Frontiers: Intro to Cancer Unit

To launch the unit, students draw on their own experiences and prior knowledge. They document ideas and experiences that they have around cancer and are introduced to Hina’s story. To track progress and record questions, the students create an initial conceptual model to help them understand Hina’s symptoms. They also fill out an incremental model tracking worksheet.

In this activity, students engage with productive uncertainty as they examine data, develop claims, and engage in scientific argumentation using a data-based seminar discussion format. Students examine two types of data from blood samples: complete blood count test results and blood smear microscope slide images. Students then participate in a seminar. Through collaborative discourse, they discuss the data, their interpretations, and how it applies to Hina’s story.

In this lesson, students learn about cell division and the process of mitosis as a way of understanding what caused Hina to have blast cells in her blood. In Part I, students explore why cells divide and learn that different cells divide at different rates based on what the body needs. Students watch several videos that show the process of mitosis. They then sequence the order of images in a cell cycle cartoon that shows the steps in cell division.

In this lesson, students explore the process of cell differentiation. Students will work through a hands-on model using modeling clay that shows normal cell differentiation in the bone marrow beginning with undifferentiated stem cells and ending with mature blood cells of various types. This process, called hematopoiesis, is driven by the activation of specific genes triggered by environmental cues.

In this lesson, the classroom is transformed into a “board game” and the students into “game pieces” to model the cell cycle. In this role-playing game, students act as cells (healthy and cancerous) and go through the cell cycle, while some students play the roles of checkpoint proteins. This experience deepens their learning of the cell cycle, checkpoints, genetic mutations, and the effects of cancer on the cell cycle. Students complete the lesson by returning to their initial model’s of Hina’s disease.

After receiving an update on Hina's case, students explore the different treatments for cancer, with a focus on chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants. Students explore different patient stories from the Fred Hutch Cancer Center to learn more about cancer treatments to better understand Hina’s treatments. Students also have an opportunity to research different cancer-related careers.

Students learn about human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) and the science behind finding bone marrow donor matches. Students also explore the diversity of the HLA genes and why matching bone marrow donors and cancer patients can be so difficult. This lesson also contains an optional lab activity in which students use DNA technology to find Hina a match.

This series of two activities helps students explain why finding a bone marrow transplant match might be difficult for Hina. In the first activity, students explore the insufficient diversity of HLA alleles in the bone marrow database to support patients of non-European descent. Students read about the experiences of individuals with cancer who identify as Black as well as the work of Community Health Educators and researchers and share their ideas in a seminar discussion.

Students explore three sources of stem cells (bone marrow, peripheral blood, and cord blood) for those that need transplantation. They learn about the pros/cons, process, and obstacles for each source of stem cells before moving on to discussing the bioethics of one source: cord blood donation. Finally, students build on their previous conceptual models to show how Hina’s chemotherapy treatment affects her body and how the new donor stem cells replace her cancerous cells. 

This lesson provides three ways for students to conclude their learning around Hina and her cancer treatment. The first activity is a public service announcement (PSA) project that allows students to apply their understanding of leukemia, stem cell transplantation, and HLA matching. The second activity is a three-dimensional summative assessment. This exam is modular, customizable, and includes options for differentiation. The assessment is storyline-based and involves the use of similar-but-different phenomena. A teacher key is provided upon request. In the third activity, students create luminaria to honor those who are struggling with cancer or have struggled with cancer in the past. This is an opportunity to bring emotional closure to the unit.