Jon Anderson Laurie Green
Professional School Counselor MSUM Intern 2002-2003
Belle Plaine High School Belle Plaine High School
Belle Plaine, Minnesota Belle Plaine, Minnesota
The following development guidance lesson purpose is to bring awareness and understanding to students in grade 4-6 regarding the stigma surrounding eating disorders.
Activity:
Draw a large Venn diagram on the board. Label one circle Anorexia and the other Bulimia Nervosa. Ask the students what they know about these two diseases. Write the terms and ideas given in the appropriate circles. Write the ideas that apply to both diseases in the intersecting portion of the circles.
Bring in magazines and /or catalogs that portray models and actors/actresses with ŇidealÓ bodies. Ask the students how they feel about the way society and the media depict the ŇperfectÓ body. Inform the students that the majority of female models and actresses are 23% percent thinner that the average female.
Discuss body image and its independence of physical characteristics. A person can feel unattractive when he/she is actually quite attractive. Because body image and self-esteem are perceptions, changing your body will not improve your body image or self-esteem unless these physical changes are accompanied by changed perceptions. Improving your body image involves changing the way you think about your body. Change in your personal perceptions must come before physical changes if you are to develop a healthy body image.
Explain that while these issues are prevalent in eating disorders, they are actually a result of mental illness. People that have Anorexia and/or Bulimia have poor body image and low self-esteem. They also suffer from intense anxiety, guilt, and shame. They often feel worthless and incapable of success. These individuals restrict food intake (either through starvation or bingeing and purging) to gain a sense of control in some area of their lives.
Ask students to think of a time when they felt scared or helpless (i.e., roller coaster ride, accident, being home alone,) Have the express what if felt like when these feelings subsided (the ride stopped, the parents came home, etcÉ.) Explain that for people who have Anorexia and/or Bulimia, the scared and helpless feelings do not subside. As these illnesses progress, those suffering no longer control the disease-it controls them. Stress to the students that Anorexia Nervosa and/or Bulimia
are forms of mental illness. Just telling someone they should eat doesnŐt solve the problem.
ItŐs important to refrain from making comments on these individualŐs weight, appearance, or eating habits. Instead let them know you care about them for who they are-not for how they look or for their accomplishments. People who suffer from these illnesses need support and encouragement from family, friends, and medical professionals.
Additional Activities:
Have studentŐs journal about a time when they felt scared or helpless, and/or about their feelings during this activity and class discussion.
Ask local clinics, mental health providers or community out reach programs to recommend age appropriate speakers to speak to students about this topic in more detail.
Ask local artists, computer design specialists or graphic designers to demonstrate to students how ŇimagesÓ can be modified for magazines and other printed materials.
Ask media staff or local librarians for assistance in locating age appropriate books about Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia.
Continue the discussion started with this activity throughout the week as you read stories around this topic.
Connections to the Profile of Learning:
ItŐs Not About Being Thin-directly relates to the Minnesota Graduation Standard number 8-Decision Making under Personal Health-Nutrition. All of the activities are reflective of the Educational and Personal domains of the Minnesota School Counselor Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling. Through the educational domain the students are made aware of what eating disorders are. In the personal domain they will explore body image with respect to societies view and how it can affect their personal view.
References:
Minnesota Association for ChildrenŐs Mental Health in conjunction with the Community Public Relations Initiative
2002 Classroom Activities for Grades 4-8, 165 Western Avenue, Suite 2, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102, 1-800-528-4511,
Email: dsaxhaug@macmh.org
Jon Anderson
Professional School Counselor
Belle Plaine High School
Belle Plaine, Minnesota
952-873-2403