The Controversy of Human Cloning

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

The Controversy of Human Cloning

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to discuss the controversies surrounding human cloning. You can list pros and cons of human cloning and you can clearly formulate your opinion about that. 

Introduce the learning objective of the lesson to the students.

Definition of Human Cloning

Human cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy or clone of a human.

There are two types of human cloning: therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning. 

What is the difference between those two types (make a guess)? 

Define human cloning to the students and explain how it is done.

Reproductive cloning produces copies of whole animals. Therapeutic cloning produces embryonic stem cells for experiments aimed at creating tissues to replace injured or diseased tissues.

Explain the potential benefits of human cloning and its significance in medical research.

Benefits of Human Cloning

Human cloning can be beneficial in medical research and treatment of diseases.

Explain the potential benefits of human cloning and its significance in medical research.

Ethical Concerns

Human cloning raises ethical concerns about the value of human life, the potential for misuse, and the psychological impact on the clone.

Discuss the ethical concerns related to human cloning and its impact on human life.

Legal Issues

Human cloning is illegal in many countries, including the US and UK, due to ethical and moral concerns.

The Netherlands prohibits human cloning, gender selection, and, for the next five years, altering genetic material.

Discuss the legal issues surrounding human cloning and how they vary from country to country.

The first cloned human

On Dec. 27, 2002, Brigitte Boisselier held a press conference in Florida, announcing the birth of the first human clone, called Eve. Boisselier said the baby, dubbed "Eve" by the scientists, is a clone of a 31-year-old American woman and was born outside the United States, but wouldn't specify where.

Discuss the legal issues surrounding human cloning and how they vary from country to country.

Public Opinion

Public opinion on human cloning is divided, with some supporting it for medical advancements and others concerned about the potential consequences.

Discuss the varying public opinions on human cloning and how they shape the debate.

What is one potential social impact of human cloning?

1. Promoting scientific progress
2. Reducing healthcare costs
3. Increasing genetic diversity
4. Challenging traditional family structures

What is one ethical concern surrounding human cloning?

1. Equal access to cloning technology
2. Playing God
3. Ensuring the safety of cloned individuals
4. Potential exploitation of clones

What is one potential disadvantage of human cloning?

1. Creating a new source of organ donation
2. Increased genetic diversity
3. Eliminating genetic diseases
4. Reduced genetic diversity

What is one potential benefit of human cloning?

1. Creating identical copies of individuals
2. Helping to cure diseases
3. Achieving immortality
4. Solving infertility issues

What is a potential risk of cloning endangered species?

1. Increased genetic diversity
2. Ethical dilemmas
3. Environmental impact
4. Decreased genetic diversity

Essay writing preparation

Formulate your strong thesis . 

Clearly state what you think: 

Should human cloning be legal or not? 

Give three arguments (reasons) supporting your thesis. 

Explain the key points of the debate on human cloning and the different perspectives involved.

Writing task: 

Choose one of your three arguments and write down the whole paragraph of your essay. Your task is to convince readers that your argument is correct. 

Explain the key points of the debate on human cloning and the different perspectives involved.

Structure of the paragraph:

Topic sentence (which argument?)

Explanation + example 

or

Two different examples

Closure (repeat briefly why you are right)

Explain the key points of the debate on human cloning and the different perspectives involved.

                          Creative writing task: 

            Alternative Ending of Never Let Me Go: 

Write an alternative ending or an additional chapter to the story. Be creative and think your choices through because you will be asked to justify them.  

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.