Share and Voice 10: PS3 Commercial

I think this commercial is outrageous. They are basically telling our kids to stay inside and play video games, instead of playing outside getting exercise. With our obesity epidemic, you would think they would be trying to get kids active and not stay in and play video games all day. I think this is horrible to advertise and should not be taken seriously by anyone. Sure, the dad seems a bit out of whack, but at least he's not influencing his kids in a way that will cause them to be lazy. I absolutely hate this commercial and cannot wait until it is not aired anymore.

Reflections: Week 13 and 14; Overall Course

Week 13 we took a tour of Goodwill here in Duluth. It was so interesting to see all the things behind the scenes. They provide job opportunities for the disabled, and find a job right for them. It was so crazy to see all of the things they have in that one building that you never knew was there! The poor stuffed animals were squished to death! I thought that was funny, but sad at the same time. It was fun to see all of that. We finished up our read 'n' seeds for that week. My book was very interesting overall, and I'm glad I got to read it.

Week 14 we brought in our junk projects and then voted on who we thought had the most creative one. I thought it was really cool to see everyone else's stuff. For my project, I just took a picture holder that usually sits on my wall (that I don't even use to hang pictures) and put some cds in it which could turn it into a mirror. For the rest of the class, we just discussed what we learned and how we can apply it to our lives. The conversations were interesting, like the road rage drivers (which I am one). It was funny and interesting to listen to everyone's side of things. Super cool ideas and thoughts. We had to do our learning activities for our advocacy projects and complete the activities made by our group members. I thought it was a great way to learn about the other subjects.

Overall, this course was SUPER educational and very interesting. I don't know if I've learned more things in any class since beginning college. And this is my fourth year already. I definitely suggest this class to others in my field, and not in my major. It was a great learning opportunity and I think that everyone should take this class. I even talked about all the things I learned to my mom and how it really opened my eyes to new things that I had never known before. We learned many things, from Dr. V. and from each other. It was super interesting and I will definitely take away many things from this class.

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Advocacy Project: Arthritis Learning Activity
By Carrie's Environment

After reading the summary, please answer the following questions:
1. True or False? Arthritis only affects people 65 years and older?________

2. True or False: Arthritis can affect every day activities such as brushing your teeth?__________

3. True or False: Obese people have a greater risk of Arthritis?________

4. Arthritis Affects the____________

5. True or False? Arthritis is the most common cause of disability?_________

6. True or False? Arthritis is expected to increase by the year 2030?__________

7. What helps prevent arthritis? a) Eating Healthy b) Exercising c) Yoga d) all of the above

8. What percent of people with arthritis are not able to work within 10 years of diagnosis? a) 10 b) 20 c) 0 d) 50
 
MY ANSWERS:
 
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. Musculoskeletal System
5. True
6. True
7. D
8. D
 
I liked the topic because I never really knew that much about it. My joints are horrible already and I'm still very young. I wouldn't be surprised if I got arthritis eventually! It was very interesting to learn about!
 
Advocacy Project: Inform, Crossword Puzzle, Act!
By Rita's Realm

Instructions:

First, read through the information I have gathered from different sources that I thought may get your attention due to this disease. Second, go through the crossword puzzle and see how much you learned. If you get stuck on a question, go to this link to help you. Third, take some action!!

ACROSS

4 Type of surgery that can result in weight gain afterwards
5 Classifications of this disease
7 Adulthood obesity

DOWN
1 Not the only determinant of this disease
2 Childhood obesity
3 This generation might be the first to outlive their children's generation
6 Epidemic in our society

MY ANSWERS
 
ACROSS
4. Bariatric
5. Two
7. Hypertrophic
 
DOWN
1. Genetics
2. Hyperplastic
3. Baby Boomers
6. Obesity
 
I thought this topic was also really great. This is a HUGE problem in our society, and as health educators, we need to take action to try and prevent more from happening. I liked the crossword, because a lot of these things, I had no idea about. It's crazy that we might not outlive our parents and grandparents! Hard to believe some of these things. Great topic Rita!!!

Share and Voice 9: 10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

I found this cool website about going green. It's all stuff we have talked about in class, but there are so many people who have no idea how much the small changes they can make, will make such a difference. It talks about the simple things like unplugging things when not in use, setting the thermostat a little lower, taking shorter showers, using cold water to wash clothes (which I do automatically to help save money and energy), and it even talks about how to eat smarter and more fresh. I thought this was very helpful, and I think it would be helpful for those who aren't as educated on this topic as we are. Get out and educate!!!

Advocacy Project: How Safe Are Our Beaches?

PURPOSE: This learning activity is to educate others on the safety and quality of beaches at lakes we swim at and fish from. Poor water quality at beaches can alter our health, and can affect the fish we eat from these waters.

BACKGROUND: "In 2001, there were over 3,000 confirmed cases of infectious diseases" (Loon Commons). Those were just from swimming in lakes filled with these diseases. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, beach closures usually result from high levels of bacteria in the recreational waters. "Using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NRDC's report, Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches, confirms that our nation's beachwaters continue to suffer from serious contamination -- including human and animal waste -- that can make people sick" (Consumer Affairs). Duluth's own Part Point beach is listed as a Five Star beach, which is good for those of us who swim there!

INSTRUCTIONS: Read and analyze the three websites listed above and answer the following questions.

1. List at least 3 types of disease-causing germs that can be found in recreational waters.

2. Who monitors the bacteria at swimming beaches in Minnesota?

3. What are some major causes of water pollution?

4. What are ways that we can do our part to prevent water pollution at beaches?

5. Reflect on what you thought about this subject and what it means to you.