cloning
home page

Make your voice heard

Human cloning is very much a live issue. Decisions are being made about whether or not it should be allowed to go ahead, both for stem cell research and for reproductive cloning. The debate is still going on, and scientists are still working on cloning in other species of mammals to help them understand the process in human beings.

Here is an opportunity to make your voice heard. You are going to produce a large wall display covered with articles both for and against human cloning.

Activity

Decide on the age group at which your material is to be aimed.

Carry out a survey or vote among your target group before the display is put up to find out what proportion of the group is in favour of human cloning for stem cell research, and what proportion supports all human cloning including reproductive cloning. Record your findings.

Work on your own or in a small group to produce a ‘manifesto’ to go up on the wall as part of a bigger display. Your part of this display will argue the case for ONE side of the argument about whether or not human cloning should be allowed to take place. Overall, the whole display should provide arguments on both sides. Here's what to do :

Decide whether you wish to put the case FOR or AGAINST human cloning. Use a variety of resources to help you make your decision – the material on this site is a good starting point. Other sites such as the BBC and New Scientist can be relied upon to have interesting and authoritative articles on topics such as human cloning. There are many other websites which can give you different sides of the arguments. Use a search engine to find these.

Now plan your display material, making sure that whatever line you take your ideas are backed up with as much scientific evidence as possible. Your material should be no more than one side of A4 of text plus any images you want to use. You need to express your views for or against human cloning clearly and articulately.

Hints
  • Be very precise about whether you are talking about ALL human cloning – including that needed for stem cell research – or reproductive cloning only.
  • Try to make sure that there are arguments both for and against in the display – if everyone is either for or against cloning, then some people will have to argue for the opposite camp!
  • Make sure that the level of content (reading age etc) is appropriate for your target group.
  • Once the material has been displayed for a week or so, repeat your initial survey or vote and analyse the data to see if access to your information has changed people’s views.

back cloning home