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WebMD: Source of Medical/Health information
Details
Main Website:
Activity Website:
Tech Product/Equipment:
Computer and projector, Mobile devices for students
Activity Description
WebMD has a vast database useful in presenting/accessing accurate information on health issues. It is important to get students used to finding the site, navigating the site, and using the information. This can be done through assigning students/groups to investigate health issues. Assign students with lower reading levels to work in mixed groups so they can participate. By working together collaboration and presentation skills can be practiced.
Preparation
- Preview and evaluate Web site.
- Decide on a project.
- Evaluate class readiness in use of technology.
- Prepare rubrics for student projects.Here are some rubrics ideas for writing, presentations, oral reports to find one that will work best for your class or use the Example Document to have students work on individual topics. Print the worksheet in preparation.
How-To
- Start a class discussion on health/medical topics.
- Generate/brainstorm a list of questions and topics of interest.
- Introduce WedMD site. Demonstrate how to move around the site, and show areas they might be interested in (Health A-Z, View All, scroll down health topics and stop on ones they talked about).
- Some topics have quizzes you could do as a group before reading about the topic. To find quizzes, type Quiz in the search field. Locate a topic of interest that has a quiz.
- When new vocabulary is encountered, encourage students to guess meaning from context.
- Assign topics of interest, grouping for project, how the information will be presented: written, oral, PowerPoint etc.
- Go over timeline and rubrics for evaluation.
- While students are working on the project, follow-up with class discussions on collaboration, what makes a good oral presentation, and how the students will evaluate each others' presentations. Emphasize that these are skills needed in the workplace, so it is good to practice them in class.
- If students are unfamiliar with word processing or presentation software have class demonstrations.
- If you use the Example Document, hand out the worksheet, have students select a topic. Demonstrate using the search box and how to fill in the worksheet with a summary and new vocabulary. Students can turn in their work or you can have them present their topic to the class.
Teacher Tips
- When working with beginning readers, have them use the video presentations and write a short paragraph summary of what they watched. Have them include a glossary of five new words they learned.
More Ways
- When medical/health topics come up in discussion, access the page for information.
- If a news story mentions a health issue, go to the this Web site for more information.
- Students can be assigned to write and publish reports on topics of interest.
Program Areas
- ABE: Adult Basic Education
- ESL: English as a Second Language
- ASE: High School Diploma
Levels
- Intermediate
- High
- Intermediate Low
- Intermediate High
- Advanced
