Unit 9: Issues in Biology

Essential Questions  What are some current ethical issues in biology?  How do these issues effect me? My classmates? The world?  How can I formulate an opinion on these issues based on factual evidence?  Why is it difficult to formulate an opinion on these issues?

Day 1: Genetic Engineering  Learning Objectives:  To define genetic engineering and give examples of genetic engineering  To think of reasons why genetic engineering might be useful  To form an opinion on different situations whether they are right or wrong  To decide whether particular situations should be allowed to continue  To accept other people’s opinions, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with them

Starter  What is genetic engineering?  With your group come up with some specific examples of things that have been genetically engineered.  Discuss whether you think these examples are right or wrong and why you think this.  Time: 10 minutes

Activity 1  Work with your lab group  There are 5 different cases of genetic engineering on the back lab benches  For each of the cases write down what you think of the following:  Why might this be useful?  Do you think it is right or wrong?  Why should it continue/stop?  If your group has conflicting views, write down all your thoughts and opinions  Time: 50 minutes

Activity 2  Discussion of issues  Issues:  Dolly the sheep  Genetically modifying salmon so they are bigger  Genetically modifying crops so they grow bigger  Genetically modifying organs in pigs so they can be transplanted into humans  Cloning endangered/extinct species  Time: 20 minutes

Day 2: Gene Therapy & Offspring Selection  To learn about cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic disorder  To learn about gene therapy  To make decisions regarding genetic testing and gene therapy

Starter  If you could choose what traits your children would inherit, would you?  What traits would you want your children to have?  What do you think about this idea of being able to select the genes that your children would inherit?  Time: 15 minutes

Video Clip: Gattaca

Activity 1  You will be put into groups  Read through the “cystic fibrosis and gene therapy” article  What is cystic fibrosis and how does cystic fibrosis affect the individual?  What is gene therapy?  If you found out you were going to have a child with a genetic disorder, what would you do?  Time: 25 minutes

Activity 2  Read and discuss the case study “Sometimes it is all in the genes” with your group  Answer your questions on a separate page  Time: 30 minutes in group, 15 minutes class discussion

Day 3: Human Overpopulation  Learning Objectives:  To learn that human population is growing at an exponential rate  To understand the problems that the overpopulation of humans can cause on the Earth

Starter  Watch the video clip and answer the following questions:  To what extent do you think that rates of longevity and advances in medicine and food production impact the growth of the world's population?  Why do you think that population growth might be a source of concern?  What potential environmental, economic and social problems are associated with overpopulation?  Time: 15 minutes

Video: Earth Overpopulation Awareness

Activity 1  You and your partner will be given a country  Research the population and demographics of your assigned country and the current status of the country's natural resources. These resources might include fresh water, forests, clean air, wetlands and oceans.  Identify how the country's people benefit from the natural resources and the extent to which the resources are being threatened by human consumption.  You will present your findings at the end of 30 minutes  Time: 30 minutes

Activity 2  Present your findings to the class  Countries included:  China, India, USA, UK, Indonesia, Russia, Brazil, Pakistan, Japan, Nigeria, Germany, Egypt, Vietnam, South Africa  Time: 15 minutes

Video: The Science of Overpopulation

Activity 3  Answer the following questions with your group:  1. What correlations, if any, can be drawn between overpopulation and poverty?  2. What do you think might happen to our planet and its inhabitants if the Earth's natural resources were completely used up?  3. In your opinion, will the world's natural resources be able to handle the Earth's growing population? Why or why not? If not, what can be done to address this problem?  4. What do you think the world will look like in 50 years? In what ways might the world your children and grandchildren live in resemble anything you have known?  5. In your view, what challenges are associated with stabilizing the world's population?  Hand in when completed

Day 4: Stem Cells (60 min)  Learning Objectives:  To understand what embryonic stem cells are  To research the studies currently being done on embryonic stem cells  To debate whether research into stem cells is right or wrong

Starter  What are stem cells?  Why are they so controversial?  Time: 10 minutes

Video Clip: Creating Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

Activity 1  You will be given either a number 1 or number 2  You will work with this group to defend your side of embryonic stem cell research and therapies  1 – For research into stem cells  2 – Against research into stem cells  You will get an opening statement, rebuttal, and closing statement  Time: 30 minutes

Activity 2  Debate

Day 5: Exam preparation