Curated OER
Biodiversity Debate - Stream Side Science
Role play community members who are both for and against the construction of a dam. Research the pros and cons and then hold a classroom debate. This activity ideally follows a series of stream studies, links to which are included. Use...
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Pandora's Box
Some of today's technologies are controversial, in vitro fertilization being one of them. Mature high school biology classes examine the technology involved in and dilemmas created by this procedure. They play different roles in an...
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Case Studies in Journalistic Ethics No. 2
Learners use texts on media ethics and various Web sites to explore real world examples of media law issues. For this media ethics lesson, students examine the Food Lion case using a transcript from the court of appeals session and...
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Immigration: U.S. Policy in the New Millennium
Students explore U.S. immigration policies. In this immigration instructional activity, students read about the history of immigration policies in the U.S., uncover controversial issues regarding immigration, and speak to immigrants as...
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Politics of Death
Students examine the topic of euthanasia. In this religion and ethics lesson, students investigate the cases of Terri Schiavo and Hugh Finn in order to gain an understanding of the euthanasia controversy.
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The Rules of the Game
Students debate whether college athletes should be held to a higher behavioral standard than non-athletes. Students determine whether behavior outside of school should be punishable by university administration, then write letters to the...
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What Would You Do? A Discussion About the Ethics of War
Students examine the process of ethical decision-making during wartime. They read three case studies from World War II, and in small groups discuss, debate, and present their findings to the class.
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What Are the Ethical and Legal Aspects of Radon?
Students research a legal or ethical aspect of radon. They create their own legislation regarding radon and real estate. They present their information to the class.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Balancing Human Rights
Everyone appreciates human rights, but what happens if the rights of an individual conflict with the rights of the larger group? Scholars explore real-life scenarios and debate when to limit rights and when to strictly enforce them. The...
Newseum
Free Press Challenges Through History: Analyzing Historical Sources
The debate over the integrity of stories in media is not new. Young journalists analyze historical sources that reveal freedom of the press controversies and draw parallels to challenges freedom of the press faces today.
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Extinction Trade Questions
There are many ethical and moral issues surrounding critically endangered species. Use these higher-level thinking questions to help high schoolers examine ecological, socioeconomic, and political scenarios about human impacts on...
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Jurassic Park: The Science and Ethics of Genetic Engineering
Explore genetic engineering through an engaging "Jurassic Park" unit, which is an extensive use of a cross-curricular teaching event. Planned for AP Biology, English, and Calculus students, learners and teachers are involved for 4-6...
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The Human Geonome Project Structured Controversy
High schoolers debate government funding of the Human Genome Project. In this ethics instructional activity, students use the stuctured controversy framework to research the opposing viewpoints regarding project funding.
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Stem Cell Research
High schoolers examine embryonic cell research and the controversy that surrounds it. In this stem cell lesson students use a debate model and present and defend their positions.
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Franklin’s Fair Hand American Journalism
Scholars know him for his role in the American Revolution, but Ben Franklin was also a journalist and printer. Learners investigate his standards for what was fit to print using primary sources—including writings where Franklin explains...
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Stakeholder Debate: Ethics and Lead
Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a Lead Debate. They synthesize their varied knowledge of lead and its issues, organize this knowledge, and present it persuasively to...
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Debates in Human Genetics
Students examine case studies involving human genetics. They research the case and determine possible problems to the issue. Students write essays supporting their opinion. They debate the ethical issues.
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Ethical Problems Surrounding Surrogate Motherhood
Pupils examine the definition of surrogacy and the types of surrogacy. They analyze surrogacy and the law. They conduct debates, skits and teen forums regarding the subject of surrogacy.
Gene Jury
DNA Detectives
Police find a man murdered in a local hotel, DNA everywhere, and now they need scholars' help. Budding detectives step into a crime scene playing the roles of victim, suspects, and investigators. They apply knowledge of criminology and...
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Human Genome Debate
Students study the Human Genome Project and participate in a debate about the project. In this genome lesson, students review the terms related to the genome project, take a poll about the ethical issues of the project, and watch a video...
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Pharmaceuticals and Treatments
Learners perform an experiment involving reverse transcriptase-polymerized chain reaction HIV replication to better examine the biotechnology used by scientists in pharmaceutical research of infections diseases like HIV. Students examine...
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Genetic Engineering
Learners identify relationships between scientific concepts and their historical roots. They discuss and debate issues of ethics in science, specifically on the concept of genetic engineering and describe the processes of cloning and...
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Cloning Around
Review concepts of cloning and genetic engineering and participate in a round-table discussion based on the ethics and potential of cloning with your class. Each learner then writes a formal essay on the topic, stemming from the debate.
Personal Genetics Education Project
Genetics and Reproduction
Disease prevention or designer babies? Use a set of slides to introduce the growing practice of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. Teens read related articles and then break into groups to address different scenarios. Afterward,...