All of Us Learn Best Through Experience
Carrie Loseke, Teacher, Columbus High School
2018-2019 School Year
Description & Need:
Realityworks company creates a Pregnancy Profile Simulator. With the Pregnancy Simulator Vest, students are able to see what it is like to be in the third trimester of pregnancy. The vest gives students the experience of a 25-30lb weight gain, elevated body temperature, bladder pressure, fetal movement, and difficult breathing. While experiencing the physical changes students can also reflect on social, emotional, intellectual and economical changes. While students wear the Pregnancy Profile Simulator they will have a list of tasks that they will complete during the class period. The list includes trying to touch your toes, tying your shoes, sit in a chair, sitting on the floor, laying on the floor, getting up off the ground, picking up wash clothes off the ground, and trying on the Empathy Belly smock shirt. Currently the FCS program has a very similar Pregnancy Profile Simulator vest, but it is very outdated. The velcro is ripping from the vest and ripping the material. Also the current size of the vest is a small. The past two years I have been using it in the classroom it has been very tough to use on all the different body types in the classroom. To get it to fit on all the different body types it does not fit well on all the students and they can't get the full effect of the Pregnancy Profile Simulator. With a new Pregnancy Profile Simulator that is a larger size all students can equally participate in the activity and get the full effect of the pregnancy in the third trimester.
Major Objectives:
For every school year student in Child Development class to physically be able to feel what it is like to be in the third trimester of pregnancy. With the simulator vest students can identify the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. Each student will wear the vest one full class period. The day the student has the vest on they will have a list of tasks they need to complete. After students complete their day with the Empathy Belly on in class they will have a reflection paper ot complete. Students will analyze how it could affect their day to day activities. Students will also analyze the impact of pregnancy on one's life socially, emotionally, intellectually, and economically for a teen mother and for an adult mother.
Grade Level Impacted:
Students while will be taking the Child Development Class will get the simulation of the RealCare Pregnancy vest. Child Development is the introductory class to the early childhood program of study. There would be approximately 108 students that would get this experience each year. There are two sections of Child Development in the fall and 2 sections in the spring of about 26-28 students. Even though Child Development is the introductory class to the Early Childhood Education Program of Study the classes are 9th through 12th Graders.
Additional Materials:
The RealCare Pregnancy Profile Simulator, curriculum, and workbooks that go along wit the Profile Simulator are $48 over the $1000 Classroom Grant. I have discussed with the building administrator about being $45 over $1,000 classroom grant and the building will cover the remaining $48 to make the initial purchase. Once this Profile Vest is purchased the District will not need to provide any additional materials.
