Teachers:  Below are some ideas of more activities that relate to the folic acid module.  They could be used as extra credit activities, as homework assignments, or as assignments in other classes at school.

Search the library or the internet to learn about new folic acid research.  Newspaper and magazine articles could be a place to start.  Key words could include folic acid and homocysteine, colon cancer, or Alzheimer. To do a free Medline search, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi  

Start good habits now!  Write a paragraph about how you will help your family members remember to take a vitamin every day.

Research and write an essay about the day in the life of someone with spina bifida.

Write a letter to a friend who could become pregnant and tell her about folic acid.   Link to sample letter.

Write a letter to the editor or an article for a school newspaper or local paper to tell people about folic acid.

Take a survey in your class about how many people take vitamins every day. 

Ask a pediatrician to talk to the class about living with spina bifida.

Role play a conversation between students, one who has a sibling with spina bifida.

Create a skit or play about folic acid.

Make a collage of pictures of good sources of folic acid or folate.

Work with the cafeteria at school to serve a folic acid-rich meal and teach the school about folic acid.

Create a pamphlet about folic acid, why it is needed, and how to get enough of it.

Bring in one article/advertisement mentioning folic acid in the press.  Example here.

Look in cabinets at home to find 10 food items that are enriched with folic acid.   Make a list and bring the list to class.

Using these lists: 

Create a plan for 1 day's meals that includes 400 micrograms of folic acid (without eating a cereal with 400 mcg of folic acid per serving).

Of the 10 food items found at home, calculate how many items/serving of that particular item would be needed to get 400 micrograms of folic acid a day.  For example, how many slices of bread would be needed for 400 micrograms of folic acid?

Bring in labels of foods containing folic acid or bring in foods that contain folate or folic acid.

Research the other nutrients used to enrich or fortified foods.  Find out which ones are used and why they are needed.

Go to three pharmacies.

- Look for pill bottles that have only folic acid.  How much folic acid is in each pill?
- Look for multivitamin pills with folic acid. Can you find at least four brands?  How much folic acid is in each vitamin pill?

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, and enhance the potential for full, productive living.  Our work includes identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities.