Subject taught
- Biology

Language Skills Developed
- Interaction
- Listening
- Reading
- Speaking

Transferable/Scientific Skills Developed
To observe, analyze and describe phenomena belonging
to natural reality and to the aspects of daily life; to formulate hypothesis and verify them; to use simple schematizations and modelling; to acquire and understand information and know how to connect it; to face problematic situations.

Description
General aims
The purpose of the teaching unit is to approach students to the world of research and to stimulate a critical and conscious attitude towards them.
In general, the entire teaching unit wants to provide an overview of stem cells: what they are, how they are classified,
where they are, what function they perform and how they can be used. The embryonic stem cell study offers high
expectations in the treatment of a large number of
pathologies. This teaching unit focuses on the analysis of


hematopoietic cells, adult stem cells which are found mainly in the bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord. They are the most studied stem cells and used for therapeutic purposes and do not pose ethical problems.

Linguistic aims
Improving language skills in L2. Enriching scientific vocabulary. Knowing how to move from one linguistic register to another. Producing clear and coherent texts in L2 and summarizing written texts.

Subject specific aims
Identify the fundamental characteristics of a stem cell; know how to classify it based on its origin and differentiate its power; understand the difference between an embryonic stem cell and an adult stem cell; know the structure of the bone marrow; the meaning of hematopoietic; know the sources of hematopoietic cells, the differences between myeloid stem cells and lymphoid stem cells; how certain blood diseases arise, for example, leukemia; understand what hematopoietic stem cells are and what their transplant consists of; understand the compatibility of fabrics; understand the role of HLA in the recognition of an antigen; know the composition of blood and its main functions; identify the component cells of a typical blood smear.

Target group age
15-16 years

Level of competence in English (CEFR)
B1/B2.

Time required to use the resource with the students :
The time required to use the resource with the students is about 12 hours. Homework will take 5 hours or more.

Phase 1: 1h with the students- 1h homework
Phase 2: 2h with the students- 1h homework
Phase 3: 3h with the students- 1h homework
Phase 4: 2h with the students- 1h homework
Phase 5: 3h with the students- 1h homework
Phase 6: 1h with the students










Different phases to complete the lesson plan

The lesson is divided into six phases. In the last one the students will have to present their own work about what they have studied.
It can be produced in Power Point, through video, audio interviews, animations, so that digital skills are favoured too.

Phase 1: Video Lesson: Stem Cells
Stem cells First part Web Site/Portal

These resources must be previously watched and read at home. At school the teacher will comment and explain them.
The Teacher divides the class into small groups. Each group must build a concept map or a flowchart by inserting most of the new terms acquired.
Students must then carry out the following interactive activities: “Stem Cells Matching- Stem Cells Wheel”.


Phase 2: Bone marrow - hematopoietic stem cells Article

This resource must be previously watched and read at home.
The teacher describes the topic highlighting the importance of the bone marrow for the production of blood cells and for immunopoiesis. To facilitate understanding of the text the article is divided into short paragraphs that students must summarize and schematize. Various exercises are then proposed which can be questionnaires with true/false answer, multiple choice, open-ended questions, answer questions, complete sentences, associate terms, keywords, use of certain words to write sentences. The class is then divided into small groups and each one is assigned a topic of
the resource that must be studied in depth with personal research that can also include videos or animations of the topic, this to enhance listening skills.

Phase 3: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Web Site/Portal
This resource must be previously watched and read at home
After presenting the resource (until “Finding a donor”), the teacher divides the class into small groups, each of which must analyze, study it independently and integrate it with personal research.
The students must also make a list of all the scientific terms present in the resource and know how to contextualize them in a written and oral production.



Inside the individual groups, students will have to discuss both the topic and the linguistic difficulties that have emerged and possibly the understanding of the concepts.
In this way, students acquire greater confidence and awareness and are ready to face the confrontation with other groups.
The discussion between the various groups starts with a brainstorming introduced by stimulus questions: why is transplant important? What pathologies can it cure? Would you do it? Why yes? Why not? Etc.

Phase 4: HLA Video

This resource must be previously watched and read at home
The teacher briefly recalls the basic concepts of immunity and then introduces the resource, highlighting the importance of the function performed by the HLA and the link between this complex and the action of the immune system. Therefore, students divided into small groups face the analysis and study of the resource. To facilitate understanding of the video, it is divided into shorter parts that students must study and, if necessary, deepen. In addition, to facilitate understanding of the topic, various exercises are proposed such as questionnaires with true / false answers, multiple choice, open questions, answer questions, completion of sentences, association of terms, keywords, use of certain words to write sentences.

Phase 5: Blood cell observations under a microscope
Web Site/Portal

This resource must be previously watched and read at home
The teacher comments and illustrates the resource with a frontal and interactive lesson, involving students and stimulating their attention and participation. The class is
divided into small groups. To facilitate understanding of the text, the resource is divided into short paragraphs that students must summarize and schematize. In addition, students must learn to recognize the various blood cells by studying and comparing the various images present in the resource. This will help them recognize and analyze the slides they will then see during laboratory activity.
During the laboratory activity, students will have to observe a slide of blood smear already prepared (in school laboratories fresh blood use is forbidden). A 200-fold magnification is sufficient to observe and identify the different cell types.
Numerous erythrocytes and some isolated white blood cells



can be observed. At the end of the observation and identification of the cells, the students will have to make a short report, answer a questionnaire provided by the teacher and discuss both within their own group and with the other groups.

Phase 6: Presentation of the work of the individual groups

Possible difficulties for the students
Some difficulties for HLA.From a linguistic point of view, the resource does not present great difficulties, while understanding the topic can be a little difficult. Therefore, the teacher must be more present in guiding students in the study of this resource, he must provide explanations, insights and pay attention to the material produced by the students.

Teaching Resources (created)

• STEM CELLS Wheel
• STEM CELLS Matching

Teaching Resources (reviewed)

• Stem cells - first part
• Bone marrow - hematopoietic stem cells
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
• STAMINA CELLS - HLA
• STAMINA CELL - Blood cell observations under a microscope

Related Video Lessons

Stem Cells