Mandatory Vaccinations: Yea or Nay?
Overview
In this three-part lesson students discuss the proper role of government in making public health decisions. In Part I, students discuss their prior knowledge of vaccinations and the purpose of vaccinations. In Part II, students assume the roles of members of Congress to determine if they will vote on a bill to require parents to vaccinate their children. Students will use primary sources to explore the issue, then will work in small groups to discuss both sides of the argument. Finally, students will state and support their vote for or against the bill. In Part III, students conduct independent research in order write their answer to the Essential Question.
Related Resources
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Vaccination Resistance in Historical Perspective
The American Historian Issue 5 August 2015 -
Vaccinations, Science, and the Law
Middle school lesson plan -
Science, Civics, and Primary Sources: A Measles Debate One Hundred Years Ago
Teaching with the Library of Congress blog post -
Primary Source Spotlight: Polio
Primary sources & background information -
Typhus and Dr. Harry Plotz
Primary source set -
More Science Resources
Lesson plans, activities, primary source sets, secondary sources
Grade
High School
Subjects
Civics, Science
Length
80-100 minutes
Topics
compulsory vaccinations, congress, health, immunizations, law, legislation, Mandatory Vaccinations, public health, public policy, vaccinations