Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task:

Napping

Task:
There has been much discussion in the news recently about the role of sleep and
the role of napping. How many hours of sleep is enough? What is too much sleep?
What is too little sleep? How do naps fit into sleep cycles? The journalism club
advisor has asked you to research the roles of sleep and napping. As part of your
research, you have found three sources about sleep and napping.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about
them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then, go back
and read the sources carefully so you will have the information you will need to
answer the questions and complete your research.

In Part 1, you will answer questions about the reading passages. In Part 2, you will
write an explanatory article using information you have read.

Directions for Beginning:

You will now examine several sources. You can re-examine any of the sources as
often as you like.

Research Questions:
After examining the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer
three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also,
your answers will help you think about the research sources you read and reviewed,
and should help you write your explanatory article.

Answer the questions in the spaces below the items.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 1

Sources for Performance Task:

Source #1
Here is an article based on scientific research about sleep.

How Much Sleep Is Enough?

The amount of sleep you need each day will change over the course of your life.
Although sleep needs vary from person to person, the chart below shows general
recommendations for different age groups.

Age Recommended
Amount of Sleep
Newborns 1618 hours a day
Preschool-aged 1112 hours a day
children
School-aged At least 10 hours
children a day
Teens 910 hours a day
Adults (including 78 hours a day
the elderly)

If you routinely lose sleep or choose to sleep less than needed, the sleep loss adds
up. The total sleep lost is called your sleep debt. For example, if you lose 2 hours of
sleep each night, you'll have a sleep debt of 14 hours after a week.

Some people nap as a way to deal with sleepiness. Naps may provide a short-term
boost in alertness and performance. However, napping doesn't provide all of the
other benefits of nighttime sleep. Thus, you can't really make up for lost sleep.

Some people sleep more on their days off than on work days. They also may go to
bed later and get up later on days off.

Sleeping more on days off might be a sign that you aren't getting enough sleep.
Although extra sleep on days off might help you feel better, it can upset your
body's sleep-wake rhythm.

Bad sleep habits and long-term sleep loss will affect your health. If you're worried
about whether you're getting enough sleep, try using a sleep diary for a couple of
weeks.

Write down how much you sleep each night, how alert and rested you feel in the
morning, and how sleepy you feel during the day.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 2

Sleeping when your body is ready to sleep is also very important. Sleep deficiency
can affect people even when they sleep the total number of hours recommended for
their age group.

For example, people whose sleep is out of sync with their body clocks (such as shift
workers) or [is] routinely interrupted (such as caregivers or emergency responders)
might need to pay special attention to their sleep needs.

Source Used:

How much sleep is enough? (2012, February 22). The National Heart, Blood, and Lung
Institute. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-
topics/topics/sdd/howmuch.html.

Source #2
This article appeared in a consumer health magazine and uses historical accounts,
career-specific research, and current attitudes to discuss napping.

The Secret Truth about Napping

by Maria Allegra

Napping: Only for Kids?

In general, Americans regard napping as an unproductive habit. They think that
only little children should take naps. However, there is evidence that napping can
benefit people of all ages.

Famous Nappers
Many famous historical figures have been nappers. American presidents John F.
Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton all took frequent naps to help them deal
with the pressures of leading a powerful nation. Napoleon Bonaparte, a French
emperor, often gave rousing speeches at a moment's notice. Perhaps this was due
to his habit of taking frequent naps. Winston Churchill, who helped lead the Allied
Powers to victory during World War II, slept for at least an hour every afternoon.
He stated that a nap could renew a person's energy.

Other famous historical nappers include the brilliant scientist Albert Einstein and the
world-changing inventor Thomas Edison. The amazing artist Leonardo Da Vinci also
took naps. They all had unusual sleep patterns that allowed them to work in a
focused and creative way. Maybe if Edison had skipped his naps, he would never
have invented the light bulb. Maybe Leonardo would have been too sleepy to paint
the Mona Lisa.

Naps for Certain Careers

Scientific studies show the benefits that naps can provide for individuals with
unusual work schedules. Examples include astronauts and certain medical
personnel. The human body operates according to an internal clock. This clock
operates in relation to the Earth's pattern of darkness at night and bright light

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 3

during the day. When a person's internal clock is in sync with her or his habits, the
person can most likely sleep well at night and remain awake and alert all day. But if
the person's job makes for interrupted sleepor sleep at odd hoursthe internal
clock can become confused. Then the person has trouble getting enough sleep.

Astronauts traveling in space are not exposed to regular patterns of light and
darkness. As a result, astronauts average two hours less sleep than usual during
every night they spend in space. They often have trouble concentrating. They also
become grumpy. NASA decided to study whether astronauts should take naps. They
did research with volunteers. The researchers found that napping improved
memory, but not alertness. NASA researchers also concluded that longer naps
worked better than shorter ones. Mark Rosekind of NASA, who conducted the
research, stated that even a 26-minute nap boosted a pilot's mental performance
by 34%. A 45-minute nap gave roughly the same mental boost but the boost lasted
more than 6 hours.

Doctors in training, known as residents, work very long hours. As a result, they are
often sleep-deprived. Emergency-room doctors working at night also have problems
sleeping. Sleep experts recommend that these health workers take short naps on
the job. A team of researchers led by David F. Dinges, a professor at the University
of Pennsylvania, found that letting subjects nap for as little as 24 minutes improved
their mental performance. So even short naps can reduce the number of mistakes a
tired person makes.

The main takeaway seems to be that a deep sleep, whether it is nighttime sleep or
a daytime nap, primes the brain to function at a higher level, allowing us to come
up with better ideas, find solutions to puzzles more quickly, identify patterns faster,
and recall information more accurately.

Siesta Tradition
There is a word in the Spanish language to describe the habit of taking a nap in the
mid-afternoon: siesta. However, taking a midday nap is common not only in Spain,
but it is also common in Greece, where people traditionally take a break in the
middle of the day. They eat a large meal and then take a nap.

It is not the big noontime meal that makes Greeks sleepy. Evidence suggests that
people, in general, become drowsy between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. In fast-paced
America, workers and students usually fight to stay awake during this so-
called "nap zone."

After a nap, people tend to be happier and more alert. They do better work and
avoid mistakes. Nappers may even have better long-term health than non-nappers.
In 2007, a study by the Harvard School of Public Health discovered that people who
took 30-minute naps at least three times a week were 37% less likely to die of
heart disease. Furthermore, the study found that even people who napped for less
than 30 minutes or napped only one or two times per week were 12% less likely to
die from heart disease. In a 2011 study, researchers at Allegheny College found
that napping was a factor in lowering blood pressure after mental stress. The

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 4

people in the study who took a daily 45-minute nap on average had lower blood
pressure after taking a mental stress test than those who didn't have a nap.

Finding Time to Sleep

But finding time to sleepor to napcan be challenging. Students involved in
sports or other extracurricular activities after school aren't often able to find time to
nap before evening sleep time. And finding places to nap during the day at school is
challenging. However, Anton Anderson, an English teacher at Greenwich
(Connecticut) High School, decided to do something to help the waves of weary
teens he was seeing every day. In 1998, he founded the Power Napping Club,
which allows students to nap for about 20 minutes at the end of the day before
going on to extracurricular activities. Its motto: Veni, Vidi, Dormici (Latin for I
came, I saw, I slept).

The Power Napping Club co-president emphasizes the boost that naps provide.
"Obviously, it's no substitute for sleep, but I definitely feel more relaxed afterward,"
she says.

Sources Used:

NASA. (2001, September 4). Wide awake in outer space. NASA Science News.
Retrieved from: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast04sep_1/.

White, T. (2006, October 25). For weary physicians and nurses, short naps can make a big
difference. Retrieved from: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2006/october25/med-nap-
102506.html.

HUFFPOST. (2010, March 18). Famous nappers: historical figures known for napping.
Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/14/famous-nappers-
historical_n_423279.html? slidenumber=TPUrtMc2yQ8%3D&slideshow#slide_image.

Gershaw, Dr. D. (1992, February 2). The sense of the siesta. Retrieved
from: http://virgil.azwestern.edu/~dag/lol/SiestaSense.html.

Medina, J. (2006, August). Why do we sleep? Response. Retrieved

from: http://www.spu.edu/depts/uc/response/autumn2k6/features/sleep.asp.

Education World. (n.d.). Power napping refuels weary students. Education World. Retrieved
from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin315.shtml.

Powell, A. (2007, February 15). Sleeping your way to heart health. Harvard Gazette.
Retrieved from:

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/02/sleeping-your-way-to-heart-health/.

Springer Science+Business Media. (2011, February 28). Napping may help with blood
pressure management. Science Daily. Retrieved from:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110228105308.htm.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 5

Source #3
Here is a letter asking for advice on the subject of sleep. The doctor who responds
is the editor of a medical advice column for a newspaper.

Ask the Sleep Doctor

Dear Dr. Vesslor,

I'm a 12-year-old middle school student who usually gets about eight hours of sleep
a night. I often feel tired when I get home from school at 3:30, and I want to be
alert and energetic in the evening so I can focus on all of my homework. However,
when I tried taking a nap, I slept for two or three hours. Then I woke up groggy.
What can I do so I will have more energy in the evening?

Sincerely,
Too Sleepy

Dear Too Sleepy,

Good for you for thinking of ways to increase your productivity for schoolwork. The
first thing I would like to point out is that you are not getting enough sleep at night
for someone your age. I recommend that you go to bed earlier. Remember, the
most important thing you can do is to sleep more at night.
On nights when you don't get enough sleep, napping can help to recharge your
body and increase your mental alertness. Did you know that 85% of animals sleep
in short periods throughout the day? Humans are one of the few species that do
most of their sleeping at night. Introducing a catnap into your day may be very
helpful. In fact, studies show that taking a short nap after learning new information
may help you remember that information better!
I do not, however, recommend a two-or three-hour nap because napping for
several hours during the day can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night. It can
also be difficult to wake up after a long nap. According to research by David F.
Dinges, napping for as little as 24 minutes improved mental performance. Short
naps also don't cause the post-nap groggy feeling that accompanies longer naps.
Another important issue to consider is when to take your nap. You don't want to
nap too late in the day. Why? Doing so can make it harder for you to fall asleep at
night.
I recommend that if you decide to take a nap, you should do so right after you get
home from school. Set a timer for about 24 minutes so that you don't oversleep.
You will most likely wake up refreshed and have more energy to focus on your
homework in the evening.

Sleep well!

Dr. Daniel Vesslor, M.D.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 6

Sources used:

Wood, S. (2012, January 13). Napping gets a bad rap. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved
from: http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/9929262-423/napping-gets-a-bad-
rap.html.

Innes, W. (2012, April 13). The negative effects of oversleeping on the body. Retrieved
from: http://www.symptomfind.com/health/effects-of-oversleeping/.

Swartz, T. (2008, July 24). "Naps: the rest of the story." In The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved
from: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2008-07-24/features/0807230111_1_sleep-inertia-
sleep-medicine-shives.

National Sleep Foundation. (2014, January 1). Melatonin and sleep. Retrieved
from: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep.

Augustin, H. (2010, September 9). Some companies encourage napping at work to increase
productivity. Retrieved from: http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-
news/articles/some-companies-encourage-napping-at-work-to-increase-productivity-
10090901.

Milner, C. & Cote, K. (2009, May 19). Journal of Sleep Research. Wiley Online Library.
Retrieved from Wiley Online Library: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-
2869.2008.00718.x/full#b46.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 7

 Part 1: ASSESSMENT ITEMS

1. Explain how the table in Source #1 supports information provided in

the two other sources. Cite evidence and identify the source of each piece of
information by title or number.

(Students will be provided with space to answer this question.)

2. People whose sleep is routinely interrupted might need to pay special

attention to their sleep needs. Provide two pieces of evidence from different
sources that support this claim and explain how each example supports the
claim. Cite evidence for each piece of information and identify the source by
title or number.

(Students will be provided with space to answer this question.)

3. Click on the boxes to show the claim(s) that each source supports. Some
sources will have more than one box selected.

Source #1: Source #2: Source #3:

How Much The Secret Ask the Sleep
Sleep Is Truth about Doctor
Enough Napping

If you take too long of a nap, you might feel

sleepy.

If your sleep patterns interrupt your bodys
internal clock, you might have trouble getting
enough sleep.
A deep sleep helps the brain to operate at a
higher level.

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 8

Part 2: Napping Explanatory Performance Task

4. Student Directions

You will now review your notes and sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit your
writing. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your
assignment and the information about how your writing will be scored; then begin
your work.

Your Assignment:
Now that you have completed research on the topic of sleep, the journalism club
advisor has asked you to write an explanatory article about sleep and naps for the
next issue of the school newspaper. The audience for your article will be other
students, teachers, and parents.

Using more than one source, develop a thesis/controlling idea to explain about
sleep and naps. Once you have a thesis/controlling idea, select the most relevant
information from more than one source to support your thesis/controlling idea.
Then, write a multi-paragraph explanatory article explaining your thesis/controlling
idea. Clearly organize your article and elaborate your ideas. Unless quoting directly
from the sources, use your own words. Be sure to reference the source title or
number when quoting or paraphrasing details or facts from the sources.

Explanatory Article Scoring:

Your explanatory article will be scored using the following:

1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state your thesis/controlling idea,

and maintain your thesis/controlling idea with a logical progression of ideas from
beginning to end? How well did you narrow your thesis/controlling idea so you can
develop and elaborate the conclusion? How well did you consistently use a variety
of transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?
2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific
information from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did
you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience
and purpose?
3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation,
capitalization and spelling?

Now begin work on your explanatory article. Manage your time carefully so
that you can
1. Plan your multi-paragraph explanatory article.
2. Write your multi-paragraph explanatory article.
3. Revise and edit the final draft of your multi-paragraph explanatory article.

For Part 2, you are being asked to write a multi-paragraph explanatory article, so
please be as thorough as possible.
(Students will be provided with space to answer this question.)

Grade 7 Explanatory Performance Task: Napping 9