The Ethics Primer provides engaging, interactive, and classroom-friendly lesson ideas for integrating ethical issues into a science classroom. It also provides basic background on ethics as a discipline, with straightforward descriptions of major ethical theories. Several decision-making frameworks are included to help students apply reasoned analysis to ethical issues.
Although the Primer is designed for secondary school science classrooms, it has been used by teachers in a variety of classes and grade levels. It is particularly suited to social studies and integrated/interdisciplinary classrooms. It has also been used with adults. The Primer is not designed to be used cover to cover. Teachers should review materials and select lessons that fit their needs. The Primer is also intended to be used as a general resource, with a wide variety of topics.
The complete Ethics Primer is now available free for download from the Lessons page, as a full-unit PDF or as individual lessons.
In order for us to measure how our curriculum resources are being used, please take a moment to contact us and let us know the class or classes in which you're using our lessons. We also welcome feedback about our Ethics Primer. We will not share your contact information with anyone.
"Amazing resource!"
"A fantastic grab bag of powerful teaching tools!""This is where I began my learning about teaching ethics. I try to incorporate ethics throughout the year with my students."
The Ethics Primer provides engaging, interactive, and classroom-friendly lesson ideas for integrating ethical issues into a science classroom. It also provides basic background on ethics as a discipline, with straightforward descriptions of major ethical theories. Several decision-making frameworks are included to help students apply reasoned analysis to ethical issues.
Although the Primer is designed for secondary school science classrooms, it has been used by teachers in a variety of classes and grade levels. It is particularly suited to social studies and integrated/interdisciplinary classrooms. It has also been used with adults.
The Primer is not designed to be used cover to cover. Teachers should review the materials and select lessons that fit their needs. The Primer is also intended to be used as a general resource, with a wide variety of topics.
The Primer can be downloaded in its entirety or in individual lessons or strategies. The Primer was last updated on this page 10/2008.
To order a hard copy of the Ethics Primer for $35 (includes shipping and handling in the United States), please contact us at 206-957-3337.
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Complete Lesson Plans
- Download Entire Primer (184 pages, 4MB pdf)
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Supporting Materials
- Front and Back Cover
- Table of Contents/Guide to Using the Primer
- Preface
- Ethics as a Discipline--Background in Ethical Perspectives and Theories
- Lesson Strategies--Classroom Ideas and Rubrics for Evaluation
- Decision--Making Frameworks
- Appendix--Including Sample Cases and Ethics Resources
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Specific Page(s
- The Process of Ethical Inquiry
Provides a schematic representation of the process of ethical inquiry, with explanation.
- Principles
1 page overview of perspective **Note: We recommend focusing on the principles, rather than all perspectives, for introductory students or a brief bioethics unit within a biology class.
- Ethics Background Reading
Short reading describing values, morals, and ethics, as well as the various perspectives outlined above.
- Lesson Strategies Chart
Compares the lesson strategies and assessments. Provides a summary, sample use, and approximate classroom duration. Also provides page numbers and serves as table of contents for this section.
- Discussion Background
Provides suggestions for discussions and setting norms.
- Values Activities
Includes exploration of student values ("Choices and Values"), a values prioritization activity, and a "Values Definition" table describing different values.
- Science and Ethics: Subjective or Objective?
Explores the relationship between science and ethics.
- Ethical Questions
Develops student understanding of ethical questions through three different worksheets.
- Range of Perspectives
- Introduction to the Principles
Provides ideas for developing student understanding of bioethical principles. Includes graphic organizer. **Note: We recommend focusing on the principles, rather than all perspectives, for introductory students or a brief bioethics unit within a biology class.
- Ethical Perspectives Review and Quizzes
Provides ideas for reviewing and assessing student understanding of various perspectives. **Note: We recommend these types of activities for bioethics-focused high school classes.
- Foursquare/Carousel
Introduces several general classroom strategies that have been adapted to focus on teaching different ethical perspectives.
- Critical Reasoning Analysis
Provides a way for students to critically analyze information or an ethical issue using the elements of thought.
- Introducing a Decision-Making Framework
Offers several short ways in which to introduce the concepts of stakeholders and of using a decision-making framework for ethical analysis. Also includes brief ideas for essays.
- Film and Literary Analysis
Describes three different formats for analyzing ethical issues in film and/or literature: Rules VS. Outcomes, Documentary, and Narrative Ethics.
- Structured Academic Controversy
Presents the Structured Academic Controversy format: Through a sequence of scaffolded steps, small groups of students increase their understanding of a community (shared) problem. They considered alternative perspectives and engage in a shared decision-making process.
- Case Study
Describes an overview of a case study methodology that can be used with a wide variety of scenarios.
- Congressional Hearing
Presents a Congressional Hearing Model: Students analyze a controversial issue from the perspective of a stakeholder, and make a brief presentation to "Congress". They follow up with a written statement of their own position.
- So cratic Seminar
Introduces the Socratic Seminar format and provides resources for conducting a seminar. Socratic seminar are a "collaborative, intellectual dialogue facilitated with open-ended questions about a text."
- Rubrics/Assessments
Provides several assessments and rubrics, including rubrics for a Socratic Seminar and class discussion, a sample policy letter to the editor.
- Background on Decision-Making Frameworks (DMF)
Offers background on the elements of the Decision-Making Framework provided.
- Alternate DMF
Provides several alternate formats for Decision-Making Frameworks, including the 4-box model used widely in clinical ethics.
- Model Letter to Parents
Provides a sample letter that could be sent to parents at the beginning of a bioethics.
- Bioethics Topics Ideas
Describes topics related to bioethics that could be the focus of student reports or research.
- Case: Pennington
Describes a case in which a genetically modified pig liver was used to keep a young man alive until a human organ could be found. Includes extensive background and analysis.
- Case: Ashley
Describes a case in which medical procedures designed to keep a young woman with static encephalopathy from physically maturing are carried out in order to allow her parents to better care for her.
- Other Cases
Provides several other case studies, Two Tales of Rice (genetically modified food), Talk About Short (growth hormone for short stature--fictionalized), and One Family's Dilemma (a family considers what to do about excess IVF embryos).
If you would like to provide feedback on the Primer, please contact us at 206-957-3337. We are always interested in stories about how you used our materials!
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