NOTE: Information for the project is here, but you will be creating your web page at your class period's site!

Link to Your Period's Website:

1st Period
3rd Period
5th Period
6th Period

BIOETHICS PROJECT

Scientists ask: "How can we?" The legal system asks: "May we?" Morality asks: "Should we?"

Objectives

For this project, you will become a member of a research team whose objectives are as follows:

• Examine in detail a bioethics issue
• Prepare a web evaluation (each member) for a site that you "Google"
• Present your findings to the class with the assistance of a Wiki that your group creates
• Lead a meaningful class discussion on your topic
• Present a Public Service Announcement (PSA) using either live action or still images.

Once your group has selected a topic (see Potential Topics) , you are ready to begin your research. Each member of your research team will have a role, so that you may explore various aspects of your particular issue. Each role is outlined below:

Sociologist	Your job is to explore the issue from a societal perspective. What do most people feel? What are the different sides of the issue? Keep in mind, this is not a persuasive topic, your job is to examine all opinions and attitudes.
Lawyer	What are the current laws surrounding the issue? Do different states have different laws? Are there any thoughts on future laws regarding this topic?
Scientist	Describe and define the topic from a scientific perspective. This section is to inform others of the scientific processes and principles. Example, if your group is exploring cloning: you'll need to explain how cloning works.
Educator	Develop a list of questions to be used for a class discussion. Plan to respond and engage class with controversy and thought. Example of discussion questions: Do you feel that the government has a right to decide how many children a couple can have? Do you think that parents have the right to know of medical procedures being performed on their minor children (contraception, treatment for diesease)? Do patients who are terminally ill have the right to decide how and when they die?

Presentation and Class Discussion

Your presentation to the class should be informative, covering all the information you gained during the research phase. Use your group roles to help you delegate duties, with each person doing one section of the presentation. All information should be posted to your page on the Wiki. After you present the information that you have found, you will pose questions to the class, asking for opinions and insights from your classmates. Your presentation and discusssion should be approximately 20 minutes (half the class period)


PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSA)
Your group may choose to create either a live video, an animated video or a video of still images, will be worth 5-10 bonus points (Animoto = 5 bonus max; Live or Animated Video = 10 bonus max)

Live Video: Use your imagination to create a script and a video camera to capture it digitally!

Animated Video: Use Extranormal website to create an animated video for your PSA : www.xtranormal.com

Information about this site:
ExtraNormal information.doc

ANIMOTO videos: Let you create a montage of still and video clips set to music of your choice
Factory Farming
Designer Babies

Animoto Directions:
1. Copy the Classroom Code:

a4ewolf3c1b87

2. then follow the directions on the link below:

http://animoto.com/education/getting_started

Assessment

Your grade for this project will be based on the sum of a group + individual grade. Rubric for both is below:

Group Grading

	Points
Accurately explores the science issues related to topic. Explains the procedures or capabilities within a scientific context	5
Accurately explores the current legal guidelines regarding the topic, explores possible future laws	5
Examines all sides of the issues and explores the social ramifications	5
Wiki is informative, engaging, presents information in a logical sequence and is audience appropriate	5
Presentation is sequenced and easy to follow, group members seem knowledgeable.	5
Discussion questions meaningful, class is engaged, group encourages class to examine the issue in depth by asking leading questions Public Service Announcement is informative and thought provoking	10
Bibliography of all sources - to be placed on your Wiki page	5
Total	40

Individual Grade

	Points
Team member shared in responsibilities	5
Team member participated in all discussions	5
Web Evaluation- each member's evaluation should be posted to your Wiki page	5
Total Individual	15
Total Points for Project (Individual + Group)	55