Thresholds and Toxicology
Obtaining governmental approval for new drugs and medicines is not an easy task. Years of research, testing, and data collection are needed to make sure the product is safe for society as a whole. Students examine the historical development of the regulation process, and consider a modern day example using “lily juice,” a hypothetical herbal remedy promoted to increase intelligence. They learn about thresholds, concentration, toxicity, and qualitative and quantitative data. Simulated toxicity tests on rats provide data that can be analyzed to decide whether the product should be distributed. Students are assessed on their ability to analyze data.
Each module includes a Teacher’s Guide containing reproducible student pages and a kit containing the equipment required to conduct the activities with five classes of 32 students. The Teacher’s Guide provides specific strategies to facilitate and assess student learning.
Overview
Shown below is the table of contents for the teacher’s guide, which contains reproducible student pages.
Introduction
Module at a Glance
Guide to the Module
Activity 1: Thresholds, Concentration, and Trade-offs
Student Investigation: Yummy or Yucky?
Activity 2: Chemical Indicators and Chemical Concentration
Student Investigation: Using Chemical Indicators
Activity 3: Regulating the Safety, Effectiveness, and Advertising of Medicines
Student Investigation: 21st Century Snake Oil?
Activity 4: Simulated Toxicology Tests
Student Investigation: The Effects of One-Time Lily Juice Use
Activity 5: Using Chemical Reagents to Identify Unknown Chemicals
Student Investigation: What’s In Lily Juice?
Activity 6: Obtaining Quantitative Data Using Titrations
Student Investigation: Just Exactly How Much is There?
Activity 7: Analyzing Long-Term Effects
Student Investigation: Long-Term Lily Juice Use
Activity 8: Investigating the Effects of Body Mass
Student Investigation: Determining the Dose
Activity 9: Determining Safe and Appropriate Product Use
Student Investigation: Labeling the Lily Juice
Activity 10: Evaluating Regulatory Issues
Student Investigation: You Make the Law
Appendix A: Materials
Appendix B: Background
Appendix C: Assessment
Appendix D: Glossary