Page 76 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 and 10: Science, 2008 (revised)

Grade 10, Academic
B1. evaluate the importance of medical and other technological developments related to systems biology, and analyse their societal and ethical implications;
B2. investigate cell division, cell specialization, organs, and systems in animals and plants, using research and inquiry skills, including various laboratory techniques;
B3. demonstrate an understanding of the hierarchical organization of cells, from tissues, to organs, to systems in animals and plants.
B1. Relating Science to Technology, Society, and the Environment
B. Biology: tiSSueS, organS, and SyStemS of living thingS
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 AND 10 | science
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, students will:
B1.1 analyse, on the basis of research, ethical issues related to a technological development in the field of systems biology (e.g., cloning, stem- cell research, live organ transplants, transgenic transplants), and communicate their findings [IP, PR, AI, C]
Sample issue: DNA screening is a valuable tool for determining whether a person is genetically predisposed to certain diseases. However, it raises ethical issues related to privacy, choice, access, treatment, and discrimination. It also raises questions about how far society should go in using available technologies, who funds research, and who owns or manages the result- ing product or technology.
Sample questions: What are the ethical arguments for and against stem-cell research? What ethical issues might arise when a drug company funds trials of a new drug it has developed to treat a genetic disorder? Who should determine how the results of transgenic research in plants and animals will be applied?
B1.2 assess the importance to human health and/or society of medical imaging technologies (e.g., ultrasound, X-rays, computerized axial tomog- raphy [CT or CAT] scan, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], microscopy, biophotonics) used
in Canada in diagnosing or treating abnormal- ities in tissues, organs, and/or systems [AI, C]
Sample issue: Ultrasound is routinely used during pregnancy to monitor the development of the fetus. It is also used to perform amnio- centesis, which screens for genetic disorders, and allows doctors to perform surgery on the fetus before birth to correct some abnormal- ities. However, there have been few studies on the long-term effects of the use of ultrasound.
Sample questions: How are medical imaging technologies used in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and stroke? What types of imaging technologies are used in ophthalmology? How have they benefited people who have eye disease? How have developments in biophotonics ad- vanced a range of surgical procedures?
B1.3 describe public health strategies related to systems biology (e.g., cancer screening and pre- vention programs; vaccines against the human papillomavirus [HPV] and measles, mumps, and rubella [MMR]; AIDS education), and as- sess their impact on society [AI, C]
Sample issue: Early-childhood vaccination programs have greatly reduced the incidence of certain diseases and the social and medical costs associated with them. Influenced by con- troversial studies arguing that there may be health risks associated with such vaccines, some parents have chosen not to vaccinate their children, which could lead to a resur- gence of these potentially deadly diseases.