This iAdventure is an interactive story that allows your students to work in pairs to research the causes, effects and prevention of birth defects. The adventure starts in 1950 and ends with the year 2000. Along the way, students will link to websites to complete their research. They will be called upon to help Dr. Martin choose a career change to either genetic or environmental research. Based on their findings they will develop a multimedia project. This project may be a classroom presentation of information gained during the iAdventure or possibly a public service announcement or campaign encouraging the use of folic acid. The students will control the direction that the final project takes.
Background Information An iAdventure is a way of teaching students important concepts and skills by involving them in a storyline about one or more characters (fictional or real). The students completing this iAdventure will learn what a birth defect is, how they are categorized and the specifics of neural tube defects and fetal alcohol syndrome. This will be accomplished through the specified internet sites.
Pre-Test/Post-Test/Student Data Sheets Click here to view the pre-test/postest.
Click here to view data sheet #1.
Click here to view data sheet #2.
Click here to view data sheet#3.
Click here to view data sheet #4.Curriculum Standards
The following Missouri Show-Me Standards may be met with this activity:
Goal 1:2 Conduct research to answer questions and evaluate information and ideas.
Goal 1:4 Use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information
Goal 1:5 Comprehend and evaluate written, visual and oral presentations and works
Goal 1:7 Evaluate the accuracy of information and the reliability of its sources
Goal 2:1 Plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety
of purposes and audiences
Goal 2:3 Exchange information, questions and ideas while recognizing the perspectives of others
Goal 2:7 Use technological tools to exchange information and ideas
Goal 3:1 Identify problems and define their scope and elements
Goal 3:2 Develop and apply strategies based on ways others have prevented or solved problems
Goal 3:6 Examine problems and proposed solutions from multiple perspectives
Goal 4:1 Explain reasoning and identify information used to support decisions
CA:1 Speaking and writing standard English
CA: 4 Write formally
CA: 6 Participating in formal and informal presentations and discussions of issues and ideas
H/PE:2 Principles and practices of physical and mental health
H/PE:5 Methods used to assess health, reduce risk factors, and avoid high-risk behaviors (such as violence, tobacco, alcohol and other drug use)
H/PE:6 Consumer health issues (such as the effects of mass media and technologies on safety and health)Resources Needed Internet-connected computers
Data sheets supplies by the instructor
Multimedia presentation program such as M-power, Power Point or Corel PresentationAssessment
You will receive a grade based on research, teamwork and evaluation of the final project. The scoring guide used to evaluate the multimedia project appears below.
| Multimedia Project | |||||
| Evaluator: | Project Name: | ||||
| Students: | |||||
| Preliminary Work | Inc. | Poor | Avg. | Good | Excellent |
| Students completed storyboards prior to computer creation. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students gather information related to topic. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Student hands in all assignments on time. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Student performs all duties of assigned team role. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Students used primary and secondary research which included factual and interesting information. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students included a minimum of 5 different resources. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students created a running bibliography. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students asked for permission of any copyrighted material. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students focused topic into workable subtopics. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Design | |||||
| Students showed evidence presentation synthesis. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Stack contains all elements. . .text, graphics, sound, video, animation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Stack contains all presentation elements. . .introduction body, conclusion. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students show design elements. . .contrast between text and background, graphics, video are not obtrusive and enhance the presentation. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Multimedia elements are visible, adequate font choices, color schemes, sizes and styles are appropriate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Navigation is easy and understandable. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Content | |||||
| Information is relevant and interesting | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students have used creativity in the design. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students have used correct punctuation, complete sentences, grammar and spelling. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students showed complete understanding of presented material. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students used knowledge of file size manipulation to control the size of the presentation. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students have labeled necessary video, graphics, maps for further understanding. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students have used a majority of original artwork, animations, video, graphics, sounds etc. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Presentation | |||||
| The presentation is fluent from beginning to end. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students understand presentation media such as LCD panels, projectors, sound equipment, video equipment, etc. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Students prepared and checked equipment prior to | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Overall synthesis of the presentation. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Total: ________ | |||||
Creating Conclusions and Student Products The students will have a chance to decide how to present the information that they have acquired during the iAdventure. They should be encouraged to share this information in their class or with the entire school. Ideas for sharing might be through
creation of a public service announcement or development of a campaign to encourage women of childbearing age to start taking folic acid. The class requirement will be to present a slide presentation.Acknowledgements The idea for this particular iAdventure came from the curriculum guide An Ounce of Prevention: Addressing Birth Defects Related to Folic Acid, Alcohol and Tobacco. Many of the pages containing factual information are adaptations of overhead transparencies supplied in the guide. The websites are those identified in the guide. The curriculum was written by Lori Williamson and Carrie McMahon, University of Missouri Children's Hospital, and Brenda Bell, University of Missouri Outreach and Extension in collaboration with the National March of Dimes. For additional information regarding this curriculum, contact:
Brenda Bell at: phone 417-256-2391 or bellbk@missouri.edu
Lori Williamson at: phone 417-934-5605 or Williamson-krusel@missouri.edu
The iAdventure concept was developed in the Warrensburg, MO school district, as part of the "Learning with iAdventures" program. This program was funded by a Competitive Technology grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Provide a link here, like the following:
For more information on iAdventures, visit the iAdventure Home Page.