Teaching Guide
Introduction
This curriculum web is designed as an educational resource for the St. Paul School community. Currently, there are more than a dozen students at St. Paul Catholic School who live with life-threatening food allergies every day. The curriculum web includes separate lesson plans for the following four constituent groups: faculty/staff, cafeteria/playground volunteers, students, and parents. Viewing the PowerPoint presentation on the "Volunteer Training" page is a mandatory requirement for cafeteria/playground volunteers. In addition, they are required to take the Quiz at the end of the presentation in order to confirm that they have viewed it and understand the correct procedures to follow while they are on duty.
Educational Goals
The educational goal of this curriculum web is to increase awareness regarding life threatening food allergies and to educate staff, volunteers, students, and parents so that allergic students can attend school in a safe, nurturing environment.
Description of Learners
The targeted learners for this curriculum web include a wide range of people. The primary target is adult members of the St. Paul School community, including faculty, staff, volunteers, and parents of students. In addition, it is intended to be a resource for students from Kindergarten through Grade 8. While the typical learner will be a non-allergic member of the community, several of the resources provided could be educational for allergic students and their families.
Description of Subject Matter
The main subject matter of this curriculum web is life threatening food allergies, including the most common allergens: dairy, egg, peanut, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, soy, and wheat. It provides information about the causes of food allergies, how to treat them, how to minimize the risk of a reaction, how to react in case of an emergency, how to treat allergic classmates, how to use an Epi-pen, how to wash hands correctly, and how to minimize risks in the cafeteria.
Detailed Learning Objectives
After reviewing this curriculum web, the faculty and staff at St. Paul's will:
Prior to reviewing this website, learners will need to have basic knowledge about how to use a computer, visit websites, and click on links to websites.
Summary Aim
This curriculum web is designed to teach all members of the St. Paul School community about life-threatening food allergies, and the appropriate way to prevent and treat allergic reactions.
Rationale
This curriculum web has been developed in response to requests from the parents of students who live with life-threatening food allergies in the St. Paul community. Several parents approached the school administration and asked that the administration consider the possibility of banning peanuts from the campus. After careful consideration, and with the support of the School Committee, the administration decided that such a ban was not feasible at this time. Instead, the administration, School Committee, and parents have worked together to develop a four-pronged approach to educating the community and increasing awareness of food allergies. This approach includes addressing education and awareness for the following groups: faculty/staff, cafeteria/playground volunteers, students, and parents.
Instructional Plan
1. The faculty and staff will receive instruction from the principal during the week prior to the opening of school. They will have access to this curriculum web throughout the school year. The quiz in the "faculty/staff training" section of the website is optional at this time.
2. The playground and cafeteria volunteers will receive instruction on the first day of school. In addition, they will be required to view the PowerPoint presentation that is posted to the website and to take the quiz at the end of the presentation. The other elements of the website are optional at this time.
3. The students will receive instruction throughout the year on the subject of food allergies. They will have access to this curriculum web throughout the school year.
4. Parents will receive periodic information about food allergies in the weekly newsletter that is sent home electronically. All of the elements in the parent section are optional at this time.
Learning Activities
Faculty: Visit each link/website and read or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz. Review the sample WebQuest and lesson plan to see if they are relevant for your classes.
Volunteers: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz.
Students: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz.
Parents: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video.
Sequence of Activities
There is no required sequence. Participants may choose the activities/topics that they would like to explore.
Assessment Plan
Faculty/Staff - The online quiz that is provided on the faculty/staff page is optional at this time. It is designed to help faculty and staff members assess their knowledge about food allergies and their preparedness in case of an emergency. There is a self-assessment preparedness checklist on the faculty/staff page that staff members are encouraged to read and follow.
Volunteers - The online quiz that is provided on the volunteer page is mandatory for all cafeteria and playground volunteers. Increasing the awareness and preparedness of the volunteers was one of the major factors in the development of this program. All volunteers must understand the plan thoroughly in order to maximize the safety of allergic children.
Students - The online quiz that is provided on the student page is optional at this time. Teachers are encouraged to use the resources on this page to begin discussions and education about the topic of life-threatening food allergies.
Parents - There is no assessment element for parents at this time. The information that is provided on the parent page is intended to be for their personal benefit.
Rubric
The rubric for the assessment of mastery of this topic can be found here.
This curriculum web is designed as an educational resource for the St. Paul School community. Currently, there are more than a dozen students at St. Paul Catholic School who live with life-threatening food allergies every day. The curriculum web includes separate lesson plans for the following four constituent groups: faculty/staff, cafeteria/playground volunteers, students, and parents. Viewing the PowerPoint presentation on the "Volunteer Training" page is a mandatory requirement for cafeteria/playground volunteers. In addition, they are required to take the Quiz at the end of the presentation in order to confirm that they have viewed it and understand the correct procedures to follow while they are on duty.
Educational Goals
The educational goal of this curriculum web is to increase awareness regarding life threatening food allergies and to educate staff, volunteers, students, and parents so that allergic students can attend school in a safe, nurturing environment.
Description of Learners
The targeted learners for this curriculum web include a wide range of people. The primary target is adult members of the St. Paul School community, including faculty, staff, volunteers, and parents of students. In addition, it is intended to be a resource for students from Kindergarten through Grade 8. While the typical learner will be a non-allergic member of the community, several of the resources provided could be educational for allergic students and their families.
Description of Subject Matter
The main subject matter of this curriculum web is life threatening food allergies, including the most common allergens: dairy, egg, peanut, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, soy, and wheat. It provides information about the causes of food allergies, how to treat them, how to minimize the risk of a reaction, how to react in case of an emergency, how to treat allergic classmates, how to use an Epi-pen, how to wash hands correctly, and how to minimize risks in the cafeteria.
Detailed Learning Objectives
After reviewing this curriculum web, the faculty and staff at St. Paul's will:
- Recognize the signs of an allergic reaction
- Know what steps to take during an allergic reaction
- Know how to use an Epi-Pen
- Know the proper way to wash hands
- Understand the seriousness of life-threatening food allergies
- Understand the responsbilities of a staff member regarding students with allergies.
- Recognize the signs of an allergic reaction
- Know what steps to take during an allergic reaction
- Know how to use an Epi-Pen
- Know the proper way to wash hands
- Understand the seriousness of life-threatening food allergies
- Understand the responsibilities of a volunteer regarding students with allergies.
- Recognize the signs of an allergic reaction
- Know what steps to take during an allergic reaction
- Know the proper way to wash hands
- Know the importance of treating allergic classmates with dignity and compassion
- Be able to define food allergies
- Understand the seriousness of food allergies
- Understand the school's policy regarding food allergies
Prior to reviewing this website, learners will need to have basic knowledge about how to use a computer, visit websites, and click on links to websites.
Summary Aim
This curriculum web is designed to teach all members of the St. Paul School community about life-threatening food allergies, and the appropriate way to prevent and treat allergic reactions.
Rationale
This curriculum web has been developed in response to requests from the parents of students who live with life-threatening food allergies in the St. Paul community. Several parents approached the school administration and asked that the administration consider the possibility of banning peanuts from the campus. After careful consideration, and with the support of the School Committee, the administration decided that such a ban was not feasible at this time. Instead, the administration, School Committee, and parents have worked together to develop a four-pronged approach to educating the community and increasing awareness of food allergies. This approach includes addressing education and awareness for the following groups: faculty/staff, cafeteria/playground volunteers, students, and parents.
Instructional Plan
1. The faculty and staff will receive instruction from the principal during the week prior to the opening of school. They will have access to this curriculum web throughout the school year. The quiz in the "faculty/staff training" section of the website is optional at this time.
2. The playground and cafeteria volunteers will receive instruction on the first day of school. In addition, they will be required to view the PowerPoint presentation that is posted to the website and to take the quiz at the end of the presentation. The other elements of the website are optional at this time.
3. The students will receive instruction throughout the year on the subject of food allergies. They will have access to this curriculum web throughout the school year.
4. Parents will receive periodic information about food allergies in the weekly newsletter that is sent home electronically. All of the elements in the parent section are optional at this time.
Learning Activities
Faculty: Visit each link/website and read or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz. Review the sample WebQuest and lesson plan to see if they are relevant for your classes.
Volunteers: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz.
Students: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video. Take the on-line quiz.
Parents: Visit each link/website and read the information or watch the video.
Sequence of Activities
There is no required sequence. Participants may choose the activities/topics that they would like to explore.
Assessment Plan
Faculty/Staff - The online quiz that is provided on the faculty/staff page is optional at this time. It is designed to help faculty and staff members assess their knowledge about food allergies and their preparedness in case of an emergency. There is a self-assessment preparedness checklist on the faculty/staff page that staff members are encouraged to read and follow.
Volunteers - The online quiz that is provided on the volunteer page is mandatory for all cafeteria and playground volunteers. Increasing the awareness and preparedness of the volunteers was one of the major factors in the development of this program. All volunteers must understand the plan thoroughly in order to maximize the safety of allergic children.
Students - The online quiz that is provided on the student page is optional at this time. Teachers are encouraged to use the resources on this page to begin discussions and education about the topic of life-threatening food allergies.
Parents - There is no assessment element for parents at this time. The information that is provided on the parent page is intended to be for their personal benefit.
Rubric
The rubric for the assessment of mastery of this topic can be found here.
