Diabetes and Science Education in the Fort Peck Schools

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fort Peck Community College (FPCC) seeks to improve the health status of Fort Peck Reservation residents by reducing diabetes and diabetes-related complications in the population. It also seeks to increase the number of American Indians who pursue higher education and careers in the science, health and science education fields. The method for achieving these objectives is to strengthen science and health education in the public schools by integrating diabetes-centered material into the existing curricula. The application requests funding for a five-year project. The focus will be to develop curricula for students in grades K-6. Relevant unit and lesson plans will be developed for each grade and integrated into the existing science and health curricula. New curricula will be developed first in cooperation with the Poplar Elementary School and introduced into classrooms there. It will also be made available to the other four public schools on the Fort Peck Reservation. An advisory committee consisting of project staff, public school educators, health education and care professionals and community/tribal representation will oversee curriculum development and implementation. These individuals will provide input and oversight to the overall project operation and be directly involved in designing and presenting specific program elements. Similarly, FPCC faculty in the science, education and Native Studies areas will consult on program content and activities. For each grade, curricula will be developed that include definition of subject matter, learning objectives, instructional methods and activities, time frames, resources and personnel identification, traditional cultural elements and integration with existing curriculum. Traditional Native American culture, values and knowledge will be incorporated into the curriculum. In addition, FPCC will also identify adult education and training needs, such as teacher and diabetes educator training, that can be met by the College. By the end of the five-year project period, FPCC expects that diabetes-centered curriculum will be adopted as part of the permanent science and health education curriculum in at least three of the five public school districts on the reservation. FPCC will also maintain communication with tribal colleges developing diabetes-centered curricula for the middle and high school levels in an effort to support continued education in this field at the secondary level.