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E-mail contact
Andrea Doremus Cuetara
adoremus@rcn.com
Teacher Bio
Andrea Doremus Cuetara (now at Academy of Public Service) taught
Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Health Professions at Brighton
High School, a School to Career School. Her background in Social
Studies qualifies her as an adjunct curriculum developer with
the NEH-funded "Making Freedom," an African-American
history project now being edited at Primary Source. Andrea's wide
ranging career includes teaching at BPS middle schools, and helping
launch the El Centro/BPS Alternative High School at a community-based
agency serving Latinos. There she helped establish the peer leadership
program, an art program, and the school's first Community Service
Learning Day.
Subject Areas
Science, English Language Arts, Math
Grade Levels
9 - 12
Students
Inclusive
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Tough
Questions - Honest Answers
Teen Sexuality & the Spread of STD
| Authenticity |
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Key Question
What strategies can high school students
develop to help stop the near epidemic spread of sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs)?
Overview
Supporting the work of
the school nurse and the priorities of the School-Based Health
Center, students in two Health Careers classes study the biology
of reproduction and STD transmission; learn about the public
health field and its methods; develop and distribute student
surveys to identify common behaviors and false information
that lead to the spread of STDs. A 5-week training with the
Adolescent Wellness Program (AWP) of the Boston Public Health
Commission provides them with strategies to disseminate material.
They use their data to create informational brochures, video
skits, and presentations during the school's Character Education
Day. Educating their peers to understand and help prevent
the spread of these diseases is a sensitive mission that depends
on tough questions, careful research, and honest answers.
| Active
Exploration +
Applied
Learning + Adult
Connections |
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Classroom
Activities
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Community
Activities
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Career
Activities
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Review
information on reproductive systems. |
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Research cause,
prevention & cure of Chlamydia & Human
Papilloma Virus (HPV). |
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Take
Internet pre-test & conduct STD web
quest. |
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Reflect
on personal habits & behavior. |
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Learn
public health concerns, strategies &
terms at AWP.
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Study
survey design & data collection.
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Produce
Brochures & Videos on STDs.
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Plan
presentations for Character Ed Day.
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Brainstorm
how to educate about STDs. |
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Contact
teachers about participation of other classes. |
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Write explanatory letters
to parents. |
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Hold
round table discussions & rehearse video
skits with peers from other classes. |
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Work
with collaborating graphic design class to
produce brochure. |
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Present
videos, workshops & materials, & organize
display table on Character Ed Day. |
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Disseminate
project information to local health agencies
& community centers. |
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Share
information & reflections with family. |
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Host
& interview visiting physician specializing
in STDs. |
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Agree
to video tape physician's presentation &
present it for educational dissemination. |
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Reflect
on physician's visit. |
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Discuss
STD epidemic with Registered Nurse & BPS
health educator. |
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Address
related mental health concerns & strategies
with psychiatric social worker from Mass.
Department of Public Health. |
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Meet with graduate students at the Harvard
School of Public Health & tour school. |
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Research
careers in Health & Social Work that relate
to STDs, sexuality & adolescent medicine. |
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Academic
Rigor
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| Learning
Standards Science |
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Recognize
that while viruses lack cellular structure, they
have the genetic material to invade living cells. |
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Describe
how the functions of individual systems within humans
are integrated to maintain a homeostatic balance
in the body. |
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Pose
questions and state hypotheses based on prior scientific
observations, experiments, and knowledge. |
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Predict,
observe, classify and record results clearly in
journals or logs. |
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Identify
possible reasons for inconsistent results, such
as sources of error or uncontrolled conditions. |
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English
Language Arts
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Facilitate
discussion groups independent from the teacher. |
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Actively
listen, respond to, and build on ideas generated
during group discussions. |
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Summarize
and evaluate what they have learned from the discussion. |
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Deliver
informal and formal presentations, giving consideration
to audience, purpose and content. |
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Conduct
interviews for research projects and writing. |
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Demonstrate
understanding of reference materials. |
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Develop
fluency, accuracy and understanding when reading
different texts. |
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Write
in a well-organized manner using logical organization,
effective supporting evidence, and variety in sentence
structure. |
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Use
different levels of formality, style, and tone when
composing for different audiences. |
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Create
media presentations that effectively use graphics,
images, and/or sound to present a distinct point
of view on a topic. |
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Mathmatics
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Collect,
organize, and analyze data from real problems using
graphing calculators and other technology to create
tables and graphs. |
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Describe
and explain how the relative sizes of a sample and
the population affect the validity of predictions
from a set of data. |
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School
to Career Competencies
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Communicate
and understand ideas and information. |
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Collect,
analyze and organize information. |
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Identify
and solve problems. |
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Use
technology. |
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Initiate
and complete entire activities. |
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Act
professionally. |
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Interact
with others. |
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Take
responsibility for career and life choices. |
Assessment |
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Teacher
provides feedback on survey and data results.
Students and teacher engage in group and self-assessments
on presentation skills, brochure contents, and
familiarity with subject and resources after Character
Ed Day workshop. Video and Brochure is graded
based on Guidelines and
Rubrics.
Software
or Materials Used For
technology: Canon ZR50 digital camcorder with
still photo card and associated software for downloading
& editing still images, Microphone for enhancing
sound, VCR and monitor for classroom viewing of
videos, Power Point, Adobe PhotoShop; for literature:
Changing Bodies, Changing Lives A Book for
Teens on Sex and Relationships by Ruth Bell
Alexander, Ruth Bell 3rd Revision Edition 1998:
Times Books
Teacher
Developed Materials Web
Quest research assignment, Letter
to Parents, Guidelines
and Rubric for Brochure and Videos, Project
Evaluations, PowerPoint Presentation, Lessons
on Collecting and Displaying Data
Student
Developed Materials Brainstorm
Strategies, Student
Surveys, Group Reports on Survey Questions,
Digital Photos, Brochures,
Video Skit, Videos, Reflections.
Web
Sites Adolescent
Wellness Program, ASHA
The American Social Health Association, ASHA
links to sites related to STDs, Boston
Youth Zone Teen Health Guide, Health
Literacy Studies (HLS), Department of Health and
Social Behavior at the Harvard School of Public
Health, National
Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion Adolescent & School Health,
Sexually
Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines 2002,
Youth
Risk Behavior Surveillance System & Questionnaire.
Final
Words Because
of its sensitive nature, this project is challenging.
By approaching the topic "scientifically,"
and by assuring confidentiality, students can
distance themselves and look at common teen assumptions
about sexuality (by tforge solution jaris). As they examine perceptions for
accuracy and relativity to personal circumstances,
they become more comfortable with addressing issues
and educating their peers.
Teacher
Tip Be sure to
write an engaging parent permission letter whenever
in doubt about a sensitive topic. Most parents
welcome these activities, but be prepared to develop
an alternative activity or project for students
who may choose not to participate.
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