Shawn Lees-Carr

SLM521

Web Drop-In 4

Multiple perspectives/Multiple sources

 

 

 

 

Introduction: Athletes not only are paid a lot of money to perform, they also generate a lot of money for their sport. There are tremendous pressures to perform, but it is a choice they make. One of the most controversial issues in the sporting world is the use of performance enhancing drugs. As part of the ninth-grade persuasive unit, students will consider both sides of the issue by exploring different points of view.

 

Question/Activity: Should professional athletes be allowed to take performance enhancing drugs? Should they be allowed to take human growth hormones?

 

Activity: First, the teacher will model the creation of a graphic organizer that students will use to gather information. Students will then brainstorm their own opinions about the use of substances to enhance performance. The teacher will help facilitate the exploration of non-typical substances, such as drugs for anxiety and depression, drugs for sore muscles, etc. Students will be placed in groups to determine the positives and negatives, their opinions, and their reasoning. They will record their ideas and information on their graphic organizer.

 

After brainstorming, discussing and completing the first part of their organizer, students will access several sites to:

  1. Confirm any reasons and ideas that came up during their discussion by adding “professional” facts, opinions, data, anecdotes, etc. to their graphic organizer.
  2. Add new information to their graphic organizer to support both sides of the issues
  3. Examine and compare the value of the information, the source and the websites.
  4. Evaluate gathered information to determine what new information is needed to create strong arguments for and against. They will develop a list of questions to which they need answers. This will help guide future research.
  5. The completed organizer will be the first assessment. The final assessment will be the preparation and participation in a panel discussion, such as a news/sports show.

 

SITES to VISIT:

Federal Government’s Stance of Doping: This site provides a general introduction. Then, click on the sidebar links to learn more about what doping is and gather facts about steroid use. Date accessed: July 7, 2009.

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/prevent/sports/index.html

 

World Anti-Doping Agency: This is the world-wide agency made up of many different countries. Although it has no legal authority, it does issue proclamations that help guide the overall policies governing sport. It can be a complex site. You will visit the Q/A section to find out why doping should not be allowed. Date accessed: July 5, 2009. http://www.wada-ama.org/en/dynamic.ch2?pageCategory.id=684

 

University of Texas Professor’s Opinion: Dr. John Hoberman explores the issues of doping in sports. Date accessed: July 7, 2009. http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2004/sports.html

 

Using Drugs to Recover: This article by the Baltimore Sun discusses the use of human growth hormones to heal quickly from an injury.  Date accessed: July 5, 2008.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newspaper/printedition/bal-sp.pettitte16dec16,1,81951.story

 

Benefits of Human Growth Hormones? : Another Baltimore Sun article exploring the benefits, if any, of using human growth hormones. Date accessed: July 7, 2009. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.hgh11sep11,1,6162820.story

 

 PBS Special: Doping for Gold: A documentary examines the history and use of substances in Olympic sports by examining the thoughts and pressures faced by athletes. Date accessed: July 5, 2009.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/video-chapters/doping-for-gold-chapter-1

 

SLM521-leescarr- Dropin 4.