Pass-Ed.'s Living Textbook
Free Lesson Plans for Teachers
Alpha Stage
The Cancer is Back
March 22, 2007








Newspapers around the country are reporting that though Elizabeth
Edwards, the wife of former senator and presidential candidate John
Edwards, has been diagnosed witha recurrence of cancer, the Senator
will remain in the race.

A USA Today article reports, "Elizabeth Edwards — a lawyer who
also advises her husband politically — first discovered a lump in her
breast when her husband was the Democratic vice presidential
nominee. He announced the diagnosis the day after he and presidential
nominee John Kerry lost the election to President Bush."

Read the article!!


Discussion-Starters for Younger Children

  • Ask your students if they would drink a glass of water that had
    a speck of dirt in it? Encourage them to explain their answers.
    What would they do if they were thirsty and they noticed that a
    glass of milk had a speck of dirt in it? Why would they do this?
  • Consider asking students to write several short
    sentences explaining what they would do if they found a
    speck of dirt in a glass of milk.

  • What do your students think it means to be sick? What do
    people who are sick need from other people? Do they need the
    same thing from everybody or different things from different
    people (e.g., a doctor, parent, friend, etc.)
  • Consider developing a phone squad with your class. If
    somebody is sick a member of the phone squad will
    have the responsibility to call this person and ask how
    they are feeling and tell them that they were missed at
    school.

  • When parents are sick do your students think that they should
    do different things for them than when their parents are
    healthy? Why/why not?
  • Consider creating a list of things that students could do
    for their parents when they are sick.

  • Ask your students what they think is more important, doing
    well in school or staying healthy? Why do they think that one is
    more important than the other. (If they don't think that one is
    more important than the other, also encourage them to explain
    why.)
  • Consider asking students to list three things that make
    them very special. It's important to stop and remember
    that every person is special.

  • Do your students think that it's OK for families to have some
    secrets that they don't share with other people? Why/why not?


Discussion-Starters for Older Students

  • Vocabulary terms to discuss: Malignant; Diagnose; Invasive;
    and, Biopsy.

  • Do your students think that Senator and Mrs. Edwards should
    have announced the recurrence of cancer if the Senator
    planned to stay in the campaign? Why/why not?
  • Students could imagine that they are the Edwards,
    discussing whether or not to make a public
    announcement about the recurrence. What might they
    have said to one another?

  • According to the article, Mrs. Edwards asked, "'Is this a
    hardship for us?" She answered, "It's yet another hurdle..But
    I've seen people who are in really desperate shape." The article
    explains that Mrs. Edwards, "said it was 'unbelievably
    important' for the country to be put on the right track —
    something she said her husband was determined to do." Ask
    your students to explain Mrs. Edwards' statements in their own
    words. Do your students think that Mrs. Edwards has decided
    that her health is not as important as getting the country onto
    the "right track?" Do they think that the Senator and his wife
    have made the right decision to stay in the race? Why/why not?
  • These questions could prompt an interesting class
    discussion.

  • This U.S.A. Today article allows readers to comment. Many
    readers have lambasted Edwards for staying in the race. Do
    your students think that it's acceptable for citizens to comment
    on the Edwards' decision? Why/why not? Should some things
    remain private family issues? Why/why
  • Consider asking students to write persuasive essays in
    response to these questions.

  • Here's a site featuring a simulation of cancer invading a young
    body that was recently highlighted in Edutopia.
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