Maggie’s Story

Environmental Health Question: Lead exposure and lead abatement

Related Standards

Lesson Plans

Story Synopsis

Story Pause Points

Story Glossary

Reference Materials from Story

Links

Maggie’s Story

Reps has always been Maggie’s pride and joy, but now, she is wondering how it can even survive. A neighbor has decided to donate the building next door to her. At first, Maggie is thrilled. More space means she will be able to serve more people in the neighborhood. But the building is full of lead paint and the price tag on getting that under control is astronomical. In the meantime she begins to worry that her grandson may be exposed to high levels of lead. As she learns about his problems, the scope of the larger problem she faces grows. She doesn’t want to have this happen to any other children in the neighborhood. But, in order to complete the lead abatement plan, she will have to lay off some of her staff.

The students offer their opinions on what Maggie should do.

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Story Pause Points

We strongly suggest that you allow students to complete the entire story the first time they engage in this interactive. However, we have divided the story into several sections so you or your students can revisit parts of the story to reinforce or clarify story content and to facilitate class discussions. You can reach each of these "pause points" by using special URL links.

Use the following links to move between these sections of the story:

Section 1	Maggie introduces the story. Her friend Tonya offers Reps a way to expand by taking over the building next door. Maggie shares the exciting news with her staff. http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie1
Section 2	Maggie and Tonya meet a contractor and tour the building. He finds evidence of lead paint. Costly lead abatement will have to be done before anyone can use the building. The contractor's pamphlet is available for users to read. http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie2
Section 3	Maggie becomes concerned about her grandson Joey's health. She has asked Roger, a friend of hers who is a doctor, about his coughing and lack of energy. Roger urges Maggie to get Joey tested for lead poisoning. She and her daughter take Joey to the clinic. Roger's email is available for users to read http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie3
Section 4	Back at the office, Maggie takes a look at the contractor's pamphlet. She is alarmed to find out that lead can make people — especially her grandson Joey — very sick. She decides that, if she is to take over the building, she has to do the lead abatement. http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie4
Section 5	Maggie calls a staff meeting to explain the situation. She comes up with a way to pay for the lead abatement: temporarily laying off staff. They explode in anger and Maggie despairs of ever finding a solution to the problem. The web site on lead and its effects on the body are available for users to read http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie5
Section 6	Maggie is conflicted and wants to talk with her friend Gerri. Maggie remembers Gerri's positive words when she talked with her about Joey. Maggie resolves to get Joey tested for lead poisoning. She eagerly reads a pamphlet Gerri has left for her about easy ways to keep lead out of our lives. She reviews her situation: the new building would allow Reps to offer even more services to the community. But the cost to create a safe building would mean she would have to lay off some of her friends. Gerri's pamphlet on measures people can take to keep their homes safe from lead is available for users to read. http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie6
Section 7: Conclusion	The point in the story where students offer their advice about Maggie's problem. http://enviromysteries.thinkport.org/insidestories/home.html?load=maggie7

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Story Glossary

Absorb	Take inside; soak up
Accredited	Having official approval
Banned	Outlawed the use of
Barrier	Something that blocks things from passing through it
Blurted	Said something without thinking
Brochure	A short folded text that contains information
Celebrated	Marked a special occasion with a party
Chelates	Chemicals that surround and cover other materials, taking away their effect
Ceramic	A place where people can get medical treatment
Clinic	Pottery made from clay and made hard by placing in a fire
Coma	A state of unconsciousness caused by injury or disease
Complicated	Tricky or difficult
Complications	Problems that make something difficult
Concentration	The act of focusing your attention on an idea or task
Contractor	A person who builds or fixes buildings
Diagnosis	Identification of a disease by looking at its symptoms
Digestive	Related to the systems in your body that break down food so it can be used
Emptied	To take everything out of
Environmental	Related to the environment, or everything in an area surrounding a living thing, including air, water, and land
Estimate	A statement of how much a job or a service will cost
Imitate	To act like or copy
Inhale	To breathe in
Interferes	Gets in the way of; complicates
Knowledge	Information that you understand
Lead	A bluish-white metal that has a high atomic weight
Lead abatement	The process of safely removing lead from a building
Lead poisoning	An illness caused by breathing or swallowing lead
Microscopic	So small that it can only be seen with a microscope
Organs	Body parts such as the heart or kidneys that perform a specific function
Pamphlet	A brief booklet containing information
Paperwork	Record-keeping or working with written documents
Particles	Very small specks
Periodic Table of Elements	A display of all the known chemicals, their atomic weight, and their symbols
Permanent	Continuing without change; unending
Premature	Happening before the usual time
Prevent	Stop from happening
Renal	Related to the kidneys
Renovate	To fix up by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding
Renovations	Changes made to fix up a room or building
Situation	A current state or problem
Solution	An answer to a problem
Stunned	Amazed or confused
Symptoms	Conditions that indicate something is wrong in your body
Tissues	Groups of cells in the body that have a specific function, such as muscle or nerve tissue
Upset	Troubled or disturbed

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Story Reference Materials

The reference materials are all in PDF format. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer to open the files. You can download the free plugin on Adobe's web site.

Contractor’s Pamphlet: Get the Lead Out

Roger’s E-mail

Lead Poisoning 101 Website

Gerri’s Brochure: Lead Safety for Everyone

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Links to More Information on Lead and Lead Poisoning

Protecting Your Child from Lead Poisoning
This EPA resource provides clear background materials on lead and the health problems it may engender. Extensive teacher materials include brochures, pamphlets, suggested activities for young children, and a link to The Adventures of the Lead Busters Club, an interactive story that helps kids think about lead in their homes.

Get the Lead Out!
This game (with comprehensive materials for teachers) was developed by a biology professor at the University of Pennsylvania in consultation with K-12 teachers. Its author, Ingrid Walton, explains, "This game is intended as a review, after students have learned about the environmental sources of lead, the effects of lead on health and behavior, and effective ways to prevent lead exposure."

Lead Poisoning
Australia’s Dr. Ben Balzer provides a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation covering all aspects of lead and lead poisoning.

Lead Poisoning Prevention
The Maryland Department of the Environment provides information for parents, landlords, tenants, inspectors, health care providers, and many more at this site. References to state laws about lead are also featured.

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
The CDC offers this comprehensive site, with links to resources they have created to help people understand the dangers of lead poisoning and ways to prevent it.

The Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning
This Baltimore-based organization provides a wealth of information about lead poisoning in the home.

Thinkport Resources on Lead and Lead Poisoning
Search here (use the terms "lead" and "lead poisoning") to find lesson plans, video clips, and other media focused on lead and the health problems it can create.

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