Structured Controversy: Who Owns Your Genes

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Structured ControversyWho Owns Your Genes?

• Verna Lang, Ph.D.
• Biology AP Biology, 9-12
• Kenwood High School, Clarksville, TN
• verna.lang_at_cmcss.net

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Developer Page

• Developer Materials
• Background
• Rules of Conduct
• Overview Standards
• Overview Implementation
• Overview Assessment
• Resources Credit
• Student Materials
• Introduction
• Websites and Print Materials
• Round One
• Round Two
• Round Three
• Summative Assessment

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Structured Controversy Who Owns Your Genes?
Background

• For a structured controversy lesson, teachers
  select topics that are aligned with the
  curriculum and offer clear but distinctive
  alternative positions. Contrasting perspectives
  are documented with key articles that introduce
  the major supporting arguments. These articles
  provide the launching pad for a structured
  controversy but provide only provide limited
  background information. The ultimate goal is for
  the group to achieve consensus through
  compromise.
• Although the process follows a prescribed format
  with rigid timeframes, it is actually a
  constructivist and inquiry-based approach to
  teaching and learning. Students participating in
  a controversy examine divergent viewpoints to
  encourage such activities as framing arguments,
  perspective taking, consequence exploration,
  behavior justification, and values clarification.
  They become actively involved in the own
  learning, participate in rigorous
  problem-solving, and though these activities,
  integrate and articulate their own ideas. Factual
  knowledge is acquired on a need-to-know basis.

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Rules of Conduct

• Suggestions
• The purpose of a structured debate is not to beat
  the opposing team but to achieve consensus
  through compromise.
• Be critical of peoples ideas not the people
  themselves.
• During large group forums, only one person can
  speak at a time.
• No interruptions are permitted when arguments are
  being presented.
• Paraphrase when you want to be sure that you
  clearly understand something.
• All time limits must be strictly followed.
• Every person on the team should speak during the
  debate.

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Who Owns Your Genes?Overview Standards

CLE 3210.4.7 Assess the scientific and ethical
ramifications of emerging genetic technologies.
SPI 3210.T/E.3 Evaluate the overall benefit to
cost ratio of a new technology. SPI 3210.4.9
Evaluate the scientific and ethical issues
associated with gene technologies genetic
engineering, cloning, transgenic organism
production, stem cell research, and DNA
fingerprinting.
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Who Owns Your Genes? Overview Implementation

After learning about the human genome project and
genetic engineering, I would ask the class How
many of you think you own your own genes? I
would then start out the activity by having them
read the Michael Crichton article Who Owns Your
Genes? http//www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/13/opin
ion/edcrichton.php
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Excerpt Who owns your genes?Patenting life
By Michael Crichton Published February 13,
2007 International Herald Tribune You, or
someone you love, may die because of a gene
patent that should never have been granted in the
first place. Sound far-fetched? Unfortunately,
it's only too real. In the United States, gene
patents are now used to halt research, prevent
medical testing and keep vital information from
you and your doctors. Gene patents slow the pace
of medical advance on deadly diseases. And they
raise costs exorbitantly A test for breast
cancer that could be done for 1,000 now costs
3,000. Why? Because the holder of the gene
patent can charge whatever he wants, and does.
Couldn't somebody make a cheaper test? Sure, but
the patent holder blocks any competitor's test.
He owns the gene. Nobody else can test for it. In
fact, you can't even donate their own breast
cancer gene to another scientist without
permission. The gene may exist in your body, but
it's now viewed as private property.

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Who Owns Your Genes?Overview Formative
Assessment

Students will enter their contrasting and
opposing positions into a Venn Diagram as they
are forming their discussion ideas, and finish
with the consensus in the middle. http//127.
0.0.14001/static/tools/Assessments/VennDiagram/Ve
nnDiagram.pdf
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Who Owns Your Genes? Resources Credits

• CREDITS
• Who Owns Your Genes?
• http//www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/13/opinion/edc
  richton.php
• Who owns our genes?
• http//www.unmc.edu/publicaffairs/discover/spring9
  9stories/owns.htm
• Who Owns Our DNA?
• http//www.leidenslatest.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?
  c29
• Should Genes Be Patented?
• http//www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID1534
• Genetics and Patenting
• http//www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome
  /elsi/patents.shtml4

• STRUCTURED
• CONTROVERSY
• REFERENCES
• Annenberg Channel
• Center for Case Studies
• Cooperative Learning Center
• Instructional Strategies Online
• Lets Chat

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Who Owns Your Genes? Student Materials

Introduction Websites and Materials Round
One Round Two Round Three
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Who Owns Your Genes? Introduction

• Overview
• Much of the benefits or potential benefits from
  genetic engineering come from the work done by
  private corporations.
• Patenting human genes protects the rights of the
  businesses investing in this research by keeping
  other corporations from profiting from their work
  and investment. However, what becomes of our
  basic human right to control our own bodies if a
  corporation controls how some of our genes are
  used?
• Learning Goals
• You should be able to take both sides of this
  controversy after reading both sides of the issue
  and defend each side in turn.
• You will be able to reach a consensus opinion by
  the end of the lesson.

Materials
Round One
Round Two
Round Three
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Who Owns Your Genes? Introduction

• Assessment
• You will be assessed by construction of a Venn
  Diagram as the student explores both sides of the
  controversy.
• A summative reflective self-assessment is
  provided as an homework assignment.
• Grouping
• You will be divided into two evenly numbered
  groups. Since each group will take turns
  supporting each side of the controversy. Groups
  consists of an even number of members on each
  side.

Materials
Round One
Round Two
Round Three
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Who Owns Your Genes? Websites Print Materials

• Who Owns Your Genes?
• http//www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/13/opinion/edc
  richton.php
• Who owns our genes?
• http//www.unmc.edu/publicaffairs/discover/spring9
  9stories/owns.htm
• Who Owns Our DNA?
• http//www.leidenslatest.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?
  c29
• Should Genes Be Patented?
• http//www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID1534
• Genetics and Patenting
• http//www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome
  /elsi/patents.shtml4
• References Can be printed from the online source
  in advance if computers are not available to the
  students.

Introduction
Round One
Round Two
Round Three
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Who Owns Your Genes?

• Round One
• 1. Understand the Position 15-20 minutes.
• Review the information package and prepare a
  compelling argument that support the position to
  which you have been assigned.
• 2. Present the Position 6-10 minutes.
• Your team offers its opinions and arguments. The
  other team listens carefully without
  interruption.
• 3. Open Discussion Forum 5 minutes.
• During this stage, teams ask clarifying
  questions, look for evidence, and search for
  meaning.

Introduction
Materials
Round Two
Round Three
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Who Owns Your Genes?

• Round Two
• Switch Positions 5 minutes.
• Physically shift into the seats formerly occupied
  by the other team.
• Your team must develop an argument for the
  opposite perspective.
• 2. Present the Position 6 minutes.
• Your team must offer opinions and arguments while
  the other team listens carefully without
  interruption.
• 3. Open Discussion Forum 2 minutes.
• Teams ask clarifying questions, look for
  evidence, and search for meaning.

Introduction
Materials
Round Three
Round One
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Who Owns Your Genes?

• Round Three
• 1. Reach Consensus 5 minutes.
• Both teams meet to reach a single, mutually
  acceptable position.
• As a class, we will write the compromise position
  on the board or on chart paper.

Introduction
Materials
Round One
Round Two
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Summative Assessment

• For homework, answer these questions
• Reflective Self-Assessment
• Which side of the controversy did you personally
  support?
• Did you change your mind after you had to support
  the opposite viewpoint?
• How difficult was it to switch to support the
  opposite viewpoint?
• Do you still agree with the consensus arrived at
  by the class? Why or why not?
• How could this exercise be applied to other
  controversies that you encounter in life?
  Explain and give 2 examples.
• Suppose pollen from a field where genetically
  modified (GM) corn is growing blows across to a
  neighbors field and fertilizes some of their corn
  crop. The company that developed the GM corn is
  suing the neighbor for using their genes without
  paying them royalties. You are the judge in this
  groundbreaking case and must reach a fair ruling
  for all concerned. Write 3-5 full paragraphs
  giving your judgment.

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