Process
This project should take three to four weeks, depending on what other work students have.
It is important that you provide a list of due dates for each component and that you meet
with each group, as needed.
Follow these step-by-step directions to complete this webquest.
Make sure to have each component completed by the due date, given
separately.
Remember that you must select the most important information for your public service announcement.
As a guide, you might make sure that everyone is ok with the idea of a psa and what they are for. You might mention the Reagan-era, "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?" Or ask students of other examples of psa's that they have seen on television.
- As a team, find out about the three major eating disorders. Use these websites to give you the background that you need.
- ED Definitions
- Quick and simple definitions of three major types of eating disorders
- ANAD: Eating Disorder Definitions
- Additional general information on eating disorders
- What Are Eating Disorders?
- Here are definitions written by middle school students like you
- Depression, Difficulty Expressing Feelings Associated with Eating Disorders
- An important aspect to all eating disorders--Why?
- Girl Power!: Facts about Eating Disorders
- One more source on general definitions. It does a good job of summarizing
everything.
- Decide on which eating disorder each member will become an "expert".
One would hope that middle school students could easily assume roles, but experience says that this is not the case. If you feel that you should pre-assign roles, please feel free to do so.
- Individually, research your eating disorder. Use this list to help you
organize your information.
- For what are the signs to look?
- How does a person feel?
- Is the ED a problem with the mind or body? Explain this.
- Why is an ED an addiction?
| The Anorexia Expert's sites: |
- SFWED: What is Anorexia?
- The ultimate site on eating disorders.
Read about what anorexia is and how anorexics feel
- The Cult - And Culture - Of Anorexia
- Information on why anorexics choose to stay in their ED
- Anorexia: Information from Your Family Doctor
- What Anorexia is and what signs to look for
- On the Teen Scene: Eating Disorders Require Medical Attention
- Why eating disorders require medical attention.
Note that this article does not mention compulsive overeating.
- Symptoms and Signs of Anorexia
- Additional information on symptoms and signs of anorexia
| The Bulimia Expert's sites: |
- SFWED: What is Bulimia?
- The ultimate site on eating disorders.
Read about what bulimia is and how bulimics feel
- Bulimia: Ask the Dietitian
- This is a letter that a bulimic girl wrote with questions about bulimia
- Frequently Asked Questions About Bulimia Nervosa
- These are the questions that people ask and to which everyone should know the answers
- On the Teen Scene: Eating Disorders Require Medical Attention
- Why eating disorders require medical attention.
Note that this article does not mention compulsive overeating.
- Symptoms and Signs of Bulimia
- Additional information on symptoms and signs of bulimia
| The Compulsive Overeating Expert's sites: |
- SFWED: What is Compulsive Overeating?
- The ultimate site on eating disorders.
Read about what compulsive overeating is and how compulsive overeaters feel
- SFWED: What is Binge Eating?
- Many people lump compulsive overeating and binge eating into the same category.
This site explains why they are different.
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Everything you need to know about binge eating disorder
- Symptoms and Signs of Binge Eating Disorder
- Additional information on symptoms and signs of compulsive overeating
- Personal Stories of Compulsive Overeating
- Personal stories that help you understand the social stigma and suffering of people with COE
If you have access to the books mentioned in resources or to other books, this would be the place to mention them.
- As a team, compare and contrast the three eating disorders.
Use a table or mind-map to help you.
Again, if available, use Inspiration software or its equivalent. Since it is not yet currently available at our school, I am only mentioning it in the teacher's notes. :---)
- Decide what information you want to convey in your public service announcement.
Use these sites to give you some ideas.
- SFWED: Misconceptions of Eating Disorders
- Common misconceptions of eating disorders
- Myths and Facts About Eating Disorders
- Myths and facts of eating disorders
- Rader Programs: Influence of the Media
- The role that the media plays in eating disorders
- Girl Power!: Statistics on eating disorders
- More statistics, but take special note of the elmentary students.
- Understanding Eating Disorders
- Facts and findings from the Harvard Eating Disorders Center
Some groups are going to need help knowing what is important. Perhaps before you get to this step, you might review how to know which information is the most important.
- Make a storyboard of your psa. Include the props and words that you will use to inform your audience about the devastation of eating disorders. Remember, your audience is other middle school students, like yourselves.
If you need a template, download it here: Storyboard Template.
Go over your storyboard with your teacher.
This is where your students are going to need experience with designing storyboards. If they haven't done this before, then you will have to teach them how.
- Film the video. Be sure to use plenty of light in the background and clear voices.
I mention both light and voice here because it is my experience that these are the two areas on which students are weak. They don't realize that a video filmed indoor without natural lighting is significantly darker than one filmed outside in daylight.
- Write a group explanation of the process.
- Who was the expert of which eating disorder?
- What did the group do?
- Where did you do the work?
- When did you do the work?
- Why did you choose the points that you did to include in the psa?
Add anything else that will help the teacher know how much effort
you put into this project. 