My smart padlet by Thompson, Emily

Mental and Emotional Health

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:10:13 UTC

This article is from The New York Times and it is called “What to Know About Seasonal Depression”. The article states that about 10 percent of the population suffers from SAD, seasonal affective disorder, which is when someone experiences certain symptoms during specific months. It then goes on to discuss winter SAD and how it could be triggered by shorter and darker days and could last up to 5 months for some people. The article offers the best ways to manage seasonal depression including bright light therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressant medications, or simply going outside. This article is useful when addressing how students may be feeling during the winter months. A teacher could use this as a reference to hold a discussion about how the students are feeling during that time and could prompt them to think of some ideas of their own that could help bring up their moods. Teachers should be aware of this topic because seasonal depression could be affecting their students or themselves and they should be prepared to have some students perform worse academically because of it.

Seo, H. (2023, November 3). What to Know About Seasonal Depression. The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from

https://www.nytimes.com/article/seasonal-depression-what-to-know.html

Current events

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:17:16 UTC

Mental and Emotional Health
Death/Grief/Loss
Physical Activity
Preventing Alcohol/Drug Use
Healthy Eating
Safety & Preventing Unintentional Injury
Personal Health & Wellness
Preventing Tobacco Use

Death/Grief/Loss

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:17:51 UTC

This article is from BBC and it is called “Party held to keep memory of teenager alive”. This article is about the celebration of a boy named George who would have been 15 years old this year, but he died at 13 years old from a brain tumor. His family talked about how devastating it is to lose their child, but George was a huge fan of birthdays so they wanted to continue celebrating it. The family held an event that helped raise over £22,000 in donations to brain tumor research and another £38,000 was raised by his family. Teachers should be aware of this story because it is just one of many that demonstrate how you can make a positive out of a loss and grieving. This article could help teachers show children that although it is hard to loose someone that you love you can still help others who may be suffering from the same illness.

Read, S. (2023, November 10). Party held to keep memory of teenager alive. BBC NEWS. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-67368843

Physical Activity

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:18:36 UTC

This article is from 6abc and it is called “‘Silent Walking' trend taking TikTok by storm for physical, mental health benefits”. The article talks about a new trend on TikTok that revolves around taking a walk without any distractions. It mentions that this started with one woman being recommended to walk 30 minutes a day by a doctor and then being challenged to do it without distractions by her boyfriend. The article also talks about Doctor George James who commented on the movement and how he believes that this is a great way to get physical activity and focuses on the mental health aspect of it as well. This pertains to teaching elementary students because teachers should be encouraging students to go on walks to be more physically active. Teachers should know about this trend because it is taking place on a platform that most students use and this could be a good way to show that being physically active can be rewarding and fun.

Ileto, C. (2023, September 18). Silent Walking' trend taking TikTok by storm for physical, mental health benefits. 6abc. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from

https://6abc.com/silent-walking-tiktok-trends-mady-maio-exercise/13796551/

Preventing Alcohol/Drug Use

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:19:17 UTC

This article is from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and it is called “New NIH study reveals shared genetic markers underlying substance use disorders”. The article states that through the collection of data, scientists have identified genes that are commonly inherited across addiction disorders regardless of the substance being used. The article also mentions that more than 46 million people in the US aged 12 and older have at least one substance use disorder. It then goes on to say that having the information about the risk can help provide powerful support for individualized prevention and treatment. This can be discussed in the classroom by having students know that having someone in their family with an addiction could indicate that they are more at risk for an addiction. The teacher should note that although they may have more of a risk it does not mean that they will automatically develop a substance use disorder. Teachers can help children understand why some people may be able to indulge in something like a coffee once and a while and others may become reliant on it.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, March 22). New NIH study reveals shared genetic markers underlying substance use disorders. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/03/new-nih-study-reveals-shared-genetic-markers-underlying-substance-use-disorders

Healthy Eating

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:20:01 UTC

This article is from NBC NEWS and it is called “California becomes the first state to ban four chemicals in food, including red dye No. 3”. This article discusses the four foods that will be prohibited starting in 2027 including red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben which are being commonly sold and included in foods today. It also talks about what the additives are used for and why they are being banned. There is also a quote including that the purpose of the law is to protect kids, families, and other consumers in the state from the negative effects. A student should know this information, so a teacher can reference this article when talking about healthy eating and some changes that may be made in foods. Teachers should also help children understand why it is important to look at the ingredients in food and how they can affect their bodies.

Chuck, E. (2023, October 10). California becomes the first state to ban four chemicals in food, including red dye No. 3. NBC NEWS. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-becomes-first-state-ban-four-chemicals-food-red-dye-no-3-rcna119660

Safety & Preventing Unintentional Injury

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:20:34 UTC

This article is from CNN and it is called “Avoid a trip to the emergency room this July 4th with these firework safety tips”. It talks about how setting off fireworks can be dangerous and could be deadly if safety guidelines aren’t used. Statistics were included that showed over 10,000 people visited the ER due to firework-related injuries. The article then goes on to mention that a sober adult should be placed in charge of caring for any explosives and that children should not have access to fireworks including sparklers. A teacher could use this information towards the end of the year to remind students for the 4th of July especially to be careful around these explosives and to have an adult in charge when using them. Teachers should help children learn about the importance of staying safe and being responsible.

Marples, M. (2023, July 4). Avoid a trip to the emergency room this July 4th with these firework safety tips. CNN. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/03/health/fireworks-safety-tips-wellness/index.html

Personal Health & Wellness

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:21:18 UTC

This article is from CBS News and it is called “2 weeks before Thanksgiving is the best time to get vaccinated: CDC”. It says that two weeks before the holiday is the best time to get vaccinated for COVID-19, Flu, and RSV because this is when these illnesses will start to increase. It says that the Flu and COVID vaccines are recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months and the RSV shot is for people over the age of 60 and babies. It also notes that these vaccines take two weeks to become effective. Teachers should know about this because it is common for these illnesses to spread in a school setting so they should prepare themselves and students for the risk of getting sick. Teachers can also help students understand that it is important to take care of themselves and prevent illnesses, especially during the holiday season because that is when most people gather in large groups.

Stahl, S. (2023, November 8). 2 weeks before Thanksgiving is the best time to get vaccinated: CDC. CBS NEWS. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/cdc-vaccinated-before-thanksgiving/

Preventing Tobacco Use

et948864 — 2023-11-16 00:22:02 UTC

This article is from the CDC and it is called “E-cigarette Use Down Among U.S. High School Students in 2023”. It talks about the fact that although the use of tobacco products as a whole is declining, there has been a significant increase in usage among middle school students. The article then goes on to discuss that 2.8 million middle and high school students reported current tobacco use 2.13 million of that from e-cigarettes. Lastly, it discussed some preventative measures that have been proven to prevent the use like raising the price of the products and healthcare interventions. Teachers especially in the upper elementary setting should know about this tobacco usage among students because it is still a large issue that their students may encounter within the following few years. Teachers can help children learn more about this topic by giving them the statistics and how they may encounter it, but also preparing them on how to prevent them from using it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, November 3). E-cigarette use down among U.S. high school students in 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 12, 2023, fromhttps://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2023/s1102-e-cigarettes-down.html