IO Project

Task

Kick Off the Project With Your Students

In the news we all hear about neurological disorders that afflict various individuals, but when a celebrity is affected we all pay more attention to the seriousness of the disease.
The project involves celebrities (movie stars, politicians, athletes etc..) which captures the students attention and sparks interest.

Not only will students understand the biology of the disease, they will develop empathy for people suffering from various neurological disorders.

Students have the opportunity not only to educate their peers, but also to inform society about the devestating effects of neurological disease. Additionally, students will hypothesize why local areas are more highly affected by certain neurological diseases. This really hits home

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Activity

Create the Invitation

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Task

Share your Knowledge

Develop a handout for your peers that highlights your presentation. You may want to include diagrams, charts, graphs and websites that students can use in order to obtain more information. You may also want a section of your handout to be review questions or a mini-quiz to really emphasize the the information that you presented.

You will also be expected to summarize your findings. We will submit your research and picture of your group to the local newspaper. It is now your turn to contribute to society. Some of you may want to send your findings to other communties like Black Diamond and Turner Valley.

Students will get to:

Use webpages to share their information and the importance of maintaining your well being

Use digital cameras and desktop publishing programs to develop a newspaper page of their findings and to promote the importance of practicing good health

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Task

Nature vs. Nurture

Discuss the importance of maintaining good health (diet, exercise, regular doctor's appointments) and why the avoidance of certain environmental factors can protect you against the early onset of such disorders. Black Diamond and Tuner Valley has the highest incidence of multiple sclerosis (354/ 100, 000 population). Why ?

Student will get to use:

Internet to access reasearch and information regarding their celebrity, their disorder and possibly trying to contact experts in the field.

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Task

A cure or a treatment ?

Explain why various drug treatments are used in the treatment of symptoms of your disorder. What is the purpose of glutamate inhibitors in the treatment of Parkinson's. New discoveries are always developing, hypothesize, for example, why Multiple Sclerosis sufferers do not experience any symptoms during pregnancy

Students will get to use:

Internet to access reasearch and information regarding their celebrity, their disorder and possibly trying to contact experts in the field.

Presentation software, to enhance the presentation of the model of nerve transmission, the disorder, treatment, the person affected

Concept Mapping to establish connections between the disease and the affects on the normal functioning of the nervous system

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Task

Disease and Nerve Transmission

After researching your neurological disorder, use your model to explain how nerve transmission, synaptic tranmission or brain chemistry is disrupted

Students will get the chance to use:

Internet to access reasearch and information regarding their celebrity, their disorder and possibly trying to contact experts in the field.

Animations or modeling tools as an option in the development of their nerve transmission model

Presentation software, to enhance the presentation of the model of nerve transmission, the disorder, treatment, the person affected

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Task

Modeling Normal Nerve Transmission

Disorders of the brain are prominent in todays society. Celebrities, realtives, people close to us all fall victim to these dibilitating disorders. Disease does not discriminate

Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, spinal cord injuries and Alzheimer's are all nervous system associated disorders that exist in today's society and scientists are on a mission to unravel the mysteries of these disorders inorder to one day provide a cure.

These disorders disrupt the normal functioning of the nervous system by interfering with nerve tranmission, synaptic transmission or brain chemistry. As a result, an array of symptoms arise that can be used to pinpoint the areas of the nervous sytem that are affected. From these discoveries, scientists develop treatments to help deal with a particular symptom of the disorder

Genetic Prediposition and environment can trigger the development of the disorder. It is very important that people monitor their state of well-being and exposure to environmental factors that could trigger the early onset of the disease

Task:

Select a celebrity afflicted by a nervous system disorder from the celebrity profile link. Or create your own "celebrity". This could be a relative or a friend who is dealing with a nervous system disorder

Demonstrate your understanding of normal nerve transmission, synaptic transmission and brain chemistry by creating an interactive model to depict the main events involved. You can make this high tech by using flash to develop an animation of nerve transmission, synaptic transmission and brain chemistry. Or you can use a chalk board model. The model must be your own, original creation.

Students will get the chance to use:

Internet to access reasearch and information regarding their celebrity, their disorder and possibly trying to contact experts in the field.

Animations or modeling tools as an option in the development of their nerve transmission model

Presentation software, to enhance the presentation of the model of nerve transmission, the disorder, treatment, the person affected

Concept Mapping to establish connections between the disease and the affects on the normal functioning of the nervous system

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Task 1: Modeling Normal Nerve Transmission

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Nerve and synaptic transmission	Knowledge of nerve and/or synaptic transmission is limited.	Demonstrates general overview of nerve transmission and/or synaptic transmission.	Partially demonstrates knowledge of the events of nerve and synaptic transmission OR Demonstrates knowledge of the events of nerve OR synaptic transmission.	Demonstrates knowledge of the events of nerve and synaptic transmission.	Demonstrates strong knowledge of the events of nerve and synaptic transmission.
Model	Model is incomplete.	Model lacks accuracy.	Model is accurate.	Model is accurate and enhances student learning.	Model is authentic, accurate, and enhances student learning.

Task 2: Disease and Nerve Transmission

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Effects of disorder on nervous system	A description of the disorder is provided.	Limited knowledge of effects of disorder on the nervous system	Indicates how the disorder disrupts the nervous system	Indicates how the disorder disrupts nervous system homeostasis	Clearly indicates how the disorder disrupts nervous system homeostasis
Model	Use of model to depict the effect(s) of the disorder on nerve and synaptic transmission is limited.	Model is used to partially depict the effect(s) of the disorder on nerve transmission or synaptic transmission.	Model is used to partially depict the effect(s) of the disorder on nerve and synaptic transmission.	Model is used to depict the effect(s) of the disorder on nerve and synaptic transmission.	Model is used to clearly depict the effect(s) of the disorder on nerve and synaptic transmission.

Task 3: A cure or a treatment ?

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Treatments	The drug treatment for the signs and symptoms of the disorder are inaccurate.	Drug treatment for signs and symptoms of the disorder are provided. OR Unconventional drug treatment is presented.	Drug treatment for signs and symptoms of the disorder are provided. Unconventional drug treatment is presented.	Explanation of drug treatment for signs and symptoms of the disorder. Rationale for using an unconventional drug treatment is partially hypothesized.	Clear explanation of drug treatment for signs and symptoms of the disorder. Rationale for using an unconventional drug treatment is hypothesized.

Task 4: Nature vs. Nurture

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Environmental Factors	Poor understanding of relationship between environment and heredity	Vague understanding of relationship between environment and heredity	General relationship between environment and heredity	Understanding of how the environment shapes heredity	Strong understanding of how the environment shapes heredity
Personal Health	Limited understanding of preventative measures or methods of maintaining good health	Identifies preventative measures OR methods of maintaining good health	Identifies preventative measures for maintaining good health	Explains importance of practicing preventative measures and good health	Explains importance of practicing preventative measures and advocates good personal health

Task 5: Share your Knowledge

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Handout	Minimal overview of project	Provides limited overview of project OR Enables the audience's understanding of the project	Provides general overview of project Enables the audience's understanding of the project	Provides adequate highlights of the project findings Enables the audience's understanding of the project	Provides clear and in-depth highlights of the project findings Questions the audience's understanding of the project
Contribution to Society	Minimal contribution to society	Limited contribution to society OR Newspaper article	General contribution to society General newspaper article	Adequate contribution to society Quality newspaper article	Meaningful contribution to society Professional quality newspaper article
Presentation	Presentation made entirely from notes Voice and eye contact is not maintained	Presentation made with heavy reliance on notes Poor voice quality and eye contact with the audience	Presentation made with reliance on notes Average quality of voice and eye contact with the audience	Presentation made with limited reliance on notes Above average quality of voice and eye contact with the audience	Presentation made without reliance on notes Excellent quality of voice and eye contact with the audience