A Matter of Life & Death: Organ & Tissue Donation

You will be assigned to a team of 3 students.  Each team member must choose one of the roles below. Each student should complete his/her individual role, and then as a group, complete the group task.  Therefore, be sure to carefully read your role's tasks and in addition, to check the tasks that you must do as a group.

Role 1:  Understanding Donation

    Your task is to investigate organ and tissue donation.  You should answer the questions listed below, as well as any others you have. You will need to take notes about the information you find so that you can share it with your teammates.

• What tissues and organs can be donated?
• What are some myths and facts about organ and tissue donation?
• What are some of the types of donation?
  

Use these websites to help you answer your questions.

• http://www.organtransplants.org/understanding/interactivebody/index.html
• http://www.organtransplants.org/understanding/myths/
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organ-donation/FL00077
  
• http://www.donatelife.net/UnderstandingDonation/
• http://www.organdonor.gov/donation/index.htm
  

Role 2:  Giving the Gift

    Your task is to investigate the organ and tissue donation process from the perspective of the donor or donor's family.  You should answer the questions listed below, as well as any others you have. You will need to take notes about the information you find so that you can share it with your teammates. 

• How does a person become a donor in the United States?
• What must a person who wants to be an organ donor do to make sure their wishes are carried out?
• What things do you learn from watching the 6 Giving the Gift stories found at the third link listed below? (The stories are found on the left side of the page.)
  

Use these websites to help you answer your questions.

• http://answers.hrsa.gov/cgi-bin/hrsa.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=*JQ1RIfk&p_lva=&p_li=&p_new_search=&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=&p_sort_by=&p_gridsort=&p_row_cnt=16%2C16&p_prods=&p_cats=41&p_pv=&p_cv=1.41&p_search_type=answers.search_nl&p_nav=head&p_trunc=0&p_page_head=1&p_page=1
• http://organdonor.gov/donor/index.htm
• http://www.organtransplants.org/journey/
  

Role 3:  Receiving the Gift

    Your task is to investigate the organ and tissue donation process from the perspective of the receiver or receiver's family.  You should answer the questions listed below, as well as any others you have. You will need to take notes about the information you find so that you can share it with your teammates. 

• How does a person get on the waiting list for a donation in the United States and how long do they need to usually wait for the donation?
• What kinds of issues must a recipient be concerned with?
  
• What things do you learn from watching the 6 Waiting for the Gift stories found at the second link listed below? (The stories are found on the right/middle side of the page.)
  

Use these websites to help you answer your questions.

• http://organdonor.gov/transplantation/index.htm
• http://www.organtransplants.org/journey/
  

Group Task (ALL MEMBERS WORK TOGETHER):

1.  First, share the information you have found as individuals with your group. 
2.  Next, watch the three YouTube videos together and discuss your thoughts about them.
3.  Utilize the resources lists here (and any others that you would like) to research organ and tissue donation in China.

• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-11/15/content_11552293.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/2010-07/07/content_11020179.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2010-07/19/content_10121262.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/tianjin/e/2010-04/10/content_9718101.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2009-09/23/content_8723379.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-09/17/content_8818078.htm
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2010-04/22/content_9759571.htm
• In addition to these English resources, you may find any others that you wish so that you can learn more about organ and tissue donation in China.
  

4.  Create an informational poster or video using the information you each have found to share with your classmates and school.  Use statistics, personal stories of donors/recipients, and facts you have found to help make your point.  Use the rubric in the evaluation section as a guide to help you plan your poster or video.