Middle School Digital Nutrition (SLT)

OMB Control # 0584-0524

Expiration Date: 6/30/2016

Attachment D – Teacher Focus Group Guideline: Grade 6

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Section I. Introduction to Focus Group (3 minutes)

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. My name is [Moderator name], and I’ll be leading this focus group. Focus groups are a type of research used to gather opinions on a specific topic. Today we’re going to talk about some ideas for teaching nutrition in the classroom.

Before we get started, I want to mention a few things:

• There are no wrong answers. Our whole purpose for being here today is to hear what you think, so please speak up, especially if what you have to say is different than what someone else is saying. You may represent what a lot of other educators think.

• You don’t have to answer every question but I do want to hear from everyone, so I might call on you at some point.

• Everything we talk about here will be kept private. That means your individual responses will not be reported and your name will not be associated with anything you say in our reports.

• If it’s ok with everybody here, we’d like to record these conversations. They will only be used to confirm our notes and allow us to revisit this conversation. Nobody but the people in this room will ever hear the recordings, and any transcriptions of this conversation will not include any names. Is that ok with everybody? (Note to moderator: If someone is uncomfortable, thank them and allow them to leave – do not stop the recording)

Does anyone have any questions before we begin?

Okay, great. First, I’m going to have everyone go around and introduce him or herself. You all might know each other already, but I want to get to know you, too. Just say your first name, subject/area(s) of expertise and your favorite activity to do with your students. I’ll go first.

[Note to Moderator: allow each participant to introduce himself or herself.]

Section II: School Breakfast/Breakfast (5 Minutes)

Before we start, I want to ask a few questions about the meals at your school.

• Does your school serve school breakfast?

  • And what does that look like in your school? (Probe: grab and go, cafeteria only, classroom breakfast)

  • Do you have any idea about how many students participate?

• What has been your experience with school breakfast, here or in the past?

  • What is the general perception of school breakfast among teachers at this school? Why?

  • What is the general perception of school breakfast among students? Why?

  • What about the food itself?

  • Are there any programs of promotional materials you’ve ever seen that are attached to school breakfast? What are your thoughts about those?

  • What do think your students usually eat for breakfast? What do you see them eating in the mornings?

Let’s talk about your own breakfast habits for a quick minute.

• Do you follow any particular guidelines for your breakfast?

  • What are some things you try to avoid?

  • What are some things that get in the way of having breakfast?

• What do you think middle school students should know about the importance of eating breakfast?

• Have you ever incorporated nutrition or health messages into your lessons?

  • Have you ever taught nutrition units about healthy meal choices?

  • Have you taught about the importance of eating breakfast?

[NOTE: The following rotation chart will be used to assure each lesson element is viewed and the order in which they are viewed does not bias the findings.]

FGI 1	FGI 2	FGI 3	FGI 4
TEXT 1 - MyPlate and Breakfast Around the World	TEXT 1 - Health and Academic Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast	TEXT 1 - MyPlate and Breakfast Around the World	TEXT 1 - Health and Academic Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast
TEXT 2 - Health and Academic Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast	TEXT 2 - MyPlate and Breakfast Around the World	TEXT 2 - Health and Academic Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast	TEXT 2 - MyPlate and Breakfast Around the World
Lesson/Interactive	Videos	Videos	Challenge
Videos	Challenge	Lesson/Interactive	Videos

Section III: Informational Text 1 (7 Minutes)

Alright, so I want you to read through this document [distribute the informational text concept statement]. This is just a description, but will eventually be a complete informational text article that could be integrated into a lesson about school breakfast. Please take a moment to read this concept statement.

• So what are your initial thoughts about this idea for an article for 6^th graders?

• Do you think this would be age/grade appropriate for 6^th graders? Why/why not?

  • Do you think your 6^th grade students have enough background knowledge to understand the content?

  • If not, what additional information would students need to know before they could understand this content?

  • Is there a chance that this content would be too easy for students?

• What type of specific information would you want to be included in this article?

  • Is there enough specific information/facts?

  • What information should be included to be more engaging for students?

  • What should be included in order for this article to be inline with Common Core or other standards?

  • [Breakfast Around the World Only] Are these locations appropriate and/or challenging for students?

    • Probe for challenging vs. familiar countries, and engaging foods

• What would you change about this concept to make it better?

• For those of you that don’t teach health, how do you think you could use this in your classroom?

  • What other kinds of materials and activities or background information might you need to teach this?

• Do you think the types of assessment questions are appropriate? Why or why not?

Section IV: Informational Text 2 (7 Minutes)

Now I want you to read through another concept statement that describes a different informational text article that will be composed [moderator distributes the informational text statement].

• So what are your initial thoughts about this idea for an article for 6^th graders?

• Do you think this would be age/grade appropriate for 6^th graders? Why/why not?

  • Do you think your 6^th grade students have enough background knowledge to understand the content?

  • If not, what additional information would students need to know before they could understand this content?

  • Is there a chance that this content would be too easy for students?

• What type of specific information would you want to be included in this article?

  • Is there enough specific information/facts?

  • What information should be included to be more engaging for students?

  • What should be included in order for this article to be inline with Common Core or other standards?

  • [Breakfast Around the World Only] Are these locations appropriate and/or challenging for students?

    • Probe for challenging vs. familiar countries, and engaging foods

• What would you change about this concept to make it better?

• For those of you that don’t teach health, how do you think you could use this in your classroom?

  • What other kinds of materials and activities or background information might you need to teach this?

• Do you think the types of assessment questions are appropriate? Why or why not?

• If these two texts were part of a larger lesson, what other types of activities and materials would you want to support this text?

  • What would you want to do with this information?

  • Can you imagine any projects or activities that would help extend these articles?

• How do you imagine yourself using this article?

Section VI.1: Videos (12 Minutes)

Now I want you to take a look at two ideas for videos that will be included with these activities. Only one will be included, and we need your help to decide. It’s still just a storyboard right now, but when completed will be fully produced.

Let’s look at the first video:

[Moderator presents the first video storyboard and concept. Note: the order of the videos will be rotated to prevent order bias.]

• What are your first impressions of this video?

  • What do you like about it?

  • What challenges do you foresee using this as part of a lesson?

  • How do you imagine showing it to your students? (Probe for technology and presentation)

  • What would you change about it?

• What about the look and feel of the characters?

  • Do these look like characters that would appeal to 6th grade students?

  • Do these seem like sources of information that your 6^th graders would trust?

  • Who or what else would you want to see in this video?

• How would you imagine using this video with your students?

  • How would you play it for your class? (Probe for devices)

• Is there any other information you would want included in this video to setup the lesson?

Now, let’s take a look at a different idea:

[Moderator presents the first video storyboard and concept.]

• What are your first impressions of this video?

  • What do you like about it?

  • What challenges do you foresee using this as part of a lesson?

  • How do you imagine showing it to your students?

  • What would you change about it?

• What about the look and feel of the characters?

  • Do these look like characters that would appeal to 6th grade students?

  • Do these seem like sources of information that your 6^th graders would trust?

  • Who or what else would you want to see in this video?

• How would you imagine using this video with your students?

  • How would you play it for your class? (Probe for devices)

• Now I want you to think about both the video ideas we looked at today. Which would you rather use in your classroom? Why?

  • What made it better?

  • Which one is clearer? Why?

• Which of the two videos were better at presenting information about breakfast?

• What video do you think would be more likely to change student’s healthy behavior? Why?

  • Are there any other things that one video did better than the other? Why?

[Note: Only one of the following sections will be included in each FGI]

Section VI.1: Lesson Plan and Interactive Application (7 Minutes)

Now I want you to take a look at this idea for an activity to support the articles we’ve already read [distribute the lesson plan for the breakfast analysis using MyPlate guidelines]. Along with these breakfast analysis activities, there is an interactive computer-based application to support it. Please take a minute to look them both over.

• Let’s start with the activity itself. What are your first impressions of this activity?

  • What do you like about it?

  • What challenges do you foresee?

  • What would you change about it?

• Now, what are your thoughts about the computer application?

  • What about the look of the application, is this something that you think would be relevant for 6^th grade students? Why, why not?

  • What do you think about the type and amount of information provided for each country?

  • What do you think of the particular countries selected? Is anything missing, or should certain countries be taken off? Why?

• Taken together, how would you imagine conducting this activity using the application in your classroom?

  • How much time would you need to do it?

  • How would you use the interactive application?

  • Do you imagine the preparation would be manageable?

  • Is this activity appropriate given the subject you teach?

• What else would you need, besides the interactive application, to teach this lesson?

  • What did you think about the recipes? Are they something you or your students would try?

  • Is there too much or too little information?

  • How can the interactive application be improved to teach the lesson?

• Do you think this activity would comply with the appropriate standards?

• To what extent would this activity extend children’s learning?

Section VI.2: Challenge/Investigation (7 Minutes)

Now I want you to take a look at this outline for an activity challenge in which students track their own breakfast habits. Please take a minute to look it over and then we will discuss.

• What are your first impressions of this activity?

  • What do you like about it?

  • What challenges do you foresee using this as part of a lesson?

  • What would you change about it?

• How would you imagine conducting this activity with your students?

  • How much time would you need to do it?

  • What materials would you want to conduct this activity?

  • Do you imagine the preparation would be manageable?

• Do you think this activity would comply with the appropriate standards?

• What do you think of the particular countries selected? Is anything missing, or should certain countries be taken off? Why?

Section VIII: Distribution (4 Minutes)

• In general, how do you learn about new ideas for curriculum or lessons?

  • Specifically, where do you look for informational texts?

  • What about teachers of health education? Where do you look for health lessons?

• How would you want to receive or find this information?

  • Probe for email, conferences, website, paper-based

• Would you prefer to have one website/platform where everything is located for all grades?

  • Why/Why not?

  • How would you imagine utilizing this whole lesson?

Thank you so much for joining us today. You were very helpful!