Manipulating Biology: Costs, Benefits and Controversies

Classroom Activity 1:  Science Fact, Fiction, and Opinion – Exploring the Biochemistry in Black Lightning

Lesson Overview

This activity is designed to be the opener of the unit by developing interest in the topic of gene manipulation and how our understanding of chemistry can drive humanity towards gene therapy.  This activity can be performed in one class period or broken up across several class periods to sustain student interest on days when the lessons are extremely content-driven.  In my short teaching experience, my administrators have always encouraged me to connect the content back to the context so that students are always aware of why they are learning the content.  Therefore, I will prefer using a piece of the activity on a daily basis to generate discussions on gene manipulation and build anticipation for the increasingly complex content.

Preparation

This activity lends itself the students’ knowledge and opinions via discussion and utility classroom technology tools such as Plickers.com or Socrative.com.  I will present my students with a variety strategically crafted true/false statements along with general statements to observe students’ viewpoints on biomedicine.  Ultimately, I will follow through by asking for students’ opinions on the statements to generate discussion.  Some statements will be presented before a cutscene from the Black Lightning television series, while other statements will be presented after.  Preparation here highly depends on which platform you are going to use to present these statements to students and collect their responses.  I highly encourage that you download or rent the Black Lightning television series from an online service such as iTunes or purchase the DVD set, just in case your school district’s firewall prevents access to streaming services such as Netflix.  If needed, scripts are also available for English language learners.²⁶

Implementation

I’ve selected scenes from the Black Lightning television series and assigned titles to the scenes to summarize what I want students to get from those scenes.  There are scenes focused on science literacy, drug abuse, gene isolation, and the decision-making process behind genetic mutations and their therapies.

Science Literacy through the Media (Season 1, Episode 5):  In this scene, Anissa learns that her grandfather conducted research on the vaccine that was experimentally used on the people of Freeland.  I chose this scene because this is something that everyone can relate to.  We live our normal everyday lives only to find out that an health epidemic may have occurred and the truth was withheld for too long.  This scene should be played after the students are surveyed.

• Agree/Disagree: I completely trust the media when it comes to informing me about medicine such as vaccines.
• Agree/Disagree: YouTube is the best place to find the truth when the news does not tell the truth.
• Post-Scene Discussion: What’s your viewpoint/thoughts on the Flint water crisis?

Drugs and DNA (Season 1, Episode 8):  In this scene, Lynn, Anissa’s mother, discovers that her father-in-law’s vaccine is chemically related to green light, a drug that has hit the streets of Freeland, causing its users to develop unstable enhanced abilities.  I chose this scene because it can open up the discussion of what drugs and vaccines are used for.  I can gauge my students’ perspectives and debunk any misconceptions that they have about medicine concerning drugs and vaccines.  This scene should be played after the students are surveyed.

• True/False: Drugs can alter the DNA of individuals who take them.
• True/False: Drugs can alter the expression of DNA.
• True/False: Both drugs and vaccines can be used to alter brain activity.
• Agree/Disagree: I believe that the government conspires to keep the truth about medicine from society.
• Agree/Disagree: Vaccines have adverse side effects that outweigh their benefits to humanity.

Drugs and DNA (Season 1, Episodes 8 and 12):  In the scene from episode 8, Gambi reveals the truth about his past involvement in the circulation of the original vaccine used to domesticate the behavior of African Americans in Freeland.  In episode 12, the ASA reveals to Black Lightning’s nemesis, Tobias Whale, the purpose of the vaccine and the results.  These scenes were selected because there are always a select group of people who believe that the government conspires against the citizens.  At the same time, I can ask the students tough questions to see what they really believe and get them to start making connections between science fact and science fiction.  As I mentioned in the Background of this unit, the vaccine delivered in Black Lightning could not have been a true vaccine by definition, but rather a form of therapy.  These scenes should be shown prior to surveying the students.

• Agree/Disagree: Vaccinations are used to control society.
• Agree/Disagree: I believe that chemical warfare is already being used to alter our
• True/False: Aggressive behavior is genetically inherited.
• True/False: Mental disorders are genetically inherited.
• True/False: Drugs are used to give humans enhanced abilities.
• Post-Scene Discussion: Which biological components could be responsible for superhuman strength and high pain tolerance?

Gene Isolation (Season 1, Episode 12):  This scene focuses on Jennifer’s response to her parents after finding out that she has inherited genes for enhanced abilities. I selected this scene to hone in on the science of genetics and to assess students’ prior knowledge on inheritance.  This scene can be shown before surveying the students.

• True/False: Phenotypes are generally affected by a single set of genes, as demonstrated using Punnett squares.
• True/False: Scientists have effectively isolated genes and how to control them.
• Post-Scene Discussion: Where do we draw the line when it comes to isolating and/or manipulating genes?

Important Decisions about Gene Therapy (Season 1, Episode 12):  This scene focuses on Jefferson and Lynn’s differing viewpoints as parents of a daughter who is disturbed by having genetically enhanced abilities.  I selected this scene to really focus on the mind of the Jefferson’s daughter, who is a teenager trying to find her own identity only to realize she is not who she thinks she is because of a genetic mutation that she carries.  I believe that this scene will really grab my students and tie their interests to the content.  The scene should be shown before the students are surveyed.

• Agree/Disagree: If a person has a genetic defect, then they are a broken individual that needs to be fixed.
• Agree/Disagree: If a DNA test could determine whether or not I am predisposed for a disease, I would want to know it immediately.
• Agree/Disagree: All genetic mutations should be corrected or suppressed.
• Agree/Disagree: I believe that the fate of children with genetic mutations should be determined by their parents alone.
• Agree/Disagree: Parents should decide the fate of their unborn child if a genetic mutation is discovered.
• Post-Scene Discussion: What should we consider when making decisions on correcting a genetic mutation?