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GCSE biology textbook - diabetes section...

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,222
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
I’m currently working as a supply teacher and have been asked to teach the “disease” module to years 10-11 pupils over the next few weeks - and this is the section on diabetes in the biology textbook.

Goes without saying that I’ll be going into a bit more detail when we cover this!

 
And this is for year 10-11? No wonder little is known about Diabetes (of any type) in the general population.
 
Interesting.

My little one is in Year 1. It’s good to see that this is included in the curriculum.
 
It looks very simplified and does nothing to distinguish between different types of diabetes.
I personally hate being known as a diabetic. That implies diabetes is all I am and defines me. I have diabetes but I also have red hair but I am not known as a redhead.

On a positive note, is says nothing about being caused by eating too much sugar ... or being overweight.
 
Guzzler said:
And this is for year 10-11? No wonder little is known about Diabetes (of any type) in the general population.
Click to expand...

It came across as being aimed at 7 or 8 yr olds?
bulkbiker said:
Sounds more like its aimed at 8 year olds rather than 15-16 year olds.. who comes up with this ****?
Click to expand...

That's what I thought
 
My little girl came home with a booklet on sugar and dietary concerns. It was general issue. They all got one. I was pleased to see that it had been given out, though it was way above her head at 6 yo.
 
Blimey, far too simplistic and no differentiation between T1 and T2. T2s generally produce too much insulin, not insufficient, so that is an incorrect statement to begin with. Words fail me, completely.

Maybe there should be two different modules. One for T1 and one for T2 with a mention that there are other types.
 
@Mel dCP

Is GCSE Biology optional at the school you are teaching at? Or mandatory?
 
This is an extract from the AQA GCSE biology syllabus (note that the sections labelled HT only apply to students taking the Higher Tier) :-

Blood glucose concentration is monitored and controlled by the pancreas. If the blood glucose concentration is too high, the pancreas produces the hormone insulin that causes glucose to move from the blood into the cells. In liver and muscle cells excess glucose is converted to glycogen for storage. Students should be able to explain how insulin controls blood glucose (sugar) levels in the body. Type 1 diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin. It is characterised by uncontrolled high blood glucose levels and is normally treated with insulin injections. In Type 2 diabetes the body cells no longer respond to insulin produced by the pancreas. A carbohydrate controlled diet and an exercise regime are common treatments. Obesity is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Students should be able to compare Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and explain how they can be treated. WS 1.3 Evaluate information around the relationship between obesity and diabetes, and make recommendations taking into account social and ethical issues. Students should be able to extract information and interpret data from graphs that show the effect of insulin in blood glucose levels in both people with diabetes and people without diabetes. MS 2c (HT only) If the blood glucose concentration is too low, the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon that causes glycogen to be converted into glucose and released into the blood. (HT only) Students should be able to explain how glucagon interacts with insulin in a negative feedback cycle to control blood glucose (sugar) levels in the body.
 
I actually find it quite interesting however it does look like it was written in the 1990's and has not been updated.

Yes it is simplified and looks like it is aimed at the old style "Juvenile Diabetes" which is what many T1's were classed as many years go.

Be interesting to see the feed back you get from the pupils @Mel dCP
 

Now that's more like it!
 
Very often the text books lag behind the curriculum, it always seems to have been the case. I was teaching graduates for 7 years and one of the elements I had to consider was current materials and had to work those into my curriculum. Sometimes I had to ignore out of date supporting materials and create my own. But I had the freedom to do that.
 
It’s double award science, so the three disciplines merged to give a double science GCSE - and no, it’s not for the most able pupils. Put it this way, most of the notes and resources that I’ve been given to work with are in the “comic sans” font... I’m having fun googling images of disease symptoms for a quiz I’m going to start with, where they’ll have to guess whether something gruesome is caused by a virus, bacteria or fungus
 
I ask because in my day, for 11 to 16 yo, back in the 1970s, biology was not an option * within the curriculum at all. So your materials could be considered some degree of progress

Edit : * not at my school anyway
 
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