Activity 2C: An Editor’s Eye and an Empathetic Heart A Diabetes

Using guided dialectic and paired reading strategies, the fictional story, “Manage Me,” provides teachers with a non-threatening way to introduce the complex and sensitive health issues that envelope a diagnosis of diabetes. The activity allows students to use the story to examine the emotional and social impact of diabetes. Using the non-fictional (“Drawing Out Diabetes”), students will analyze the accuracy of the diabetes information and health content portrayed. Thus, the activity is divided into two parts – the first part dealing with the effective learning domain (emotional and social growth) and the second with the cognitive domain (health content).

Objectives:

Complete “dialectic” responses to the fictional account, “Manage Me”
Compare and contrast fictional (“Manage Me”) and factual accounts (“Drawing Out Diabetes”) of the health issues related to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (diabetes risk factors, disease onset and symptoms, disease management, related health compromises)
Construct a graphic organizer to illustrate the similarities and differences between the fictional (“Manage Me”) and factual (“Drawing Out Diabetes”) accounts of health issues related to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
Read a variety of text formats
Read selected materials for understanding
Participate in class discussion about diabetes and demonstrate active listening
Investigate the emotional, social, and physical impact that the diagnosis and management of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes has on the lives of fictional characters in the story, “Manage Me”
Consider the benefits of “shared experiences” and “group dynamics” in understanding health information and applying that information to improve one’s “health behavior”
Consider how some feelings, such as isolation, fear, and anger, can be shared and understood even if the circumstances resulting in these feelings are different

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