TITLE: Eating Disorders
TASK DEVELOPER: Patricia A. Caldwell
GRADE AND CONTENT AREA: Grade 9-12, Health
TARGET TEACHING DATE: 31 January 2006
SCHOOL: Mergenthaler Vocational Technical Senior High School
STANDARDS:

Maryland Health Education Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators

Health Content Concepts - Outcome 1: Students will demonstrate an understanding of health promotion and disease prevention concepts to establish a foundation for leading healthy, productive lives.

Nutrition Performance Indicator: Students are able to demonstrate an understanding of eating disorders and nutritional disorders that impact health.

Accessing Information - Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to access, analyze, and evaluate health information in order to become health literate consumers.

Performance Indicator: Students are able to evaluate how factors, such as culture, media, and peers, influence health perceptions and behaviors.

Health Behaviors - Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks to live safer, healthier lives.

Performance Indicator: Students are able to: analyze the short-term and long term consequences of safe, risky, and harmful behaviors

Communication Skills - Outcome 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively use communication skills to enhance personal and family health.

Performance Indicator: Student are able to demonstrate and analyze skills for communicating effectively with family and peers.

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PERFORMANCES:

Students participate in a class discussion of a song about perfectionism/body image and respond individually to a warning checklist about body image. Students work in pairs with textbooks to learn characteristics of three types of eating disorders. A BCR is written in response to a request for advice about confronting a friend who is anorexic.

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SETTING:

The student assumes the role of a newspaper advice columnist and responds to a 15-year-old who wants to help a friend who is anorexic.The student demonstrates what has been learned about this disorder.

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SMARTSKILLS:

Level I: Acquiring Data - Data students will acquire in this standards-based task:

Vocabulary: Anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating, purging, obesity, body image, diuretic drug, perfectionism

Content - Content students will acquire in this standards-based task:
  1. Why some teens are at risk for developing eating disorders.
  2. How anorexia nervosa harms health.
  3. How bulimia harms health

Level III: Applying Knowledge

Solving Problems: How to help a peer who is at risk for anorexia.

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INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Five Es Model of Instruction

ENGAGEMENT: The activities in this section capture the students' attention, stimulate their thinking, and help them access prior knowledge.

30 January 2006 - 10 minutes

Teacher distributes the lyrics to "Perfect" by Alanis Morissette. Students listen to the song while reading the lyrics.
http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/lessons/selfimage2/perfect_lyrics.html

Materials: lyrics, CD, CD player
Student product or performance: Students respond in class discussion to the following questions:

  1. Who in the family is speaking the lyrics?
  2. How do teens feel when they hear, "You've got to measure up" or "That simply wasn't good enough"? How could this affect body image?
  3. Is the phrase, "We'll love you just the way you are ... if you're perfect." meant to inspire perfection? Why or why not?

EXPLORATION: In this section, students are given time to think, plan, investigate, and organize collected information.

5 minutes

Students read and respond to Warning Behaviors, p. 316 Meeks Heit Health and Wellness

  1. I constantly compare myself to others.
  2. I am unhappy with my physical appearance.
  3. I wear baggy clothes to hide my body.
  4. I think it is disgusting to have menstrual periods. (females)
  5. I am never satisfied with anything I do.
  6. My parent or guardian is never satisfied with anything I do.
  7. I felt unsafe during childhood (from alcoholism, physical abuse, sexual abuse)
  8. I only feel secure when I can control a situation.
  9. I do not know what to do when I feel lonely, frustrated, rejected, or depressed.
  10. I reach for food, starve, exercise or throw up food when I am uncomfortable.

15 minutes

Students work with a textbook and a partner to define vocabulary.
Materials: Meeks Heit textbooks

EXPLANATION: Students are now involved in an analysis of their exploration. Their understanding is clarified and modified because of reflective activities.

  1. 15 minutes - Structured whole-class questioning: What are some reasons teens develop eating
    disorders? Ask students to cite examples of the following reasons (pp.315-316 Meeks Heit)
    1. Some teens place too much emphasis on their appearance.
    2. Some teens are uncomfortable with their bodies when they develop secondary sexual characteristics.
    3. Some teens are perfectionists.
    4. Some teens feel their lives are out of control.
    5. Some teens are not able to express their emotions.
  2. 20 minutes - Reading and discussion with a partner: Read pp. 317-320 Meeks Heit for an understanding of the characteristics of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.

Worksheet for Eating Disorders
Directions: Use A for anorexia, B for bulimia, and C for binge eating disorder.

  1. depression
  2. exercises excessively
  3. feels guilty about binging
  4. BMR drops to low level
  5. body breaks down muscle tissue for energy
  6. electrolyte balance in body disturbed
  7. enlarged salivary glands
  8. fat stores in body are used up
  9. heart rate drops to low level
  10. high blood pressure caused by excessive use of diuretics
  11. mineral deficiencies
  12. normal bowel function disturbed by excessive use of laxatives
  13. teeth enamel damaged by stomach acid
  14. substitute eating for social activities
  15. are addicted to food

Materials: Worksheets, Meeks Heit textbooks

EXTENTION: This section gives students the opportunity to expand and solidify their understanding of the concept and/or apply it to a real world situation.

20 minutes

Problem solving: Teacher provides students with a question written to an advice column. Students write a response that demonstrates what they have learned about eating disorders. Students volunteers read their responses.

Dear ____,
I am a 15-year-old and am in the 10th grade. My best friend has anorexia. It's obvious to everyone that she does not eat, and she has even admitted it to me.When I try to talk to her about it, she completely denies that she has a disorder.She has not even talked to her parents about her problem. How can I get her help soon before she messes up her body?

Student product or performance: BCR
Scoring: Teacher scoring of BCR using Science Scoring Rubric

EVALUATION: Evaluation occurs throughout the lesson through verbal feedback.

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SCORING:

HSA RUBRIC FOR CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE ITEMS: SCIENCE

LEVEL 4
There is evidence in this response that the student has a full and complete understanding of the question or problem.

  • Pertinent and complete supporting details demonstrate an integration of ideas.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology enhances the response.
  • An effective application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world
    situation reveals an insight into scientific principles.*
  • The response reflects a complete synthesis of information.

LEVEL 3
There is evidence in this response that the student has a good understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are generally complete.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology strengthens the response.
  • The concept has been applied to a practical problem or real-world situation.*
  • The response reflects some synthesis of information.

Proficient and above

LEVEL 2
There is evidence in this response that the student has a basic understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are adequate.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology may be present in the response.
  • The application of the concept to a practical problem or real-world situation is inadequate.*
  • The response provides little or no synthesis of information.

LEVEL 1
There is evidence in this response that the student has some understanding of the question or problem.

  • The supporting details are only minimally effective.
  • The use of accurate scientific terminology is not present in the response.
  • The application, if attempted, is irrelevant.*
  • The response addresses the question.

LEVEL 0
There is evidence that the student has no understanding of the question or problem.

  • The response is completely incorrect or irrelevant or there is no response.

* On the High School Assessment, the application of a concept to a practical problem or real-world situation will be scored when it is required in the response and requested in the item stem.

Updated 2002

Source: http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/science/assessments.html

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RESULTS:

Organize: Percentage of students who performed at or above the proficient level on my scoring tool: 94%

Trends: Students responded positively to the use of music to introduce the lesson. They also enjoyed writing advice to the teen who needed help for her friend.

Implications for student performance: If students perceive a connection between their lessons and what they experience in real life, they become highly motivated.

Reflect: As I look at my practice, I see that students bring both knowledge from previous courses in health and questions that they have never considered important before high school. Although they have a thirst for information, they have difficulty letting go of incorrect information. Hopefully, students will pass along what they learn to friends and family members.