Lesson 7: Stem Cells
Suggested Time: 60 mins
Overview
Students will learn about stem cells and their many applications in
medicine and science.
Vocabulary
- Multicellular organism
-
Specialized cell
-
Stem cell
-
Adult stem cell
-
Embryonic stem cell
-
Somatic cell
-
Bioengineering
Objectives
- Students will apply critical thinking skills to the medical use of
stem cells.
-
Students will learn about specialized and stem cells.
Required Project
Materials
- Debate rubric (available online or develop your own)
Multimedia Resources
- Knoepfler, Paul. Stem Cells: an Insider’s Guide .
http://amzn.com/9814508802
-
“Acid Shock Converts Adult Cells to Stem Cells.”
http://www.genengnews.com/gen-
news-highlights/acid-shock-converts-adult-cells-to-stem-cells/81249434/ ,
or similar article from journal Nature or other.
-
“Bioengineering” game at Centre of the Cell
https://www.centreofthecell.org/learn-play/
games/bioengineering/
-
Other biomedical games:
https://www.centreofthecell.org/learn-play/games/
Optional Multimedia
Resources
Before the Lesson/ Background
Information
- Print out copies of sections of Chapter 3 from Stem Cells .
-
Print out the cell conversion article.
The Lesson
Part 1: Stem Cells (30
mins)
- Review material from Chapters 1 and 2 of Stem Cells .
-
Each student will take a different section from Chapter 3. For
example, one student will read “Stem Cells May Greatly Reduce the
Need for Animal Research Via Modeling,” while someone else will read
“Cell Fusion and Confusion of Cell Identity”. Allow a few minutes
for reading, then go around the room. Each student will share a brief
summary of what they just read.
-
If you have more students than chapter sections, have the students
pair up, or use sections from Chapters 4 and 5 as well.
-
Summarize “Acid Shock Converts Adult Cells to Stem Cells.” What does
this mean for the medical sciences? How is it related to engineering?
Part 2: Stem Cell Engineers (30
mins)
- In pairs, students will play the “Bioengineering” game. Who can
solve the problem first? Are there different ways to solve the
problem? What are they?
-
Allow students to explore other games on the site, such as “Become a
Medical Engineer” and “How are Drugs Developed?”, “Produce a Drug
Target,” and “Develop a Drug.”
-
Allow 10 minutes at the end of class for discussion. Ask: what are the
various kinds of treatments the students explored? How does stem cell
treatment compare with other kinds of treatment? Are there any
ailments they treated that could also have been treated using stem
cells? What are the advantages and disadvantages of stem cell
treatments?
Homework:
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