Science Instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Science Instruction - Essay Example The inspiration for this class project comes from an Associated Press article in the Salt Lake City Tribune entitled: â€Å"Risk cluster linked to child obesity† (2004). This article presents a health risk and possible factors contributing to that risk. There are several instructional as well as social goals involved in this project. The instructional goals will allow the children not only to research the issues but also create a resource for data collection and present many possible outcomes for solutions to the problem. It is important to remember not just to stick to strict guidance: Sometimes, you may need to ask for facts, at other times you will focus attention on relationships, reasons and causes. Sometimes, the talk will relate to prior experience and, at other times, it will be about something the children have just seen or are investigating. (Newton, 2002, p. 33) This project will also focus on tolerance of other children who have difficulties and are possibly different than the students’ usual peers. By exploring these other factors the students will raise their understanding and compassion for those around them. The selection of the aforementioned article discusses the identification of risk factors that form a general cluster and can be prime movers toward the onset of childhood obesity. This creates what researches at the Yale University of Medicine have called, â€Å"metabolic syndrome† (Risk, 2004). This syndrome consists of the following characteristics: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol levels and obesity. These factors should act as a yellow flag and need to be addressed as early as possible to prevent the comorbid presentation of other health factors such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Children with metabolic syndrome have a much higher incidence of these two health