1. Vaccines

2. 1. What are vaccines, what do they do, how do they work, and why should we use them?

3. 2. Why does Jenny McCarthy think vaccines cause autism?
3. What evidence exists that validates or invalidates the claim that vaccines cause autism?

5. 4. Free-write your opinions, thoughts, and questions related to the anti-vaccination movement spurred on by passionate parents like Jenny McCarthy.

9. Why are there dangerous chemicals in vaccines?

10. Vaccines aren’t natural. We can rely on our natural immunity.
Copy or paraphrase the anti-vaxx argument, then counter it using science literacy concepts
Vaccinations have harmful chemicals in them (formaldehyde causes cancer!).
Jenny McCarthy and thousands of other parents share their personal experiences about how their children were vaccinated and then developed autism.
There’s a correlation between vaccines and autism (vaccine use and diagnosis of autism have both increased over the last 20 years).
Vaccines aren’t natural. We can rely on our natural immunity.
C-1: Artificial Sweetener Essay make-up assignment: Follow the same instructions, but use the arguments above instead of Dr. Mercola’s arguments about artificial sweeteners.
Extra Credit! (Counter these arguments, but science literacy concepts won’t apply to these)
A science article in 1998 said that vaccines caused autism.
Vaccines aren’t necessary because viruses we vaccinate for aren’t around anymore!
Vaccines can cause dangerous side effects (such as rare but harmful allergic reactions).
Vaccines aren’t necessary. Pharmaceutical companies are just trying to make money.

11. Vaccines harm our babies!
13. Compare the risks of a vaccine harming you vs. the risks of NOT getting vaccinated
Why vaccines work:
Risk of vaccination

12. 14. Explain “herd immunity”, who it protects, and why it’s important

13. 15. Evidence Base Writing –1 paragraph
Decide whether or not you think vaccinations should be required for all children, even if the parents don’t want their children to get them. That is, whose right is it to make this decision—the parents or the government? If you think there should be conditions or exceptions, what are they?
Use scientific information (evidence) from this week’s lesson about vaccines to explain why (reasoning) you think that.