Using NewsHour Extra Worksheets

Overview: NewsHour Extra worksheets can help students follow along and identify key points in NewsHour science broadcast pieces.

Warm Up: Introduce the topic of the broadcast piece and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Hand out the worksheet and have students answer the questions as they watch the NewsHour segment.

Need a DVD of the science segment?: Write to science@newshour.org.

Story: Dogs Shed New Light on Cancer Genes in Humans, 3/15/07
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/jan-june07/cancer_03-15.html

Worksheet Questions: (click here for printout)

1. Why are purebred dogs perfect for this type of cancer research?

The controlled breeding of these types of dogs makes their genetic make-up easily traceable.

2. Do dogs and humans get the same kinds of cancer?

Yes, both dogs and humans can get melanomas, skin cancers, lymphomas and leukemias.

3. What's another reason dogs are used in these studies?

Dogs are in our environment. They share our households, the air we breathe and the water we drink.

4. Why does it help that dogs' life spans are shorter than humans?

Scientists can get the answers to their questions more quickly.

5. Does the dog cancer vaccine work in humans?

It's too early to tell how the vaccine will work in large numbers of people.

For more NewsHour Science Reports, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/science.

For more science lesson plans and worksheets, go to www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/science.