Engineered organism debate
Argue whether genetically engineering bacteria to produce medicine is ethically justified despite biosafety risks.
One sentence stating whether engineered-organism benefit justifies biosafety risk, with a specific reason grounded in containment or patient benefit.
- 1Do thisArgue whether genetically engineering bacteria to produce medicine is ethically justified despite biosafety risks.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisExit ticket: One sentence stating whether engineered-organism benefit justifies biosafety risk, with a specific reason grounded in containment or patient benefit.
- 4Submit it here
- 1CMSD website. Go to clevelandmetroschools.org and click the Clever button.
- 2Clever. Clever opens. Sign in if it asks.
- 3Microsoft (district) login. Use your district Microsoft account (the one for school).
- 4Schoology. Open Schoology, then your class, then Assignments, and find the file named below.
The file to submit is named: Biotechnology for Health (Biomedical Innovations) › Recombinant DNA workflow, restriction enzymes, ligation, transformation safety. › Exit ticketOpen Schoology
Read to prepare for today
Vetted sources picked for today's question. Skim these before you take a position or start the work, so your argument and evidence are grounded.
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning — make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure — the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities — you open it through Schoology.
Minute-by-minute · 80-minute block
💡 Big idea: Genetic engineering offers medical benefits that must be weighed against biosafety risk.
- 0-5 minWarm-up: where does most insulin come from today?
- 5-20 minRead briefing on recombinant insulin bacteria; choose a position
- 20-40 minSmall-group debate tracking containment and patient-benefit claims
- 40-55 minFull-class debrief: which biosafety concern was hardest to dismiss?
- 55-70 minReflection: what safeguards would change your position?
- 70-80 minExit ticket: one sentence on whether benefit justifies risk, with a reason
- • Every medication made by bacteria started with someone deciding the benefit was worth the risk.
- • Today you argue that decision about insulin-producing E. coli from your own ethical position.
- • Strong arguments name specific biosafety controls and specific patient benefits, not just general feelings.
- • Tomorrow we get into the exact workflow that makes it possible, so today is your ethical foundation.
- 1Read the briefing on a recombinant bacterium engineered to make insulin.
- 2Choose a side on whether the benefit justifies the risk.
- 3List two reasons grounded in safety and patient benefit.
- 4Debate in your group, tracking claims about containment and oversight.
- 5Reflect on what safeguards would make you more comfortable.
- • You defended a position on engineered-organism ethics.
- • You referenced biosafety and patient benefit.
- • Recombinant DNA technology inserts a human gene into a bacterial plasmid to produce a protein like insulin.
- • Containment levels and selection markers are engineering controls that reduce escape risk.
- • Ethical justification requires weighing patient benefit against probability and severity of harm.
Your PLTW work today
Recombinant DNA workflow, restriction enzymes, ligation, transformation safety. · Engineered organism debate
Day 1 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Problem 6 Molecular Biology in Action in your myPLTW course shell and navigate to the molecular biology ethics discussion activity.
Check off the molecular biology ethics discussion milestone in your activity tracker after submitting your reflection.
You are starting Problem 6 on schedule; by end of today your reflection on engineered-organism ethics should be submitted.
Reflection paragraph attached as evidence of the discussion milestone.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction. Submit producibles on Schoology.
Today's PLTW tracker
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible on Schoology.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Recombinant DNA workflow, restriction enzymes, ligation, transformation safety. · Engineered organism debate
Open Problem 6 Molecular Biology in Action in your myPLTW course shell and navigate to the molecular biology ethics discussion activity.
You are starting Problem 6 on schedule; by end of today your reflection on engineered-organism ethics should be submitted.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Argue whether genetically engineering bacteria to produce medicine is ethically justified despite biosafety risks.
- Read the briefing on a recombinant bacterium engineered to make insulin.
- Choose a side on whether the benefit justifies the risk.
- List two reasons grounded in safety and patient benefit.
- Debate in your group, tracking claims about containment and oversight.
- Reflect on what safeguards would make you more comfortable.
Exit ticket: One sentence stating whether engineered-organism benefit justifies biosafety risk, with a specific reason grounded in containment or patient benefit.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read the briefing on a recombinant bacterium engineered to make insulin. | _______ |
| Choose a side on whether the benefit justifies the risk. | _______ |
| List two reasons grounded in safety and patient benefit. | _______ |
| Debate in your group, tracking claims about containment and oversight. | _______ |
| Reflect on what safeguards would make you more comfortable. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You defended a position on engineered-organism ethics.
- You referenced biosafety and patient benefit.
Teacher-posted resources
Classroom documents for this lesson. Ones marked “Open the file” open right here; the rest are posted in Schoology. Use the label on each card to choose the right move.
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Molecular biology workflow and cloning by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/00_Problem-Overview; keywords:molecular biology, recombinant dna. Score 146. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Molecular biology workflow and cloning by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/6.1_Molecular-Biology; keywords:recombinant dna, cloning. Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Molecular biology workflow and cloning by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-6_Molecular-Biology/6.1_Molecular-Biology; keywords:recombinant dna, cloning. Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
How to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Lab & supplies
WebXam practice
Cumulative WebXam review
A quick mixed-review pulling questions from earlier units plus today, so the WebXam material stays fresh.
Where this leads — careers
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
What to do if you were absent
Post a 150-word stance on engineering bacteria to make medicine, then reply to a classmate who took the opposing view.
Then submit your Exit ticket on Schoology.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
Learn.Genetics (University of Utah): cloning and recombinant DNAOptional extra credit (async)
You've passed Unit 2, so the optional extra-credit track is open. Complete reserved-unit work from home (virtual labs included) for extra credit, all submitted on Schoology.
Open the extra-credit track- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed.
Drop your Fri, Apr 16, 2027 · Engineered organism debate here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project