Persuasion and Ethics

Lesson 1 of 5: Understanding Persuasion: The Ethics of Henrietta Lacks

Grade: 11
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Unit: Persuasive Power: Ethics Unveiled

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Learning Objectives (Aligned with Common Core State Standards)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to power, persuasiveness, or beauty.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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I Can Statements

• I can analyze the ethical issues behind Henrietta Lacks’s story by citing strong evidence.
• I can explain how audience and purpose influence persuasive writing.
• I can participate thoughtfully in discussions about ethical persuasion.
• I can identify the purpose and ethical appeals in persuasive arguments.

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Success Criteria

• I can identify at least two ethical issues from the Henrietta Lacks case.
• I can articulate how different audiences might respond to persuasive texts on ethics.
• I can contribute meaningfully to a group discussion with clear, respectful points.
• I can explain why understanding audience and purpose matters when writing persuasively.

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Materials Needed

• Excerpts from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (dyslexia-friendly versions available)
• Projector and whiteboard or smartboard
• Handouts: Ethical Issues Graphic Organizer, Persuasive Writing Audience/Purpose Chart
• Notebooks or digital devices for note-taking
• Copies of “Ethics in Persuasion” scenario cards (for group discussion)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Opening & Hook (10 minutes)

Purpose: Engage students and activate prior knowledge.

• Begin with a short, captivating storytelling introduction: “Meet Henrietta Lacks — a woman whose cells changed science forever, but whose story raises tough ethical questions.”
• Show a brief (2-3 minute) video/audio excerpt summarizing her story (ensure captioned and dyslexia-friendly transcript available).
• Ask these quickwrite prompts on the board:
  • What do you know about ethics in science or medicine?
  • What questions do you have about Henrietta Lacks’s story?
• Students write for 3-4 minutes, then share 1-2 ideas with a partner.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for students who need writing scaffolds (e.g., “An ethical issue I think is…”).
• Offer audio or simplified text versions for students with reading difficulties.

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2. Mini-Lecture & Modeling (12 minutes)

Purpose: Introduce key concepts of persuasion, audience, purpose, and ethics.

• On the board/screen, display definitions:
  • Persuasion: The act of convincing others to accept a belief or act a certain way.
  • Ethics: Moral principles that govern behavior.
  • Audience: The group of people a writer aims to persuade.
  • Purpose: The reason behind the persuasive writing.
• Discuss how persuasive writing changes depending on audience and purpose with quick examples: medical journal vs. community newsletter.
• Share a short, annotated reading excerpt from Henrietta Lacks’s story modeling how ethical appeals and persuasive techniques appear (highlight ethos/pathos/logos).
• Think-aloud: Model how to annotate for ethical considerations and audience impact.

Differentiation

• Use visuals/icons alongside key vocabulary for English language learners and struggling readers.
• Highlight text with different colors to indicate ethos, pathos, and logos appeals.

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3. Guided Group Work: Ethical Issues & Audience Analysis (15 minutes)

Purpose: Students analyze ethical issues and explore how audience shapes persuasive messages.

• Divide class into small groups of 4-5.
• Each group receives a different “Ethics in Persuasion” scenario card related to Henrietta Lacks case (examples: informed consent, privacy, scientific progress vs. individual rights).
• Using the Graphic Organizer, groups identify ethical issues and consider:
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • What is the purpose?
  • How might the audience’s values affect the message?
• Groups prepare a 2-minute presentation summarizing their analysis.

Differentiation

• Assign roles within groups (reader, recorder, presenter) to support participation.
• Provide sentence frames for presentations (e.g., “The ethical issue we found is… The audience is… The purpose is…”).

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4. Group Presentations & Whole-Class Discussion (15 minutes)

Purpose: Share ideas and develop deeper understanding through peer learning.

• Groups present analysis.
• Teacher facilitates a discussion focusing on:
  • How ethics change persuasive strategies?
  • Why might different audiences respond differently?
  • How does understanding audience and ethics help writers craft stronger arguments?
• Write key points on the board.

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5. Exit Ticket & Reflection (8 minutes)

Purpose: Check for understanding & set purpose for next lesson.

• Students complete an exit ticket prompt:
  • “Explain one ethical issue tied to Henrietta Lacks’s story and why knowing your audience matters when writing to persuade about this issue.”
• Optionally, students may submit digitally or on paper.
• Preview next lesson: crafting persuasive arguments ethically.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For students with dyslexia or reading challenges: Provide dyslexia-friendly excerpts and transcripts; use audio support; allow oral responses or speech-to-text exit tickets.
• For English Language Learners: Use visuals, sentence frames, and peer support; pre-teach key vocabulary.
• For advanced learners: Encourage deeper ethical questions or ask them to explore historical and cultural contexts affecting audience reception.

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Extension Activities

• Research another historical or contemporary ethical case in science or medicine and prepare a one-page argument identifying the ethical dilemma and intended audience.
• Write a reflective journal entry from the perspective of a member of Henrietta Lacks’s family discussing the ethical concerns.

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Assessment

• Formative: Participation in discussion, group presentation, exit ticket responses.
• Teacher observation of group dynamics and understanding during activities.
• Analysis of exit tickets to inform differentiation in subsequent lessons.

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Notes for Teachers

• Emphasize respectful discourse and multiple perspectives during discussions.
• Encourage students to think critically about how persuasion works—not just what is being said but how and for whom.
• Link this lesson’s ethical focus to future essays students will write later in the unit.

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This lesson sets a thoughtful foundation for students to explore complex ideas about persuasion and ethics, aligning rigorously with Common Core standards while engaging 11th graders with relevant, real-world content.