Writing教案（名师）

The Fifth Period

Writing Teaching goals

教学目标

1. Target language目标语言

a. 重点词汇

ban, common, encourage, society b. 重点句子

Most countries think it is beneficial and encourage it, and cloning has become common in these societies. 2. Ability goals能力目标

Enable the students to write a discursive paragraph about cloning. 3. Learning ability goals

学能目标

Help the students learn how to write about cloning.

Teaching important & difficult points

教学重难点

How to write a discursive paragraph about cloning. Teaching methods

教学方法

Discussion; task-based activities.

Teaching aids

教具准备

A computer and a projector.

Teaching procedures & ways教学过程与方式

Step I Revision and Lead-in

Task 1:

Ask the students to read the passage in Activity 1 and then answer the questions. T: Nowadays most countries are against cloning especially human cloning. But would it be banned forever? What would happen if cloning became common in societies? Now read the short passage and answer the questions followed.

Sample answers:

1. Cloning is not allowed everywhere in the world. There are a few countries that ban it. Most countries encourage it.

2. Cloning has become common in many societies because cloning is thought to be beneficial.

Task 2: Ask the students to discuss the questions in Activity 2.

T: The above passage is an imaginary situation of cloning in 2030. What do you think of the situation described in the passage? Now work in pairs and discuss the questions in Activity 2. Sample dialogues: 1. S1: I would not be able to accept the situation. I feel strongly against it. Just think: a child grows up knowing her mother is her sister, her grandmother is her mother. Her father is her brother-in-law. What a mess it would be! S2: Me too. Just imagine when you walk in the street, you see many identical faces and can’t tell one from another. What a terrible thing it would be!

S1: What the most terrifying thing is these identical people are all doing and thinking in the same way. And you can’t tell who are younger and who are elder.

2.

S1: I wouldn’t feel that clones were very different from me. Cloned human beings are identical in every way.

S2: I don’t agree with you. I would feel that clones were very different from me. Because cloned people may have severe medical problems and can’t live longer.

3. S1: I wouldn’t want to know them or be their friend. Because they may be just the same as me.

S2: I would want to know them or be their friend. Maybe they can help me go through many difficulties or help me do more things.

4. S1: I would feel so. Because many attempts at animal cloning produced disfigured monsters. The same story may go with human cloning. For example, they may become old soon. They may die soon. They may be abnormal.

S2: I wouldn’t. Just imagine when one day, there are so many identical faces like you! They just say, do or think as you do. How can you feel better than them?

5.

S1: I don’t want to clone myself. If so, there would be no “I”. S2: I don’t agree with you. I would want to clone myself. I would make my clone do things for me.

6. S1: If I had the power, I would change the situation. I would ban all the cloning which is against natural law.

S2: If I had the power, I would not change the situation. But I would order the scientists to clone many geniuses to work for me.

7. S1: I would do it. Because I can reduce my pain in emotion.

S2: I would not do it. Because I don’t want my loved one to take such a risk.

Step II Writing

Task 1: Ask the students to make notes of arguments for and against cloning. T: Since the first cloning was made public, it has become a subject of much discussion. Those who support cloning see quite definite benefits in carrying out research in the area. What are some of the more common arguments? Now make some notes of arguments. Sample notes:

arguments for cloning:

1) cloning will be beneficial to humans. For example, if a couple can’t have children, cloning could help give them a child;

2) we could use cloning to cure illnesses

arguments against cloning:

1) health risks from mutation of genes;

2) emotional risks;

3) risk of abuse of the technology;

4) against nature;

5) cloned animals get ill and die quite young;

6) people are afraid of that scientists will create thousands of copies of the same person;

7) cloning is dangerous because scientists may create monsters by mistake Task 2: Ask the students to first decide whether they are for or against cloning and try to think of some arguments of their own and then write a paragraph.

Sample version 1:

If I had the power, I would ban cloning for several reasons.

Firstly, it is against nature and dangerous. Any living things have life and death recycle periods, which promote the evolution of life. The cloning technique is extremely risky right now. An abnormal baby would be a nightmare that comes true. And people are worried about the possibility that the genetic material used from the adult will continue to age so that the genes in a newborn baby clone could be 30 years old or more on the day of birth. Also monsters may be created by mistake. Secondly, people are afraid of that scientists will create thousands of copies of the same person. There are powerful leaders in every generation who will seek to abuse this technology for their own purposes. Going ahead with cloning technology makes this far more likely. What would happen if Hitler was cloned? That would mean more severe disasters and destruction upon human civilization. Thirdly, cloning will result in high emotional risks. Just think: a child grows up knowing her mother is her sister, her grandmother is her mother. Her father is her brother-in-law. Every time her mother looks at her she is seeing herself growing up. The family environment and relationship will be totally different. What kind of pressures will the child feel?

All in all, I would determinedly ban cloning if I had the power.

Sample version 2:

If I had the power, I would encourage cloning. There are several reasons.

Firstly, cloning will be beneficial to humans. For example, if a couple can’t have children, cloning could help give them a child. Secondly, we could use cloning to cure illnesses. For example, if there is something wrong with some part of a human body, we could clone a healthy one to replace it. For another, if a child is seriously ill or disabled, we could clone another one. Thirdly, clone technology could be used in other ways. For example, we can save the endangered animals by cloning.

In a word, cloning technology has a promising future. I would encourage it if I

had enough power.

Task 3:

Ask the students to do Exercises 18 and 19 in the WORKBOOK. And then check the answers.

Task 4: Ask the students to do Exercise 20.

T: Suppose you are a scientist who works on cloning human cells. Now work in pairs and discuss the questions. Make some notes about the questions.

A sample dialogue: S1: Hi, Bob. Haven’t seen you for ages. How are things going? S2: Not bad.

S1: What are you busy with these days? S2: I’m very interested in genetic engineering and working with Professor Smith on cloning human cells.

S1: Why do you choose to do this? S2: It’s of great importance for us human beings. You know, there are many unsolved medical problems, such as cancer, AIDS, etc. If we make it possible, these problems would be readily solved.

S1: How long have you done it? S2: We’ve been working on it for nearly seven years. S1: Incredible! What a dull work you are doing! Would you continue your research? S2: Of course. We are now making experiments on some fresh dead bodies and have really made some progress. I hope to see my cloned heart beating briskly. I hope one day we can clone every part of a human being.

S1: I heard cloning is sometimes very dangerous. For example, you might create a monster or something abnormal.

S2: That’s what we fear might happen. So we must do hundreds of times of experiments to prove one thing.

S1: I think you are doing a great job.

S2: Thank you. But still many people can’t understand this. They believe cloning is against nature and dangerous. People fear the technology might be abused. We receive ten or more angry letters from these people every day.

S1: You should stick it out. And I do hope you can succeed one day.

S2: Thanks.

Sample notes:

1. why chose the job: of great importance, readily solved 2. how long: nearly seven years 3. what hope might happen: clone every part of a human being, cloned heart beating briskly 4. what fear might happen: create a monster or something abnormal 5. what people say: against nature and dangerous, abused Task 5: Ask the students to write a letter.

A sample letter:

Dear Editor,

I’m a genetic engineer and have been working on cloning human cells for nearly seven years. We do this with only one aim: to remove the pain of patients, to get rid of diseases in the world. But still many people make little of our work. They write to us showing their anger by warning us that we might destroy human beings by taking such a risk.

We are now working very hard and with great caution in case we might make something strange. We do more than one hundred times of experiments every day only to prove one thing. We do hope our work would bring more happiness to humankind.

To get rid of the illnesses and suffering, to make a more harmonious and healthy world, I do hope you can help promote the work.

Sincerely yours,

Jack Smith

Step III Homework Ask the students to read the passage “Cat cloned for Christmas” in the WORKBOOK and finish the exercises.