Happy Birthday, Henrietta Lacks! Celebrate August 1, the birthday of one of the most important women in genetics in part 139 of a 143-part video series. The narrator describes the life of Henrietta Lacks, the aggressive form of cancer that took her life at age 31, and the wide array of genetic discoveries made possible by the HeLa cell.

Concepts

cancer, cells, genetic mutation, genetics, viruses, bacteria

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Show the video to introduce Lacks, then launch a class reading project of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• Have pupils research the amazing contributions to science and medicine made possible by the HeLa cell

Classroom Considerations

• Some background information on cancer cell growth is helpful for pupils in an introductory biology class

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Provides a well-rounded snapshot of Lacks' life and the importance of her cells in research
• Images of the cells themselves give students an idea of their size, shape, and reproductive capabilities

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2