Type II Diabetes: A Growing
Adolescent Epidemic?
Joanne Yonan
Lakeview High School
Chicago Public Schools
IIT Research Mentor: Ali Cinar
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant No.
EEC-0502174. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
Introduction
Subject:
Grade Level:
Time Frame:
Module Goals
1.
2.
Biology
Regular Freshmen Class
3 weeks (45 minute classes)
Students discover the importance of diet and exercise
by investigating how diet impacts blood glucose levels
in a healthy individual versus an individual with Type 1
diabetes
Students utilize an engineering developed state-of-theart computer simulation model that will safely evaluates
their diet and exercise scenarios for effective weight
control.
Module Objectives

Students, through their own investigation, will gain
significant knowledge about nutrition and its key
importance to daily health and well being.

Students will learn and grasp expected biological
concepts of anatomy, biochemistry, metabolism,
cellular energy, and homeostasis.

Students through investigation and research will
discover how the disease of diabetes is growing
among adolescents and the importance of diet and
exercise in prevention of this physically damaging
disease.
Major Biology Concepts






Process and importance of cellular respiration
Homeostatic role of the liver and pancreas in
glucose management
Nutrition and digestion
Cellular energy
How the nervous, endocrine, and digestive systems
work together to maintain the bodies environment
Disease of diabetes; types, causes, risks,
management, and prevention
Scientific Inquiry




Define healthy diet through identifying
questions and concepts
Use technology to analyze different diet
scenarios
Formulate and revise scientific explanations
and diet scenarios using logic and evidence
Communicate and defend ideas of a healthy
diet and wellness plan
Overview Module Design



Create a healthy diet scenarios using
constraints of preference, FDA daily
requirements, calories
Develop a wellness plan that balances daily
calories to exercise
Design a Type II diabetes brochure that
explains this condition and informs students
of risks, management and prevention.
Module Ethics



Discuss Standards of ethics in science and
medicine
Formulate ethics for project from ethics that
exists in science peer review and evaluation
Classroom peers have students evaluate
their wellness project to determine whether
they believe it should pass or not pass
agreed upon code
Useful Background knowledge






Organs of the digestive system
Understand difference between elements
and compounds
Know the element symbols
Know the different food groups for health
Basic understanding of the concept of energy
Some experience with chemical reactions
Overview
Illinois Learning Strategies
11.A.4c Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and
precisely
11.A.4e Formulate alternative hypotheses to explain
unexpected results
11.A.4f Using available technology, report, display and
defend to an audience conclusions drawn from
investigations
11.A.5b Design procedures to test the selected hypotheses
11.A.5e Report, display and defend the results of
investigations to peers
Overview
Illinois Learning Strategies
12.A.4b Describe the structures and organization of
cells and tissues that underlie basic life functions
including nutrition, respiration, cellular transport,
biosynthesis and reproduction.
12.A.5a Explain changes within cells and organisms in
response to stimuli and changing environmental
conditions (e.g., homeostasis, dormancy).
13.B.5b Analyze and describe the processes and effects
of scientific and technological breakthroughs
Overview
National Science Standards - Concept C



All matter tends toward more disorganized states. Living
systems require a continuous input of energy to maintain their
chemical and physical organizations
The energy for life primarily derives from the sun. Plants
capture energy by absorbing light and using it to form strong
(covalent) chemical bonds between the atoms of carboncontaining (organic) molecules. These molecules can be used
to assemble larger molecules with biological activity (including
proteins, DNA, sugars, and fats). In addition, the energy stored
in bonds between the atoms is (chemical energy)
The chemical bonds of food molecules contain energy. Energy
is released when the bonds of food molecules are broken and
new compounds with lower energy bonds are formed.
Design Project
Simulation diet and Exercise



In pairs, students create a definition for healthy diet
that supports the constraints of daily requirements of
water, nutrients, vitamins and minerals
Create a wellness program that burns the same
number of calories within the 24 hour period as the
patient consumes
Maintenance of healthy blood glucose levels will be
determined by the glucosim computer model created
by Professor Ali Cinar and his process modeling,
monitoring, and control, research team
Design Project
Every student creates a three-fold, informational, brochure
informing other High School students about Type II
diabetes
– Present the increase in Type II diabetes among adolescents
– Define the disease its causes and benefits
– Draw or paste a diagram about insulin and its importance to
health and well being
– Provide prevention
– List suggestions of management
– Provide agencies to contact for further information
Module Activities







Activity #1 What is a Healthy Diet?
Activity #2 Where’s the Energy?
Activity#3 Homeostasis and Insulin
Activity#4 Nutrition and Diabetes
Activity #5 Investigating Healthy Diets
Activity #6 Whose Responsible
Activity #7 Brochure Project
(1 day)
(3 days)
(2 days)
(2 days)
(3 days)
(1 day)
(1 day)
Activities For RET Workshop

Activity #1 What is a Healthy Diet?

Activity #3 Homeostasis and Insulin

Activity #5 Investigating Healthy Diets
Materials







Computer lab with internet access
LCD projector and laptop
3M self stick chart paper
Markers and highlighters
Exercise tables with calories and food calorie chart
Medical brochures
Text, worksheets, websites, and other various handouts to assist in acquisition of necessary knowledge
Assessment – Concepts





Identifying human digestive processes
Basic understanding of cellular respiration
Effectively utilize technology to analyze
various wellness scenarios
Basic understanding of glucose management
within the human body
Understanding of the physiological
importance of healthy diets and exercise
regimes
Assessment






Reflective journals to brain storm ideas
Created diets that meet daily requirements
Create wellness program to meet
requirements of normal and Type I diabetes
Pre and Post Assessments
Exit and entry slips
Informational brochure
Questions