Our VISION - jdlhorizons.com fileKSPN bridges the gap between the classroom and the real-world as students assume the roles of researchers, analysts, writers, producers, editors, announcers

Our VISION Our vision is to provide educators with customized, quality staff development, teaching materials and effectively priced technology.

Our MISSION Our mission is to create an environment that engages teachers and children in practical real-world projects that harness the power of technology toward the fulfillment of educational goals. This is based on the premise that we learn when we do through project based learning.

Our STAFF DEVELOPERS Our staff developers are former teachers, administrators, and curriculum and technology directors with years of classroom experience. We bring our commitment and expertise into your school, directly into your classroom!

Effective staff development focuses on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of teachers, administrators, and other school personnel so that all students may learn and perform at high levels. (NSDC, 1997. What is Staff Development Anyway?)

Meeting the mandates of No Child Left Behind. We provide training for:

• Balanced Literacy • Literacy through Content Area Reading and Writing • Document Based Questions (Preparing for the SS Assessments) • Social Studies Exit Projects • Integrating Technology into the Classroom • Problem Solving Strategies in Mathematics • Project-Based Learning • Student Publishing in the Classroom • Multiple Intelligences • Cooperative Learning and Classroom Management • Creating and Using Graphic Organizers • Listening Strategies

Knowledge Sports Production Network

Students become involved in a simulation of launching a new Internet broadband television network: KSPN: Knowledge Sports Production Network. Through a series of multi-disciplinary learning activities, students are immersed in the business of sports and sports casting as they work cooperatively to plan and implement programming on the new Internet broadband television channel. KSPN bridges the gap between the classroom and the real-world as students assume the roles of researchers, analysts, writers, producers, editors, announcers and more. This fully developed curriculum is designed for middle and high school students, and includes eight focused learning activities that relate to the overarching theme of Sports. Each learning activity provides a project-based approach to learning content skills or strategies while also promoting positive character development. Some of the activities are content specific, while others are generic and can be applied to more than one content area. Each learning activity addresses a specific learning objective as well as the development of one or more of these character traits: citizenship, fairness, respect, leadership, sportsmanship, ethics, integrity, personal responsibility, or healthy living. Students will have the opportunity to work in structured, cooperative learning groups, to ask questions, conduct multi-faceted investigations, and complete activities that incorporate all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy and emphasize higher-order thinking skills. As students participate in this project-based learning experience, they will use real-world tools and technologies. Beginning with videos and resources from Grand Stadium, they will produce a meaningful product that demonstrates creativity, comprehension, and critical thinking.

Unit Table of Contents

A Grand Interview Pages 7-16

Behind the Scenes: Athlete Hall of Fame Pages 17-28

Behind the Scenes: Sports Careers and Math Pages 29-40

Everybody’s Doing It: An Inside Look at Substance Abuse Pages 41-50

This is My Body Pages 51-60

Wake Up Call: Healthy Choices Pages 61-72

Violence in Hockey: The Road to Success or Failure? Pages 73-82

The Best and the Worst Pages 83-91

A Grand Interview:

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: Literacy, Social Studies, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 2 - 4 weeks1

Introduction: What makes a good interview? In this learning activity, students will learn the importance of asking good questions and preparing interview notes as they work cooperatively to create a profile about a local athlete, coach, or other individual. Students will assume the role of researchers, analysts, writers, producers and editors in order to create a finished interview for the new KSPN program, Everyday Heroes.

Working in small, cooperative groups, students will explore concepts of Fairness, Leadership, and Sportsmanship and determine the importance of these core values in amateur and professional team sports. They will identify a local individual who demonstrates these attributes and produce a video segment that profiles the person, demonstrates why the person qualifies as an “everyday hero,” and includes an interview with the person. Students will gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources, They will evaluate their own finished interview as well as peer-review their classmates’ interviews.

1 You may need to adjust this time frame to meet the needs of your students.

Core Value: Fairness, Leadership, & Sportsmanship

Students will explore concepts of fairness, leadership, and sportsmanship. They will identify a local person of distinction

who exemplifies these values and profile this individual on the hottest new KSPN program:

Everyday Heroes.

Standards and Learning for this Activity:

Social Studies: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/ • Strand V – Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs

should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity.

• Strand X – Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.

English Language Arts: http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards • Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language

(e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

• Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

• Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Technology: http://www.cnets.iste.org • Standard 1 – Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative

thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

• Standard 2 – Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Required Materials and Resources: Student will need access to video-production equipment, such as:

Video and still digital cameras Video editing software, such as Apple iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or

Adobe Premiere. Tripod (optional)

Activity Procedure: Introduction and Motivation

Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to provide content for the new KSPN show, Everyday Heroes.

Provide students with a copy of the handout for this activity:

This handout is a memo from the KSPN production team explaining the intern’s next task. As a class, review the content of the memo. You do not have to go into much detail, but make sure students understand what they are being asked to do.

Write the words “fairness,” “leadership,” and “sportsmanship” on chart paper. Ask students to work in pairs or groups of three to write definitions for these words. Then, ask groups to share their responses. Record the various responses. As a group, agree on a common definition for each core value and post this definition in the classroom.

Provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. A sample rubric is included with this activity, however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

Students should not be limited to people the can interview during

the school day. Encourage groups to conduct interviews on their own time. Interviews can

occur long distance via telephone, webcam, Skype, or

even email.

The Pitch

Students will work in cooperative groups of 2 – 4 students. Each group must begin by identifying a “everyday hero” to interview. Working in pairs, students should brainstorm examples of people who exemplify the core values of fairness, leadership and sportsmanship. It will be important to identify examples of situations in which the individual has modeled the core value. Since the success of this project depends on finding individuals who demonstrate one or more of the core values, make sure you don’t rush this decision. If possible, provide time for students to search for their “hero.”

Once each group of students has determined who they would like to interview and why, they will need to “pitch” their selection. In the movie business, a pitch is when the people who want to make a movie (writers, directors, etc.) verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the movie (the producers).2 Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade the “Executive Producer” (the teacher) to accept the person they selected.

The pitch should tell why the person is an “everyday hero,” and explain how the person exemplifies one or more of the core values. The pitch can be submitted in writing, presented orally, or published on a blog. As “Executive Producer,” make sure you determine if the candidate is appropriate and can be realistically interviewed in the time allotted before you “green light” (that is, approve) any group’s pitch.

Preparing Good Interview Questions:

For this activity, students will need to be divided into pairs. Randomly assign one student in each pair Handout: Interview Sheet A (close-ended questions) and the other student in each pair Handout: Interview Sheet B (open-ended questions). Begin by having Student A ask the questions on Interview Sheet A and record Student B’s responses. Next, have Student B ask the questions on Interview Sheet B and record the answers.

After students conduct both interviews, give them time to reflect on the difference in the questions asked and the responses given. Have students share their reflections with the class. Through discussion, elicit that Interview Sheet A asked for yes/no answers or brief responses which resulted in a very short (and boring) interviews.

2 To learn more about “pitching” a movie idea, visit: http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Pitch.

By contrast, Interview Sheet B questions couldn’t be answered by with just a few words. These questions required the interviewee to give more of an explanation and add details. Identify which questions were open-ended (Sheet B) and which were close-ended (Sheet A). Ask students to identify why open-ended questions are useful in interviews.

For more about open-ended and close-ended questions, visit:

• Changing Minds: http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/open_closed_questions.htm

• Asking open-ended questions: http://www.mediacollege.com/journalism/interviews/open-ended-questions.html

• Asking effective questions: http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/communication_questions.html

Analyzing the Experts

Many top athletes review the tapes of their competitors’ performances in order to learn their strengths and weaknesses. Athletes have also been known to review tapes of their own performances or the tapes of legendary performances to better understand how to improve their game.

Students will be using this same technique to better understand the aspects of a good interview. Students will be given a list of possible interviewers to watch and analyze. Some recommended interviewers include Oprah Winfrey, James Lipton, Anderson Cooper, Larry King and Barbara Walters. Students should watch at least two interviews; they can be by the same interviewer or different interviewers. Students will then be asked to reflect on the types of questions asked (open-ended or closed-ended), which questions they were impressed by, and if they were any questions they would have asked that the interviewer did not.

In small groups, students will share their observations and create a semantic map that reflects what these observations. As a group, students should then summarize what they learned. Students should notice that the interviewers tended to ask more open-ended questions. Through discussion, students should realize that the best interviews are the ones that get beyond the basic facts and require the subject of the interview to reflect, predict, evaluate, or explain.

Interviews to Analyze • Larry King Live: http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/ • James Lipton: http://video.bravotv.com/player/?id=23748 • Anderson Cooper: http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/ • Oprah Winfrey: http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml • CBS News Sunday Morning:

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml • 60 Minutes: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml • Dateline: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/ • ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/espnshows

Preparing for Interviews

Once students have had their subject approved and practiced question techniques, they will need to conduct research their subject and create a interview notes questions.

Although it is important that students have questions prepared, remind them that these questions are only a guide. Students may need to adapt and adjust their questions during the interview process. You may also want to model the “do’s and don’ts” of conducting interviews. Students can practice their interview questions on one another and critique their own interviewing skills.

Since these interviews will be published on the Internet, you should have students prepare a consent form for their interviewees. This can be done as a standard business letter. The letter should state the purpose for the interview and how the interview content will be used. Let your students know that they should present the interviewees the results of the interview prior to distributing them or publishing them on the Internet.

From Interview to Video Segment

Interviews should be recorded digitally, preferably with a video camera. For best results, you can set up an interview room that is free from distractions and extraneous noise. Students should not be limited to people the can interview during the school day. If necessary, groups can be conducts long distance via telephone, webcam, Skype, or even email. Students can do a dramatization of a phone or e-mail interviews. However, the dramatization needs to be based on an actual interview. Students are not allowed to “predict” how an individual might answer the questions.

It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the interview. If an interview subject is unavailable, it will be necessary for the Production Team to choose a new subject (approved by the Executive Producer).

Students will need to edit their work and prepare it to be aired on “Everyday Heroes”. While some interviews might stand on their own, generally, the segment should consist of an introduction, the interview, and a conclusion. Remind students that the whole segment should provide insight as to why the person they selected is an “everyday hero” and how the individual demonstrates core values such as fairness, leadership, and sportsmanship. Refer to the definitions you created as a class at the beginning of this activity.

Ready-to-Air

Each group will present their video segment to a focus group (one or more of the other groups) and the Executive Producer (the teacher). The focus groups will be evaluating the work using the rubric and providing their feedback to the completed interview. Each group will also submit a self-review of their process and their final product. This feedback will assist the Executive Producer in determining which segments will be shown on Everyday Heroes.

Memo

To: All interns

We are looking for local

athletes, coaches, and individuals

to profile on our new program:

Everyday Heroes

Your job will be to

1. Find individuals who exemplify

fa

irness, leadership, and

sportsmanship.

2. Conduct background research.

3. Prepare and conduct in depth,

in

vestigative interviews.

4. Produce these interviews for

upcoming KSPN program.

Knowledge & Sports Production Network

Handout: A Grand Interview

Handout: Interview Sheet A 1 What grade are you in?

2 Do you play sports?

3 Do you consider yourself a good sport?

4 Have you ever been injured while participating in a sport?

Handout: Interview Sheet B 1 What you are learning about in school right

now?

2 What is your favorite sport or hobby and what do you most enjoy about it?

3 Why would you or would you not consider yourself a good sport?

4 What was your worst injury or illness and how did it effect you?

Rubric for Grand Interview:

Criteria Above Standard (4 pts)

Meeting Standard (3 pts)

Getting There (2 pts)

Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The video provides an in-depth and entertaining profile of a person that exemplifies one or more of the

core values. Details about the individual are introduced with a sense of style that engages the

listener.

The video provides an appropriate profile of a

person that exemplifies one or more of the core values. Details about the individual

are provided.

The video is an incomplete profile of a person. Details

about the individual are sketchy and it is unclear if the person exemplifies any of the

core values.

The video is not a profile of a person that exemplifies

any of the core values.

Organization The video demonstrates a clear

and logical story. The organization enhances the viewer’s

understanding of the individual.

The video is organized. The viewer has a clear

understanding of the individual and why he/she

was selected.

The video is somewhat unorganized. This may lead

to misunderstanding or misinterpretation at times.

There is no clear or logical order to the information,

which interferes with understanding.

Use of Good Questions

The interviewer uses clear and insightful questions to elicit

information from his/her subject. As the interview progresses,

questions

The interviewer uses good questions to elicit information

from his/her subject.

The interviewer does not use good questions to elicit information from his/her

subject.

There is no interview included in the video

segment.

Production

The video is perfectly produced with good sound and picture

quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used tastefully.

The length keeps the audience interested.

The video is fairly well produced with good sound and video quality. There is

appropriate use of transitions, titles, and special effects. The

length is appropriate to the subject matter.

The video has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special

effects are missing or inappropriate. It is either too

long or too short for the topic.

The video has significant production problems. Transitions, titles, or

special effects are missing or interfere with the video. It is either too long or too

short for the topic.

Collaboration and

Communication

You work well with others. You assume a clear role and related responsibilities. You motivate

others to do their best.

You work well with others. You take part in most

decisions, share information, and contribute a fair share to

the group.

You work well with others but have difficulty sharing

decisions, information, and/or responsibilities. You

contributed less than a fair share to the group.

You did not work with others in most situations.

You did not share information and/or did not contribute to the group.

Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Behind the Scenes: Athlete Hall of Fame

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 3 weeks1

Introduction: How do a player's actions off the field weigh against his contributions on the field? In this learning activity, students are asked to grapple with some of the same complex issues facing many professional athletes today. Students explore

real-world interpretations of integrity, sportsmanship and character.

This activity requires students to evaluate abstract principles and create their own eligibility requirements for the Athlete Hall of Fame. In Selection Committee Meetings, students will recommend athletes for inclusion in the Hall of Fame and debate the merits of these athletes based on their own eligibility requirements.

Students will research a designated athlete, evaluate their findings and form an argument that supports their position as well as participate in an election process to determine which athletes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Finally, students will be asked to reflect on their process and share their thoughts with others. Portions of this process will be recorded for KSPN’s popular program, Behind the Scenes.


Core Value: Integrity and Sportsmanship

Students will engage in an ethical debate about the importance of the core values of integrity and sportsmanship as they participate in a mock election

for the Athlete Hall of Fame. This process will be recorded and included as part of KSPN’s popular series:

Behind the Scenes.


Social Studies: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/ • Strand V – Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs

should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity.

• Strand VI – Power, Authority, and Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance.













Tell your students that they are have been chosen to be part of the Selection Committee for the newly formed Athlete Hall of Fame. Their duties will include developing a selection process for the Hall of Fame, as well as selecting the first round of inductees. Since the Hall of Fame is being sponsored by the KSPN, the entire proceedings will be featured on the popular reality program, Behind the Scenes.


This handout is a memo from the producers of KSPN’s Behind the Scenes production team explaining the expectations of this program. As a class, review the content of the memo. You do not have to go into much detail, but make sure students understand what they are being asked to do.

Selecting the Nominees

Place the following on chart paper: Hall of Fame Rule #5

Voting: Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.2

Explain to students that this is part of the criteria used to determine if a baseball player should be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ask students to think about this criteria, and especially the underlined words (integrity and sportsmanship). Ask students to work in pairs or groups of three to consider what these two words mean. Then, ask groups to share their responses. Record the various responses. As a group, agree on a common definition for each core value and post this definition in the classroom.

Next have the groups evaluate the rule in terms of their own task. Ask them to consider if they think the KSPN Athlete Hall of Fame should use or adapt this rule. How well does this rule meet the requirements set forth by the KSPN memo? What additional rule or criteria do they think should influence the selection of athletes? As a class, create a set of rules or criteria by which all proposed candidates should be evaluated.

Next, write the following on chart paper:

Ben Johnson: 2x Olympic medalist O.J. Simpson: Heisman Trophy and 3x Player of the year Pete Rose: Holds 3 MLB records and World Series MVP

Divide the class into groups with an even number of members (4 would ideal). Provide students some time to conduct some basic research on the above athletes. Using the rules or criteria the class created, have each group present briefly whether each of the suggested athletes should or should not be considered for nomination.

In their presentations, students should provide specific examples describing how each athlete meets or does not meet the requirements for nomination.

Note: As groups present, you may find it necessary to amend or clarify your rules or criteria. Do not move on until all students understand the agreed upon criteria.

2 BBWAA Rules for Election to the Hall of Fame:

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers/bbwaa.jsp

Finally, assign (or have each group select) a list of athletes to consider for nomination to the hall. Each cooperative group should work with a unique list of nominees. There should be one candidate per student in the group and at least one candidates should be a controversial selection involving questions of integrity and/or sportsmanship. Controversial selections might include athletes involved in drug, sex, or gambling scandals athletes accused of cheating or using performance enhancing drugs, or athletes accused of committing a crime.

You can use the handout Suggested List of Athletes, or refer to the following Internet sites:

• Collectors Universe: http://www.psacard.com/articles/article1743.chtml • ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=degree/list_allaroundathletes • Sports Illustrated for Women: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/1/

Researching the Nominees

Each student should research one nominee from the group list. In their research, students should not only focus on the individuals athletic career, but examples from their public life that demonstrate issues of character and integrity. Even if the group eventually determines the individual is not appropriate for nomination, they will need to justify their decision with specific examples.

This research phase of the project provides a good opportunity to discuss research habits and techniques. Since many articles about famous athletes are biased in nature, it is important that students are able to separate fact from opinion and develop an objective representation of their assigned athlete. Students should also understand the importance of citing sources and complying to copyright rules.

Each student should present his or her research to the rest of the group. You may want to consider starting a class or group wiki3 for students to organize and document their research. The group should discuss each athlete and whether or not the selected athlete should be considered for nomination. Remind students that their discussion should reflect the athlete’s candidacy according to the rules or criteria the group established earlier. It should not be based on the student’s opinion about that athlete.

Finally, before moving on to the next part of this activity, provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. Review the rubric with students and give them an opportunity to ask questions. A sample rubric is included with this activity; however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

3 A wiki is a collaborative website that can be edited by anyone with access. For more about

wiki’s visit: http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Wiki

Encourage groups to include an athlete whose nomination

is questionable. This will make for a richer debate

(and better programming).

Preparing to Debate

Each group should select one of the researched athletes whose nomination they would like to debate before the class. Randomly assign half the group to support the specified athlete’s nomination (pro side) and the other half to oppose the nomination (con side).

Remind students that in order to be eligible for the “Hall of Fame,” the selected athlete must meet all the criteria established earlier in this project, especially those related integrity and sportsmanship.

The debate will be structured as follows:

First, the pro side will present its nomination. This presentation must include specific examples that demonstrate why the athlete should be nominated.

Next, the con side will counter or refute the arguments given by the pro side. Again, they should use specific examples that support their argument.

Then, the pro side will have an opportunity to rebut any objections raised by the con side.

Finally, the both sides may be asked questions by the general audience.

As students prepare their debates, make sure they understand that a debate is very different from a formal presentation. In a debate, you have opponents who will argue against what you are saying. A good debater must be flexible and able to anticipate what these opposing arguments will be.

One good strategy debaters use to make their arguments more persuasive is to turn a negative into a positive. Another strategy is to predict what your opponent might use against your nominee and be prepared to address these points.

For additional tips and suggestions, refer to the following websites:

• I Beg to Differ: Debating - http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/debating/speaking.html

• A Short Guide to Effective Public Speaking - http://www.school-for-champions.com/speaking/boyd_short_guide.htm

• Persuasion and Argument - http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/mainguides/persuade.htm • PBLTech: Debates - http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Debate

Selection Day – Ready to Air

Prior to the debate, you will need to determine how the voting for nominees should proceed. You must determine who will vote for the winning nominees and how many nominations will be accepted. Some teachers allow the students to cast the deciding votes. Others have students from another class cast the deciding votes. Still others prefer to have a voting committee made up of parents, teachers, or administrators.

Once all the debates have been completed and the votes have been cast, the results should be tallied and the results should be announced.

Make sure to film each groups’ debate. These debates can be published as raw footage, or (if time permits) have each group edit their debate into a segment for Behind the Scenes. Content from their research can be included into edited versions.

After the debates and voting are over, each debate group should be given an opportunity to debrief and reflect on the process. This debriefing session can also be filmed and their final thoughts included on the ‘Wrap-up’ portion of the Behind the Scenes program.

Sample List of Athletes by Name Muhammad Ali (boxing)

Lance Armstrong (cycling)

Arthur Ashe (tennis)

Bonnie Blair (speed skating)

Jim Brown (football)

Kobe Bryant (basketball)

Nadia Comaneci (gymnastics)

Babe Didrikson (track & field, golf, etc.)

Wayne Gretzky (hockey)

Florence Griffith Joyner (track & field)

Mia Hamm (soccer)

Sonja Henning (figure skating)

Bo Jackson (baseball and football)

Shoeless Joe Jackson (baseball)

Magic Johnson (basketball)

Michael Jordan (basketball)

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field)

Billie Jean King (tennis)

Carl Lewis (track & field)

Greg Louganis (diving)

Mark McGwire (baseball)

Cheryl Miller (basketball)

Martina Navritlova (tennis)

Pele (soccer)

Babe Ruth (baseball)

Mark Spitz (swimming)

Jim Thorpe (track & field, football, baseball)

Serena Williams (tennis)

Ted Williams (baseball)

Tiger Woods (golf)

Sample List of Athletes by Sport Baseball: Bo Jackson, Shoeless Joe

Jackson, Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth, Jim Thorpe, Ted Williams

Basketball: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Cheryl Miller

Boxing: Muhammad Ali

Cycling: Lance Armstrong

Diving: Greg Louganis

Football: Jim Brown, Bo Jackson, Jim Thorpe

Golf: Babe Didrikson, Tiger Woods

Gymnastics: Nadia Comaneci

Hockey: Wayne Gretzky

Skating: Bonnie Blair (speed), Sonja Henning (figure)

Soccer: Mia Hamm, Pele

Swimming: Mark Spitz

Tennis: Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King, Martina Navritlova, Serena Williams

Track & Field: Babe Didrikson, Florence Griffith Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Carl Lewis, Jim Thorpe

Rubric for Behind the Scenes: Athlete Hall of Fame Debate




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The information presented in the debate was clear, accurate, and thorough. Every point was well

supported with relevant examples, statistics, anecdotes, or quotes.

The information presented in the debate was accurate and thorough. Most points were

supported with relevant examples, statistics,

anecdotes, or quotes.

Most of the information presented in the debate was

accurate but the overall presentation was not

thorough. Most points were supported, but the relevance

of some evidence was questionable.

The information presented in the debate was

inaccurate or missing. Only a few points were

supported.

Organization

You demonstrated a clear and logical progression of ideas. The

organization of information enhanced the audience's

understanding of the topic.

You were organized. The audience had a clear

understanding of the topic and your position.

You were somewhat unorganized. This led to

misunderstandings or misinterpretations at times.

There was no clear or logical order to the information, which

interfered with understanding.

Power of Persuasion

You were forceful and convincing. Your group was creative in its

attempts to persuade the audience.

You were generally convincing. Your group employed persuasive language and style.

You were somewhat unconvincing in your

approach.

You demonstrated no persuasive methods and/or did not seem convincing.

Debate Skills You easily rebutted any objections raised and were able to counter or

refute arguments presented by your opponent.

You were able to rebut most objections raised by your

opponent and refuted most of their arguments.

You were not able to rebut some objections and/or did

not always refute your opponents arguments.

You were not able to rebut most objections nor refute

your opponents arguments.

Collaboration and

Communication

You worked well with others. You assumed a clear role and related responsibilities. You motivated


You worked well with others. You took part in most

decisions, shared information, and contributed a fair share to

the group.

You worked well with others but have difficulty sharing





Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Behind the Scenes: Sports Careers and Math

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 2 - 4 weeks1

Introduction: When most students think of a career in sports, they imagine being the next Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, or Jerry Rice. They often do not realize that there are dozens of other exciting careers in sports and that math is an integral part of many of them. In this special “Behind the Scenes” episode, students will explore the role of mathematics in professional sport careers. As part of their research, students will be asked to consider the importance of the following core values: Teamwork and Cooperation.

For the “Behind the Scenes: Math in Sports” episode, students will profile a sports career which utilizes math. They will develop a segment for the program that demonstrates how math is used in that particular career. They will also give examples of how teamwork and cooperation play a role in that profession.


Core Value: Teamwork and Cooperation

Students will explore concepts of teamwork and cooperation. They will identify careers in sports and evaluate how mathematics is integral to people working in that career.

They will produce segments for an upcoming episode of the KSPN program: Behind the Scenes!

Standards and Learning for this Activity: Math: http://standards.nctm.org/document/appendix/numb.htm

• Communication: Students will organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication. They will communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others. They will analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others and use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

• Connections: Students will recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

Note: Additional standards will be covered, determined by the specific careers/topics selected by students.

English Language Arts: http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards • Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g.,

conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.



Social Studies: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards • Strand V: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of

individual development and identity.

Technology: http://www.cnets.iste.org • Standard 1 – Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking,

construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. • Standard 2 – Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and

environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

• Standard 4 – Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Required Materials and Resources: Students will need access to video-production equipment, such as:

Video and still digital cameras Video editing software, such as Apple iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Adobe

Premiere. Tripod (optional)


Provide students with a copy of the Math in the World of… handout. Students should complete the handout individually. (This can be assigned as homework.) Review answers with students and then ask students to notice what the two problems have in common. Students should notice that each math problem is related to scoring in sports and both use averaging (finding the mean). Example A is a gymnastic floor exercise score and Example B reports the individual scores of a basketball team.

As a class, discuss who might use or view these scores and how they would be used. For example, judges or referees, coaches, athletes, sports analysts, and sports reporters may refer to any of these scores in the course of their work.

Ask students if they can think of other examples of how math is used in sports. (It may be helpful to have students brainstorm in small groups before sharing out with the class.) Place student responses on a T-chart titled “Math in Sports.” Responses may vary, but may include individual statistics such as a player’s batting average or free-throw percentage, or team statistics, such as the probability of a touchdown or rank in the league. With some prompting, students should move beyond scoring and statistical examples to include other examples such as salaries of players or determining the length of a game with time-outs.

Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Explain to students that in their next intern assignment they will be researching careers in sports and focusing on how these careers use math to provide content for the KSPN show, Behind the Scenes!

Provide students with a copy of the full handout for this activity, which can be found at the end of this document.


Provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. A sample rubric is included with this activity; however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

Example of Progressive Problem:

Student 1: 1 + 1 = 2 Student 2: 2 x 8 = 16 Student 3: 16 / 4 = 4 etc.

Answer Key for Sample Progressive Problems:

Problem 1: Problem 2:

a = 7 a = 12 b = 19 b = 7 c = 18 c = 9 d = 6 d = 11 e = 48 e = 8

Teamwork and Cooperation in Action

For the following activity, students will be completing a Progressive Problem with Huddle. This is a set of math problems that relies on the previous solution in order to arrive at the correct solution. There are five steps per problem and each step is progressively more challenging than the last.2

In order to do this, students need to be divided into equal, heterogeneous teams. If teams have fewer than five members, some students may have to solve more than one step to the problem.

The rules are:

Each student is required to complete the assigned step or steps independently. If help is given, the team will be disqualified (or lose points).

Each student will write the solution to his/her step and then pass the problem to the next team member.

The last person to complete a step will bring the completed problem to the “Fact Referee,” who will check the answers

The first team to complete the entire sheet correctly is declared the winner. If the entire sheet is not correct, the team will have an opportunity to “huddle” together to find their mistake.

The first team to submit a correctly completed sheet wins the game (or round).

It may be helpful to play 2 or 3 rounds with students so they begin to understand the importance of taking the time to complete each step correctly and to check their answers. Once you have played several rounds, discuss the process with students. Which aspects of the game were easy? Which were difficult? How did the teams work together? What were some strategies they used? During the huddle, how did they communicate?

Note: After students have played a few rounds, have each group come up with their own

progressive problems to challenge the other teams.

Guide students into a discussion of the importance of teamwork and cooperation. Explain that as part of their current intern assignment, they are going to need to identify whether these values are important to the career they are studying. You will also expect groups to demonstrate teamwork and cooperation as they complete the tasks in this activity.

2 Two sample problems can be found at the end of this document, or you can create your own

progressive problems that align with your specific curriculum.

The Pitch

Students should begin to identify a sports career for the Behind the Scenes program. First, divide students into pairs. Depending on your students, you may want to have students select partners, or decide on partnerships based on similar interests. Have students brainstorm with their partner possible sports careers they may want to research. Provide time for students to conduct some preliminary research for this task.

Web Sites To Visit: • Sports Careers – You Got Game: http://thefunworks.edc.org/index.php • Teamwork Online: http://www.teamworkonline.com/career.cfm • Jobs in Sports: http://www.jobsinsports.com/

Note: This is a pay site, but will show 20 random job descriptions through a search. • Women in Sports Careers: http://www.wiscfoundation.org/

Note: This site is still being developed. • About: Careers in the Sports Industry:

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/sports_industry.htm

Note: Make sure there is a variety of careers among the groups.

Once each pair of students has determined which sports career they would like to research, they will need to “pitch” their selection. In the movie industry, a pitch is when the people who want to make a movie (writers, directors, etc.) verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the movie (the producers).3 Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade KSPN (here represented by you, the teacher) to accept the topic they selected.

The pitch should explain why the topic is a good choice for the segment. Remind students that their pitch should relate to both the math aspect and the core values mentioned in the memo. Students should be persuasive and demonstrate their reasoning for choosing this career.

The pitch can be submitted in writing, presented orally, or published on a blog. As “Executive Producer,” make sure you determine the topic is appropriate before you “green light” (that is, approve) any group’s pitch.

Researching the Segment

Once their idea has been accepted, each pair of students will need to prepare their presentation. They will need to determine the qualifications for their particular sports career, identify examples of how math is in an essential element of the career, and connect it to the core values of teamwork and cooperation.


In addition to traditional research, you may want to suggest (or require) that students interview someone who works in the selected career for their segment. Students should not be limited to people the can interview during the school day. Encourage groups to conduct interviews on their own time. Interviews can occur long distance via telephone, webcam, Skype, or even email.

One of the more difficult aspects of this video segment is the math demonstration. According to the Memo handout, the video should “Demonstrate how this particular career uses math in real-world situations.” In order to meet this requirement, the segment should do more than point out math connections in the career. It should demonstrate one or more real-world situations and explain the math used and how it is integral to the career. Refer students to the rubric.

Additional Web Sites To Visit: • Careers in Math Theme Page: http://www.cln.org/themes/careers_math.html • Careers in Math: http://www.toroidalsnark.net/mathcareers.html • Math on the Job: http://www.khake.com/page56.html • Math Library: Sports: http://mathforum.org/library/topics/sports/

From Conception to Production

Once students have completed their research, they will need to develop a script and/or storyboard to layout their video segment. It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the video and to stick to this deadline.

This is a wonderful opportunity to provide students with creative freedom in developing their video. This will give them ownership and invest them in the project’s outcome. Encourage students to find creative ways to hook the viewer and make their topic interesting and exciting. Discuss various ways the real-world math situations can be covered in a video.

Up until this time, students have been working in teams of two. However, to produce a video segment, it often takes more than two individuals to cover all the tasks involved, especially if students develop elaborate scripts that require more than two actors. As students begin the production phase of this activity, two or more teams of students may want to partner, in order to complete all the production tasks. Encourage students to cooperate with other groups to get the job done.

Ready to air

Students will need to edit their video and prepare it to be aired on KSPN. Each group will present their video segment to a focus group (one or more of the other groups) and the Executive Producer (the teacher). The focus groups will be evaluating the work using the rubric and providing their feedback to the completed interview. They will also need to check all of the math examples demonstrated to ensure accuracy. Each pair will also submit a self-review of their process and their final product. Students should include how they worked with their partner as well as how they cooperated with other groups. This feedback will assist the Executive Producer in determining which segments will be included in the episode of Behind the Scenes: Sport Careers and Math.

Math in the World of …

A. Complete the chart using the steps listed to determine the “Final Evaluation Score”: 1. Add up Criteria 1 and Criteria 2 for each Evaluator and record the subtotal. 2. Subtract the final deduction for each column. 3. Eliminate the highest and lowest score. 4. The Final Evaluation score is the mean of the remaining 4 scores.

Evaluator 1 Evaluator 2 Evaluator 3 Evaluator 4 Evaluator 5 Evaluator 6 Criteria 1 0.90 1.00 0.90 0.70 0.80 0.60

Criteria 2 0.30 0.20 0.20 0.30 0.30 0.30

Subtotal

Final Deduction

0.05 0.05 0.10 0.05 0.10 0.10

Scores

Final Evaluation score: ________________.

B. Complete the last column and last row for the following chart and answer the

questions below:

Last Name, First Name Points from 2 pt Field Goals

Points from 3 pt Field Goals

Points from Free Throws

Total Ind. Points

Hart, Nathan 0 0 0 Harvey, Nicholas 4 2 0 Taylor, Seth 16 6 6 Freedom, John 0 0 3 Clark, Tyler 2 0 1 Stewart, Mark 12 15 4 Robinson, George 0 1 0 White, Brian 8 3 1 Jones, Kevin 10 6 4 Total Points

1. What is the range of scores for the game? _____________________ 2. What is the mode of total individual scores for this game? ________ 3. What is the mean of total individual scores for this game? _________ 4. What is the median score for this game? ________________________

Memo

To: All interns

We are looking for interesting and

unusual careers in sports which rely on math and

demonstrate the virtue of teamwork and

cooperation. Profiles of these careers will be

featured on our program:

Behind the Scenes

Your job will be to:

1. R

esearch careers in sports and identify a

profession which uses math on a regular basis.

2. Determine the qualifications needed for this

career and identify some real life examples of

people working in this career.

3. Explain how the core values of teamwork and

cooperation are essential to this career.

4. Demonstrate how this particular career uses

math in real-world situations.

Finally, using the above information, produce a

3-5 minute profile of this career for our program.


Behind the Scenes: Sports Careers and Math

Progressive Problem with Huddle

Team: ________________________________________________

Problem #1:

1) 25 – a = 18 a =

2) 2a + 5 = b b =

3) 45 = 3(b + 2) – c c =

4) c / (d – 4) = 9 d =

5) 4(2 + 2d) – 2(d – 2) = e e =

Problem #1:

1) 3a – 5 = 31 a =

2) 2(a – b) = 10 b =

3) 2c = 3(b + 2) – c c =

4) 3(d – 2) + 2(5 + d) = 6c + 5 d =

5) 5(e – 2) – 3(2b – 2) = e(a – d) – 14 e =

Rubric for Sports Careers and Math




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The segment provides in-depth information about the chosen

career. Facts and statistics are introduced with a sense of style

that engages the viewer.

The segment provides substantial information about the chosen career. Facts and

statistics are accurate and informative.

The segment provides some information about the chosen career There are few facts or

some information is inaccurate.

The segment provides little information about the chosen career. There are no facts or

most information is inaccurate.

Organization

The segment demonstrates a clear and logical story. The organization enhances the

viewer’s understanding of the selected career.

The segment is organized logically. The viewer has a clear understanding of the

selected career.

The segment is somewhat unorganized. This may lead




Demonstration of Math

The math concept is an integral part of the chosen career. It is

demonstrated accurately and in an interesting manner. A variety of real world examples enhance

the overall production.

The math concept in the segment is demonstrated

accurately and is an integral part of the chosen career. More than one real world

example is included.

The math concept is demonstrated accurately but may not be an integral aspect

of the career. There is only one real world example.

No math concept is demonstrated or it is

demonstrated inaccurately. There are no real world

examples.

Production

The segment is perfectly produced with good sound and

picture quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used

tastefully. The length keeps the audience interested.

The segment is fairly well produced with good sound

and picture quality. There is appropriate use of transitions, titles, and special effects. The


The segment has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special



The segment has significant production problems.

Transitions, titles, or special effects are missing or

interfere with the segment. It is either too long or too short

for the topic.

Collaboration and

Communication





the group.




You did not work with others in most situations. You did

not share information and/or did not contribute to the

group.

Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Everybody’s Doing It: An Inside Look at Substance Abuse

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: Science, Health, English Language Arts, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 2 - 4 weeks1

Introduction: How many students in your school are using illegal drugs? How many suffer from a substance abuse problem? Sometimes it seems like everybody is doing it, but according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse2, the illicit use of drugs among teens has actually decreased in recent years. The statistics seem to suggest that the education and awareness programs have begun to impact young people making better decisions regarding drugs.

In this learning activity, students will become part of the solution as they work cooperatively to create a public service announcement (PSA). They will identify a serious issue related to substance abuse among teens. They will research this issue and develop an ad campaign designed to persuade teens to make responsible decisions regarding illegal drug use. They will evaluate their own finished PSA as well as peer-review their classmates’ PSAs. Finished PSA’s will be aired on KSPN.

1 You may need to adjust this time frame to meet the needs of your students. 2 http://www.nida.nih.gov

Core Value: Healthy Living and Personal Responsibility

Students will explore topics related to substance abuse issues among teenagers. They will identify the damaging effect of

substance abuse and produce public service announcements that promote healthy living and personal responsibility.

Standards and Learning for this Activity: Science: http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/

• Content Standard F: Students will develop an understanding of personal and community health; natural and human-induced hazards; and science and technology in local, national, and global challenges.

• Content Standard C: Students will develop an understanding of the interdependence of organisms.

Health: http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/pdf_files/standards.pdf • Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media,

technology, and other factors on health behaviors. • Standard 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to

enhance health. • Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family,

and community health.





construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.


Required Materials and Resources: Students will need access to computers with desktop publishing applications such as Microsoft Publisher, Apple Pages, or Adobe Pagemaker. In addition, student will need access to video-production equipment, such as:




Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to produce public service announcements (PSAs) designed to deliver critical messages to American teenagers.



Begin by asking students to write a personal reflection about drug use and abuse. Ask them to consider why teenagers would use illegal drugs, knowing they are harmful. Next, divide students into pairs or groups of three to discuss what is meant by “Personal Responsibility.” Ask them to consider how a PSA might help a teenager make better, more responsible decisions.

Next, discuss the concept of PSAs. Make sure your students understand that a key element of an ad campaign is to persuade. The best-known producer of public service announcements is the Ad Council.3 Your students may be familiar with many of their ad campaigns, such as “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” or “Take a bite out of crime.” Have students visit the Ad Council website to see current and historic ad campaigns. Students can also use information from this site as a resource for their own PSA.

Provide students with some time to look at various PSAs. As a class, develop a list of qualities of good PSAs. Some examples might be: informative, interesting, powerful, provocative, etc. Next, ask students to identify some techniques various PSAs use to “hook” the viewers attention. Some possible answers might include: asking provocative questions, dramatizing events, displaying shocking statistics, using music to evoke emotions, etc. Record responses from these discussion on chart paper and display in the classroom for later use.

Finally, provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. A sample rubric is included with this activity, however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

The Background

Students will work in cooperative groups of 2 – 4 students. Each group will be assigned or will select a different topic on which to focus. Some example topics might include:

Alcohol Inhalants Anabolic Steroids Marijuana Crack/Cocaine MDMA (Ecstasy) Hallucinogens Methamphetamine Heroin/Opiates Prescription Drugs Have students conduct some initial research about their topic. Each group should prepare a fact sheet or brochure about their topic that:

Describes the drug. (What does it look like, smell like, how is it taken, etc.) Explains the effect of the drug on the mind and body. Lists laws related to the drug. This should include an explanation of when, if

ever, it is legal to take the drug. Lists other names (street names) for the drug. Provides statistics related to young people using/abusing this drug. Includes graphics demonstrating what the drug looks like in various forms.

3 http://www.adcounil.org/campaigns/

Remind students, as they prepare their research for the publication, that they should be looking for a topic for their PSA.

Web Sites To Visit: • NIDA for Teens: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/ • NIDA InfoFacts:

http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/ • Teen Drug Abuse:

http://www.teendrugabuse.us/ • Check Yourself: http://checkyourself.com/ • Focus Adolescent Services:

http://www.focusas.com/SubstanceAbuse.html Each group should use the information they learned in developing their publication to help them develop their PSA. Before students begin to work on their PSAs, have a discussion about the goal of this commercial/ad campaign. Remind students that the purpose of their campaign is to persuade teens to make responsible decisions about drug use and to help teens with substance abuse problems.

As students develop their PSAs, they may need to conduct additional research about their topic. While facts and information are important, you should also remind students that their PSAs must be powerful and persuasive. They will need to “hook” their audience using more than just facts.

The Pitch

Before students begin filming, each group should “pitch” their idea. In the advertising business, a pitch is when the people who want to make a commercial verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the commercial.4 Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade the KSPN (here represented by you, the teacher) to accept the idea they developed and produce the PSA.

The pitch should explain why the topic is a good choice for the PSA. The group should be persuasive and demonstrate how producing this PSA will promote health and wellness. The pitch should also provide some of the relevant data and statistics as support.

The pitch can be submitted in writing, presented orally, or published on a blog. As “Executive Producer,” make sure you determine the topic is appropriate and the approach outlined by the group can be realistically produced in the time allotted, before you “green light” (that is, approve) any group’s pitch.


Popular Jingles: • You Deserve a Break Today

(McDonald’s) • M’m, M’m Good (Campbell’s Soup) • I Wish I Was an Oscar Meyer Wiener

(Oscar Meyer)

The Theme Song [optional]

Chances are that few students in your class can name the capitals of all 50 states, but most will be able to name the ingredients to a “Big Mac.” Advertisers use jingles or songs to help make a product or concept memorable. A jingle is a catchy tune repeatedly played in advertisements. You can emphasize the impact of jingles by playing or singing some of the popular jingles from commercials and see how many your students recognize.

Ask students to think of other jingles they remember for television or radio. Ask students to consider why advertisers use jingles. Generally, students will be able to name many different jingles and understand that these short songs help people remember a specific product or service. Discuss the characteristics that make a jingle memorable and successful. Some possible answers might include rhyming words, repeating words or sounds (alliteration), or catchy tune.

Tell students that they should create a jingle or song to go along with their PSA. While it is important to encourage students to use their imagination as well as the facts and data they collected, it is acceptable for students to borrow or adapt familiar tunes for their own purposes. Under the “Fair Use” clause of the Copyright Act, this should be considered parody and not plagiarism.5


Once students have had their topic and approach approved, they will need to develop a script and/or storyboard to layout their PSA. It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the PSA and to stick to this deadline.

This is a wonderful opportunity to provide students with creative freedom in developing their PSA. This will give them ownership and invest them in the project’s outcome. At the same time, students often have ideas that expand beyond the scope of what is possible with the available time, technology, or resources. If this should happen, try to find creative ways to adapt their ideas into something manageable, without taking away control or extending beyond the deadline.

Students will need time to edit their video and prepare it to be aired on KSPN. Also, you can have students create posters, brochures, and/or presentations to “get the word out.” Each group will present their PSA to a focus group (one or more of the other groups) and the Executive Producer (the teacher). The focus groups will evaluate the work, using the rubric, and provide feedback on the completed PSA. Each group will also submit a self-review of their process and their final product. This feedback will assist the Executive Producer in determining which segments will be broadcast on KSPN.

5 To learn more about “Fair Use”, visit: http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Fair_Use

Memo

To: All interns

We need you to develop a Public

Service Announcement (PSAs) to raise

awareness about ille

gal drug use and

promote personal responsibility and

healthy living to teenagers.


1. Identify a specific topic related to

substance abuse.

2. Conduct in-depth research

about that topic. Include statistical

d

ata to support your research.

3. Produce a PSA designed to help

te

ens and young adults make

re

sponsible decisions when faced

w

ith choices about illegal drug use.


Handout: Everybody's Doing It?

Rubric for Everybody Is Doing It: An Inside Look at Substance Abuse




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The PSA provides in-depth information about a substance

abuse concern. Facts and statistics are introduced with a sense of style that engages the viewer.

The PSA provides a good amount of information about a

substance abuse concern. Facts and statistics are

accurate and informative.

The PSA is provides some information about a

substance abuse concern. There are few facts or some information is not accurate.

The PSA is provides little information about a

substance abuse concern. There are no facts or most information is not accurate.

Organization The PSA demonstrates a clear and

logical story. The organization enhances the viewer’s


The PSA is organized. The viewer has a clear


The PSA is somewhat unorganized. This may lead




Power of Persuasion

The PSA is powerful and persuasive. It will clearly influence

viewers to make responsible decisions regarding illegal drug

use.

The PSA uses persuasive techniques. Viewers

understand what responsible choices they should make regarding illegal drug use.

The PSA is somewhat persuasive. Viewers may not

clearly understand what decisions they should be

making.

The PSA is not at all persuasive. It includes little or no persuasive language.

It provides no insight to viewers.

Production

The PSA is perfectly produced with good sound and picture quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used tastefully. The

length keeps the audience interested.

The PSA is fairly well produced with good sound



The PSA has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special



The PSA has significant production problems. Transitions, titles, or

special effects are missing or interfere with the PSA. It

is either too long or too short for the topic.

Collaboration and

Communication





the group.






Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

This is My Body:


Introduction: Do you have healthy habits? In this learning activity, students will learn the importance of developing healthy habits as they work cooperatively to create a public service announcement (PSA) about an important health issue. Students will assume the role of researchers, analysts, writers, producers and editors in order to create a finished PSA to be aired on KSPN.

Working in small, cooperative groups, students will explore concepts of Health and Wellness, and determine the importance of these core values in their daily lives. They will identify a serious health concern and develop an ad campaign aimed at student athletes. The campaign will be designed to reduce the risk of illness and injury. They will evaluate their own finished PSA as well as peer-review their classmates’ PSAs.


Core Value: Health and Wellness

Students will explore concepts of health and wellness. They will identify serious health issues that can be prevented or controlled

through healthier choices and produce public service announcements that promote healthy living.




Health: http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/pdf_files/standards.pdf • Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and

disease prevention. • Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing

behaviors and reduce health risks. • Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal,

family, and community health.










Activity Procedure:

Introduction and Motivation

Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to produce public service announcements (PSAs) designed to deliver critical messages to American teenagers.



Begin by writing the words “health” and “wellness” on chart paper. Ask students to consider why these would be core values? Divide students into pairs or groups of three to write acrostic poems using the words “Health and Wellness.” for these words.

In an acrostic poem, each letter of a word or phrase is used as the first letter in a line in the poem. Each line should relate to the theme or essence of the word or phrase. Writers might use a single word, a phrase, or a full sentence for each lines. This type of poem doesn’t need to rhyme.

Web Sites To Visit: • Acrostic Poem Generator: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/acrostic/ • Samples of acrostic poems:

http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/acrostic.html • Acrostic on PBL wiki: http://www.pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Acrostic

Have each group share their acrostic poems. Use these poems to generate a discussion about health issues. As a class, brainstorm some serious health concerns that effect teens and young adults. Record these responses on chart paper and display the results in the classroom for later use.

Next, discuss the concept of PSAs. Make sure your students understand that a key element of an ad campaign is to persuade. The best-known producer of public service announcements is the Ad Council.2 Your students may be familiar with many of their ad campaigns, such as “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” or “Take a bite out of crime.” Have students visit the Ad Council website to see current and historic ad campaigns. Students can also use information from this site a s a resource for their own PSA.

Provide students with some time to look at various PSAs. As a class, develop a list of qualities of good PSAs. Some examples might be: informative, interesting, powerful, provocative, etc. Next, ask students to identify some techniques various PSAs use to “hook” the viewers attention. Some possible answers might include: asking provocative questions, dramatizing events, displaying shocking statistics, using music to evoke emotions, etc. Record responses from these discussion on chart paper and display in the classroom for later use.

Finally, provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. A sample rubric is included with this activity, however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

2 http://www.adcounil.org/campaigns/

The Background

Students will work in cooperative groups of 2 – 4 students. Each group will be assigned or will select a different body system on which to focus. Some example systems include:

Circulatory Muscular Digestive Nervous Endocrine Respiratory Excretory Sensory Immune Skeletal Have students conduct some initial research about their system. Each group should prepare a five minute oral report about the body system that:

Describes the function of the system. Lists the important parts of the system. Discusses how the system relates to the body as a whole. Provides at least one visual aid to promote understanding.

Remind students, as they prepare their research for the oral report, that they should be looking for a topic for their PSA.

Web Sites To Visit: • Health, Fitness, and Safety: http://www.kids.gov/6_8/6_8_health_issues.shtml • Human Anatomy Online: http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html • The Virtual Body: http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp • Girls Health: http://www.girlshealth.gov/ • Diseases: http://free.ed.gov/subjects.cfm?subject_id=46&res_feature_request=0 • Artificial Anatomy: http://americanhistory.si.edu/anatomy/ • Kids Health: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/index.html

Each group should use the information they learned in developing their oral report to help them identify a topic for their PSA. Before students select a topic, have a discussion about what type of topics are appropriate. Remind students that the purpose of their campaign is to help change the health habits of teens and young adults to promote health and wellness. There may be disagreements about which topics are appropriate for their PSAs. A good topic is a significant health risk for teens and young adults; is related to the groups assigned system; and can be cured or controlled through improved health habits.

Once each group has selected a topic, they will need to conduct additional research about this topic. The following prompts can be used to help students focus their research:

• Describe the illness or health issue. • Provide statistics about the illness or health issue. For example: How

common is the disease and who is most at risk? etc. • List signs and/or symptoms of the illness or health issue. • Explain what other health complications (if any) are connected to this

illness or health issue. • Discuss information about current research that is being conducted to

help fight the illness or health issue. • Describe health choices that can prevent or reduce risk of this illness or

health issue. • Explore ways to treat the illness or health issue (if applicable). • Provide a description of ways people can help fight the illness or health

issue.

While this information is important, you should also remind students that their PSAs must be powerful and persuasive. They will need to “hook” their audience using more than just facts.

The Pitch

Before students begin filming, each group should “pitch” their selection. In the advertising business, a pitch is when the people who want to make a commercial verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the commercial.3 Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade the KSPN (here represented by you, the teacher) to accept the topic they selected and produce .

The pitch should explain why the topic is a good choice for the PSA. The group should be persuasive and demonstrate how producing this PSA will promote health and wellness. The pitch should also provide some of the relevant data and statistics as support.




Once students have had their topic and approach approved, they will need to develop a script and/or storyboard to layout their PSA. It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the PSA and to stick to this deadline.

This is a wonderful opportunity to provide students with creative freedom in developing their PSA. This will give them ownership and invest them in the project’s outcome. At the same time, students often have ideas that expand beyond the scope of what is possible with the available time, technology, or resources. If this should happen, try to find creative ways to adapt their ideas into something manageable, without taking away control or extending beyond the deadline.

Students will need to edit their video and prepare it to be aired on KSPN. Each group will present their video segment to a focus group (one or more of the other groups) and the Executive Producer (the teacher). The focus groups will be evaluating the work using the rubric and providing their feedback to the completed interview. Each group will also submit a self-review of their process and their final product. This feedback will assist the Executive Producer in determining which segments will be published on the Internet.

Memo

To: All interns

We need you to develop

Public Service Announcements

(PSAs) to be broadcast on KSPN.


1. Identify a topic related to

health and wellness.

2. Conduct in-depth research

about that topic.

3. Produce a PSA designed to help

te

ens and young adults make

choices that promote healthy

liv

ing.


Handout: This is My Body

Rubric for This is My Body:




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The PSA provides in-depth information about a serious health concern. Facts and statistics are introduced with a sense of style


The PSA provides a good amount of information about a serious health concern. Facts

and statistics are accurate and informative.

The PSA is provides some information about a health

concern. There are few facts or some information is not

accurate.

The PSA is provides little information about a health

concern. There are no facts or most information is not

accurate.

Organization The PSA demonstrates a clear and

logical story. The organization enhances the viewer’s


The PSA is organized. The viewer has a clear


The PSA is somewhat unorganized. This may lead




Power of Persuasion

The PSA is powerful and persuasive. It will clearly influence viewers to change their habits and improve their personal health and

wellness.

The PSA uses persuasive techniques. Viewers

understand what habits they need to change to improve their personal health and

wellness.

The PSA is somewhat persuasive techniques. Viewers may not clearly

understand what habits they need to change to improve their personal health and

wellness.

The PSA is not at all persuasive. It includes little or no persuasive language.

It provides no insight to viewers.

Production

The PSA is perfectly produced with good sound and picture quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used tastefully. The

length keeps the audience interested.

The PSA is fairly well produced with good sound and PSA quality. There is

appropriate use of transitions, titles, and special effects. The


The PSA has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special



The PSA has significant production problems. Transitions, titles, or

special effects are missing or interfere with the PSA. It

is either too long or too short for the topic.

Collaboration and

Communication





the group.






Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Wake Up Call: Healthy Choices


Introduction: Do you have healthy habits? In this learning activity, students will learn the importance of developing making healthy choices about food and exercise as

they work cooperatively to create an informational video about developing healthy habits.

Students will assume the role of researchers, analysts, writers, producers and editors in order to create a finished segment to be aired on the KSPN program, Wake Up Calls.

Working in small, cooperative groups, students will explore concepts of Personal Responsibility and Healthy Living, to determine the importance of these core values in their own lives as well as in the lives of their families. Students will gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources. They will track their own personal eating habits and activity, as well as those of their families, over a period of time. Students will evaluate their the data and make specific recommendations in their finished video presentation.


Core Value: Personal Responsibility and Healthy Living

Students will explore concepts of personal responsibility and healthy living. They will identify health alerts relating to nutrition

and activity choices and produce segments for the exciting and innovative KSPN program: Wake Up Calls!




Health: http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/pdf_files/standards.pdf • Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and

disease prevention. • Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing

behaviors and reduce health risks. • Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal,

family, and community health.











Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to provide content for the KSPN show, Wake Up Call!



Begin by writing the words “personal responsibility” and “healthy living” on chart paper. Ask students to evaluate the impact of these core values for themselves and for their families. Divide students into pairs or groups of three to discuss and compare how they and their families approach nutrition and activity. Ask each student to contribute one thing they do that demonstrates positive health choices and one thing they could do to better take care of themselves.

Make sure students understand that a “Wake Up Call” is an idiom that means to warn

someone about a serious or dangerous situation.

Ask each group to share their responses. Record the various responses as a class Use these responses to brainstorm, as a class, ways in which students can make better individual choices and persuade their families to embrace positive steps toward personal responsibility and healthy living.


What is a “Wake Up Call?”

Next, discuss the concept of the program Wake Up Call. Students should recognize that a key element of their final video segment is to shock or alert viewers to a potential health threat related to nutrition and/or fitness. The hope is that these videos will stimulate viewers to evaluate their current habits and encourage them to make better, healthier choices in the future.

Web Sites To Visit: • USDA: My Pyramid: http://www.mypyramid.gov/podcasts/ • Ad Council: http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=54

You may want to show students examples of vidcasts and PSAs from the above websites to serve as examples of topics students might choose. For example the “New Years Resolution” podcast on the USDA website points out a single, simple step that people can take to help lose weight. If time is a factor, you can have each group look at different videos, and then report back to the class about what they observed.

In addition to discussing the content of these videos, ask students to evaluate the effectiveness of the videos in communicating an important message. If necessary, you can provide students with the following prompts:

• Who is the targeted audience of the video? • What technique or approach does the video

employ to connect with, shock, or persuade the viewer?

• What was effective about the video production?

• If you were working on this video, what would you do to make it better?

Elicit from students that these examples are short and to the point. They include facts and information, but in a way that connects with the viewer or demonstrates an important point.

Instead of a printed fact sheet, consider starting a class wiki.2

Each group can develop an article about their group and

add it to the wiki.

Just the Facts

Before beginning their movie, students need to acquire some background information about nutrition and exercise. Although students probably have some ideas about what is and is not healthy, you can not assume that their personal knowledge is accurate or extensive enough to complete this project. This activity will ensure that students develop basic, reliable information.

Begin by having students individually visit the My Pyramid Plan page at the USDA website to evaluate their own nutrition and activity levels: http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx.

Note: This interactive web site requires individuals to submit personal data, (age, gender, weight, height, and physical activity) and then provides information about proper nutrition and physical activity. There are special warnings for individuals whose weight is above or below the healthy range. If you think this might present a conflict situations for your students, you may provide students with sample data to use. The purpose of this website is to collect information about the topic, not to have students evaluate if they are too fat or too thin.

Students will work in cooperative teams of 2 – 4 students to develop an “Info Sheet” or fact sheet about one of the following topics:

Milk Vegetables Fruits Grains Proteins Oils

Light Activity Moderate Activity Intense Activity

Tell students that the fact sheet should be a short, informational document (one to two pages) that provides background information about the topic. Their fact sheet should: 2

Define and describe the group and any subgroups, as appropriate.

Explain why this group is important to healthy living. Relate how much is necessary for healthy living; and

how much is too much, if applicable. Present different ways to incorporate this group into a

healthy lifestyle.

Remind students, as they conduct their research, they should be looking for an interesting topic for their Wake Up Call.

2 For more information about creating a class wiki, visit:

http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Wiki

If time is an issue, you may want students to

begin this tracking activity at the same time they are conducting their research.

Web Sites To Visit: • Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/ • Food and Nutrition Information Center:

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=4 • Fruits and Veggies Matter: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/ • American Dietetic Association:

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/index.html • Healthy Youth – Nutrition: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/index.htm • Healthy Youth – Physical Activity:

http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity/index.htm • Teens Health: http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/ • Smart Mouth: http://www.cspinet.org/smartmouth/ • Teen Growth:

http://teengrowth.com/index.cfm?action=info_sub&SubCategory=health_Nutrition&CatDesc=Health&SubDesc=Nutrition&Category=health

After the fact sheets are completed, have each group present their information to the rest of the class. Provide time for students to ask questions of the presenting group. Make sure the information from each group is available to all students.

My Family, Myself: Using Real Data

It is important to help students personalize the information they are researching.

In the original memo, interns are told to “use real families and real data.” In this activity students will record their own nutrition and activity habits for at least five days. They will also record nutrition and activity habits of at least one family member for the same time period. They will share this information with the group to determine a topic for their video segment.

For each day, students should record everything they eat, including the serving portions. It does not matter what format students use to collect the information, as long as they include specifics about the type of

food, portions, and quantities.

Students can use the online tool at http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov to receive an overall evaluation that compares the amounts of food they ate and physical activity to current healthy guidelines. You can elect to have students register as users, which will allow them to maintain ongoing nutrition and activity evaluations, or they can click the “Check it out” link, which will allow them to input data and view results and recommendations without logging in. Remind students that if they don’t log in, their data will not be saved.

Provide time for students to explore the various reports available through this online tool. Then, have students answer the following questions in a journal or notebook:

• Which food groups (if any) are you not getting enough on a daily basis? • Which food groups (if any) are you eating too much on a daily basis? • Describe changes you can make that will allow you to get all the

nutrients you need to be healthy. • Are you taking in the right amount of calories per day? (refer to The

Background section for calorie intake information) o If you are not taking in enough calories, what can you do to

change that? Which foods will you add to your diet? o If you are taking in too many calories, what can you to do to

change that? Which foods will you lessen or eliminate from your diet?

• Are you making effective exercise choices? If not, what can you do to make changes there?

• How does your tracking chart compare to you family member’s chart? Do you think you are making healthier choices than your family member? Explain.

• What did you learn from tracking your food and exercise choices or from comparing your choices to those of your family member?

Finally, have students meet with their group to share their impressions and reflections. Note: These answers may be personal. Students should not be expected to share their specific journal responses, but rather discuss the topic generally. Ask each group to develop a prioritized list of issues or concerns related to nutrition and activity, based on the results of this activity.

The Pitch

Before students begin filming, each group should “pitch” their selection. In the advertising business, a pitch is when the people who want to make a commercial verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the commercial.3 Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade the KSPN (here represented by you, the teacher) to accept the topic they selected and produce the segment.

The pitch should explain why the topic is a good choice for the segment. The group should be persuasive and demonstrate how producing this video will promote personal responsibility and healthy living. The pitch should also provide some of the relevant data and statistics as support.



Once students have had their topic and approach approved, they will need to develop a script and/or storyboard to layout their video segment. It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the video and to stick to this deadline.

This is a wonderful opportunity to provide students with creative freedom in developing their video. This will give them ownership and invest them in the project’s outcome. At the same time, students often have ideas that expand beyond the scope of what is possible with the available time, technology, or resources. If this should happen, try to find creative ways to adapt their ideas into something manageable, without taking away control or extending beyond the deadline.



Memo

To: All interns

We are looking for engaging segments

about nutrition and activity choices

to profile on our program:

Wake Up Calls!

We want to use real families and real

data in producing these segments.


1. Conduct individual and family nutritio

n

and exercise activities.

2. Identify a particular focus topic related

t

o nutrition or exercise.

3. Conduct research and gather data

a

bout that topic.

4. Produce a video segment designed to

p

ersuade young adults and families

m

ake smart and healthy life choices.


Handout: Healthy Choices

Rubric for Healthy Choices:




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The video provides in-depth information about nutrition and/or activity. Facts and statistics are introduced with a sense of style


The video provides a good amount of information about

nutrition and/or activity. Facts and statistics are accurate

and informative.

The video provides some information about nutrition

and/or activity. There are few facts or some information is

not accurate.

The video provides little information about nutrition and/or activity. There are

no facts or most information is not accurate.

Organization The video demonstrates a clear

and logical story. The organization enhances the viewer’s


The video is organized. The viewer has a clear


The video is somewhat unorganized. This may lead




Use of Personal Data

The video incorporates data collected from a range of sources, including primary source data. The

information is presented seamlessly and enhances the

overall production.

The video incorporates primary source data. The information is presented

appropriately and logically.

The video incorporates primary source data but the

information seems extraneous or disconnected

with the video.

The video does not incorporate primary source

data.

Production

The video is perfectly produced with good sound and picture

quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used tastefully.

The length keeps the audience interested.

The video is fairly well produced with good sound

and quality. There is appropriate use of transitions, titles, and special effects. The


The video has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special



The video has significant production problems. Transitions, titles, or

special effects are missing or interfere with the video. It is either too long or too


Collaboration and

Communication





the group.






Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Violence in Hockey: The Road to Success or Failure?

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: Literacy, Mathematics, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 2 – 4 weeks1

Introduction: Violence in ice hockey continues to be a problem that confounds the sport.

For many, it is part of the game.2 While hockey is considered by many to be one of the more violent team sports, are ice hockey teams that play with more violence more likely to win?

In this learning activity, students will explore this question by providing statistical evidence as to the effect violence has on scoring opportunities and the

win/loss records of various professional hockey teams. Students will assume the role of researchers, analysts, writers, producers and editors in order to create a video segment for the new KSPN documentary, Violence in Hockey: The Road to Success or Failure?

Working in small, cooperative groups, students will explore concepts of Fairness, Respect, and Sportsmanship and determine the importance of these core values in both amateur and professional team sports. Students will

collect, analyze, and communicate statistical data to demonstrate the impact of violence on winning or losing.

1 You may need to adjust this time frame to meet the needs of your students. 2 From: http://www.articleworld.org/index.php/Violence_in_ice_hockey.

Core Values: Fairness, Respect, & Sportsmanship

Students will explore concepts of fairness, respect, and sportsmanship as they relate to hockey. They will identify various

hockey teams and explore the impact of violence on the ice on the hottest new KSPN program:

Violence in Hockey.

Standards and Learning for this Activity: Mathematics: http://standards.nctm.org/document/chapter7/index.htm

• Data Analysis and Probability: Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data; Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data.

• Problem Solving: Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts. • Communication: Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly

to peers, teachers, and others.









Video and still digital cameras Video editing software, such as Apple iMovie,

Windows Movie Maker, or Adobe Premiere. Tripod and external microphone (optional)

Activity Procedure:

Introduction and Motivation

There are examples of fighting or violence in almost any sport. What makes hockey stand apart is both the prevalence of violence and the lack of outrage in response. There seems to be an expectation among fans, coaches, and referees that fights will break out.

Begin by writing the terms “sportsmanship,” “fairness,” and “respect’ on the board. Next, ask students to consider what, if anything, these values have to do with winning and losing.

After students’ share their responses, show the video, Jonathan Roy Involved in Fight,3 from the ESPN video website. Play only the first 20 seconds of the video (to the 55 second mark on the countdown timer). This video shows a goalie fight between Patrick Roy and Chris Osgood.

Ask students to respond to the following writing prompts:

“Ice hockey has become the fastest growing sport in many parts of the world. Although European ice hockey has evolved into a highly refined game, based on skill and finesse, the North American version of the sport is still based heavily on violence. Catastrophic and disabling injuries are being reported with increasing frequency. These injuries are in many cases caused by violent player behavior which, the researchers pointed out, may be supported by coaches who cling to the belief that such behavior contributes to winning.”4

• Describe the attitude of the announcers towards what is happening. Explain how they are or are not promoting violent behavior.

• Evaluate whether the announcers portrayal of the event exemplifies the values of sportsmanship, fairness, and respect.

Next, play the remainder of the video. Have students to respond to the following prompts:

• Describe the apparent attitude of the fans about this fight. • Describe the apparent attitude of Jonathan Roy’s coach, his father, Patrick

Roy. • Explain what role you think NHL (National Hockey League) should take in

this type of situation. • Explain what you think should happen to a player in this type of situation.

After students have responded in their journals, ask them to share their responses. Through this discussion, elicit definitions for each of the following terms: sportsmanship, fairness, respect.

3 http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3310153&categoryId= 2459791&n8pe6c=2

4 From: http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/archive/Press/051598_hockey.html.

Record responses on chart paper and post prominently in the classroom for reference. Ask students how important they think those core values are to the success of any team, especially a hockey team. Are these values equally important in amateur and professional sports? It is acceptable if students have different opinions about this topic, as long as they are respectful of each other’s opinion.

Next, ask students, “Are ice hockey teams that play with more violence more likely to win?” Record students responses and, as a class, discuss what additional data they might need to answer this question.

Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, the Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to provide content for the special KSPN documentary, Violence in Hockey: The Road to Success or Failure? As part of their job, they will explore statistical data as to the effect violence has on scoring opportunities and the win/loss records of various professional hockey teams.




Getting the Rules

Students will work in cooperative groups of 3 – 4 students. Tell students that they will research Fighting and Violence in Ice Hockey. They will begin by comparing and contrasting the rules and penalties for fighting in the NHL, European professional hockey leagues, the Olympics, and the Division I and III NCAA hockey league.

Create a comparison matrix, like the one below, using chart paper. Divide the leagues so that each group researches a different league. For example, one group may research the NHL, while another group researches the Olympics. Each group should complete the chart by reporting how each league addresses fighting and violence.

NHL NCAA (Div I) Olympics

# of teams

# of refs on ice

List rules related to fighting and/or

violence

Penalties for fighting

Note: The topics in this matrix are suggestions. You and your students should add additional topics (rows) as you research.

Getting the Reaction: Let’s go to the videotape.

Students should view several hockey fights (via online video) to ascertain the announcers, coaches, and fans reactions to fighting in hockey. They should assess each group’s reaction to the fight viewed to determine whether or not their reaction condones or condemns this kind of behavior. Ask students to discuss whether the reactions align with the rules. Are the rules against violence being applied equally everywhere.

Getting the Facts

Next each group will identify one NHL, one European, one Olympic, and/or one NCAA team to research. Make sure that each group chooses unique teams. Tell students that they are to determine team penalty time in minutes, shots on goal (scoring opportunities), and goals made in for the past season. (Note: You may want students to research two or more seasons for a more in depth study.) Using this data, they should look for the impact penalty time has had on the win/loss record of the team.

Next, students should look at the scoring leaders for their team to determine shots on goal, points scored, time on ice, penalties in minutes, and productivity. Student should compare/contrast this data with players who were not scoring leaders.

Ready-to-Air

Each group will present their video segment to a focus group (one or more of the other groups) and the Executive Producer (the teacher). The focus groups will be evaluating the work using the rubric and providing their feedback to the completed interview. Each group will also submit a self-review of their process and their final product. This feedback will assist the Executive Producer in determining which segments will be shown on Everyday Heroes.

Internet Resources • Fighting in ice hockey:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_in_ice_hockey#European.2C_Collegiate.2C_and_Olympic Note: this article has been rated as a “featured article” and has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community.

• NHL Statistics Glossary (ESPN) http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?page=statistics/glossary

• Winning related to penalties: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez. See also http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/prevention/hockey.html

• NHL Team Scoring – Penalty minutes: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/statistics?stat=teamstatoff&sort=pim&league=nhl&seasontype=2&season=2008&order=true

• NCAA: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=55 • CBS Sports: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/columns/top10/hockey_lowlights.html#1 • Hockey Fights: http://www.hockeyfights.com/ • USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/statistics-index.htm; see also

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2007-04-04-fighting_N.htm • Hockey Reference: http://www.hockey-reference.com/?gclid=CNSin6jb55MCFQoFGgod1g3tVQ • NHL Rulebook: Fighting http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule56.html • European Hockey Leagues http://www.hockeynut.com/euro.html • IIHF Rules: Fighting http://www.iihf.com/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/rules_part_two.pdf

Memo

To: All interns

KSPN is producing a new documentary:

Violence in Hockey:

T

he Road to Success of Failure?

We want you to help prepare a segment

for this program that uses real data.


1. Compare the rules of the different

le

agues as they pertain to fighting.

2. Discuss violence from the perspective

o

f fans, coaches, and hockey leagues.


4. Demonstrates, using statistical

e

vidence, the impact of violence on

t

he likelihood of a team winning or

lo

sing.


Handout: Violence in Hockey

Rubric for Violence in Hockey




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The segment provides an in-depth look at how violence

impacts hockey teams. Facts and statistics are introduced with a sense of style that engages the

viewer.

The segment provides substantial information about how violence impacts hockey

teams. Facts and statistics are accurate and informative.

The segment provides some information about how

violence impacts hockey teams. There are few facts or

some information is inaccurate.

The segment provides little information about how

violence impacts hockey teams. There are no facts or

most information is inaccurate.

Integrated Math

The segment includes a range of statistical data that enhances the

stated conclusion. This data is mathematically accurate and

relevant evidence.

The segment includes sufficient statistical data that

supports the stated conclusion. This data is

mathematically accurate and relevant.

The segment includes limited statistical data that supports the stated conclusion. Some data may be inaccurate or

irrelevant.

The segment includes little or no statistical data to support the stated conclusion or the

data may be mostly inaccurate or irrelevant.

Organization

The segment demonstrates a clear and logical story. The organization enhances the

viewer’s understanding of the topic.

The segment is organized. The viewer has a clear


The segment is somewhat unorganized. This may lead




Production

The segment is perfectly produced with good sound and

picture quality. Transitions, titles, and special effects are used

tastefully. The length keeps the audience interested.

The segment is fairly well produced with good sound



The segment has some production problems and/or sound quality issues. Some transitions, titles, or special



The segment has significant production problems.


interfere with the segment. It is either too long or too short

for the topic.

Collaboration and

Communication





the group.




You did not work with others in most situations. You did

not share information and/or did not contribute to the

group.

Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Best and Worst Behaved

Grade Levels: 6-12 Curriculum Areas: English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Technology Approximate Time Frame: Approximately 3 – 4 weeks1

Introduction: The more freedom we enjoy, the greater the responsibility we bear,

toward others as well as ourselves. ~ Oscar Arias Sanchez

Are you a good citizen? What is your personal responsibility towards your community, your country, and your world? How important are these core values to you and your peers?

In this learning activity, students will answer these questions as they explore concepts of Citizenship and Personal Responsibility and determine the importance of these core values in their daily lives. Students will assume the role of investigative reporters who must balance responsible journalism while creating interesting, provocative segments for The Best and The Worst segment on KSPN’s Weekly Review.

Working in small, cooperative groups, students will have the opportunity to survey their peers. They will practice “digital citizenship” as they create vignettes which feature athletes. Finally, they will scrutinize both local and renowned athletes to determine how citizenship and personal responsibility is demonstrated both on and off the “playing field.”


Core Value: Citizenship and Personal Responsibility

Students will examine the core values of citizenship and personal responsibility as they showcase athletes who represent the best and worst examples of

these core values. This process will be recorded and included in as part of a new segment on KSPN’s Weekly Review called:

The Best and the Worst


Social Studies: http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/ • Strand V – Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs should

include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity.




• Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.


Technology: http://www.iste.org • Standard 1 – Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking,



• Standard 5 – Digital Citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students: a) advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and

technology. b) exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration,

learning, and productivity. c) demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning. d) exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.





Ask students to individually respond to the following question:

Imagine that you won twenty million dollars. List ten things that you would do with the money

and explain your reasoning for your choices.

Once students have completed this prompt, ask students to share their responses with a partner. Next have students work in groups of 3-4 to identify ten things they would do with the money if they were unable to spend money on themselves.

Have each group share record their responses on chart paper. Each group should present its completed list to

the class. Once each group has shared, take time to point out the similarities and differences between the groups’ choices. You may want to highlight examples of citizenship or personal responsibility that were included in the list. Ask students to share how they felt about the first task as compared to the second task.

Next, provide students with the following quote:

You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own

improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think

we can be most useful. ~ Marie Curie

Ask students to read the quote and discuss its meaning with the other group members and determine if they agree/disagree with the author’s viewpoint. You may want to provide students with some of the following prompts to help lead their discussion:

What is social responsibility? What does it have to do with citizenship? What does being a “good citizen” mean? What does “personal responsibility”

mean? What are the benefits of citizenship and social responsibility? What is the relationship between rights and responsibilities? Do athletes have a responsibility to be role models? Is their responsibility

greater than other people?

As students share their responses, it will be important to refer back to their earlier lottery list. As part of the whole-group discussion, students will develop a working definition for the core values: citizenship and personal responsibility.

Initial Production Meeting

Tell your students that they have just been hired as interns by KSPN, Knowledge & Sports Production Network. Their job will be to provide content for the failing show, Weekly Review. Explain to students that this show is news magazine that reviews the week in sports. In an effort to boost ratings, the producers are asking them to develop a new segment.


This handout is a memo from the producers of KSPN’s Weekly Review production team outlining the expectations of this segment. As a class, review the content of the memo. Make sure students understand that they can (and should) profile local athletes as well as celebrity athletes.

Make sure you discuss the term Digital Citizenship with students before moving on. You may want to provide students with a copy of ISTE “Standard #5: Digital Citizenship” for them to review and discuss.2

2 See Standards and Learning (p. 2) or visit:

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm

As your students take on the role of investigative reporters, they will discover that like many professional journalists today, they will need to balance the need to create a sensational, provocative segment to attract more viewers with the practice personal responsibility and citizenship which is an integral part of responsible journalism.

Make sure students have a clear idea of what they are expected to do before moving on. Provide students with the rubric that will be used to assess their finished work. A sample rubric is included with this activity, however, you may need to customize this rubric to meet the needs of your students.

Survey Says…

How important are core values such as Citizenship and Personal Responsibility? Ask students to predict how their peers would answer this question. Do they think these issues are important to teenagers or even to the general public?

Remind students that one of their goals, as KSPN interns, is to help bolster the ratings of a failing program. Therefore, it is important that they recognize what their potential audience thinks about the topic and to incorporate that information into their final product. While many students can guess about how their peers think, a more accurate approach would be to collect data. Conducting a survey can be an efficient and appropriate way to gather data, especially information about peoples opinions and beliefs.3

One of the most important aspects of developing a survey is writing the questions. Show students the following sample survey questions:

1. Do you think the new dress code is too restrictive? (yes) (no) [biased, leading question]

2. Do you think the cafeteria should offer healthier snacks and discontinue serving soda? (yes) (no) [double barrel, asks more than one thing]

3. How long does it take you to get to school each day? (less than 10 minutes) (between 10 and 30 minutes) (more than 30 minutes) (I walk) [poor response choices: “I walk” is irrelevant; what if it takes you ten minutes?]

Each of these questions is poorly worded. Ask students to consider what is wrong with each question and to rewrite a better question.

Students should understand that the types of questions they include in their survey will impact the validity of the data they collect. Questions should be clear and unbiased. The questions should ask only one thing and they should not lead the respondent to answer a certain way. Avoid irrelevant or incongruous responses.

3 Additional information about conducting and using surveys can be found at:

http://pbltech.org/wiki/index.php?title=Survey#Writing_Good_Survey_Questions

The Pitch

Divide students into small cooperative groups of 3 – 4 students. Have each group brainstorm examples of athletes (local, regional, national) who exemplify good citizens and exhibit personal responsibility and those who do not. It may be helpful for students to conduct some preliminary research before making their final selections. Make sure that each group selects different subjects.

Each group should identify two athletes to represent the best and two athletes to represent the worst examples of citizenship and personal responsibility. (Groups may select school peers as examples of “the best,” but obviously not as examples of “the worst." Once each group has determined who they want to showcase and why, they will need to “pitch” their selections. In television, a pitch is when the people who want to make a movie (writers, directors, etc.) verbally present their ideas to the people who pay for making the movie (the producers).4

For this activity, each group will pitch their suggestions. The pitch should explain why the individuals are a good choice for The Best and the Worst segment. Make sure students understand that the purpose of their pitch is to persuade the “Executive Producer” (the teacher) to accept the people they have selected for the segment. As “Executive Producer,” make sure that the individuals and topics are appropriate before you “green light” (that is, approve) any group’s pitch. Note: If time is an issue, the groups can present their pitch in writing or participate in a private conference with the Producer (teacher).

Script to Air

Once students have had their individuals and topics finalized, they will need to develop a script and/or storyboard to layout their “Best and Worst” segment. It will be important to place a deadline for the completion of the segment and to stick to this deadline.

This is a wonderful opportunity to provide students with creative freedom in developing their segment. This will give them ownership and invest them in the project’s outcome. At the same time, students often have ideas that expand beyond the scope of what is possible with the available time, technology, or resources. If this should happen, try to find creative ways to adapt their ideas into something manageable, without taking away control or extending beyond the deadline.



Memo

To: All interns

We need your assistance in devel-

oping a new segment called "The Best and

the Worst" to

help spice up the series:

W

eekly Review

Your job will be to

1. F

ind individuals who represent the best

a

nd worst examples of citizenship and

p

ersonal responsibility.


3. Write and produce a 5-8 minute vignette

which illustrates the best or worst

qualities of each individual.

Due to the nature of this subject, you must

make sure to practice "Digital Citizenship"

and responsible journalism, yet still c

reate a

provocative and polished segment.


Handout: A Grand Interview

Rubric for Best and Worst Behaved Vignette




Not Yet (1 pt)

Content

The information presented in the vignette was clear,

accurate, and thorough. Every point was well

supported with relevant examples or quotations.

The information presented in the vignette was accurate and thorough. Most points were

supported with relevant examples or quotations.

Most of the information presented in the vignette was accurate but the overall presentation was not

thorough. Most points were supported, but the relevance of

some evidence was questionable.

The information presented in the vignette was

inaccurate or missing. Only a few points were

supported with examples or quotations.

Organization

The vignette demonstrates a clear and logical presentation. The

organization enhances the viewer’s understanding of the

topic.

The vignette is organized. The viewer has a clear


The vignette is somewhat unorganized. This may lead to

misunderstanding or misinterpretation at times.



Production

The vignette is perfectly produced with good sound

and picture quality. Transitions, titles, and special

effects are used tastefully. The length keeps the audience interested.

The vignette is fairly well produced with good sound and

picture quality. There is appropriate use of transitions, titles, and special effects. The


The vignette has some production problems and/or sound quality

issues. Some transitions, titles, or special effects are missing or

inappropriate. It is either too long or too short for the topic.

The vignette has significant production problems.


interfere with the vignette. It is either too long or too


Survey Data

The vignette includes data from student conducted

survey. The data is clearly and attractively represented

and the content of the data is woven seamlessly into the

presentation.

The vignette includes data from student conducted survey. The data is accurately represented and the content of the data is relevant to the presentation.

The vignette includes data from student conducted survey. The

data is not clearly represented or the content of the data is not

relevant the presentation.

Either the vignette does not include data from a student

conducted survey or the data is neither clearly

represented nor relevant.

Collaboration and

Communication

You work well with others. You assume a clear role and related responsibilities. You motivate others to do their

best.

You work well with others. You take part in most decisions,

share information, and contribute a fair share to the

group.

You work well with others but have difficulty sharing decisions,

information, and/or responsibilities. You contributed less than a fair

share to the group.


You did not share information and/or did not

contribute to the group.

Score 18 - 20 13 - 17 8 - 12 5 - 7

Documents

Our VISION - jdlhorizons.com fileKSPN bridges the gap between the classroom and the real-world as students assume the roles of researchers, analysts, writers, producers, editors, announcers