Join us for Free Cutting Edge Science Curriculum Workshops for Teachers!!

Saturday, April 28, 2012 at Harrisburg University, Harrisburg, PA    

ACT 48 credits provided

Workshop 1:  Stem Cells: Science and Ethics 8:30am-11:00am

Complimentary Lunch:  11:00am-12:00pm

Workshop 2:  Science and Ethics of Global HIV Vaccine Trials 12:00pm-2:30pm

Presented by The Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research and a Pennsylvania Science Teacher from Cumberland Valley High School.

Sign up for one or both of these workshops by filling out the registration form by clicking here.

Questions?  Please contact Lisa Cassaro, PSBR Program Assistant at 717-731-3559 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Workshop Descriptions:

Workshop 1:  Stem Cells: Science and Ethics

Explore the scientific and ethical implications of embryonic stem cell research using hands-on, engaging activities from our popular curriculum. Receive the unit free on CD and complied in a binder.

This session will provide an overview of our popular resource on stem cell science and ethics geared towards secondary science classrooms.  The unit begins with a laboratory examination of planaria as a model organism for understanding stem cell biology.  It provides engaging activities that highlight early embryonic development and compare and contrast different types of stem cells using modeling clay. Additional activities focus on the bioethical dimensions of stem cell research, including a case study on use of excess in-vitro fertilized eggs and a group activity discussing the variety of positions held by different stakeholders in the stem cell debate.  A Socratic Seminar allows students to discuss the role of public funding for stem cell research.  The culminating assessment provides an opportunity for students to either prepare a letter to the President’s Bioethics Commission or propose a grant to fund research for a specific disease or disorder.

Participants will receive practical strategies for managing bioethical discussions related to stem cells, an overview of scientific aspects of stem cell biology, and a CD containing the complete unit.

These materials were developed in conjunction with classroom teachers, ethicists, and scientific researchers and were made possible by a NIH Science Education Partnership Award grant.

The session addresses National Life Science Content Standard F, Science in Personal and Social Perspectives, which indicates that all students should develop understanding of science and technology in local, national, and global challenges.

Workshop 2:  Science and Ethics of Global HIV Vaccine Trials

Engage students in thinking about scientific and ethical issues related to HIV vaccine trials and global health. Receive an NIH-funded 5-lesson unit on CD and compiled in a binder.

This workshop will introduce a standards-based curriculum unit that brings issues related to the science and ethics of HIV vaccine trials into high school classrooms.

The lessons included in the unit address student misconceptions about HIV and vaccine trials, examine HIV structural biology, and explore vaccine types.  Using historical case studies, students develop ethical principles to guide human research and then compare them to existing standards.  A hands-on activity encourages students to think about the allocation of health resources, cultural differences, and other factors impacting HIV research globally.  The culminating assessment asks students to create a vaccine strategy using their understanding of HIV and propose a research protocol for testing. 

The curriculum provides both sound scientific information and tools for well-considered ethical reasoning.

These materials were developed by classroom teachers in conjunction with scientists, ethicist and partners at the University of Washington (School of Education).  Funding was provided by a NIH Science Education Partnership Award grant.