Multidimensional Unit Plan
Controversy in Science
Michael Brothers
Overview of Multidimensional Unit
Grade Level: 12
Language and Level: English, advanced
Field of Experience: Controversy in Science
Topics to be Developed:
-Understanding of terms and definitions related to the human genome through the use of creative writing.
-Understanding of current issues and trends that form a background to the existing controversy.
-How does the media (via sci-fi genres) influence societies views regarding advancing technology.
Experiential Goal: At the end of the unit, the students will participate in a debate, arguing the pros and cons of scientific research in the area of genetics; with regards to genetic mapping, genetic tampering and cloning.
Steps Necessary to Achieve Goal:
3) Teach students a list of keywords necessary to understand the topic of the human genome.
4) Watch documentaries related to topic. Teacher can either tape the show him or herself, or they can send away to studio for a tape. The Nature of Things and 60 Minutes are examples of programs that have done many documentaries on these topics.
5) Watch a movie or parts of several movies. Study science-fiction and how it portrays positive and/or negative views of the human genome. (i.e. The Sixth Day and Multiplicity).
6) Get students to write a short story or poem related to the unit.
7) Hold a debate at the end of the unit whereby each side will make educated arguments for their side of the argument. Should scientists be allowed to continue investigating the human genome or should they stop while they are ahead, avoiding Pandoras Box.
8) Reflection of unit. Peer and self-evaluation.
Objectives
Communicative/Experiential-
1) Use of Internet, magazine articles (Time, MacLeans, Newsweek, etc) and newspaper articles (Daily Gleaner, Globe and Mail, etc.)
2) How do sci-fi films serve to influence society regarding advanced technology regarding the human genome.
Content-
1) Examine philosophical issues surrounding controversy of human genome studies.
Language-
1) Students will learn a list of key words and definitions pertinent to the topic of the human genome (i.e. clone, DNA, RNA, protein, gene, etc.)
2) Students will watch documentaries (60 Minutes, The Natures of Things) and watch movie clips (The Sixth Day, Multiplicity).
3) Whole-class discussions regarding the pros and cons of continuing the study of the human genome.
General Language-
1) Write short stories or poems relating to the unit topic.
2) Conduct a debate at the end of the unit, allowing each student to present arguments and rebuttals in order to defend their stand-point.
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 12
Language: English
Length of Class: 60 min.
Field of Experience: Controversy in Science
Lesson: Five
Subject to be Developed: How Science-Fiction Influences Media
Materials:
television, VCR
movies
Activity: Watch segments of 2 movies (The 6th Day and Multiplicity).
Steps to Follow:
-Briefly introduce activity, saying that
they will be examining two pop culture
movies and will be discussing them later.
(5 min.)
- first show clip of Multiplicity, late in
movie when Michael Keatons three clones
have developed their own distinct
personalities. (15min.)
- show second clip of The 6th Day, when
Robert Duvall exaplains to Arnold
Schwarzenegger the bad guys evil plan for
the use of cloning. (15min.)
-get students into small group and have them discuss differing messages of both movies. What are the movies saying about the effects of technology and the human genome on our society? Can they think of other movies, TV shows or books that go along with this topic? (15min.)
-whole class discussion where each group shares their findings and the results are discussed as a class. (10min.)
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 12
Language: English
Length of Class: 60min.
Field of Experience: Controversy in Science
Lesson: Six
Subject to be Developed: Incorporating Creative Writing into the Unit
Materials:
-over-head projector -seated in small groups
-list of definitions on transparency -assign a recorder and group leader
Activity: Write a Short Story in Small Group and Incorporate All Definitions from Over-Head
Steps to Follow:
-teacher introduces new definitions to
the class; be sure to give clear and concise
examples of each definition so that the
students will be clear on them. Then
encourage discussion and questions
related to these new definitions. (15min.)
-explain exercise to students; divide them
into groups of three or four and have them
get situated throughout the class (5min.)
-the students will be asked to write a short story as a group, incorporating into it all the new definitions they received earlier in the class. An designated recorder will do the writing and an designated leader will insure they stay on task. (20min.)
-get someone from each group to present the groups story to the class. Some of these stories can be very interesting and on the large, most of them are very humourous. Allowing the students to have fun using the words in their story and giving everyone the opportunity to present them to the class. (20min.)
-A homework assignment would involve having each student write their own story, having to incorporate the same, or even new, words, into these stories.
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 12
Language: English
Length of Class: 60min.
Field of Experience: Controversy in Science Lesson: Final
Subject to be Developed: Debate
Materials:
-have classroom separated into two halves; desks facing each other
-each group will come prepared. (for or against study and mapping of human genome)
Each student will be capable of presenting an argument and must be prepared to give rebuttals to opposing arguments
-bring any necessary hand-outs necessary for visual aids
Activity: Debate the Pros and Cons of Mapping and Studying the Human Genome
Steps to Follow:
-must present this idea to students at beginning of unit. At this time, divide
class into 2 groups and throughout unit, ensure that they are preparing for debate
and help them apply information being learned to upcoming debate.
-prepare a 60min. debate, allowing time for opposing team to rebut and make their own arguments. Allowing everyone opportunity to participate.
-be prepared to act as Devils Advocate if debate becomes tired or if one team
seems to be trouncing the other. Be able to inquire as a facilitator without becoming
active participant.
Assessment
This assessment of the classroom debate will be graded in terms of:
Speaking Skills: Can the student speak clearly and fluently when presenting ideas to the class 40%
Preparation: This will be divided into the following two categories
a) Self-Evaluation- 15%
b) Peer-Evaluation- 15%
Written Section: Each student will be responsible for handing in a written paper outlining the reasons he or she adopted their point of view. 30%
Each of these three sections is necessary in the evaluation of this debate, and that is why they have approximately the same value. Preparation is necessary to determine that there were no free-loaders or coasters in the group that performed little to no work in the development of the arguments and rebuttals for the debate. Peer-evaluation is necessary to insure that everyone gets to attribute praise to those who contributed to the group and can speak out against those who did nothing. With the introduction of peer-evaluation, students will be more wary in their self evaluations as they will try to understand how others would have appreciated their contributions or lack thereof, and so a student may be more hard on him or herself than their peers or teacher would have been.
Speaking Skills are the most important part of the evaluation because this is where the teacher can evaluate the outcome of the students work. Marks can be given based on participation, ability to speak clearly and fluently in the target language and their public speaking skills in general. The teacher has a lot of freedom in how this section is marked.
The final part, the Written Section, is also important and serves to compliment the Speaking Skills in that the teacher gets a sense that every individual had a strong sense of what was going on and what their argument was supposed to present. In a lot of cases, extremely bright students are very shy and do not like to speak out in class. It would not be entirely fair to give them a bad mark just because they were not speaking as much during the debate. It is important for teachers, during group presentations and debates, to get a sense of what each individual got out of the assignment and understand what they learned.