WebQuest
To Clone or Not to Clone
Process
The United States House of Representatives is assembling a group of specialists to investigate the wide spread implications of cloning on the social, economic, and political fabric of American society. Each specialist team will present their findings during a Cloning Summit. It will be the responsibility of the team members to evaluate the proposed Human Cloning Prohibition Act, and determine if the bill should be expanded to include other types of cloning research.
Step 1: Dr. Frankenstein, I Presume?
Step 2: Walking a Mile in My Shoes
Step 3: The Cloning Summit
Step 4: Building Consensus
Step 5: Tell the World
Step 1: DR. Frankenstein, I Presume?
What is all the commotion about? Andrew Ross, managing editor for Salon Magazine, posed several questions to Dolly's creator Dr. Ian Wilmut. The questions focus on many of the hopes and fears about human cloning. Get together with your teammates, and visit DR. FRANKENSTEIN, I PRESUME? ( http://www.salon.com/feb97/news/news970224.html )
As a group, determine how to attack the following small activity.
- Use the interview to identify three hopes and three fears about human cloning.
- Craft three additional questions that your group would ask Dr. Wilmut.
Step 2: Walking a Mile in My Shoes
Now it’s time to look at cloning from several different perspectives. Each perspective has it's own point of view, and offers a unique solution to the complex problems that frame cloning.
Each classroom team will be assigned a role. To make sure your team members fully understand their roles, open the dossiers below to learn about each group's responsibilities. After you have explored each role, open the role your group has been assigned, and start your quest.
Stem Tech-A San Diego biotech firm that specializes in embryonic stem cell research
Institute of Theology and Ethics-An international group of theologians of various ideologies.
US Senator-A group of distinguished senators gathered together to analyze the Human Cloning Prohibition Act.
Step 3: The Summit
It is time for your team to share what it has learned about cloning. You have become an expert on your role's point of view, and the people attending the Cloning Summit need to learn about cloning from your perspective. Your team will be given ten minutes to explain how the proposed Human Cloning Prohibition Act should be expanded or maintained, and you must explain your reasoning. Pictures, video & audio clips, and quotes from your research can only strengthen your presentation.
It is your job to present your perspective effectively. If you choose to do a PowerPoint presentation, it is your responsibility to make sure the program will work before the day of the Cloning Summit. If you are not using PowerPoint, you may create a butcher paper mural, or you may choose to create a video presentation. Be creative.
Audience Responsibilities
As a member of the Cloning Summit Audience, your job is to listen carefully to each presentation. You will be called upon to participate on a Summit Subcommittee that will ultimately decided how the government should proceed. While listening to the other perspectives:
1. Write down the other role's "Big Question."
2. Create a list of points your role would support and reject.
Step 4: Take a Stand
Several separate Summit Subcommittees have been established to develop a recommendation on how the government should proceed. Each Subcommittee should consist of one expert from each role, so developing a recommendation will not be an easy task. What's good for science research may not be good for animal rights or religious beliefs. You must discuss, persuade, argue, deal, and brainstorm a plan of attack. You will not all agree on the best way to present your action plan, but you must reach a consensus. You may find that you must agree to disagree in order to find the best solution.
Step 5: Tell the World
Your final responsibility will be to share your Cloning Summit Subcommittee report with a "real-world" contact. This will give you the opportunity to receive feedback from an expert that has not been part of the project.
First, you must find a contact. Your group should consider sending your recommendations to a government official. In which case, you can find a list of email addresses at:
- Make sure that all the members in your group have proof read the email message before sending it.
- Send your email. Make sure that you 'cc' (carbon copy) your teacher, so that he or she has a copy of your work.
Primary- http://search.ebscohost.com/
Clonaid
http://www.clonaid.com/
Cloning/Embryonic Stem Cells
National Human Genome Research Institute
http://www.genome.gov/page.cfm?pageID=10004765
Cloning Fact Sheet
Human Genome Project Information
http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/elsi/cloning.html
Eighteen Ways to Make a Better Baby
Nova Online
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/cloning.html
House Passes Bill on Cloning
National Public Radio
http://discover.npr.org/features/feature.jhtml?wfId=1177562
How Cloning Works
How Stuff Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com/cloning.htm
Human Cloning: The Religions Debate
Anita Jones, University of Virgina
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~jones/tmp352/projects98/group1/ethic.html
In 2003, They Secretly Cloned Mozart
Jonathan Rauch, Reason Online
http://reason.com/rauch/01_08_18.shtml
Me, Myself and I
News Hour
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june01/cloning.html
Supermodels Sell Eggs On-Line
Global Change
http://www.globalchange.com/supermodels.htm
TOPO® Cloning
Invitrogen™
http://www.invitrogen.com/content.cfm?pageid=4073&CFID=
2390357&CFTOKEN=58806917
The Public URL for this WebQuest:
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=7039
WebQuest Hits: 7,715
Save WebQuest as PDF
