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Classroom Resources
Episode Four: Creators of the Future
Activity 2: The Future of Genetic Engineering: On-line Survey
Grades 9-12
Objectives:
- Students will weigh the benefits and costs of genetic research.
- Students will participate in a community survey and an on-line survey
about current and proposed genetic research.
- Students will collect, graph, and analyze data from the surveys.
Ties to Broadcast and Web Sites:
- Intimate Strangers: Creators of the Future
Excerpts
"A New Age" and "Microbe vs. Microbe" (approximately 50:05 to 54:03
and 28:44 to 40:09)
- Designer
Genes
Web site devoted to BioEngineering and information about cloning Dolly
the sheep.
- Create
Your Own Chocolate Milk Cow
Just for fun, using the same cloning technique that created Dolly the
sheep, see what happens when you cross a cocoa bean with a cow.
- Genetic Engineering
and Cloning
Thinkquest website with tutorials on different cloning techniques. Raises
ethical issues related to cloning, and has online games that test knowledge
about cloning.
- Biodegradation
Experiment
A 9th grader's experiment about using aerobic bacteria to biodegrade
oil.
- How
Does Biotechnology Help Clean Up The Environment?
How biotechnology is being used to help clean up the environment.
Procedure for Classroom Activity:
- Show students the excerpt "A New Age" from Intimate
Strangers: Creators of the Future. Discuss the assertion
that we are now at the dawn of a new age, the "Age of Biology" because
of all the new discoveries that are being made in the field of biology,
and, particularly, in genetics. What implications might a "Biological
Revolution" have for our society? Are these positive or negative? Compare
with the concept of the "Industrial Revolution." Discuss the changes
that the Industrial Revolution is said to have brought to society, and
which were positive and which were negative and why. With the students,
brainstorm the changes they think a Biological Revolution might have
for the future of our society. If desired, show Intimate
Strangers: Creators of the Future and discuss the examples
shown about the use of biology to clean up the environment, to improve
food crops, in medicine, etc.
- Focus activity on genetic engineering by writing on the chalkboard:
"To Clone or Not to Clone: That is the Question!" Quickly,
without discussion, ask students to vote whether they favor cloning,
or not, or are undecided. Record these initial votes: Pro, Con, or Undecided.
Then ask students to explain their opinions about the current research
being done in the field of genetic research and whether they think that
experiments with cloning should continue. This will also be a good opportunity
for the teacher to assess the students' knowledge about cloning.
- Prepare students for their analysis of cloning by reviewing the history
and techniques of genetic research, including cloning.
- Ask students to use the web resources provided above and other resources
to prepare classroom presentations about research projects currently
being done in genetic engineering.
- Ask students to personally answer the cloning survey questions and
then to survey other students and adults in their local communities.
Graph the results of the survey questions. Develop generalizations about
the community's attitudes about cloning. In what way do the variables
of gender or age affect attitudes about cloning? What conclusions can
you make about people's attitudes toward cloning? Post the results of
the survey on the web. Compare your community's attitudes with those
of other areas. Would you say that your community is in favor of or
opposed to genetic engineering in the "Biological Revolution?"
- Share these results and your conclusions about the survey data with
local newspapers in your community.
Survey Form (PDF file, requires Acrobat
Reader)
Classroom Resources
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