|
|
Supper and Stem Cells A Webquest designed for a high school biology class
|
|
"The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment." Robert Maynard Hutchins
|
You are a group of friends that have been motivated to stay up-to-date in understanding what's going on in the region and world, so you created your own “current issues” supper club. You’re all interested in politics, science, research, ethics, and religion and the impact that these have in your own lives. However, you’re also a group of very different people, each with her/his own background and opinions, but you genuinely listen to and try to respect each others’ positions when you gather once a month. Occasionally you reach consensus about a topic, but you certainly don’t always agree, although you always stay cordial and respectful. Often, you each leave the group feeling the need to act upon your own opinions and knowledge, so you regularly contact government officials or other important players to make your feelings known. Last month the local news aired a story about a local athlete left crippled after an injury. The story noted his opinions on stem cell research, including his and his family's support for embryonic stem cell research. Reacting to that new story, the topic of stem cell research came up at the supper club meeting. People had some strong opinions, but everyone soon realized they didn't know enough about the topic to discuss it well. You all decided to spend time learning about stem cell research and the issues surrounding it, regroup next month and discuss the topic, “Should the US government regulate the use of embryonic stem cells for scientific research?” |
Your task is to work with others and by yourself to prepare for an excellent, informed discussion during the meeting of your "current issues supper club." You must do so not only by learning about the topic, but also by developing, supporting and eventually sharing your OWN opinions about US government regulation of embryonic stem cell use. Your task is to be a concerned, interested citizen who participates in the discussion of subjects that may change the world we live in.
