Bioethics: Saviour Babies
Duration:
3 period(s)
Suggested level:
Secondary Cycle Two
Subject:
Culture and Citizenship in Québec, English Language Arts, Law
Description
This activity involves a class debate on two hot topics in biotechnology: the selection of human embryos and the use of a baby’s tissues or organs to cure another person. Students then draft a bill on these topics.
Learning objectives
- Reflect on ethical and legal issues raised by scientific advances
- Learn about parliamentary debate
- Take a position and make oral arguments
- Learn about drafting a bill
Subjects and subject-specific competencies
Culture and Citizenship in Québec - Secondary IV
Cultural realities and compulsory main concepts: Technology and future challenges - Technological innovation.
Compulsory specific concepts, and related topics and examples: Biotechnology, Treatment of diseases, Technologically assisted reproduction, Genetic selection and eugenics.
- Competency 2: Reflects on ethical questions:
- Discerns the ethical dimensions of a situation:
- Describes a situation.
- Calls on relevant information and concepts.
- Identifies existing tensions.
- Examines a variety of points of view:
- Considers points of view and experiences.
- Discerns the ethical dimensions of a situation:
Français, langue seconde
- Compétence 1: Lire des textes variés en français
- Compétence 2: Interragie en français
- Compétence 3: Produire des textes variés en français
Duration
Two to three classes
Connections with other subjects
- Science and Technology, Competency 1
- Secondary 2: Life-sustaining processes (cells), survival of species (fertilization, stages of human development); OR
- Secondary 3: Technological world, biotechnologies (Cloning, assisted reproduction, cell cultures)
Broad areas of learning
- Heath and Well-being: Awareness of the consequences of collective choices on individual well-being
Cross-curricular competencies
- Exercises critical judgment: Forms an opinion
- Communicates appropriately
External pedagogical tools
The National Assembly provides a teaching guide on how to draft a bill (PDF) on its youth website Par ici la démocratie! (French only).
Additional ressources
- Report on assisted reproduction (PDF) by the Commission de l’éthique de la science et de la technologie (ethics commission for science and technology)
- Website of the Commission de l’éthique en science et en technologie
- Héma-Québec’s website: information on stem cells
Fiction:
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, 1931 (futuristic novel)
- My Sister’s Keeper (2009 American film directed by Nick Cassavetes, starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin)
- Gattaca (1997 futuristic film directed by Andrew Niccol, starring Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman)