Rosa International Middle School Cherry Hill

It has been announced that a United States Senate Appropriations Committee has $1,000,000.00 that they will be awarding as grants to fund genetic disease research. The diseases that they are considering for this grant are: Diabetes (Type 1), Cystic Fibrosis, Hemophilia, Downs Syndrome, Sickle Cell Disease and Muscular Dystrophy. You are a member of a non-profit organization that will need to convince this national committee to fund the research for the genetic disease that is the focus of your organization. You must convince them that the money is vital to your mission to find a cure for your disease. Your knowledge about your specific genetic disease and your persuasive testimony will be the only way to convince the committee that your group needs their support.

THE TASK:

Your organization may only send the following four representatives to your meeting with the committee: a doctor, a researcher, a parent of a child with this disease, and a patient. Your organization will only have 5-7 minutes to present the facts about your disease, document the need for additional research and convince the Senate Committee that your genetic disease must have more funding. You will have to plan your oral testimony, and you may prepare a multimedia presentation to be used within the seven minutes. Remember, the committee will be asking you questions about all aspects of your disease along with what you plan to do with the grant money.

THE PROCESS:

Step 1
Your first task as an organization is to determine the name of your organization. When that is accomplished, you need to determine what role each member will assume. Read the descriptions and guiding research questions below. You must submit this information to the Senate Appropriations Committee for approval by the date your teacher provides.

ROLES:
You are responsible for answering all of the questions listed under your role.

DOCTOR - Your task is to understand how to treat patients with the disease. As the doctor, you need to know how to help your patients and their families.

How is your disease diagnosed?
Is your disease inherited, and how is it inherited?
How many people are affected by this disease?
How do you treat this disease?
What organizations do you refer your patient and their family to?

RESEARCHER – Your task is to know the past medical breakthroughs and new leads towards finding a cure. As the researcher you will need to know the latest research on your disease.

How is the disease being treated or prevented?
What new research is being done to help people with the disease?
What additional research is needed to help patients with this disease?
What is the inheritance pattern of this disease?
Where are you currently getting funds for your research?

PARENT – Your task as a parent of a child with the disease is to testify about what life is like for the family. You will need to explain what life is like everyday for your child.

What treatments/doctor visits does your child need?
What social/physical problems does your child have?
How do you deal with these problems?
What organizations are available to help you?
How would you find additional information about your child’s disease?

PATIENT – Your task as someone who lives with the disease everyday is to explain what your daily life is like.

What is your daily schedule?
What are the social/physical difficulties you encounter?
How do you deal with the difficulties associated with your disease?
What treatments do you need to take daily for your disease?
What types of daily activities to you need to do?

Step 2: RESEARCH

To obtain basic information about your disease, you will use the cart of books assembled in the library and the resources listed below.
Continue researching using these same resources to answer the guiding questions for your role within the group. Your organization is to only use the resources and websites included in this WebQuest.
Your organization is required to submit a Works Consulted Page that you generated using NoodleTools Citation Software as a handout when you present to the Senate Committee.

RESOURCES:
STOP 1. Your first task on your Quest for a Cure is to read a basic encyclopedia article related to your disease. From the articles, you are to extract facts that you must know to answer your guiding questions. Your questions fall into two basic categories, "Symptoms and Diagnosis" and Treatment." Record the facts on the sheet that you will receive in class. You will need to review the questions for your particular role as you take notes and to be prepared for your next task.

STOP 2. Your next task is to research you disease using Student Resource Center Jr. Do a subject search for your disease.

Use the reference resources to locate additional information about your disease. Be sure to check the articles from U*X*L Science or Sick! U*X*L. These books are available on the cart of library books also.
Skim through some of the magazine and newspaper articles that are part of this resource to see if any of them are written by someone representing your role (doctor, researcher, parent, patient.) Take notes on what they are saying.
You may want to check the multimedia section for pictures that you may use for your presentation.
Record your information on the sheets provided.

STOP 3. You will use the websites listed below for your research. Click on the specific links for your disease. Please note that they are all provided by government agencies or organizations.

STOP 4. If you are still having difficulty, go to the FactsOnFile databases that have very advanced articles related to your topic:

Select the HEALTH REFERENCE CENTER
Type in the name of your disease into the Search Box
Select one of the links from the Search Summary.

STOP 5. If you are still having trouble related to your role, you may search EBSCOhost for additional magazine and newspaper articles related to your disease and your role.

General Web sites
MedlinePlus Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
         This web site provides a dictionary, encyclopedia articles, directories and other medical resources.
Welcome to NOAH Homepage         http://www.noah-health.org/
    This site from the New York Online Access to Health provides general information on diseases.
National Centers for Disease Control          http://www.cdc.gov
            Search this site for your disease.
KidsHealth                 http://www.kidshealth.org/
    KidsHealth offers information on health issues from the viewpoint of children, teens and parents.

Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis      http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/digestive/cystic_fibrosis.html
     This web site provides general information on Cystic Fibrosis from the view point of children, teens, and parents.
MedlinePlus: Cystic Fibrosis            http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cysticfibrosis.html
    This web site provides information on nutrition, diagnosis, and treatment and overall facts on Cystic Fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Home               http://www.cff.org/
    This foundation provides information on research information and general facts on Cystic Fibrosis.

Hemophilia
Hemophilia     http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/hemophilia.html
    This web site provides general information on Hemophilia from the view point of children, teens, and parents.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Hemophilia A http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000538.htm
    This web site provides illustration, symptoms, diagnosis and other general information on Hemophilia A.
Hemophilia Association                     http://www.hemophiliaz.org/
    This association web site provides information on research information and general facts on Hemophilia.

Sickle Cell Disease
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Sickle cell anemia http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000527.htm
    This web site provides illustration, symptoms, diagnosis and other general information on Sickle Cell Anemia.
Sickle Cell Anemia   http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html
    This web site provides general information on Sickle Cell Anemia from the view point of children, teens, and parents.
What is Sickle Cell Disease     http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/about_scd/index.phtml
    Sickle Cell Disease Association provides facts on the disease and research.

Diabetes (Type 1)
Type 1 Diabetes - American Diabetes Association     http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes.jsp
    This association web site provides information on treatments, conditions, and diagnosis on type 1 disease.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Type 1 diabetes http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000305.htm
    This web site provides illustration, symptoms, diagnosis and other general information on Type 1 Diabetes.
Diabetes Center    http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/centers/diabetes_center.html
    This web site provides general information on Diabetes from the view point of children, teens, and parents.

Downs Syndrome
National Association for Down Syndrome                http://www.nads.org
    This association web site provides helpful tips for parents of children with Down Syndrome and other facts on research, diagnosis and general facts.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Down syndrome http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000997.htm
    This web site provides illustration, symptoms, diagnosis and other general information on Down Syndrome.
Down Syndrome http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/down_syndrome.html
    This web site provides general information on Down Syndrome from the view point of children, teens, and parents.

Muscular Dystrophy
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Muscular dystrophy http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001190.htm
     Find illustrations, symptoms, diagnosis and other general information on Muscular Dystrophy at this site.
Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation ® - No Boundaries ®    http://www.mdff.org
    This foundation web site provides facts about the disease and information for parents and patients with Muscular Dystrophy.

Muscular Dystrophy
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/muscular_dystrophy.html
Find general information on Muscular Dystrophy from the view point of children, teens, and parents at this site.

CONCLUSION:

Your organization has successfully prepared a detailed and well-researched oral presentation that will hopefully convince the United States Senate Appropriations Committee to give you the $1,000,000. The work towards finding cures for genetic diseases is not over. Researchers will continue to find new promising answers, doctors, will continue to treat patients, and parents and patients will continue to need support and guidance. Through working on this WebQuest, you now have an understanding of how genetic diseases impact many people within our society.

Your presentation must include the following:

YOUR TEAM MUST SUBMIT A WORKS CONSULTED PAGE OF THE SOURCES YOU USED.

ASSESSMENT:
    International Baccalaureate Technology Rubric
               Criterion A

    International Baccalaureate Science Rubric
               Criterion B

Presentation Rubric will follow