Stem Cells and Cloning

A lesson plan designed for NYS Regents Living Environment Class on Stem Cells and cloning.

• Students will identify answers to questions on stem cell research article.
• Students will analyze issues surrounding stem cells through class discussion and article reading.
• Students will complete cloning and gene modification note sheet.
• Students will manipulate online cloning activity to better understand reproductive cloning
• Students will evaluate their reasoning on human cloning by completing homework assessment.
  

Students should be able to connect what they learn in this lesson to what they have already learned about Genetics.

Give students creative writing homework assignment: Do you think it would be OK to clone humans? Why or why not?

• Overhead Notes on Gene Modification and markers
• Projector attached to computer for cloning activity
• Click and clone activity located at http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/clickandclone/
• Newspaper article with questions (attached)
• Questions for students to follow along with online activity (attached)

The DIN at the beginning of the lesson will serve as a pre-assessment, as students will brainstorm what they already know about stem cell research and regeneration. Throughout the lesson, formative assessments of student understanding will be conducted by checking answers to article questions, questions following notes, and how students seem to be responding to filling in the note-sheet. How well students followed the click and clone activity will be assessed by reviewing their answers to the given questions.  As an assessment at the end, students will have a creative writing homework assigned on how they feel about cloning humans. In this creative writing exercise, they will be expected to draw on the knowledge of cloning gained in class.