SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
A. Goals:
1. Find, evaluate, and make sense of scientific and technical information.
2. Develop skills that enable you to make decisions on scientific issues and understand what takes
place in laboratories and the papers generated directly from scientists’ work.
3. Learn to gather and contextualize information and bring critical eyes to what you read, hear, see
and experience.
B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Objectives:
Describe how scientific information is relevant to yourselves and to your readers.
Search effectively for and recognize relevant, credible information sources.
Write articles based on multiple and credible sources.
Communicate information that is factually accurate and emphasize the most important
elements.
5. Contextualize scientific information, discoveries, and technologies and note broader
implications and reflections on past and future understandings.
C. What will you be doing?
Reporting begins with good questions. Students then gather and evaluate scientific information
from multiple and credible sources. You will then need to present science news within the context of
real world problems. This means that you have to factor political and social implications into your
articles.
1. You will tackle questions of current interest to readers; investigate these questions by gathering
information from multiple, credible sources; digest the information, including controversies and
relevant technical details; and present the news without bias in a way that your readers can
understand.
2. You will research topics of personal or civic interest using multiple, credible sources then digest
this often complex information into news stories for a general audience. Typically these articles
are about 200-500 words long.
3. Draft articles receive feedback from student peers ( your group members/chief editor) and me.
Revised articles will be included in your final paper or electronic product.
4. Focus on the who, what, when, where and why. Cover what’s most important and new in the
first few sentences or paragraphs. You should cite your sources.
5. Filter any unsubstantiated rumors, bad science or false technologies.
D. Research and writing tools
Calibrated Peer Review http://cpr.molsci.ucla.org ,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov, eHow www.ehow.com, Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov, WebMD
www.webmed.com, SciJourner www.scijourner.org, http://www.enchantedlearning.com/newspaper/
SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
Name of Article
Who?
What Happened?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
Quotes (with sources)
Interesting Information
EDITORIAL/OP-ED ( OPINION ESSAY)
An editorial, leading article (UK), or leader (UK) is an opinion piece written by the senior editorial staff or publisher of a
newspaper or magazine. Editorials are usually unsigned and may be supposed to reflect the opinion of the periodical. In
Australian and major United States newspapers, such as the New York Times[1] and the Boston Globe,[2] editorials are often
classified under the heading "opinion". Editorials may also be in the form of editorial cartoons.[3]Typically, a newspaper's
editorial board evaluates which issues are important for their readership to know the newspaper's opinion. [4]
Editorials are typically published on a special page dedicated to them, called the editorial page, which often also features letters
to the editor from members of the public; the page opposite this page is called the op-ed page and frequently contains opinion
pieces by writers not directly affiliated with the publication. However, a newspaper may choose to publish an editorial on the
front page. In most English language press, this is done only rarely and on topics considered especially important; however, it is
more common in some European countries such as Italy and France.[5]
FEATURE ARTICLES (NARRATIVE WRITING)
Considered "softer" than news, a feature article can be about a profile of a significant or interesting person, a
community event, a movie review or a story about any topic. This type of article provides a narrative hook as it
tells a story or an exposition through anecdotes, research, descriptions and/or comparisons. Feature articles are
not considered news stories and they don't necessarily need to be about a current happening or a major event of
national or international concern.
COLUMN (OPINION ESSAY)
A column is a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by
columnists. What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following
criteria:



It is a regular feature in a publication
It is personality-driven by the author
It explicitly contains an opinion or point of view
Other sections you can add:
Health and Lifestyle ( advice/advice column, recipes, how-to, exercise);Reviews of art, exhibits, movies, tv shows,
books, music about your focus;Short fiction/science fiction ( note that this needs to be original);Photo essays,
Comics page; Advertisements, Letters from your “readers” etc…
SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
Asthma and Air Pollution
Written by Casey Fogarty; St. Joseph’s Academy |
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Tags: Environmental Science Health and Medicine
Sammy could feel her chest tightening. Suddenly, she realized that she could no longer breathe. What had started out as a
normal school day for 11-year-old Sammy Zuehlke, dramatically
changed when she experienced an asthma attack.
For asthmatics, bad air days can spell trouble.
Credit: iStockPhoto.com
“At first I didn’t know what was going on,” said Sammy. “But
when I realized I couldn’t breathe I was so scared, I thought I was
going to die.” Teachers rushed Sammy to the hospital and,
although she was alright, others have not been quite so lucky.
Recent studies done by top universities throughout the country
have led many scientists and medical pro- fessionals to believe
that there is a direct correlation between the increased amount of
pollution in the air and the escalating percentage of the population
affected by asthma.
Asthma is a chronic or long-lasting, inflammatory disease of the
airways that affects over 60 million people worldwide. According
to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
(AAFA), many symptoms of asthma can be caused by irritants or
allergens that are inhaled into the lungs, resulting in inflamed,
clogged and constricted airways. Patients who have asthma often
experience this kind of temporary closing of the airways, which
prevents air from entering their lungs. This lack of oxygen often
causes wheezing, breathlessness and in severe cases death. The
AAFA reports nearly 11 asthma-related deaths a day, resulting in
nearly 4,000 deaths each year.
According to studies from numerous U.S. universities, including
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, the number
of hospitalizations due to asthma related reasons has increased by an extraordinary 4.5% in a 10 year period. In that same
amount of time death rates from asthma have risen 31%, with mortality rates of African Americans nearly four times those
of Caucasians. Although the root causes for this increased asthma prevalence is under debate, many specialists seem to
believe it is a result of a “domino” effect caused by an increase in air pollutants.
The U.S. Clean Air Act of 1970 established six “criteria” pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter and lead. There is very little evidence of association between asthma rates and
exposure to lead or carbon dioxide; however, numerous studies have shown there is evidence of association with the
remaining four.
Increases in particulate matter, or the mixture of tiny particles and aerosols that are suspended in the air we breathe, are
associated with increased respiratory mortality and hospital admissions of asthma. The current U.S. standard for
particulate matter is 150 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3)in a 24-hour period. Numerous epidemiological studies
done in the late 1990s showed that the lowest level at which asthmatics will be affected is above 50 µg/m3 for particulate
matter. Researchers at Harvard’s School of Public Health also found that with each 10 µg/m 3 increase in particulate matter,
there was a 3% increase in asthma attacks, bronchodilator use and lower respiratory symptoms.
SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
In addition, researchers found that ozone is associated with hospitalizations for asthma, although it has been difficult to
separate the effects of the ozone from the effects of acid aerosols—tiny particles that have very high acid levels.
A series of reviews published in 1996 by Michael D. Lebowitz, a pulmonary and critical care specialist from the
University of Arizona, showed that the lowest level of ozone that will affect asthmatics is an ozone with 0.08 parts per
million (ppm)—the ratio of potentially harmful chemicals to non-harmful ones found in our air. The current U.S. standard
is 0.12 ppm in a 24-hour time period. A clinical study done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2001
has also revealed that asthmatics subject to a 0.16 ppm ozone have increased reactions to the pollutant compared to nonasthmatics.
Clinical studies done in 1995 by Hillel S. Koren, a consultant for Environmental Health LLC, showed that asthmatics have
a harder time breathing after they have been exposed to both sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. A study involving
various researchers found that participants with asthma exercising in areas with a sulfur dioxide concentration of 0.5 ppm
experienced wheezing and had difficulty breathing.
Many scientists believe that these pollutants can also led to increased sensitivity to allergens. A study performed in 1996
by Ian Gilmour, a consultant for the EPA, showed that animals exposed to increased ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide levels had heightened sensitivity to allergens. Researchers believe that this increased exposure to pollutants
reduces lung response resulting in longer residence of the allergens in the lungs which in turn leads to increased asthma
attacks; however, scientists are still researching this.
So do air pollutants really affect asthma? Well Sammy seems to think so. “I can definitely believe that pollutants could
have triggered my asthma attack.”
Living with a Diabetic Dad
Written by Meredith Amelotti; St. Joseph's Academy |
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Tags: Health and Medicine
My Dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes when he was only 39 years old. “At first I was in disbelief and that I didn’t
think that this would happen to me,” he recalls.
This is a picture of my Dad taking his blood
sugar. He finds his blood sugar number by
putting a drop of blood onto the little blue
strip. His device then provides an accurate
number of his blood sugar. The blood sugar
device helps diabetics know if they need more
or less sugar in their diet. Credit: Meredith
Amelotti
The 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet
states that there are 25.8 million children and adults in the
United States that have diabetes, 7 million are
undiagnosed.
SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
Before his diagnosis, my Dad was constantly eating, and did not exercise much. His parents had developed diabetes
when they entered their eighties. Considering that my grandparents and my Dad have all been diagnosed with diabetes
means that I run a great risk of becoming diabetic also.
My Dad had experienced several early signs of diabetes that made him believe that he might be diabetic. He never felt
dizzy or nauseous, but he persistently became tired, thirsty and had frequent urination.
There are 79 million people, in the United States that are pre-diabetics. Pre-diabetes means that a person has higher
blood sugar levels than a regular person should have, but the levels are not high enough for the person to be diagnosed
with diabetes.
“You need to take into consideration of what our society has come to,” says my Dad. “What we eat and how much we
exercise has changed dramatically from when I was a little kid and when your grandparents were little kids. I believe that
it is not unusual for a person to develop diabetes at any given age in this century.”
Type 1 diabetes is mainly associated with young kids and young adults. If a child or young adult has type 1 diabetes
their bodies produce too little or no insulin. As a result, young type 1 diabetics have to receive insulin shots one or two
times in a day for the rest of their lives. The onset for young type 1 diabetics can come with no warning.
Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. It develops at a much slower rate than type 1. For type 2 diabetics, sugar
can be very harmful. So, they really have to watch their intake of sugar. This form of diabetes is also known as age-onset
or adult-onset, which typically affects people over the age of 40. Adult-onset is a mild type of diabetes, and can be
brought on earlier by being obese or constantly having stress in your life. However, adult-onset diabetes can be easily
managed by following a diet.
“On the bright side I have begun to try new physical activities, like riding bikes and swimming, that I thought I would
never do. I feel so refreshed after those activities,” said Dad while smiling.
Diabetic patients have many more options on how to keep their diabetes under control than years ago. For example,
diabetics can test their blood sugar levels at home, change their diets, exercise multiple times each week, and have
better access to insulin.
“I measure my blood sugar once a day to make sure I am controlling the progress of the glucose in my body. By
keeping the blood sugar level around 6.5-7.0, in the normal range, I can lead a healthier life style,” explains my Dad.
Diabetics can also use insulin pens that report your sugar level. My Dad uses an Accu-Chek Softclix Lancet Device that
obtains a drop of blood from his fingertip. He places the drop of blood on a test strip tests his blood sugar levels.
Today there is a treatment called the HbA1c (glycosylated hemoglobin type A1c), which measures the average of the
red blood cells’ glucose levels. This test is typically done every two to six months. This test gives an accurate indication of
the average number of your blood glucose levels over the past one to three months, says Diabetes UK. The test’s main
goal to lower HbA1c to a number agreed upon between you and your doctor. My Dad undergoes this treatment once
every three months.
My Dad takes three different types of pills, which helps his pancreas by increasing the amount of insulin. This helps
break his food down better and gives him more energy.
My Dad’s doctor, Edward Heidbrier with Clayton Medical Associates, prescribed two pills for the diabetes. Metformin
helps to manage my Dad’s blood sugar, avoid kidney damage, blindness, and nerve problems. Glipizide ExtendedRelease stimulates the discharge of the natural insulin that your body creates.
SCIENCE NEWSPAPER:
FOCUS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO UNIT 9 STANDARDS
Another modern day treatment is an injection called exenatide. Exenatide stimulates insulin emission in reply to
glucose and prevents the release of the hormone glucagon, which increases glucose production in the liver.
If my Dad had not gotten treatment with his pills, then he would have been at risk of having to amputate his toes, feet,
or legs when he got older, because, according to Insulite Laboratories, my Dad would have been at risk of developing a
nerve disease called diabetic neuropathies. He would also have been at risk of suffering from blindness, kidney failure,
and heart disease.
The American Diabetes Association states that diabetics have a greater risk of heart attack or stroke. In addition,
the US Department of Health and Human Services explains that diabetic retinopathy is the main reason that adults 20
and over suffer different levels of blindness.
“I had a cataract removed from my right eye and have experienced some tingling in the feet,” says my Dad. “The
tingling in my feet is not at a severe level. They have been at the same level since I was diagnosed with diabetes, so I am
not worried. If you are a newly diagnosed diabetic, I would make sure your doctor knows [about the tingling]. So, if the
tingling does worsen in your feet, then your doctor can take the steps to help you.”
My Dad’s lifestyle has changed. He has switched from drinking regular soda to diet, stopped eating cookies and cake,
and gave up fried foods for more baked foods. He also started to exercise more. ”That at first it was difficult to not eat
sweets with my friends, but as time went on I got used to the fact that I could not eat sweets.”
“I try to prepare meals from a healthy perspective; limiting the fat, sugar and sodium, and incorporating vegetables,
fruits and whole grains, while limiting the red meat, says my Mom, a registered dietitian.
“Controlling portion size is
very important especially if you are a diabetic.”
She says that adults with diabetes can control their blood sugar levels by following diet plans prescribed by a
registered dietitian, maintaining an ideal body weight, and getting plenty of exercise. My Mom says that families of a
diabetic should get in contact with a registered dietitian for a personal diet plan, nutritional counseling, and other helpful
information on daily exercise. Her advice for newly diagnosed diabetics is to get support from their family and friends,
and to take their medicine as directed. “Newly diagnosed diabetics need to know the consequences of taking their diet
lightly by indulging in sweets because it could result in long term health consequences for them,” she adds.
My Dad eventually accepted his disease and learned how to live with it in his daily life because of the support that he
got from his loved ones, and how he learned to live a healthier lifestyle.