Maggie+Weaver


 * Record of Assignments**
 * Name of Student:** Maggie Weaver

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** Adolescence **

** L : What you learned about your inquiry questions **
I learned that hormones play a big role in development and what is happening in the body. The body's endocrine system is made up of glands which release chemical signals called hormones which cause a waterfall effect of reactions and changes in the body. Different hormones play different roles in the body systems. For instance sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen are in charge of giving a male or female there secondary sex characteristics.

** Resource #1 **

 * Read:**
 * Gonadal hormones influence human behaviors which are associated with sex differences (this is seen in child play and behavior tendencies) . Early exposure (during prenatal development) to testicular hormones in general, masculinizes and defeminizes anatomy and behavior in mammals.


 * Respond:**
 * This article was interesting and very helpful. It discussed hormones and how they effect the different parts of development. particularly, this article focused on gender differences and the reasons for them. I have often wondered why my 2 year old nephew (pictured above with me) was more inclined to play with trucks and cars rather than flowers and ponies. Also, he is more drawn to toys that are blue or black, rather than pink or purple. I know his mom does not force him to choose these toys, it is just ingrained within him to make these choices. This is because of hormones. Hormones effect many aspects of our behavior and development from a very young age. During embryo development, the reason males become males is from exposure to androgens, male sex hormones, while still in the womb. I found this article interesting and very helpful with my research of biological mechanisms of development, specifically hormones and their effects.


 * APA Citation:**
 * Collaer, M. L., & Hines, M. (1995). Human behavioral sex differences: A role for gonadal hormones during early development? Psychological Bulletin, 118(1), 55-107. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.118.1.55


 * Read:**
 * Previous research states that the sexes have differences in how they handle different developmental events. For instance, stress is handled quite differently in the sexes. A cascade of hormones which affects depression and stress are handled very differently on a biological level in the sexes. This is the reason girls are more likely to become depressed than boys.


 * Respond:**
 * This article was also very helpful and insightful for my research. During class we talked about how girls are more likely to be depressed than boys and how they tend to be more emotional especially during adolescence. This article informed me that girls and boys actually have biological "hardware" difference. The sexes handle stress and emotion differently because they occur quite differently in the two different sexes.
 * This article was also very helpful and insightful for my research. During class we talked about how girls are more likely to be depressed than boys and how they tend to be more emotional especially during adolescence. This article informed me that girls and boys actually have biological "hardware" difference. The sexes handle stress and emotion differently because they occur quite differently in the two different sexes.


 * APA Citation:**
 * Young, E., & Korszun, A. (2010). Sex, trauma, stress hormones and depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 15(1), 23-28. doi:10.1038/mp.2009.94

** Resource #3 **

 * Read:**
 * This article talked only about sex hormones. It discussed the important role they play when it comes to development throughout the lifespan. there are two different types, estrogens and androgens. estrogens are typically categorized as the female hormones that lead females to have their secondary sex characteristics such as wider hips, and breast. androgens however are the male hormones. These lead to the male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and deepening of the voice. Both varieties are present in both sexes.Both types of sex hormones have synthetic versions that can be used in hormone therapies.


 * Respond:**
 * This article was helpful for my research into my inquiry question. It discussed only the sex hormones which was nice to get some deeper insight on just one specific set of hormones. As i researched these hormones further, i discovered they have many different uses than just for sexual characteristics and reason. I enjoyed reading this article also because it was so applicable to my interests.


 * APA Citation:**
 * [|sex hormones] . (2002). In //The Royal Society of Medicine: Medicines //. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/entry/rsmmeds/sex_hormones

** 5. Sexuality Activity **
([])

This Resource talks about the power of words and the effect they can have. The phrase, "that's so gay," is often used, not to offend anybody, but just without thinking about what you are saying and the consequences of your words. This resource calls teachers, and everyday people to action and to stop using slurs like this. there was a video PSA included in the link about using the phrases like that and to think about what you are saying before you speak.
 * Describe your resource:**

http://glsen.org/article/thinkb4youspeak-guide-educators-grades-6-12
 * Link to your specific resource:**

** A. Site details: **

 * Name of site: Colerain High School volleyball game and Football game
 * Link to site: NWLSD.org
 * Contact person: Dan Bolden (Athletic Director)
 * [[image:colerain.png]]

__ ** B. Describe your setting ** __
Colerain High school is a suburban high school on the west side of Cincinnati. I attended Colerain from 2008-2012 and played volleyball. I chose to come back to my former high school and observe at a few different volleyball games. The games i attended were mostly varsity matches, on two occasions i caught the end of the JV game. At the first game i attended it was just a normal game nothing out of the ordinary. The second game i attended was "volley for the cure" a night where the teams raise money for breast cancer research. Because I graduated from this school 2 years ago, I knew some players, but there was a lot of new players and faces in the stands and on the court.

The gym was more crowded at the volley for the cure night than any other game. This was not suprising and nice to see. Many students who do not play volleyball were there to watch friends and support the cause. At the other games, there was also friends and family there obviously, but not quite as many. freshman volleyball players had to stay and watch until the end of the varsity game, and varsity players had to watch both the freshman and JV games.

__** C. Describe what you did at the site (free-write/journal formatting) **__

 * __ 1st visit (2 hours): __**

The first observation I performed was at a volleyball match. I caught the end of the JV match and all of the varsity match. The two matches were different and similar in a few ways. The first thing i noticed about the JV team is how young and inexperienced they were. This was expected because most of the players were freshman and sophmores (this information was read on the roster sheet given when you enter the gym). The crowd for the JV game was much smaller, with less classmates there to watch. By the time of the Varsity match had begun, more students from the high school arrived and there was a bigger crowd. Because it is girls volleyball, the stands were not full but there was a fair amount of people there to watch. it was interesting to watch the players warm up and see them look into the stands for their friends and family. some of the girls waved to their friends and others didn't really connect with them.

Once the game was started, the athletic abilities of the players was easily seen. The better players were obviously more athletic than some of the girls who did not play. It is noticed that those who play are in better physical shape also, this could be due to genetics or due to there personal effort put in to the sport and outside of the sport. The high schools gym is connected to the boys locker room. when the football team was done with practice a few of them came up the steps and stayed to watch the game. When next to each other, it is obvious to see the physical differences in a male and female adolescent. The boys have significantly more muscle mass and are much bigger in general.


 * __2nd visit (3 hours):__**

The second set of observations I did was at a high school football game. This was a much more social setting than the volleyball game because of the much larger volume of people present. also, the main focus was boys rather than girls. Although the athletes being observed were different, the social setting I saw was still similar. There was greater amount of individuals at the football game but the same type of dynamic is observed. Many of the players have close friends who are representing their number or name on the cheek or on a shirt.

The football team has close to 100 kids on it, but a distinct difference can be seen from the "starters" to the players on the bench who maybe do not play as much. The starters are bigger, faster, and likely stronger than the other boys. They have well developed muscles and are using them to their advantage as a football player. This could be caused by late or early development. The starters maybe have had their adult muscle mass longer so they have been able to hone their skills better and for longer. Late developing boys maybe have less body control and have not quite mastered their bodies to this extent yet.

** Physical **
Boys have larger more developed muscles. Girls have wider hips and breasts.
 * What did you notice about the physical differences between boys and girls (pp. 283-288)?**

I did not notice much moodiness or negative attitude but rather a more positive attitude and a sense of school pride and belonging. some students seemed to fit in better than others and feel more comfortable, these were typically the older kids who were leading the student section.
 * What did you notice about the adolescent’s mood (p. 289)?**

I noticed that some kids are better with adults than others. This was not surprising to me because i noticed this when i was a high school kid as well. Its obvious which adolescents fell comfortable talking to adults and go out of their way to say hello while some try to blend into the crowd and not be bothered to say hello. This could be because of the type of relationship the kids have with their parents and the adults in their life.
 * What did you notice about the adolescent’s relationship with adults (p. 289)?**

Body image plays a huge role in adolescent behavior and affects them in many ways. at a high school football game it is easy to see this especial with the girls. Some girls were wearing more revealing clothing and heavy makeup while other were dressed casually with little to no make up. I do not think it is fair to assume because a girl wears a lot of makeup they are automatically unconfident, however in a lot of cases it seems these girls are trying to be someone they are not and who they think they "should" be.
 * What did you notice about the role of body image in adolescent behavior (p. 290)?**

What did you notice about peer relationships ( pp. 290-291)? I noticed that some of the students at the football game seemed to have a lot of friends while others had fewer. A few "loners" were observed but not very many kids were off by themselves. I asked my friends sister what the student section was like and she said that one girl was very defensive of her front row spot and was getting aggressive with someone who would not move for her. She said that the girl was not very mature about it and some staff members had to be called over to smooth the situation over. other than this, she said the student section was a fun and energetic environment where pretty much everyone was getting along.

What did you notice about eating habits (pp. 291-292)? There was always a long line at the snack stand but it was most full of parents and younger kids. Most of the high school kids were in the student section or somewhere else in the stands. The snack stand does not offer very healthful options, mostly candy and grilled hotdogs and hamburgers. I was not able to really observe the eating habits of the adolescents very well in this setting.

What did you notice about issues around sex (sex education, sexual references, sexual activity, teen pregnancy, etc.) (pp. 293-299) I was at a football and volleyball game, sex was not really mentioned or noticed other than some flirting between some kids.

What did you notice about substance use or substance related references (pp. 299-300)? Once again i was at school functions so there was no drinking or drug use in my immediate surroundings. However, its rumored that some of the kids in the student section will sneak in alcohol in water bottles or out in the parking lot before the game. I did not see this first hand to be able to report on this behavior.

** Physical Cognitive **
Once again, this is an area of development that is difficult to observe while at sporting events. If i had observed in a classroom, i could have seen the differences in different age groups throughout high school, and the differences in cognition based upon gender and age. This would be a good school to observe this at because of the variety in the student body. there are low income families as well as middle to high income families and it would be interesting to see how SES affects the students physical cognitive ways.

** Emotional **
I did not observe much as far as the emotional aspects of adolescent development go because the setting i was in. The football and volleyball games were happy, social, and energetic environments. I did notice that many students, especially girls were over the top perky, but not all of them behaved this way. I Think this is just because they are trying to make friends and be friends with everyone and think this is what people like. Over all, i think emotions are better observed in a different environment, perhaps a classroom, or maybe a function outside of school.

** Social **
Socially, these events really displayed a lot of insight. High school students have many different ways of interacting, and as you go through high school from freshman to senior year, these things change within individuals. A freshman is more awkward and quiet, maybe even timid because they want to please everyone and be friends with everyone, where as a senior has made there close friends and knows what they want in their friendships and relationships with people. There was a definite difference between the boys and girls interactions, the girls seemed more preoccupied with pleasing people and being friends with everyone while the boys didn't really seem to be putting on a show, they just "went with the flow."

** Revisiting Your Curiosities **
There are many ways hormones influence development throughout the lifespan. From the time of birth onward hormones will affect the body in everything from growth, to behavior. The hormones produced in the largest amount in females are called estrogens(page 86) these are attributed to many female characteristics such as widening of hips, and breast development. In males, the hormones produced in the largest amounts are called androgens. Those hormones lead to muscle development, and facial hair along with deepening of the voice.(page 87) One of the main hormones seen in both sexes, is called Growth Hormone, or GH. It is observed in the body all throughout the lifespan and is responsible for the growth of our bodies(page168). Play differences are seen in children of different sexes because of the specific hormones present(page 212). Boys high levels of physical activity at younger ages is due to the sex hormones present in their bodies.
 * W : What you want to know (inquiry questions) **


 * What are the biological mechanisms behind development?**


 * 2. hormones**

While presenting,I felt it was important to deliver the more interesting information to the class. also i thought the list of hormones to the right side of the poster were a very interesting, informational piece. Most people do not know how many roles hormones play in the many different body systems.
 * 3. Creative Presentations**

I wonder how I will see hormones manifested in different students. Will I see more negative impacts or more positive impacts on students bodies and moods? Will it be obvious when a student might have a chemical, biological imbalance going on? How do you go about asking a student about topics like this, or talking to parents about their students possible issues?
 * 4. What new questions emerge for you as a future teacher?**

Late Adulthood

Describe your Older Adult Project:
 * For my older adult project I decided to spend some time with my 70 year old neighbor, or as the neighbor kids like to call her, Honey. Honey has lived two doors down from me my whole life and has been like a surrogate grandmother to me. I do not have family that lives in town so we developed a close relationship with some of our neighbors and other community members. I thought it would be nice to spend some time with Honey because i do not see her as often as i used to. she has a grand daughter who is around my age and we used to spend a lot of time at her house. As we grew older, we did not remain as close so I didn't see honey as often. I think she really appreciated seeing me and spending time with me. It was nice to catch up and just be with her for a little while.
 * While deciding what to do for my project, I at first considered doing something at a nursing home because my grandfather is in one in Pennsylvania, however i decided i would rather go reconnect with my neighbor because of all the things she has done for me and my family while i was growing up. I

Describe your experience :
 * While spending time with Honey, i offered to help her with anything she needed done around the house that she can't do along. However she told me I did not need to do anything, she just wanted to relax and talk. She has two cats that she spoils as if they were her children, their names are Oliver and John Pierre. I think this cold be because, as the book mentions, people in this age group are lonely and have few sources of interaction. she was talking about how she goes to visit her mother a few times a week. Her mother is 95 years old and still alive! she talks about how her mom is grouchy and doesn't like many people and set in her same ways. This again is probably due to this age group being isolated and having little interactions. she talks about her grand daughter and how she drives her crazy with some of her choices and day-to-day activities. In the book it is mentioned that older people's fluid intelligence decreases with age (page 463). This is the ability to think abstractly and comprehend some of her granddaughters seemingly questionable behavior.
 * Honey also mentioned that she had been sick for a few weeks. The book mentions that the immune system becomes less efficient (page 447) with age. Maybe this is why she has not been able to get over a simple cold for a lot longer than my body might take to fight the virus. It is interesting to see the effects of primary and secondary aging within a person, page 452 talks about what these two types of aging are. primary aging is what all people experience, where as secondary aging is what your are genetically predisposed to happening as your age. Honey obviously has wrinkles and has slowed down with her age, however she does not have some of the secondary aging symptoms some people, like my grandfather with Alzheimer's disease, experience. The secondary aging is out of the persons control, luck for Honey, longevity obviously runs in her family.

Over all, i really enjoyed spending time with my neighbor and i think she also enjoyed it. She seems like she is lonely and i think i will definitely try to make an effort to go visit her more often.