Making Biology more meaningful for students with Relevance, Role Models and Social Action Projects
This unit on lactose intolerance attempts to break through barriers students may have to science due to a lack of relevance. The unit strategically incorporates a social context into the lessons as a method of attracting and maintaining interest of students in high school biology. It contains resources and tools to allow students to reflect on the social context and issues of social justice that intersect with Biology and their lives.
Students will be encouraged to critically examine how these issues impact their own lives, and through a social justice project such as youth participatory action research (YPAR) seek to use both scientific and sociological research to solve a real-world problem affecting them. As students conduct science experiments they will have scientist mentors who have also struggled with injustice and are uniquely able to offer mentorship.
Our students are ready to look at the prejudice and inequities of our society straight on. Equipped with a knowledge of biology and how to investigate and research, we can help them make a better and healthier world.