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Top Dog

  • Key Stage 3
  • GCSE
  • Popular Activity
  • Topical

Type: Activity
Learning Strategy: Case study
Topic: Variation

With Crufts behind them for another year, breeders and judges are now preparing for smaller dog shows all over the UK. Many of these rely on the strict selective breeding of pedigree dogs. This can lead to chronic genetic problems and diseases. Is pedigree breeding ethically acceptable? This activity gives students a chance to decide for themselves.

This activity is designed to be used in conjunction with Simpletons: a tool for teaching ethical thinking. We suggest using Simpletons to teach students how to think from different ethical perspectives. Top dog then allows students to practise the same ethical styles in a different context.

11-16 How Science Works:
4b: consider how and why decisions about science and technology are made, including those that raise ethical issues.

Published: 19th March 2007
Reviews & Comments: 13

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Learning objectives

Students will:
• Learn about selective breeding in the context of dog breeds
• Learn to apply different ethical approaches to making a decision about pedigree breeding of dogs

Try the activity


You will need Acrobat Reader installed to open the activity sheets.

11-14 Variation, classification and inheritance QCA module 9A
• 4c: Selective breeding can lead to new varieties

14 – 16 How science works: data, evidence, theories and explanations
• 4b: consider how and why decisions about science and technology are made, including those that raise ethical issues.

14 – 16 GCSE specifications

Edexcel additional B2 2.14
• Explore evidence for the uses of selective breeding.

OCR Gateway additional B3g – new genes for old
• Research examples of animal breeds that have been produced by selective breeding

Running the activity

changed considerably as a result of selective breeding. Tell students that they will consider whether pedigree selective breeding is ethically acceptable.

Display page 2 describes the science of pedigree breeding.

Give each student – or pair – a copy of page 3. Ask each student to complete the speech bubbles, bearing in mind the ethical approach of each person. It may help to remind students of the ethical approach of each 'Simpletons' character ('Hiram' – utilitarian; 'Lucy' – rights-based; 'Madge' – care-based; 'Brad' – self-centred) and ask them what that character might say. Students then choose the view they most closely agree with. Then get students into small groups – each representing a variety of views – and ask them to debate the issue for a TV-style discussion, or lead a whole-class discussion on the question: Is pedigree dog breeding cruel?

Note: this activity assumes that the ethical approaches described in the Simpletons activity can be applied to animals besides humans (a whole debate in itself!).

News links

Daily Telegraph
Recent news about Crufts – useful background
Daily Telegraph
More on Crufts – useful background
Canine genetics
Canine genetics – this link is part of a very useful site for teachers and more able students
Siberian Husky
Interesting informatoin on the Siberian Husky

Reviews & Comments

Write your online review to share your feedback and classroom tips with other teachers. How well does it work, how engaging is it, how did you use it, and how could it be improved?

top dog

Feb 28th, 2010

5 Star

it was fun all the way ...for the kids and me...and ofcourse the learning outcome was fantastic

Reviewer: SHAILA PRASAD

Variation and inheritance

Dec 13th, 2009

4 Star

This looks like good material to stimulate a discussion. i will use it with a year 9 group.

Reviewer: Royston Adams

Top Dog

Dec 3rd, 2009

4 Star

very useful with my year 9 class and led to good debate and opinions

Reviewer: sophia bidwell

selective breeding

Mar 19th, 2009

4 Star

this worked really well as an activity with my year 8 class. got them thinking about the ethical implications of what selective breeding may involve.

Reviewer: Natalie Yarnell

selective breeding

Feb 12th, 2009

4 Star

got kids very interested, as theyall have dogs/know somebody with a dog and have lots of opinions on the subject

Reviewer: ana teresa cerdan-malo

top dog

Oct 16th, 2008

4 Star

Good activity.
I adapted it a little with starter & plenary, so its a lot to fit in to a 50min lesson but the kids found it enjoyable and challenging.

Reviewer: Paula Heaney

Top Dog review

Jun 12th, 2008

4 Star

This worked really well with my lower ability group. It really got them thinking about ethics.

Reviewer: sophie fossett

Inheritance and selection - year 9

Jun 10th, 2008

5 Star

My students really enjoyed this approach. The less able ones where immediately stimulated by the dog theme and both classes really enjoyed the group work. We shall undoubtedly teach this again to our KS3 classes.

Reviewer: Phil Matthews

Top Dog review

May 16th, 2008

4 Star

I used this with my year 10 class and it provoked a very interesting discussion. Pupils were able to appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of selective breeding.

Reviewer: Natalie Chapman

Answers

Oct 7th, 2007

2 Star

Hi I'm a student.
Can someone post some answers for the pedigree ethics activity. The link articles do not give you a real insight into the different opinions.
Thanks.

Reviewer: blank blank

Top Dog review

Oct 7th, 2007

4 Star

Adapted this with my Y9 - they loved it. It really did get them thinking; only wish we'd had more tiime to explore, in greater depth, the moral issues surrounding selective breeding. Great stuff.

Reviewer: Dawn Jepson

Top dog

Jul 30th, 2007

4 Star

Haven't used this yet but though it looked really good. Have written it into the scheme of work for GCSE Additional Science B3 (OCR) so we will see next year how well it works!

Reviewer: Katherine Swinson

top dog

Mar 22nd, 2007

4 Star

i used this with my year 10 entry level science class and we had a very interesting ideas forwarded about the science and ethics behind selective breeding even though they are very low ability. i extended it by them choosing a particular animal to selectively breed.

Reviewer: debra johnson

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