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Life's Greatest Miracle

Ideas from Teachers

(Gr. 9-10)
Objective

Students will learn different techniques used to monitor the fetus. They will be able to describe how the mother's activities affect a developing fetus.

Materials

• NOVA's "Life's Greatest Miracle" program
• Developmental Chart student handout
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Facts student handout
• Case Studies student handout

Procedure

Provide students with the Developmental Chart student handout and then watch the video in class. Then provide students with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fact and Case Studies student handouts.

For homework, have students explore other environmental factors that can affect a developing fetus. Have each student present a hypothetical case of a baby placed up for adoption and be prepared to discuss any potential problems the child may have that adoptive parents need to be aware of.

When I taught this, I had a visiting former student (who is now majoring in Drama Education) coach my students in playing the roles of children affected by pre-natal environmental factors, such as malnutrition, smoking, drug abuse, lead exposure, alcohol, and pesticides. This was quite an enjoyable class. The 9th graders benefited greatly from the "Life's Greatest Miracle" Web site. I had their rapt attention throughout!

Assessment

Completeness of description of child.

Editor's note: Students can watch the entire program online athttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/program.html

Sent in by
Deborah Branson
The O'Neal School
Southern Pines, NC

(Gr. 10)
Objective
To study embryological development and explore the issues and science of stem cell research.

Materials

• NOVA's "Life's Greatest Miracle" program
  View the program online
• NOVA's "18 Ways to Make a Baby" program
• NOVA scienceNOW "Stem Cells" video segment
• stem cell lesson plan from Weill Medical College
• access to computer and projector
• other visual aids, including:

  • advertisements from companies such as ViaCord that promote saving umbilical cord blood (can be found in baby magazines or doctors' offices)

  • diagrams of stem cell research and how stem cells are obtained (can be found online)

  • diagrams of a developing embryo (can be found online)

Procedure
I received this idea through a workshop given by Joyce Kent, a NYS biology mentor who is a department chair at New Rochelle High School. My contributions towards this lesson include the use of the visual aids, the human graph activity, and the summary journal entries.

This lesson plan utilizes the students as narrators and a cast of characters as they deal with the upcoming event of birth. This brings up the issue of umbilical cord blood and stem cells. The characters include a husband and wife, a narrator, and a TV announcer.

To review embryonic development, I use clips from NOVA's "Life's Greatest Miracle" to visually show the process discussed. Once students are aware of development, we discuss In vitro fertilization and the issues and processes using NOVA's "18 Ways to Make a Baby" program. This gives students a stronger understanding of the types of technology used in stem cell research and strengthens their understanding of the sources of stem cells and the idea of potential in these cells.

Students are then assigned a problem-based learning lesson using a situation in which expecting parents must decide whether to keep the umbilical cord blood of their child. I use real advertisements as a visual aid. The story should be shared as a narrative between the parents and their health care providers.

Students should stop to discuss their opinions and any prior knowledge throughout the activity. This discussion should happen prior to actual teaching about stem cells. Give guided questions within the narrative, such as, "What are the benefits of umbilical cord blood?" Have students reenact the umbilical blood issue between the husband and wife asking them, "What would you decide?"

Use a human graph to assess the students' opinions before they learn about stem cells. (Hang signs on a wall or around the room. Each sign has a category: Strongly Agree, Agree Somewhat, Neutral, Disagree Somewhat and Strongly Disagree. Students must physically move to a category after a statement created by the teacher, i.e. "The parents keep the umbilical cord blood." Once students are in an area, ask them to share their opinions.)

Assign students to learning groups, where they will discover more about stem cells using a varied number of resources. To help facilitate discussion and inquiry, or as a review of the topic, the clip on "Stem Cells" from NOVA scienceNOW should then be shown.

Assess students' opinions of stem cells after the inquiry. Have them write a journal entry on their changes in opinions or feelings on this topic.

Assessment

1. Questions are shared after each segment of the narrative. Have students share their opinions.

2. Have students work in groups to answer specific questions on stem cell research.

3. Have students write their ideas in a journal entry.

4. Have a standard assessment (quiz) on the techniques and uses for stem cells.

Sent in by
Natascha Bota
Suffern High School
Suffern, NY

(Gr. 10-12)
Students enrolled in a Child Development course are to complete a lengthy questionnaire about NOVA's "Life's Greatest Miracle" program answering important questions such as: "How is the sex determined for a baby?," "What are the three stages of development?," and "Which stage is the most crucial for the baby to actually develop?"

Students will receive a grade for completing the paper, which will also serve as study notes.

Sent in by
Brenda Lumpkin
Bentonville High School
Bentonville, AR