Can't Stop the Questions

Chapter 2: Group Project

The following week, in AP Biology, taught by Warren, the quiz bowl coach, the group project is announced for the quarter.

"Your group project for the quarter is about a public health issue, explaining the biological principles behind it, as well as providing research support for any solutions you put forward, and the logistics of implementing these solutions, too" Warren starts the explanation of the group project in front of the class. "For the group project, given the complexity of the notions being tackled, I see it fit to form teams of four for this quarter's project, as opposed to two for labs"

With Warren, we have no control over team composition, Pablo seems to be shaking in his seat prior to the announcement of teams for this group project. And prays that he won't be with anyone among a certain set of students, whom he knows will make the whole team's life harder, or at least no more than one among that set. However, he also takes notes about what is expected of teams going for this.

Questions about the scope of the project are flashing in some students' minds. By far the most common about the content of the project relate to the geographic scope, since prevalence and solutions are tied to it in the minds of those asking questions about it. Pablo raises his hand, but asking a different kind of question to his teacher:

"If it turns out, at some point during the quarter, that a student is dropping the course, or wants to ask to change a teammate that has caused issues to them, how would that be handled?" Pablo asks the teacher.

"You're asking about two different things. No extensions shall be given to a team if a student drops the course, but should conflicts arise over the project, you must notify me immediately" Warren answers him, before moving on to the next student question.

After all the common concerns of the students are addressed, it's then that Warren puts the names of the 7 teams in this section on the screen.

"One thing I might have forgotten about is the deadline. The project is due at the end-of-quarter final" Warren informs the students in his class.

Let's see: I'm assigned to a team with Audrey, Natalie and Tyler. My biggest concern about this team is Audrey. Not that she can't pull her weight, but she's on the basketball team for crying out loud! Being on the team is a lot of work for one-third of the year, and said third starts two weeks from now, Pablo tries to get a mental feel for how the team will mesh for the next two months in that course. They meet with each other during the time allotted to get contact information and decide on a topic.

"Before we begin, I say that we should have Audrey handle the introduction and conclusion since she won't have time to contribute much due to the demands of the basketball season" Pablo opens the discussion.

Natalie and Tyler both suggest topics such as drug abuse, gaming addiction, teenage pregnancy as well as obesity, while remaining mindful of not talking about homosexuality as a public health issue. However, Audrey just quietly takes in what the others have to say.

"What about teenage mental health?" Audrey suggests to her teammates.

"This is far too broad a topic. The other topics Natalie and Tyler both suggested all have mental health dimensions" Pablo comments. "Do you have any idea of how you can narrow the topic down?"

"Sorry if I was too broad, but what I'm talking about is the pressure to perform academically pushing students to attempt suicide" Audrey follows up on her suggestion.

"Just be cautious of making sure that we don't delve too much into academic pressure as a risk factor for other health problems. Eating disorders, for one" Natalie advises caution.

"Yeah, we should address risk factors, but Pablo's right. It's a risk factor more so than a public health issue in its own right" Tyler comments on Audrey's suggestion.