2007 Ethics Action Plans Developed by Workshop Teachers

Ethics in the Science Classroom
Developed by the 2007 participants of NWABR's annual Ethics in Science summer workshop, these Action Plans provide outlines of approaches to integrating ethics into specific classroom contexts.

These plans are works-in-progress shared by teachers. Many of them reference the NWABR Ethics Primer for strategies. If you do utilize these lessons, please credit the appropriate source.

GMOs and Terrorism
Renée Agatsuma
This is a lesson that looks at the 2001 arson, which resulted in extensive damage to research as well as buildings, at the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture by the Earth Liberation Front (ELF). ELF aimed at destroying supposedly GM poplar trees, which turned out to be hybrid trees bred in the traditional manner. This action was one of the last actions taken by ELF against GM foods before the federal government began to crack down. Calling radical groups such as ELF “eco-terrorists” the FBI began to crack down, eventually resulting in arrest and conviction of the culprits for the UW fire and other acts of sabotage. However, ELF claims that its actions were justified actions against the potential threat of GM plants. This opinion, but not the tactics, is also shared by mainstream environmental groups such as Greenpeace. However, the “terrorism” label by the government resulted in a crackdown by the government on many groups, including Greenpeace and the ACLU. The aim of this is to let students take the position of various stakeholders in the case and to debate two major questions 1) Were the actions of ELF ethically justified? 2) Should these actions be called “terrorism”, and does this give the government too much power? This lesson is meant as a culminating activity in a GM food unit. It assumes that students are already familiar with the method and some criticisms involved in GM plants and GM food.

Trans fats – to ban or not to ban? That is the question!
Jackie Andrewjeski
My plan is to incorporate an ethics piece in my “Shapes of Molecules” section by having the students become aware of the ethical concerns regarding hydrogenated (trans) fats in food. It illuminates how a simple change in the structure of a molecule can result in different properties that may be beneficial or detrimental.

Using Medical Case Studies to Examine and Apply Ethics as Students Study Human Systems, Careers and Occupations While Using Inquiry Based Methods
William Bauman
I plan to use case studies, ethical decision making models, decision making rubrics, readings and reading prompts to foster ethical decision making skills among my students.This sub-unit will be most effective if taught over the course of a week. The teacher must take time and be purposeful in guiding students to find answers to their questions about human anatomy & physiology as students explore medical considerations. The teacher will work as a facilitator to help students begin to develop more studious ethical viewpoints.

Integration of Bioethics Into A Standard Biology Curriculum
Karen Blaine, Lynne Christiansen, and Gretchen Diether-Haake
“Integration of Bioethics into a Standard Biology Curriculum” is a collection of stimulating and memorable activities imbedded within a year-long high school biology course to teach ethical decision making. Through these content specific bioethical activities, students will learn to use critical thinking and analytical skills while learning that bioethical issues are in every aspect of biology. It is our intent that students will learn to give thoughtful consideration to the breadth and depth of bioethical issues in scientific research. After an introductory unit on ethics terminology and principles, to include a “Norms Setting” session establishing parameters for equitable and considerate class discussions, students will return to this bioethics strand while learning content-specific curricula. Students will learn the Decision-Making Framework (Ethics Primer) to identify the: ethical question, known and unknown facts, stakeholders and their values, possible solutions, make a decision and provide justification for that decision, as well as follow through with some evaluation and action reflecting upon their decision. Ethics activities will be a part of units in Ethical Overview, Biology Introduction, Skills & Basic Tools, Cell Anatomy & Physiology, Genetics, Evolution, Infectious Diseases, Plants, Environmental Diversity of Invertebrates and Vertebrates.

Controversial Issues: Ethics in Science Course Outline (Rough)
Peter Bonifaci
Controversial issues is a discussion based class that focuses on the impact science has on society. We will identify ethical questions brought forth in science that face society today. The students will analyze the different arguments and viewpoints that surround these issues. At the same time they will develop their skills in supporting ethical arguments, a deeper understanding of how science works, and its relationship with different cultures. The purpose of the course is not only for students to become knowledgeable in the science behind these issues, but to support them in becoming ethical decision makers who can gather relevant information and considering various points of view.

Integrating Ethics into the Physical Science Classroom
Dawn Brown, Heather Champion
Our plan provides examples for integrating ethics into all areas of physical science. It is important to note this is a basic outline and will need to be adapted based on teacher need. The first section (page 2-3) is a simple table showing all unit ideas, the second section (page 4-9) is an adaptation of the first unit for a principles of science class, and the third section (page 10) is an adaptation of the first unit for a physical science class.

Bioethics unit integration, 7th grade life science (animal research, genetically modified foods, global warming)
Cathy Buck
Bioethics will integrate into, enhance and create context for four pre-existing life science units. In the biodiversity unit, we will create the need for a process to discuss issues and introduce definitions (morals, values , perspectives, front packs, norms and a practice issue. In the adaptations unit, we will address the issue of when animals should be used in research using 4 corners and the ethical decision-making framework. In the genetics unit, we will explore how we should regulate the used of genetically modified foods in the U. S with the ethical decision-making framework. Finally, in the weather unit we will discuss through the Socratic seminar, whether or not the U. S. should participate in the Kyoto protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Possible issues with materials to include in 7th grade health are also listed.

You can’t eat money
Additional materials worksheet - reading - wolves/deforestation
Lori Buratto
At the beginning of this unit, students will examine their own values as well as the values of our society. Students will explore classic ethical perspectives as well as ethical perspectives toward the environment and conservation (e.g. deep ecology, anthropocentrism, ecofeminism). Students will study several case studies and perform a decision making framework for each. Students will perform a debate or a structured academic controversy discussion about global warming using numerous video and print resources. They will participate in at least one Socratic seminar over one or more of the resources listed. Students will write a cumulative reflective essay evaluating their own values and ethical perspective and how they behave toward the environment. They will also evaluate the pers
Students pectives of other individuals and groups.

Focus on Feline Dissection
Joyce Conbere will consider the issues surrounding the use of animals in anatomy and physiology classroom dissections. The activities will allow the students to fully consider all sides and point of views before they make reach a consensus on whether to perform feline dissections. The hope is that when given a choice as whether to dissect or not the students will approach the dissections with increased respect and with a realization of the gift of learning that the cat provided.

Should the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) be opened to oil drilling?
Ben Koch
The Arctic Wildlife National Refuge is home to many resources, one of those is oil. To this point drilling for the oil has not been allowed. Should that change? This activity uses an ethical decision making model and a mock congressional hearing to analyze the perspectives of stakeholders. The project culminates in students writing their own letter in which they express their personal position on the topic.

The Case of Ashley X
Anne Koshuta &Marianne Powers
This series of activities will help students know and understand the principles of bioethics by providing students with opportunities to acquire background in scientific principles and bioethical principles. After an introductory activity, the case of Ashley X will be studied by incorporating the 4-box ethical analysis chart. The lesson will also include background in female reproductive system including the function of hormones, child development, and new techniques that are used in medical interventions.

Bioethics in 10th Grade Biology
Sharon Laska
I will incorporate Bioethics into my 10th grade biology curriculum. The essential question is whether my students, as citizens of the world, can make well-reasoned bioethical decisions by the end of the year. First, I will introduce Bioethics as a short unit after the first unit on the scientific method. Through a variety of activities, the students will be exploring their own values, contrasting values and ethics, learning about ethical and non-ethical questions, learning about the Principles Perspective and supporting the different stakeholders’ positions on an Asian Flu Vaccine case study. Further bioethical threads will run through the ecology, evolution, cancer, disease treatment, and biotechnology units. In those units, activities will include stakeholder groups, structured academic controversy, Congressional Hearing forum, and short and long decision-making frameworks. The year will end with a bioethics project involving a choice of a bioethical topic by each student.

Virtue, Integrity and Principles of the Scientific Method
Diana Nordlund & Margaret Portelance
Students will be introduced to the scientific method through the NIH curriculum, Doing Science: The Process of Science Inquiry. Students will also be using the lessons regarding honesty and integrity from the Ethics in the Science Classroom Draft from NWABR teachers 2003. They will be given the opportunity to discuss possible lapses in the process while doing specific inquiry labs and discussing case studies of labs and possible errors in judgment, data collection, analysis, reporting. Finally, students will be introduced to ethical thinking and that people have different perspectives depending upon their individual values. Students will be given situations to discuss and information about different ethical frameworks. Ethical frameworks will be applied to the nature of science and the process of doing science. This will be accomplished through case studies, readings and laboratories. The unit will culminate with a Socratic seminar around the issue of the discovery of the structure of DNA.

The Greater Good for the Third Chimpanzee (AP Biology)
Todd Pollard
Humans differ in 1.6% of our DNA compared to chimps. Under classification models used to organize other species of animals this 1.6% difference should make Homo sapiens the third species of chimpanzee. During the summer preceding my AP Biology class, my incoming students have been assigned to read the book “The Third Chimpanzee” by Jared Diamond where he discusses a number of issues related to human evolution and the specific characteristics that make humans unique. In the chapter, A Tale of Three Chimps, Diamond brings up an ethics based question which will be incorporated into this unit: “What is the logic that forbids medical experiments on humans, but not on apes?”. This unit will be designed around the “For the Greater Good” curriculum which addresses the ethics of animals in research. The unit will begin by exploring student values with regards to human use of animals. Students will then read several texts in addition to The Third Chimpanzee and participate in a Socratic Seminar. The context of primates in research will be further used to learn basic ethical principals. Finally, students will be assessed on their ability to apply an ethical decision making model to the question “Should medical research be conducted on primates?”

Taking Life, Making Life, and Faking Life: A Survey of Bioethics in a Brave New World - Powerpoint
Andrew D. Shaw
Recent advances (and those on the horizon) in biotechnology and reproductive technologies have and will affect all of us in the most profound ways. When does human life begin? When does human life end? Should the human body be enhanced, and if so, how much? How long can human life be extended? Should the human body be technologically or biologically altered, and if so, how much? Can we change the human body so much that it is no longer considered to be primarily biological? This powerpoint presentation surveys many of the latest bio- and reproductive technologies, and raises those essential bioethical questions that our students and our society must answer.

Setting Classroom Norms for Ethics Discussions
Rebecca Siddons & Timothy Stahl
The norm-setting lesson we created is based largely on LueRachelle Brim-Atkins’ presentation to our workshop. Since workshop recipients did not receive her lesson plan, we hope that by capturing her presentation in lesson plan format, we will provide a tool that many of the other workshop participants will find useful. We plan to use this lesson ourselves as the opening lesson in a ten week workshop we will run with our students. Through this workshop, students will be introduced to the topic of Ethics, ethical theories and the two frameworks (Ethical Decision Making Framework and Structured Controversy Model). Case studies drawn from the NWABR materials will be presented throughout the ten weeks for group discussion and continued use of the two frameworks.

How do we impact the Earth?
Lori Stanton
This plan includes 5 different articles to include in a unit on Ecology that will allow students to explore Tthe impact of humans on the environment.

Introduction to Ethics in Science: Science and Technology in local, national, and global challenges
Additional Sheets: ethics notes - intro to inquiry - intro to ethical perspectives - perspectives overhead
T racy Watts & Jennifer Johnston
Our plan is to introduce ethics in a biology class in a time-sensitive manner, so that students will have enough background to begin thinking critically. The pressure to cover biology standards in the course of a year, does not allow excessive time to explore ethics on its own merit. If, however, students are given sufficient background in solving ethical dilemmas, these dilemmas and case studies can be used as a vehicle to deliver content material in our existing units throughout the year. Following the introductory lessons, we will include some of the cases we feel lend themselves best to use in those content areas.

Charlottes Web & Environmental Ethics - Teacher Packet - Assessment - Lesson 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
Understanding by Design: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
William Wilson
This is a seven unit module on Environmental Ethics. It is designed to actively engage the students in why and how they should value their environment. Numerous state EALR’s and environmental benchmarks are met. The module deals with the probability that the students are not aware of their environment nor the mechanism by which their moral conscious dictates their world view. A published text from the Hastings Center Report, Zuckerman’s Dilemma by Mark Sagoff, which elucidates crucial environmental issues with regards to the ethical perspectives the issues represent is compared and contrasted to the classic by E. B. White, Charlotte’s Web. The movie, either in cartoon form or the latest motion picture release, is used to augment the article and capture the student interest(the CD version can use Spanish subtitles). Throughout the lesson, a variety of techniques such as Four Square Exercise, Knowledge Rating Chart, and Socratic Seminar are used to engage the students.

Dissection Ethics
Angie Zehnder
Dissection Ethics is a single class experience intended to deepen student understanding of the issues related to pig dissection in the high school classroom and to develop the skills used in making decisions on ethical questions. The students should be able to explain how fetal pigs are obtained and prepared, explain ethical issues related to pig dissections and discuss the process used to arrive at solutions that meet the learning requirements while accommodating the ethical concerns.

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