TITLE: LIFELINE: Bioethics and Humans
AUTHOR: Clark Brean, Lebanon Union H. S., Lebanon, Or.
GRADE LEVEL: Appropriate for grades 11 - 12.
OVERVIEW: It is often difficult to present materials on
abortion and the right-to-life issues without seeming to be
espousing a specific view point or ethical belief system.
In this activity, it is the students that must deal with the
issue and construct their own limitations by defining the
"human" condition.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will be able to:
1. Define and explain each of the conditions discussed
in the exercise.
2. Arrange these conditions in a logical sequence from
most to least damaging.
3. Evaluate the "humanity" of each condition and decide
where, if anywhere, abortion should be allowed and/or
mandated.
4. To model the democratic decision-making process to
students in a real and meaningful way.
REFERENCES:
Bergsms, Daniel "Birth Defects Compendium, Second Edition"
The National Foundation -- March of Dimes, 1982.
Excellent for pictures and medical information on
inheritance patterns.
Jones, Kenneth J. "Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human
Malformation, Sixth Edition" W. B. Saunders Co., 1998.
Excellent source of pictures and information on
inheritance patterns.
McKusick, Victor A. "Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Ninth
Edition" The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.
Technical reference on inheritance patterns.
Stine, Gerald J. "The New Human Genetics" Wm. C. Brown
Publishers, 1989. An excellent general reference.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. The instructor selects 18 - 20 genetic conditions that
run the entire gambit of the human condition, form
terminal human tissue that threatens the life of the
mother to OK but not desired sex of the child.
Ex: For my presentation, I include information on the
following conditions: Acephaly, Club foot, Cri-
du-chat syndrome, Down's syndrome, Edward's
syndrome, Encephalocele, Huntington's corea,
Hydatidiform mole, Hydrocephalus, Muscular
dystrophy, Phenylketonuria, Polydactyly, Pyloric
stenosis, Sirenomelia, Spina bifida cystica, spina
bifida occulta, Tay Sach's disease, Testicular
feminization and Wrong sex but OK.
2. A slide is produced to demonstrate the major
characteristics of each of the conditions.
Informational material for each condition is also
generated by the teacher.
Ex: For my presentation, I include information on the
following areas: Survivability of the child, age
at which the child is affected, effect of the
condition on both mental and physical processes
and abilities, prognosis for curing and/or helping
the affected individual, and cost of maintaining
and/or helping the individual.
3. The instructor also generate a worksheet that simply
lists the conditions to be presented, in alphabetical
order, with plenty of space following each condition
for the student to take notes in.
4. Each slide is shown, the information is delivered, and
students are allowed to ask questions and clarify
material.
5. At the end of the slide presentation, the students
must:
a. Rank the conditions from most to least serious.
b. Draw a line where they personally would ask for
an abortion, if anywhere.
c. Draw a line where they personally would allow
society to abort a fetus, if anywhere.
6. Students are then put in groups of 3 - 6 and must:
a. Reach agreement on ranking the conditions from
most to least serious.
b. Reach agreement on where society should allow
abortion to occur, if anywhere.
c. Reach agreement on where society should demand
abortion, if anywhere.
d. Pick a spokesperson for their group.
7. The spokespeople are then separated from their groups,
and without consultation, must complete steps in 6 a
through c. They are the elected officials and are now
making the law of the land. Allow 10 - 15 minutes.
8. During this time, the instructor will discuss feelings,
reactions, difficulties students had with the decision-
making process, etc.
9. Have the "law-makers" return and present their list and
cut-off points to the class.
10. Survey the class and see how comfortable the class is
with the decision they reached. Can they all live
within these dictates? What will they do if they
cannot?
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org