology have prevented adolescents from getting enough sleep.

Task:

Your job is to work in groups of 4 to help create a wellness plan for our middle school on the importance of sleep and academic achievement in schools. Your group will work collaboratively and conduct research to find whether students who lack sleep experience academic deficiency. The amount of sleep of middle school students can be improved if the causes are identified and solutions are implemented.

Your group will complete the six-step policy in the Public Policy Analyst to decide the best public policy solution that will result in a significant increase in the number of hours students sleep at PS 129.

You will deliver your findings in two parts:

Create an information sheet that will provide the findings of your research (refer to the resource list for research).
Create a brochure that promotes the importance of physical activity and academic achievement.

In your brochure be sure to include the following:

A. Images and quotes about sleep

B. Facts about the benefits and the harmful effects of good sleep

C. Data chart (results of your school survey in chart form)

In your group of 4, there are 4 roles to assign to each other.

Process:

Using the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) tool your group will use the public policy analyst tool to help guide your research in your project. The elements of the public policy analyst are listed below in detail.

Step 1: Identify the nature of a social problem.

Your group will use Worksheet #1: Define the Problem to identify why the lack of sleep may impact academic achievement.

Step 2: Gather evidence to support your problem.

Your group will use Worksheet #2: Gather Evidence to gather evidence that will support your research.

You will create and conduct a school-wide online survey with your peers using the following questions:

1. How much sleep do you get on weekdays?

2. How much sleep do you get on the weekend?

3. What time do you go to sleep? Wake up?

4. What do you do before you go to bed? How do you feel when you wake up (scale 1-5)?

5. What is your grade point average (GPA) in their core courses (English, Math, Social Studies and Science)?

Step 3: Determine the causes and factors contributing to the problem.

Use Worksheet #3: Identify Causes to help your group identify the causes of the lack of sleep by students. Use Worksheet #3 to help your group identify the causes of academic deficiency in schools as it relates to sleep deprivation.

Step 4: Evaluate the existing policy.

Use Worksheet #4: Evaluating Policy to evaluate the current policy on the amount of sleep and academic performance.

Step 5: Develop public policy alternatives

Use Worksheet #5: Develop Solutions/ Public Policy Alternatives to create additional public policy alternatives based on the evaluation you will have conducted on current policies on sleep.

Step 6: Determine the best public policy solution to the problem

Use Worksheet #6: Best Policy Solution to identify the best public policy solution to your problem (sleep deprivation) and explain why you have chosen this particular solution and how this solution can be implemented.

Resources

· https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2015/10/among-teens-sleep-deprivation-an-epidemic.html#:~:text=Sleep%20deprivation%20increases%20the%20likelihood,suicide%20and%20even%20suicide%20attempts

· https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation

· https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/s/sleep-deprivation.html

· https://www.apta.org/news/2018/01/29/cdc-most-middle-and-high-school-students-dont-get-enough-sleep

· https://childmind.org/article/teenagers-sleep-deprived/

· https://www.harlemworldmagazine.com/the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation-and-how-to-treat-it/

· https://www.cumc.columbia.edu/harlem-hospital/surgery-residency/policies-and-procedures/Fatigue%20and%20Sleep%20deprivation

Evaluation

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNSATISFACTORY	GRADE
BROCHURE CONTENT	Shows a full understanding of the topic. USES ALL STEPS OF PPA	Shows a good understanding of the topic. USES FIVE OF THE SIX STEPS OF THE PPA	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. USES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA WITH SOME ERRORS	Does not seem to understand the topic very well. INCORRECTLY USES OR FAILS TO USE PPA STEPS
GROUP PARTICIPATION	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Often is not a good team member.
INFORMATION SHEET	-clear description of policy solution -Includes information from all 6 steps of the PPA. -Demon. Full control of language.	-Clear description of policy solution. -Includes information from most steps of the PPA. -Demon. Control of language conventions with few mistakes.	-Basic description of policy solution. -includes information from less than 4 steps of the PPA -Some errors in language conventions get in way of presentation.	-Insufficient and/or unclear presentation of material. -includes information from less than 4 steps of the PPA. -Significant errors in language conventions get in the way of presentation.
Graphics	Several images and/or videos included and they are relevant to the topic	Some digital images and/or video included. Only some are relevant.	One or two digital images or video used. They are relevant to the topic.	No digital images or video included. No pictures are relevant to the topic.

Conclusion:

After your study you should now have a better understanding of the problems associated with sleep deprivation. By completing this Webquest, you have mastered working with the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) steps to think of solutions for students who experience a lack of Sleep at PS 129, and developed a strategy for dealing with this public problem that you believe can be successful.

NYS Common Core Standards:

ELA

RI.9-10.1- Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

W.9-10.4- Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

WHST.6-8.1.C- Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

WHST.6-8.1.D - Establish and maintain a formal style.

WHST.6-8.1.E - Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

SCIENCE

RST.6-8.1- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.

RST.6-8.2- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

RST.6-8.3- Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks