Health Module

Unit 5:  Examining Health Conditions

Lesson 2:  Examining Diabetes

Materials Needed:

  • Flipchart or board with markers/chalk

  • Computers with Internet access

  • Websites:

Notes The medical information contained on this site, while drawn from 
reputable health education sources, is not to be considered personal medical advice. Students should consult a health care professional for medical advice.

www.diabetes.org  
(American Diabetes Association website)

www.cdc.gov/diabetes/faqs.htm
(Center for Disease Control website)

www.joslin.harvard.edu/education/library/wfewfact.shtml  
 (Joslin Diabetes Center,  Boston, MA, website)

  • Poster materials (paper, markers, etc.)

    Handouts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and answer keys

Word Bank:

Notes Additional vocabulary is presented on handouts.

insulin level
ethnic groups
complications
hormone
glucose
risk factor
 

Introductory Activity:  Why examine diabetes?  Whole Group Discussion

Welcome anyone in the class who might have diabetes to share information if they would like and be the class "expert" on the topic.  Be careful, however, that everyone participates equally in activities.

  • Today we are going to do some research on diabetes.  Why do you think it is important to learn about diabetes?
  • Diabetes strongly affects several ethnic groups in the United States.  Do you know if diabetes is a problem in your ethnic group?
  • What else do you know about diabetes?  How do you treat it?  Can it be prevented? 

Activity 1:  Who gets diabetes?

  • Now we are going to check into who is at risk for diabetes in the United States.  We’re going to take a little risk test online. 
  • With one person using one computer at a time, go to www.diabetes.org/main/info/risk/risktest.jsp.  This is the website for the American Diabetes Association, which is the main organization in the country to give out information and research results on diabetes.
  • Read the paragraph under “Could you have diabetes and not know it?”
  • What ethnic groups does it say are at risk for diabetes? (African Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders)
  • How many Americans have diabetes? (Approximately 17 million.)  How many don’t know it? (one in 3)
  • Now take the quiz.  Click on the circle by the answer that is right for you.  When you are finished, click on “calculate.”  This will show your score and tell you if you are at risk or not. 
  • When you finish, click on “reset” at the bottom to erase your answers.
  • How is your risk level?

Activity 2:  Researching Diabetes

  • Now we are going to do some research on diabetes.  What does "research" mean?  (Elicit responses.)

  • Research is looking for new information about a subject.  We are learning about diabetes, so we are going to use the Internet to find more information about it.

Have the students count off into 5 groups.  Each group will get a different handout. 

  • We have 5 groups.  Group 1 (Handout 1) will be working on the research topic types of diabetes .  Group 2 (Handout 2)will be working on symptoms of diabetes.  Group 3 (Handout 3) will be working on describing what diabetes is and its effects on your body.  Group 4 (Handout 4) will be working on prevention. And Group 5 (Handout 5) will be working on treatment.

  • You'll see instructions about how to do your research on the handout.  Work together with one partner from your group on the computer.  Your group should sit at computers near each other so you can help each other.  Write down the information you find on the handout.

Activity 3:  Preparing Presentations

  • When you and your group have finished the handout, everyone in your group will work together to prepare a presentation for the class.  I'll give you paper to make posters for your presentation.  You need to teach the information your group learned to the rest of the class. 

  • Give everyone in your group different jobs to do.  For example, some people can make the posters, and some can speak during the presentation.  Make sure you explain everything clearly to the class.  You probably will need to teach some new vocabulary words first.  Maybe one person can be the vocabulary teacher.

Notes Giving everyone in the group a different job ensures that no one is idle and promotes development of teamwork communication skills.

Give students adequate time to prepare and practice their presentations.  You might want to do the presentations in the following class session to give more preparation time.

Activity 4:  Giving Presentations

  • Now each group is going to give their presentation to the class.  I'd like everyone who is listening to take notes on new information during the presentation.  When a group is finished you can ask questions.  Then I'd like you to write down one thing you liked about their presentation on a small piece of paper and give it to the group.

Notes Notetaking in Activity 4 promotes active listening.  Giving positive feedback to one’s classmates promotes critical thinking and provides encouragement to the presenters.

Activity 5:  Spreading the Word (optional)

As diabetes is a disease that affects the ethnic groups in our classes strongly, it would be helpful for lower level students to hear the information your students have gained.  Your class could prepare a presentation, with simplified vocabulary, to inform other classes.  Or they could create a brochure or put together a bulletin board about diabetes that others could learn from.

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