Genomics and Society Training

Genomics and Society Workshops

Learn how to teach our Genomics and Society workshop!

Lesson Plan

1. Understanding the Genomic and Society Connection

2. Warm up

3. Video

4. Take on a role and discuss pros and cons

Content

Today's lesson will teach you... how to teach our Genomics and Society Workshop!

Poll

Warm Up! Which one is better?

Pie or Cake?

Pie or Cake?

Ice breaker!

Use this as an opportunity to connect with your students, and let them know that this is a game all about debate. This question is your first example to show how there are no wrong answers.

One way to engage students is to speak up in support of the less popular answer choice.

Nothing is wrong!

Before the students have their characters, they argue their own opinions. It is important NOT TO CHALLENGE THE STUDENTS at this point, as we know, this can create tension and students to shut down and stop participating. The tool we have to teach is the game.

Until the students have their cards, use responses like "Maybe!" or "I challenge you to keep your mind open" or "Who really knows?!" to respond when students have opinions or big statements. Really, none of us have the answers.

If a student pulls you off-topic, try writing that idea down in a "parking lot" on the whiteboard, so that the student feels heard, but you can stay on topic!

Once the students have their cards, then we can start playing with the harder questions, because the students will have a safety net of their character!

Now let's introduce genetics!

We start with a general question, allowing students to apply their knowledge to the area of genetics. After you get answers, have students elaborate on why they selected their choice.

If no one speaks up, choose one and try and explain it yourself!

Multiple Choice

What do you think genetic technology is?

• Changing how the genome operates within an organism like using E. coli to make insulin!

• Changing the genome of an organism like increasing tastiness of tomatoes!

• Monitoring genomes for health like personalizing medications!

• Applying genomics to environmental issues like tailings pond water!

• All of these options encompass genetic technology!!!

IMO: In My Opinion

• Based on your lived experience, should we eradicate all mosquitos?

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​ERADICATE means to destroy completely, or put and end to.

No more mosquitoes on Earth!

Poll

Get rid of mosquitoes?

• YES!

• No!

KEY POINT!!!

This workshop is all about students sharing their own opinions and learning to explore the opinions of others!

Our role is to help students explore their perspectives. Try to avoid focusing on your own perspective, instead ask students for theirs throughout.

​A challenge for you for the rest of this workshop...

Draw a role from the deck

Think​ about what motivates your character

• To increase the global context of our workshop, we ask students to explore the SDGs. These are goals that the United Nations has set for our world!

• The SDGs create a scaffold for our global impact discussions.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Poll

Now, let's combine our characters + our warm-up questions...

What would your character pick? Which one is better?

Pie or Cake?

Now we are moving on a challenging part of the activity. The students watch segments of the video and have to analyze big questions from their character's perspectives after!

Ask students to JUSTIFY their answers after they give them! Encourage them to be creative with their perspectives!

Industry

What responsibilities do companies that create mosquito eradication products have?

Poll

Would your character support mosquito eradication products?

• Yes

• No

• It depends

Science

Can the removal of mosquitoes impact other organisms?

Poll

Does your character look at this issue on a local, national or global scale?

• Local

• National

• Global

Society

​What are the ethics of choosing to eradicate an organism for perceived human benefit?

Poll

Is the environmental impact of eradicating mosquitoes important to your character?

• Yes

• No

• Kind of

Government

What factors must governments balance when allocating resources to the prevention of infectious diseases?

Reflect:

Take a minute to think about how your character responds to the issue of eradicating mosquitoes through products and genetically modified organisms.

Part 2a: Character Debate

1) We will put you into groups

​3) Take a minute each to explain how you saw the issue in regards to:

• Science

• Industry

• Society

• Government

4) Listen and learn: maybe there is something you didn’t think of before!

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Thought: what is it like discussing a topic with like-minded people?

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Part 2b: Character Debate

1) We will put you into groups

​3) Take a minute each to explain how you saw the issue in regards to:

• Science

• Industry

• Society

• Government

4) Listen and learn: maybe there is something you didn’t think of before!

​

Thought: what is it like discussing a topic with people with different opinions?

​

Poll

What did your group discussion conclude? Should we use mosquito eradication technology?

• Yes

• N

Open Ended

What do you personally think? Did anything change your mind or make you think differently than when we first asked you today?

What do you personally think? Did anything change your mind or make you think differently than when we first asked you today?

Open Ended

Audience Q and A! Ask away...

Audience Q&A!

ask away!

Open Ended

What did you learn from today?

​What did you learn from today?

Multiple Choice

Rank this lesson from 1-5, 5 being very satisfied with the lesson

• 1 - very dissatisfied

• 2- dissatisfied

• 3- Neutral

• 4- satisfied

• 5 -very satisfied

The Game!