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Second through fourth grade students will be challenged to design a presentation to share with the kindergarten, first, and second grade populations during our annual "Good Health Network" wellness fair in March of each year. Each group of students will choose their own topics of interest which may include, but are not limited to: circulatory system, central nervous system, skeletal system, poison prevention, effects of smoking, drug education, nutrition, exercise, and health related technologies.
Information for the presentations will be gathered from various sources including the FOSS science curriculum, Internet, media resources, such as CD ROMS, library books, magazines and newspapers. Each student group will also be expected to complete an on line independent study based on one of the systems of the body. In addition, the students will be responsible for contacting various companies and institutions that may be helpful in gaining knowledge or materials. The students will have contact with professionals from various institutions throughout the state. Experts from the University of Minnesota, Medical Graphics, and the Mayo Clinic have committed their time and talents to answer e-mail and to be available for interviews using QuickCam or C U See Me technologies throughout the year.
Finally, student groups sill apply the information gathered to complete the science lab activities and synthesize the accumulated data. The students are assembled heterogeneously in groups of 6, in a science lab environment. During the next four sessions, the students will be participating in various "Good Health" lab activities and experiments. The experiments will be based on the human body and include; 1) You Gotta Have A Heart - based on the circulatory system, 2) Lung Capacity - based on the respiratory system, and 3) Stimulus and Response which centers around the central nervous system. Please see the student pages for further information on the type of data the students will be gathering and full lab instructions.
After the data from the previous experiments have been gathered, students will input their information on spreadsheets during their media/technology period. This information will be shared with classrooms worldwide. Classrooms from around the world will be encouraged to share their "Vital Signs" data on the Internet. Student groups will be challenged to make comparisons of the data collected and provide a summary of how the climate, geological location, and elevation could be effecting the results posted on the web site from areas around the globe.
Scenario Abstract
The focus of the Vital Signs project is to promote good health in our
young people. It is the goal of the Vital Signs project that students
everywhere will contribute to promoting good health decisions. Through
the use of telecommunications, students will research health related topics
such as good nutrition, exercise, and basic body functions. They will analyze
their research data and distribute it through the use of the Internet.
The World Wide Web will assist students in communication with experts in
health related fields. Electronic mail will be used in collaborative research
effort between communities around the world. Students will have the opportunity
to conduct health related research, discuss their findings, and present
solutions for problems that are facing and will be facing their generation.
Vital Signs is designed as a year-long study unit for grades 2-4. Although the focus of the project is physical science, Vital Signs will address additional curricular areas, such as language arts, mathematics, social studies, physical education, and geography. It will reinforce the importance of critical thinking skills in our students and will address the needs of the information age learner.
Project Description
Scope
A general tenet of health education is that humans use need to learn
and practice good health decisions in order to have a healthy society.
Health education is a process of moving individuals toward practice of
good health behaviors. Since the health minded thrust of the 1970s, significant
shifts in perceptions of health priorities have occurred. Dramatic increases
in knowledge about general health have revealed the necessity of applying
this information to the solution of health related problems. A global perspective
on "good health" has become pervasive.
Vital Signs: The Good Health Network involves the use of technology to teach and support health education. Through the use of telecommunications students will focus on moving toward good health practice. The projectís "healthy" emphasis will be on knowledge and practice. A healthy society is "one that satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects for future generations." Students will research and learn about the most pressing global problems of diet and exercise. Students will link with International World Wide Web servers to find information that addresses the above stated concerns. Through the use of electronic mail, students will collaborate with other students to discuss their research and design ways for developing a "healthy" society. Students will respond to questions of "How can we make good choices in diet and exercise? Why will we need to consider healthy living? Who will be affected by our healthful living decisions?
Vital Signs will prepare our students for the information age of which they live. Through the use of high-tech tools, students will deal with vast amounts of information. They will respond through the development of critical thinking skills. Critical thinking includes four elements needed by students today. These include (1) content knowledge (knowledge of the discipline, (2) procedural knowledge (knowledge of thinking skills), (3) ability to monitor, use and control thinking skills (metacognition), and (4) an attitude to use thinking skills and knowledge. Critical thinking skills have been identified as the most important skill to be successful in the 21st century.
Curriculum
An educational basis supporting the project is its ability to incorporate
other existing curricular programs. In many cases the media teacher will
work with classroom teachers which involve creating opportunities to include
health related issues as the application of the field of study. Using this
approach, we will integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, experience, and
commitment that will result in informed decisions, responsible behavior,
and constructive actions. Health education, therefore, will include science,
math, social studies, language arts, health, and physical education. This
unit will directly link to the MN Graduation Standards in the areas of
Decision Making, Inquiry, Science, Mathematics, and Writing and Speaking.
Community
Involvement with the local community is essential in the success of
this project. Vital Signs will link with area business (Mayo Clinic, Medtronics,
Medical Graphics, and the University of Minnesota...) to form an alliance
for the promotion of health education. These local experts will serve as
a research ground for the study of the three health areas mentioned in
this project and will continue to serve as a basis for future health projects.
Technology
The technology used in this project will play a key role in the implementation
of this project. Networked computers will be used to conduct research
to improve the way in which we live. This technology will allow students
to connect to the school districtís Internet service and gain immediate
access to health experts. Students will use their research and other electronic
files they develop and present them on the Project Vital Signs WWW server.
The Project Vital Signs homage will be available to all students and will
link health research to one another. Optical technology will further enrich
these health studies.
Rationale
The emphasis of this project is that of science, technology, and society.
In this emphasis, the purpose of school health sciences is to create citizens
who understand their responsibility for their health in ways that will
enable them to participate intelligently in critical thinking, problem
solving, and decision making about how science and technology are used
to promote healthy communities. The curriculum is human, society, and health
focused, problem centered and responsive in local issues. Problems to be
investigated are selected for their relevance to studentís lives and are
multidisciplinary in nature. Because the focus is on skill development
in problem solving and decision making, it appears that process goals are
emphasized over content goals. However, the media teacher will help students
see how health science and technology can help solve problems.
A second emphasis is that students will develop a better understanding of the nature of health education and will be more interested in being involved (actively) in "doing" health related projects. Student investigations are the backbone on the inquiry curriculum, and the focus of student investigations is on the use and development of science inquiry and process skills.
Impact
The goals of Vital Signs are the following:
Teaming health education with communication technologies provides a good mechanism for instituting change in science teaching as well as health awareness. Because the project creates the beginning of a global health community, there is potential for millions of people to be impacted by this project. Teachers and students around the world will have the ability to research, contribute, and collaborate on health related issues through the Vital Signs Network. Vital Signs should be viewed as a gateway for new health studies to come. Through the establishment of this K-4 health network educators will be stimulated to try new ways of approaching their curriculum. Students will have first-hand experience using the technologies of the information age. They will see a new method of inquire for science research and collaboration.
Evaluation
Much of this project will be evaluated qualitatively through the use
of surveys, student and teacher journals and group discussions.