Creating An Engaging, Reading Curriculum For Fifth Grade

The research question addressed in this project was: what is the most effective literacy curriculum for developing adolescents? It documents one teacher’s creation of a whole novel literacy curriculum that focuses on the influence of adolescence. In particular, adolescents need the scaffolding to develop a sense of autonomy and promote positive social interactions. This curriculum focuses on three entire novel units that progressively reduces teacher control and promotes student independence. The author included three novels in the unit plan. This included Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and an independent novel unit study. She concluded from the project that: 1) engagement is one of the most influential predictions of middle school academic success and novels help invest middle school readers into the characters; 2) critical thinking skills are a vital condition for healthy adolescent development and novels help organically introduce these skills

Building Performance for a Greener Tomorrow: Designing an Initial Assessment System for Green Building Certifications of Existing Buildings

Overconsumption of fossil fuels and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions are causing a greenhouse effect, which lead to a rise in average temperatures globally and contribute to global climate change. The construction sector has been identified as responsible for some of the highest levels of resource use and waste emissions across the globe, compared with other sectors. Tackling the construction sector in Europe through the operations and renovations of existing buildings will contribute to a major shift in reducing the negative impacts of climate change. Green building certifications offer a way towards improving an existing building’s environmental performance. In Sweden, property owners of existing office buildings are interested in upgrading, maintaining, or achieving green building certifications to also increase their competitiveness on the market and improve their company’s overall environmental performance portfolio. Amidst literature on green building certifications for design and new construction, few studies have been done on green building certifications for existing buildings. By identifying systematic challenges in the certification process for those who assess existing buildings with BREEAM In-Use, LEED EBOM, and Miljöbyggnad for existing buildings, the concept of a strategic tool to mitigate the challenges of the assessment process has been recommended. With such a tool to precede the assessment stage, sustainability consultants can identify client motivations and key performance indicators that target the most appropriate credits within the three schemes under study

Exclusive breastfeeding of Swedish children and its possible influence on the development of obesity: a prospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Overweight and obesity are increasing among children all over the world. Socio-economic factors may influence the development of overweight and obesity in childhood, and it has been proposed that breastfeeding may protect against obesity. The aim of our study was to examine the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and obesity when potential confounders, such as socioeconomic factors, are considered.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data analyzed was from ABIS (All Babies in Southeast Sweden), a prospective cohort study. All parents with children born between October 1, 1997 and October 1, 1999 in Southeast Sweden (n = 21,700) were asked to participate. Parents were asked to answer periodic questionnaires from the time of the child's birth (n = 16,058) until he/she was five years of age (n = 7,356). Cutoffs for overweight and obesity were defined according to Cole et al, age and gender adjusted. Short-term exclusive breastfeeding was defined as < 4 months of exclusive breastfeeding. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify variables that predict the child's BMI (Body Mass Index) at five years of age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At five years of age, 12.9% of the children in the study wereoverweight and 4.3% were obese. At the age of three months, 78.4% of the children were being breastfed exclusively. The median exclusive breastfeeding duration was four months. High maternal BMI > 30 (AOR = 1.07; CI = 1.05–1.09; P < 0.001), maternal smoking (AOR = 1.43; CI = 1.05–1.95; P = 0.023) and being a single parent (AOR = 2.10; CI = 1.43–3.09; P < 0.001) were associated with short-term exclusive breastfeeding (less than 4 months). Short-term exclusive breastfeeding was less common if one of the parents had a university degree (Mother: AOR = 0.74; CI = 0.61–0.90; P = 0.003 Father: AOR = 0.73; CI = 0.58–0.92; P = 0.008) or if the father was more than 37 years old (AOR = 0.74; CI = 0.55–0.99; P = 0.045). Short-term exclusive breastfeeding was associated with obesity in five-year-old children (simple logistic regression: OR = 1.44; CI = 1.00–2.07; P = 0.050), but when including other independent factors in the analysis, short-term exclusive breastfeeding did not attain statistical significance.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We cannot exclude the possibility that exclusive breastfeeding influences weight development, but it does not seem to protect against obesity at five years of age.</p