Personal genetics, gene editing and the
environment, and the history of the
American eugenics movement:
Conversations about genetics and society.
Welcome to our online workshop from pgEd.org!
On this page you will find all the necessary materials for today’s workshop.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions.
You can reach us in today’s zoom meeting: https://tamu.zoom.us/j/99533893689.
Or feel free to reach out to us at: nvincenten@pged.med.harvard.edu or mgelbart@pged.med.harvard.edu.
Click here to get a copy of the curriculum integration form that you can use during the workshop. The aim of this form is to give you some ideas on how you could integrate pgEd’s materials into your classroom.
9.00 – 10.00am CT in Zoom:
Introductions
Useful links:
10.00 – 10.45am CT independent work:
“Introduction to Personal Genetics”
pgEd’s “Introduction to Personal Genetics” lesson serves to give an overview of many of the ways in which genetics may become relevant to our everyday lives. It is divided into sections on Personalized Medicine, Genetics & Ancestry, and Societal Implications of Genetics. It works well for those wanting a brief overview of relevant topics or as a starting point for a longer discussion of personal genetics.
1. Watch Lesson Presentation (24 mins, closed captioning available)
For those of you who would prefer reading along, click here for the video transcript.
Click here if you have any comments, thoughts, or questions about this presentation. We will use these as a jumping off point for our review session.
2. Lesson Materials and Coffee Break
The full set of materials for this lesson plan – consisting of the presentation itself as well as the teacher guide (provided both in Word and PDF format) – can be found on our lesson plan page. Feel free to browse these during your coffee break or to save them for later.
10.45 – 11.30am CT in Zoom:
“Introduction to Personal Genetics” Review Session
Please join us once again in our Zoom meeting to discuss the materials you have just explored.
11.30 – 12.15pm CT independent work:
“Genetics, History, and the American Eugenics Movement”
The “Genetics, History and the American Eugenics Movement” lesson describes the beliefs and policies that fueled the eugenics movement in the US, discusses the ethical implications of some current genomic technologies and how they relate to the past, and highlights organizations and laws that are now in place to help people take advantage of new advances in genetic knowledge without putting themselves in danger of eugenics.
1. Watch Lesson Presentation – Part 1 (8 mins, closed captioning available)
For those of you who would prefer reading along, click here for the video transcript and click here for a copy of the slideshow.
2. Watch Clip from PBS Documentary “The Gene: An Intimate History” (10 mins, closed captioning available)
Please click here to view a clip from “The Gene: An Intimate History”, which accompanies our lesson plan.
3. Watch Lesson Presentation – Part 2 (20 mins, closed captioning available)
For those of you who would prefer reading along, click here for the video transcript and click here for a copy of the slideshow..
Click here if you have any comments, thoughts, or questions about this presentation. We will use these as a jumping off point for our review session.
4. Lesson Materials
The full set of materials for this lesson plan – consisting of the presentation itself as well as the teacher guide (provided both in Word and PDF format) – can be found on our lesson plan page. Feel free to browse these during your lunch break or to save them for later.
12.15 – 1.15pm CT: Lunch
Feel free to join us in the Zoom meeting room at any time between 12.45 and 1.15pm for an informal ‘hang out’, to chat with us and your fellow participants. Please all be back on Zoom by 1:15pm the latest.
1.15 – 1.45pm CT independent work:
“Using Primary Sources to Examine the History of Eugenics”
“Using Primary Sources to Examine the History of Eugenics” is a classroom activity that serves as a companion to the “Genetics, History and the American Eugenics Movement” lesson. The goal of this activity is for students to deepen their understanding of eugenics and learn from their peers via a classroom activity in which they view images of primary sources from the American eugenics movement and try to determine the type of document, the date it was created, who created it, who was the intended audience, what the main idea was, why it was created, and what it tells us about US society at the time.
1. Image & Document Analysis (10-15 mins)
Please go to the Padlet where you will find the image(s) and/or document(s) that your group has been assigned, and follow the instructions (left, blue box). Aim for ~10-15 mins to review and answer the questions.
Note: After this session, you may wish to review the full lesson plan, which can be found on the pgEd website, including printable slides and notes for your reference.
2. Assignment: Eugenics in Your State (10-15 mins)
Please go to the Google Slides for instructions to guide your research and to create your slide.
1.45 – 2.30pm CT in Zoom:
“Genetics, History, and the American Eugenics Movement” Review Session
Please join us once again in our Zoom meeting to discuss the materials you have just explored.
2.30 – 3.25pm CT independent work:
“Engineering the World Around Us: Genome Editing and the Environment”
pgEd’s “Engineering the World Around Us: Genome Editing and the Environment” explores the question of how genome editing might be used to address the environmental issues we are facing.
Advances in genetic technologies are accompanied by questions for society about if, where, and how to apply these tools. A new generation of genetic tools has opened a pathway to engineer the world around us to potentially improve human health, agriculture, and the environment. However, not everyone agrees these applications would necessarily be a benefit, while others worry about unintended consequences of these ecosystem-changing actions. In this lesson plan, we focus on three potential uses of these tools with the goal of (1) reducing toxicity of cassava, (2) modifying disease-carrying insects to preserve Hawaiian honeycreepers, an endangered species of bird, and (3) reviving an extinct animal – the woolly mammoth – to possibly aid in preventing permafrost thawing. These examples draw from current scientific research and environmental issues at the forefront of genetics and society. Each scenario raises a variety of complex ethical, environmental, and scientific conundrums for students to consider.
1. Watch Lesson Presentation and Coffee Break (24 mins, closed captioning available)
Please get yourself your favorite beverage and snack to enjoy while watching this presentation.
For those of you who would prefer reading along, click here for the video transcript and click here for a copy of the slideshow.
Click here if you have any comments, thoughts, or questions about this presentation. We will use these as a jumping off point for our review session.
2. Assignment: Genome Editing Close to Home
Please go to the Google Slides for instructions to guide your research and to create your slide.
3. Lesson Materials
The full set of materials for this lesson plan – consisting of the presentation itself as well as the teacher guide (provided both in Word and PDF format) – can be found on our lesson plan page.
3.25 – 4.00pm CT in Zoom:
“Engineering the World Around US: Genome Editing and the Environment” Review Session
Please join us once again in our Zoom meeting to discuss the materials you have just explored and close today’s workshop.