English Language Arts
How does the development of cell research affect your life?
In the following activity, students will explore the history of Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells she provided for the world. From this students will understand the impressive push American researchers provided for the field of cell research around the world. With this knowledge, the students will use the provided research to explain how HeLa cells effect them, or someone they might know.
First: What if you were immortal? (explore)
What does it mean to be immortal? Does it mean you will be able to walk around, living and breathing, on the earth forever? What if it meant that the cells that make up your body lived on forever? Would that be important? Could it be a good or a bad event? In 1951, this exact scenario occurred. A woman named Henrietta Lacks visited Johns Hopkins Hospital after feeling unwell, and continued to visit after being diagnosed with cervical cancer. Less than a year later, a doctor took a sample of Henrietta's tumor tissue, from that moment, in 1951, cell research has changed forever....because Henrietta Lacks' cells lived forever!
Hello HeLa! (explore/ explain)Using the provided link, read, individually through pages 1 - 4. Collect a minimum of five notes from each page on something that was either important or exciting to you, or confusing to you. After you have your notes written down. Pair up with your partner to discuss your research. After you have shared with each other, we will discuss our findings as a class!
Food for Thought: (explain)The following are some discussion starters to consider! You may use your notes to reference evidence!
CONSIDER: It would be beneficial to write down additional notes you did not notice during your initial research from the article. If your partner exposes something you find interesting....write it down! |
You've talked the talk, now it's time to SHOW what you KNOW! (evaluate)
Now that we have discussed our research, and we are buzzing with information and ideas on cell research, it is time to use that knowledge! You have discussed your opinions on cell research, but now it is time to write those opinions down! Make sure to use evidence from the article to support your point of view.
REMEMBER: What we learn in the classroom is connected to our everyday life! Include information that is meaningful to you! But make sure to support those meaningful opinions with evidence to ensure your opinions remain valid!
REMEMBER: What we learn in the classroom is connected to our everyday life! Include information that is meaningful to you! But make sure to support those meaningful opinions with evidence to ensure your opinions remain valid!
We're not finished yet!
Could you imagine if we could not share our knowledge with others? Would we learn anything? It is our duty to take what we know and share this information with anyone and everyone! As we discovered, cell research impacts the lives of so many people in society, but we have to consider how much people are aware of that! As an extension of this activity, I ask us to continue our knowledge. Our extension activity will be to conduct research on the progression of cell research. We will analyze the different medications and studies HeLa cells have impacted. Then, when our research is complete, we will create a newsletter. We will use our research, writing, and technology skills to create a newsletter discussing our knowledge on cell research, HeLa cells, and the impact of cell research to inform the school and the rest of our community on this knowledge they should be aware about!
image taken from: http://dailybruin.com/2014/02/27/ucla-cru-encourages-spiritual-conversations-with-week-of-events/
image taken from: http://dailybruin.com/2014/02/27/ucla-cru-encourages-spiritual-conversations-with-week-of-events/