Wilbur's Mental Health Research Project

Background:
Until recently, mental illness and mental disorders were extremely misunderstood. Mentally ill people were given labels such as “crazy” and “loony,” when really they are victims of a complex group of diseases – diseases of the brain.

Mental illnesses and mental disorders are still under investigation in the scientific world. We know that such diseases may be inherited, may begin at birth, or may begin at any time throughout a person’s life. Sometimes they can be caused by a traumatic life event. Education is the key to eliminating the mysteries and lack of knowledge about disorders of the brain.

Objectives of this Project:
In small, cooperative groups of 2-3, students will investigate a mental illness of their choice.

The student will create a 6 slide PowerPoint presentation that will include the following information:
Define the disorder.
Explain the cause of the disorder.
Describe the symptoms of the disorder.
Identify the most current treatments available for the disorder.
Identify what family members and friends can do to help an individual with this disorder manage their illness .
Include video clips or interesting facts you find about the disorder.

The students will present their PowerPoint presentation to the class.

Topic Choices: Only one group per topic, please!!!

Mental Illnesses:
Anxiety disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Hypochondria
Social anxiety disorder
Schizophrenia
Eating disorders
Borderline personality disorder
Clinical depression
Seasonal affective disorder
Bipolar disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Disorders of the brain:
Parkinson’s disease
Autism
Tourette’s syndrome
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
Alzheimer’s disease
Epilepsy

Items to be handed in will include:
1. Chart of information researched at the library

2. A list of “works cited,” or "bibliography," lists where you got the information for the project. Please use "Citation Machine" @ citationmachine.net to create your list of resources you used for this project. Select MLA for the format.

3. Your PowerPoint presentation printed in 6-slide handout form (I will teach you how to do this if you don’t know how).

Here are some websites that you may use for the mental health project:

From the Syracuse City School District Website:
Go to Library Links @ www.youseemore.com/scsd
On the Left hand, top side, click on Advanced Database
Click on either Health and Wellness Resource Center or Health Reference Center Academic.
Search under topic of mental illness

Other Websites include:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
http://webmd.com/
http://drkoop.com/
http://www.intellihealth.com/
http://cdc.gov/
http://nami.org/
http://healthyminds.org/


PRINTABLE PROJECT DIRECTIONS

PRINTABLE WEBSITE LIST

Grading for the project:
LIBRARY WORK 20 POINTS
CHART OF INFORMATION 20 POINTS
CREATIVITY OF POWERPOINT 15 POINTS
ACCURACY OF INFORMATION 20 POINTS
PRESENTATION 20 POINTS
WORKS CITED 5 POINTS