Send in the Clones:

A Debate on Human Cloning

A Webquest Designed by:

Mrs. Monica Weninger

Wissahickon Middle School

7 SP Science

Mweninger@wsd.k12.pa.us

 

Introduction

Task

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Introduction

Should human cloning be banned? What laws, if any, should be passed to regulate the use of cloned human embryos?  You have just been invited to participate in the Human Cloning Summit, a national meeting of experts representing all the sides of the cloning controversy. As an expert in your particular field, you have been requested by the President to present your side of the debate to the Cloning Summit.  After all the experts have presented their cases, you will develop a set of national laws regarding the use of human clones. 

The Human Cloning Summit expert groups will be meeting in five days. You have until then to assemble your team, complete your  research, and state your case in front of the Summit members.   GOOD LUCK!

Task

In this activity, you will explore the possibility of human cloning. What are the benefits to humankind? What are the risks? Should human cloning be prohibited altogether? To answer these questions, you will participate in a "Cloning Summit," a collection of "experts" on each of the many sides of the human cloning debate. First, you will become an "expert" on one side by researching one aspect of the controversy in great detail. Next, you will work with other students with the same topic to develop an oral presentation in which you describe your groups' views on cloning. You will then listen and collect information on the other groups' presentations. When all the groups have presented their viewpoints, you will work together to reach a consensus and develop a set of laws to regulate the use of human cloning. After the summit debates, you will write a persuasive essay in answer to the question: Should human cloning be banned?  

Process

Follow these steps to complete this Web Quest:

1. You will be assigned to one of six roles: Cloning Specialist, Stem Cell Scientist, Religious Leader, Politician, Member of Human Cloning Foundation, Member of Americans to Ban Cloning (ABC)

2. Scroll down to read a brief description of your role and your "Big Questions." Use the Internet resources given to research the answers to these questions.

3. After you have completed your individual research, you will meet with other members of the class who have the same role as you. You will work together as an "expert group." In your expert group, compare your research. Do you have enough information to answer your Big Questions? If not, continue your research. If yes, then move to the next step.

4. With your group, develop an oral presentation in which you will:

a. Provide the class with the answer to your Big Questions.

b. State your group’s opinion(s) on human cloning.

c. State what laws your group would support regarding human cloning.

5. On the day of the Cloning Summit, be prepared to present your findings to the class in the form of an oral presentation. The requirements for the presentation are as follows:

a. It addresses the three questions in the previous step.

b. It is an appropriate length (5-10 minutes long).

c. It includes ALL members of the group.

d. It includes an EXHIBIT or DISPLAY. Examples include a poster, model, diagram, handout, brochure, or Power Point slide show. This display should ENHANCE the presentation, NOT serve as a substitute for a speaking role.

6. At the Cloning Summit, listen to the other expert groups’ presentations and take notes on their Big Questions. Compare their answers to yours. Are there any conflicts?

7. After all the experts have spoken, you will work as a class to develop a set of laws regarding human cloning. Of course, this may not be as easy as it sounds. ALL GROUPS must agree on the outcome. Be sure to speak up so your opinion is heard; but be sure to listen to others! You may have to make a compromise. On what opinions are you flexible? Are there any ideals in which you are not willing to bend? Let your voice be heard!

8. Using what you have learned, what is your PERSONAL opinion of cloning? What laws would YOU support? You will answer this question by composing an in-class persuasive essay on human cloning. You will go through the theme writing process in English class to help you complete this portion of the project.

THE EXPERTS:

1. Cloning Specialist: You and your team are the experts on the process of cloning. You will be the first to present and provide an introduction at the summit. You will provide an overview to the cloning debate by answering these  

BIG QUESTIONS:

a. What is the history of cloning?

b. How does cloning work?

c. What is the difference between therapeutic and reproductive cloning?

d. What are the myths and realities of cloning?

                    Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

 

General cloning information

http://www2.worldbook.com/features/features.asp?feature=cloning&page=html/cloning.html&direct=yes 

How cloning is done

http://www.howstuffworks.com/human-cloning.html 

Watch an interactive video clip of cloning:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/27/clones.ethics.legal/ 

Myths and realities of cloning:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/768366.asp?0cb=-31688446 

Another video clip of cloning process

http://www.msnbc.com/news/768363.asp#anc_cloning_brill 

Click on Chronology of Cloning video clip for history of cloning

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/27/clones.ethics.legal/ 

 

 

2. Stem Cell Research Scientist: You work with a type of cloning called therapeutic cloning, which is very different from reproductive cloning. As a stem cell scientist, you know that therapeutic human cloning is one source of human embryonic stem cells. You want people to know how important your research is in the field of medicine. You want laws that support human cloning for stem cell research. At the summit, you and your team will have to answer these BIG QUESTIONS:

a. What are stem cells? What can they do?

b. How are stem cells obtained?

c. Why is therapeutic cloning a good source of stem cells?

d. What diseases could be cured by stem cells?

e. What does organ transplantation have to do with stem cells?

                    Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

 

How therapeutic cloning is done

http://science.howstuffworks.com/human-cloning2.htm 

Click on "Cloning for Treatment" interactive video on this page

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/27/clones.ethics.legal/ 

"Cloning for Cures"

Therapeutic cloning

http://www.msnbc.com/news/770094.asp?0cb=-11688446 

More on therapeutic cloning

http://www2.worldbook.com/features/features.asp?feature=cloning&page=html/cloning.html&direct=yes 

 

 

3. Religious Leaders. You and members of your team represent the major religions of the world. Many of your followers are concerned about the morality of human cloning. The questions raised about cloning deal directly with the basic philosophies of religion: What is our purpose in life? How did we get here? What happens when we die? How should we treat others? What is our relationship(s) with God(s)? At the Summit, it will be your job to explain your basic religious philosophy to the other groups and where the concept of human cloning fits in to your beliefs. But first you need to answer these BIG QUESTIONS:

a. What are the basic beliefs of the major religions listed below? Basic beliefs include our purpose in life, relationship(s) with God(s), how we were created, and rules on treating others.

Hinduism

Judaism

Buddhism

Protestant/Non-Catholic Christian

Islam

Roman Catholicism

b. Using these philosophies as a guide, decide whether each religion would support or oppose human cloning and why.

                Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

 

Religious beliefs and cloning

http://www.msnbc.com/news/768367.asp?0cb=-51688446 

Catholicism and Cloning

http://www.americancatholic.org/News/StemCell/ask_stemcell.asp 

More religious views

http://www.religioustolerance.org/clo_reac.htm 

 

 

4. Politicians: You will be the one to draft the laws about cloning. You want to make your voters happy, but you also want to vote your conscience. You are up for re-election soon, and this is a hot topic this election season. You need to answer these BIG QUESTIONS:

a. How do your voters feel about cloning?

b. How does President Bush feel about cloning?

c. What STATES have laws that regulate cloning?

d. What FEDERAL laws regulate cloning?

e. How do OTHER NATIONS feel about cloning? What countries allow cloning? What countries prohibit it?

                Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

 

US Laws

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa080101a.htm?terms=Human+Cloning 

State Laws

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/Genetics/rt-shcl.htm 

President’s

views

http://www.nrlc.org/Killing_Embryos/Bushurgescloningban.html 

International laws

http://www.msnbc.com/news/770094.asp#haven 

More on laws

http://science.howstuffworks.com/human-cloning3.htm 

More views

http://www.religioustolerance.org/clo_reac.htm 

 

 

5. Member of Human Cloning Foundation: You belong to an organization that believes that human cloning is a miracle technology that has numerous benefits. You even have a website www.humancloning.org  to help educate people of the useful applications of cloning. You support any law that will allow human cloning. You also know that many people disagree with you, so you will have to be very persuasive at the Cloning Summit, where you will present all the benefits of cloning by providing answers to the BIG QUESTIONS:

a. What diseases could be cured by cloning?

b. What conditions could be reversed by cloning?

c. How does cloning impact organ donation?

d. How could cloning help infertile couples (couples who cannot have children on their own)?

e. How could cloning improve parenting and family life?

            Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

 

Benefits of Cloning

http://www.humancloning.org/benefits.htm 

Clonaid website

http://www.clonaid.com/english/pages/human_cloning.html 

More benefits

http://www.humancloning.org/allthe.htm 

Reasons for reproductive cloning

http://www.msnbc.com/news/768363.asp?0cb=-21688446 

 

 

6. Member of the ABC (Americans to Ban Cloning): You oppose all types of cloning for many reasons. You believe cloning has serious moral, ethical, and medical problems. You are seeking to ban all forms of cloning, even therapeutic cloning for stem cells. State your case at the Cloning Summit by addressing these  

BIG QUESTIONS:

a. Why is cloning ethically wrong? How does cloning treat humans? What is the ABC’s opinion regarding the use of humans in experimentation?

b. Why is cloning morally wrong? What religion strongly opposes cloning? Why?

c. Why is cloning medically wrong? What are the medical risks?

            Use the following Internet Resources to guide you in your research:

ABC website

http://cloninginformation.org/statement.htm 

Religious reasons against cloning

http://www.americancatholic.org/News/StemCell/ask_stemcell.asp 

 
 

http://www.msnbc.com/news/anc_Cloning_Religion 

Medical reasons against cloning

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/12/27/clones.ethics.legal/ 

Ethical concerns

http://www2.worldbook.com/features/features.asp?feature=cloning&page=html/cloning.html&direct=yes 

 

 

Evaluation

Your work will be evaluated based upon:

1.  Completeness and accuracy of your individual research

2.  Quality of your group presentation

3.  Quality of your individual written proposal to ban/allow human cloning

Excellent

A

 Good

B

 Adequate

C

 Weak

D

Score

 

Scientific  

Research

(15 points possible)
Complete understanding of topic, topic extensively researched, proper and effective use of scientific terms

 
Good understanding of topic, topic well researched, proper use of scientific terms 
Research adequately completed, shows basic understanding of topic, 
Poor understanding of topic, very little research completed, little or incorrect use of scientific terms

 

 

Oral 

presentation

(30 points possible) 
Clear, concise, organized presentation, scientific content effectively communicated to class, high level of understanding of topic demonstrated. 
Interesting, confident, well-organized  presentation, scientific
content communicated to class, good understanding of topic demonstrated
Presentation acceptable, minimally effective in communicating scientific content to class, basic level of understanding demonstrated  
Lack of organization and clarity, does not communicate content to class, little or no knowledge of topic demonstrated 

 

Exhibit 

or Display

(5 points possible)

 

 
Exhibit layout enhances presentation, creative and effective use of materials, high quality of workmanship demonstrated
Exhibit logical, materials used appropriately, demonstrates good quality of workmanship 
Acceptable layout of exhibit, materials used appropriately
Layout absent or ineffective, poor use of materials, display detracts from presentation

 

Written Essay

(50 Points possible)

 

 Focus sharp and clear; sophisticated ideas, excellent organization and style, proper conventions used Topic and main points   identified, specific detail, proper style and conventions used  Main idea identified, but lacks specific supporting detail, errors in style and grammar present Lacks focus; little or no relevant detail, poor organization and style, numerous grammatical and spelling errors

 

 

Conclusion

Congratulations! Thank you for participating in the Human Cloning Summit. You have just modeled the same process that our own world leaders are undertaking as they plot a course through this new frontier of genetic engineering. Are we done? NO WAY! We have only just begun! Keep up to date on developments in cloning by reading the newspaper on visiting online newsgroups. Write a letter or e-mail your local politicians to voice your opinion. Get involved in organizations that support your point of view.