Урок английского языка "Клонирование"
план-конспект урока по английскому языку (10 класс) на тему

Открытый урок в 10  классе.

Тема: The secrets of science. Cloning and cryonics.

Цель: развитие навыков устной речи по теме

Задачи:

a) воспитательные: воспитывать у учащихся чувство уважения к культуре страны изучаемого языка

б) образовательные: провести практику речевой деятельности: монологической,  аудирования;

в) развивающие: развитие творческой фантазии и инициативы в осуществлении иноязычной речевой деятельности, а также развитие познавательных интересов учащихся и умения сотрудничать в осуществлении совместной деятельности.

Оборудование: мультимедийная техника

Teacher: Good morning. Today we are going to discuss the secrets of science including cloning and cryonics. Be very attentive during the lesson try to remember the ideas which are going to be discussed as your homework will be to write an argumentative composition about cloning. It should be 200 – 250 words.

And first of all I want you to answer some questions  according to the topic.

1. Are you interested in the topic of the unit? Why?
2. Do you approve of human cloning? Research in human cloning? What about achievements in this field for medical cure (purposes)? (cancer)
3. How can cloning help in such field of medicine as transplantation of inner organs which stopped functioning properly?
4. Are you keen on the problem of cloning?
5. What is the real aim of cloning to your mind?
6. Does cloning technology raise any bioethical questions? Which ones?

Возможные варианты ответов:

Is it acceptable that scientists take stem cells from an aborted foetus for their research?

With changed genetic make up will we still be human or a different species?

Is it acceptable that using therapeutic cloning private health companies will patent procedures and fix their own prices for treatment?

Who will decide who is cloned – only the rich?

Does a clone has its own soul?

Today we are going to simulate a TV chat show discussing the topic of human cloning.  Imagine such a situation: a team of scientists in America have just announced that they should be able to clone human beings in less than a year’s time. And you have been asked to take part in a TV chat show about cloning. Before we begin I want to give you role cards. I will be a presenter. … will be a professor of theology, … will be a scientist, … will be the President of environmental organization and … will be the President of Progress. Read your role cards and think about what to say

1. A role card of the Professor of theology.

You are a university professor of theology. You have been invited to take part in a chat show about human cloning. Naturally, you are against any kind of cloning and you think that scientists have gone too far. God created nature and all that is in it. Human beings should not be allowed to interfere with God's creations.

You should express your opinion clearly and strongly. You will be very kind and polite, but you will make it clear that from a religious point of view all such research should be banned.

2. A role card of the  Scientist.

You are an expert in cloning techniques. You have been invited to take part in a chat show about human cloning. You are very excited about the progress that has been made lately and you have recently announced that with some colleagues you will be able to clone human beings in less than a year.

Cloning will not only allow childless couples finally to have a child of their own, it will also allow people to choose what the human race will look like in the future.

You should explain clearly the advantages of cloning and stress how important scientific developments in this area have been. As a scientist, you are very sorry that people who are not scientists themselves are  allowed to express an opinion in these matters.

3. A role card of the  President of environmental organization

You are the president of an environmental organization. You have been invited to take part in a chat show about human cloning. You are worried that cloning may interfere with nature and are afraid that future developments cannot be controlled.

We do not know what organisms can be created using cloning techniques and what the final result of interfering with nature in this way may be. Nature should be allowed to look after itself.

You should explain clearly the dangers of cloning and stress that all people's attempts to interfere with nature so far have led to disaster. You will try to be polite, but you do not like scientists who don't care about the consequences of their actions.

4. A role card of the President of Progress

You are the President of Progress. Progress is an organization of people all over the world who admire science and believe in scientific progress as the future of mankind. You have been invited to take part in a chat show about human cloning. Naturally  you find human cloning an exciting development.

Science should be allowed, and even encouraged, to develop at all costs. If there are dangers, these are simply the price we have to pay for progress, but progress cannot be stopped. You should explain clearly your view that we should all live in the present and look to the future. You consider all anti-cloning views old-fashioned and stupid.

The rest of the class will be audience and you should also give your opinion on the topic.

So, let’s begin our show. The next technological revolution is likely to be in the field of genetic research and engineering. Cloning, the name given to these technologies, is often associated with science fiction horror stories because it suggests the creation of identical people.  In reality it is impossible to create two identical people. Personality, character and behaviour do not depend on genetic factors only. The real aims of cloning technology are to help in the development of tissue for transplantation in genetic diagnosis and in biological research. But cloning technology raises some very difficult bioethical questions. Look at the screen (видеофрагмент)

So, you have seen the question on which we will try to find an answer. Human cloning: should we allow it? Before trying to find an answer I would like you to look at the screen again.(видео) Now I would like to introduce a scientist, an expert in cloning techniques to you. Her name is … welcome Miss…

Scientist: Hello everybody. To begin with I would like to define what cloning is. In popular meaning it is a process of creating ideal reproduction of an orginal.
Of course cloning is a very controversial branch of medicine. Some people accept cloning in medicine but unfortunately many don’t. There are different types of cloning, reproductive and therepeutic. Cloning for medical reasons may become one of the most revolutionary and profitable inventions in the future which is Worth money. Cloning will not only allow childless couples finally to have a child of their own, it will also allow people to choose what the human race will look like in the future.

One of the audience 1: In my opinion, if a couple is unable to conceive a child, then there are plenty of children in orphanages Adopting an orphan is a much easier, cheaper, and safer solution than trying to clone a human being.

Scientist: If a person chooses not to have a child that is genetically their own because of a risk with passing on a genetic illness, then adoption is a better solution. But it has many other benefits. Cloning can be used to produce species of plants and animals to suit our requirements. It helps us to produce certain tissue types needed for medical treatment. By using genetic engineering technology clones with specific characteristics can be produced which may be useful in many fields including hazardous works. Therapeutic cloning will give the possibility of extending human lifespan (to 100, 120 perhaps 140 years)

Presenter: But it will be expensive I think. Rich people will be able to regenerate their failing organs, just as they now pay for plastic surgery. I don’t think it is fair. And I want to introduce the professor of theology to you. Her name is … Miss … What do you think of cloning?

Professor of theology: I think cloning is the worst thing that the human can do because for me it is against the law of God. Is it good to clone? I think it is not. God created the world and created us. Cloning is totally against the laws of God. There are two passages in the Bible about men playing God. The first is when Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden for taking fruit from the tree of knowledge. Also the story of the Tower of Babel.

One of the audience 2: Mankind is already "playing" God when we cure diseases, fly airplanes, create nuclear energy, or use any advanced technology. I believe it is impossible for anyone to know the true intentions of God if God exists. I don’t think God in any religion has directly banned human cloning.

Professor of theology: Cloning interferes with the natural process of human revolution.  It raises ethical and sociological questions like:

1. Whether the clone is a brother / sister or an offspring.  

2. Does the clone have one biological parent or two?  

3. Does the surrogate mother have to relinquish all parental claim to the child she bears?  

Some people argue that uncontrolled experiments in human cloning may lead to losing control over the society and its laws.

Presenter: Thank you for expressing your opinion. We have one more guest today. It is the President of environmental organization. Welcome Miss…

The  President of environmental organization: I am worried that cloning may interfere with nature and I am afraid that future developments cannot be controlled.

We do not know what organisms can be created using cloning techniques and what the final result of interfering with nature in this way may be. Nature should be allowed to look after itself. There is no proof that someone who is genetically identical to Albert Einstein, for example, would be a genius or would use his genius for socially acceptable ends. Upbringing and environment could turn an Einstein clone into another Adolf Hitler.

Presenter: Thank you for your opinion. I want you to imagine such a situation. A two-year old boy has  a rare blood disease and needs a blood donor to save him. None of his brothers’ or sisters’ blood is an exact match. Through genetic diagnosis, scientists are able to tell the parents if the next foetus they conceive will be a match. The parents then can choose whether to keep or to abort the foetus. Is this acceptable?

One of the audience 3: In my opinion it is acceptable. If your child is dying and it is the only way out yes.

Presenter: But what about the laws of God?

One of the audience 3: Scientists take stem cells from an aborted foetus for their research. Of course all this is not very good but with genetic engineering, scientists will be able to eliminate some diseases and create healthier people.

Presenter: Let us welcome one more guest. It is the President of progress. Progress is an organization of people all over the world who admire science and believe in scientific progress as the future of mankind. Miss … what do you think of cloning?

The President of progress: Naturally I find human cloning an exciting development. Science should be allowed, and even encouraged, to develop at all costs. If there are dangers, these are simply the price we have to pay for progress, but progress cannot be stopped. We should all live in the present and look to the future. I consider all anti-cloning views old-fashioned and stupid. The potential for curing human disease with the help of therapeutic cloning is enormous. It can allow thousands of lives to be saved from cloning human cells, tissues, and even organs. Therapeutic cloning can provide treatment for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease and Parkinson’s.

One of the audience 4: I have a question. Even if it is so, private health companies will patent procedures and fix their own prices for treatment. Is this acceptable?

The President of progress:  May be it is not fair. But it is better than not having a cure at all.

One of the audience 5: We have spoken about cloning, discussed if it is good or not, but nobody asked if a clone had his own soul. Would you like to be a clone yourself? What would you feel? Would you feel yourself a human or a robot?

Presenter: You are right they are very difficult questions to answer. May be there is somebody here who wants to answer?... Now let’s consider the ethical considerations of cloning. Is it right, for example, for rich pet owners to be able to spend tens of thousands of pounds on replacing a pet, when thousands of strays are killed for want of a home?

One of the audience 4: Of course not. In my opinion only therapeutic cloning should be allowed.

Presenter: Before passing to one more question we will have a break for an advertisement. It’s an advertisement of relaxation. Try to do it together.

Presenter: One more question I wanted to ask here. What if your doctor told you today that you were going to die? That you'd die of a disease that could be cured one day - but not now. Imagine you had the extra time to reach that cure. Imagine there was a procedure that, if available, could save not only you, but your friends, your family, and millions of others, and could extend your life by more years than you ever thought possible. Scientists and researchers are developing such a procedure right now. What is that breakthrough procedure called?

May be some of you know what it is, may be not. This film will show you how it works. Let’s watch it together. (видео о креонизации)

Freezing an entire body will cost you 25 thousand USD whereas storing just the brain would set you back a measly 9 thousand USD.

Cryonicists hope not only to reanimate the body, but to remove the initial cause of death or any other problems present at the time of death; if a woman died of lung cancer, then the cancerous tissue would be removed and replaced with healthy tissue instead. A man who had a severe case of Alzheimer's could have his brain "repaired," and would then be healthier than he had been before. Cases like these could be possible with the development of nanotechnology. Would anybody here want to express your opinion about it?

Professor of theology: If science finds a way of bringing us back to life after a couple of centuries, it is questionable that such a life - a life without friends or finances, most likely unable to make any significant contribution in a future society, where we, our skills and knowledge would be archaic - would really be worth living?

Presenter: I see your point of view here. Unfortunately our time is running out. In conclusion I want to thank everybody here. I think that after this programme you have now one more chance to think over the problem of science research in cloning and cryonisation. It is difficult to say if cloning deserves banning or not. Every person has his own opinion. Of course cloning has its own advantages and disadvantages. Who knows is it a blessing or curse? There are a lot of dilemmas which we are to face before the solving the problem of human cloning. Personally I think that only therapeutic cloning research should be continued.

Thank you for this chat TV show. Children, but now we shall remember together what your homework is going to be.

I remind you that you are to write an argumentative composition about cloning. It should be 200 – 250 words.

Let’s remember how to write an argumentative composition.

1. Don’t forget to give the basic outline of your argument in the first paragraph.
2. One paragraph should be about arguments in favour of the statement.
3. Another paragraph should contain arguments against the statement.
4. Your conclusion should be a balanced summary taking both sides into account.

Here is the task for you. It will help you to write your composition. There you will find the sample essay about cloning, but you have to complete it first with linking words. And on the other side of the paper you will find a plan to write your composition and useful words and phrases.

Let me monitor your progress and reward your efforts...

(…..ex., ….I wish you tried to work harder at home.) Thank you for your lesson.

Now I want to show the teachers our project, which we made together with the children. It is a site about cloning and cryonics. We want to put it into the site of our gymnasium and let the chance to every person to look through it and write his point of view according to the problem of cryonics and cloning in the forum.

Unfortunately our lesson is over. Goodbye.

Hometask: to write an argumentative composition about cloning. It should be 200 – 250 words.

How to write an argumentative composition.

1. Don’t forget to give the basic outline of your argument in the first paragraph.
2. One paragraph should be about arguments in favour of the statement.
3. Another paragraph should contain arguments against the statement.
4. Your conclusion should be a balanced summary taking both sides into account.

Useful words and phrases which can be used in your composition

Expressing your opinion:

• I agree/ disagree .

• In my opinion, / From my point of view, ... / As far as I'm concerned, .

• I believe that ... / It seems to me that...

• I am in favour of... / I am against the idea of...

• According to ...

• Some people say that .

• It is said /believed that .

• There is no doubt that .

• It cannot be denied that ...

• It goes without saying that ....

• We must admit that ...

Introducing arguments:

The main argument in favour/against is ...

• First of all I would like to consider ...

• The first thing (I would like to consider) to be considered is ...

• To begin with, ... / To start with, ."

• Apart from that...

• Despite the fact that .. ./ In spite of the fact that ...

• On the one hand, .. ./On the other hand, ...

• Besides, … / In addition, ...

• What is more, ... /Moreover, ... /More than that, ...

• What matters most in this case is ...

• Finally, ...

• However, / , though

• ... although / even though ...

• Nevertheless, …

Expressing cause-effect relation:

   for this reason

• therefore/that is why

• thus sth happened

• because of

• as a result of

• owing to/due to

• as a consequence of

Examples:

for example

• for instance

• such as

• like

Conclusion:

• To sum up, ....

• To conclude, I would argue that ...

• On this basis, I can conclude that...

• In conclusion, I would like to stress that...

• All in all, I believe that.