Henrietta Lacks and COVID-19
Summary
This lesson explores the historical context of Henrietta Lacks and how her story has influenced the distrust that Black Americans have for the U.S. medical field. Students will study the impact of Black American contributions as it relates to COVID-19 vaccine development and the disproportionate effects that COVID-19 has on Black Americans.
Henrietta Lacks, 1920-1951
Source: Wikipedia
Grades
Middle School (6-8)
Topics
Race & Ethnicity
Science & Innovation
Time Period
1900-1999
Overview
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NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARD(S)
1) 1.0 Skills and Processes-Students will demonstrate the thinking and acting inherent in the practice of Science
Constructing Knowledge
Applying Evidence and Reasoning
Communicating Scientific Information
2) 3.0 Life Science-Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the dynamic nature of living things, their interactions, and the results from the interactions that occur over time.
B. Cells
C. Genetic
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Students will construct scientific evidence and explanations to describe the connections between the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and development relate to Henrietta Lacks.
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ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How did the use of Henrietta Lacks’ HELA cell impact COVID-19 research and vaccine development?
Why is there hesitancy from Black Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? How does this hesitancy tie to Henrietta Lacks and her story?
How do related topics (Henrietta Lacks, HeLA Cells Medical Contribution History, Kizzmekia Corbett, COVID-19 Impact on Black Americans, Black Americans Vaccination Rates, and Covid Vaccine Hesitancy) affect Black Americans?
UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand the historical context of Henrietta Lacks.
Students will understand the origin of the HeLA cell line.
Students will understand the distrust that Black Americans have for the U.S. Medical field.
Students will understand the impact of Black American contributions as it relates to COVID-19 vaccine development.
Students will understand the disproportionate effects that COVID-19 has on Black Americans.
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TEACHER RESOURCES
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Book) by Rebecca Skloot
Intro to Eukaryotic Cells: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cell-structure-and-function/cell-compartmentalization-and-its-origins/a/intro-to-eukaryotic-cell
Human Cell Culture and Human Strains in Vaccine Development Article Link: https://www.historyofvaccines.org/index.php/content/articles/human-cell-strains-vaccine-development
Washington Post Article Link-“WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2021/10/13/henrietta-lacks-who-honored-vaccine-research
PBS NewsHour video Link”- The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities (link with transcript). https://youtu.be/z9zNHNE4cko
LESSON RESOURCES
Human Cell Culture and Human Strains in Vaccine Development Article Link: https://www.historyofvaccines.org/index.php/content/articles/human-cell-strains-vaccine-development
Animal Cells: Human Cheek Cells (Page 3): https://www.msubillings.edu/ScienceFaculty/handouts/Barron%20Biol%20115/Lab%203.pdf
Washington Post Article Link-“WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2021/10/13/henrietta-lacks-who-honored-vaccine-research/
PBS NewsHour video Link”- The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities (link with transcript). https://youtu.be/z9zNHNE4cko
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The aim of the Baltimore Story lesson plans is to provide teachers and their students with historical figures and/or events that include representation connecting to Baltimore which have historically been missing in K-12 curriculum.
Teachers using this/these lesson(s) should modify it to bring cultural relevancy to their own classrooms through the insertion of current topical events and/or relevant revisions that link more closely to their particular student population or context.
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Students will utilize their knowledge from the warm-up and activity sets to complete the related lesson student choice assessment.
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BALTIMORE CONNECTIONS
Marylander and Baltimorean, Henrietta Lacks, was an African American woman whose cervical cancer cells were the source of the HeLa cell line. The use of Henrietta Lacks’ HeLa cells has heavily assisted in the development of research that has contributed to numerous important scientific advances including the COVID-19 Vaccine.
COVID-19 Statistics: In Baltimore, Maryland, Black Americans make up more than 60% of the population, but just 5.4% of Black residents have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.
BALTIMORE LOCATION
Turner Station: https://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/382?tour=18&index=3
THE BALTIMORE STORY CONNECTION
History: 1900-1999: A New Divide
Timeline: https://thebaltimorestory.org/timeline
Henrietta Lacks: https://thebaltimorestory.org/history/henrietta-lacks
Map: Henrietta Lacks home - https://thebaltimorestory.org/map
Learning Plan
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Students will read a text about Human Cell Culture and Human Strains in Vaccine Development. To ensure understanding students will complete the exit ticket question: “How Do Cell Cultures Assist in Vaccine Development?”
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Students will investigate cell culturing which is a central component in the retrieval of the HeLa cells. For years Scientists unsuccessfully attempted to grow human cells outside of the human body before finding Henrietta’s immortal cells.
Students will explore the process of basic cell culturing through a warm-up created on Animal Cells: Human Cheek Cells. Eukaryotic cells are significant because they are often used in genetics experiments.
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Students will read the Washington Post article titled “WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research” to gain more background knowledge about Henrietta Lacks’ and her HeLA cell line.
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Due to the extreme reluctance and distrust of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Black community it is imperative that Black American students are aware of the modern connections between the vaccine and Black history. It is through these connections that the students can disband the myths and distrust connected to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Students will review PBS NewsHour video on” The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities (link with transcript). https://youtu.be/z9zNHNE4cko
Upon the completion of the video the students will answer the Essential Question through a five-minute class discussion.
Essential Question: Why does the Black community have such a huge distrust in the medical community in relation to medical treatment and vaccine acceptance?
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Jigsaw: Students will conduct research on an associated topic related to the development of COVID-19 research and vaccine creation and distribution as it relates to Black Americans. Once students have completed the research the students will record and share their responses and contributions.
Research topic list is as followed:
Henrietta Lacks
HeLA Cells Medical Contribution History
Kizzmekia Corbett
COVID-19 Impact on Black Americans
Statistics of the Number of Black Americans That Have Received the COVID-19 Vaccine
Covid Vaccine Hesitancy in Black Americans
Students should include answers to the following questions in their related research:
How did the use of Henrietta Lacks’ HELA cell impact COVID-19 research and vaccine development?
Why is there hesitancy from Black Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? How does this hesitancy tie to Henrietta Lacks and her story?
How has COVID-19 impacted Black America?
What are the statistics of the number of Black Americans that have received the COVID-19 vaccine?
What are the statistics of the number of Black Americans that have not received the COVID-19 vaccine? Baltimore? United States?
Learners
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Warm-Up: Developing learners will have the warm-up text given and read to them by the teacher.
Activity/ Step 1: Students will work in a whole group along with the teacher to complete the eukaryotic lab.
Activity/ Step 2: Developing learners will have the “WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research” text given and read to them by the teacher.
Activity/ Step 3: Developing learners will review PBS NewsHour video on” The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities. The teacher will jot down a few student answers related to the video’s Essential Question on chart paper.
Activity/ Step 4 (Assessment): Developing learners will have student choice and voting capability to decide the manner in which the class will display mastery. This assessment will be teacher facilitated to ensure student understanding. Students will have the option to choose from a skit presentation, a poster, informational video, or TikTok that encourages people of color to get the vaccine while displaying benefits of this choice.
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Warm-Up: Proficient learners will independently read the warm-up text.
Activity/Step 1: Students will work in groups of four to complete the eukaryotic lab.
Activity/Step 2: Proficient learners will have the “WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research” text given to them so they can read it independently.
Activity/Step 3: Proficient learners will review PBS NewsHour video on” The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities. In pairs, students will collaborate to answer the video’s Essential Question and record their responses on chart paper.
Activity/Step 4 (Assessment): Proficient learners will utilize student choice to work in pairs to display mastery of the lesson.
Students will have the option to choose from a skit presentation, a poster, informational video, or TikTok that encourages people of color to get the vaccine while displaying benefits of this choice.
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Warm-Up: Highly effective learners will independently read the warm-up text.
Activity/Step 1: Students will work individually to complete the eukaryotic lab.
Activity/Step 2: Highly effective learners will have the “WHO Honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black American Whose Cells Were Taken Without Consent and Used in Vaccine Research” text given to them so they can read it independently.
Activity/Step 3: Highly effective learners will review PBS NewsHour video on” The Attempt To Build Trust About the COVID Vaccine In Black Communities. Independently, students will answer the video’s Essential Question and record their responses on chart paper using Sticky Notes.
Activity/Step 4 (Assessment): Highly effective learners will utilize student choice to display mastery of the lesson. Students will have the option to choose from a skit presentation, a poster, informational video, or TikTok that encourages people of color to get the vaccine while displaying benefits of this choice.
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Preferential seating/strategic seating to encourage focus, Graphic organizers to increase engagement and improve understanding, Monitor/encourage work initiation and completion, Provide extended time if needed (monitor need for extended time, set limits to prevent getting behind in instruction), Graphic organizers, frequent breaks, Chunking of assignments, Science Constructed Response to Speech, Human Signer, and Science Constructed Response External Assistive Technology Device