Key Stage 4 - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A heartfelt dilemma

Notes for teachers

At a glance

In this lesson, students apply their knowledge of genetics to a new situation by learning how faulty genes cause an inherited heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The lesson begins with an animation about the condition. Students then participate in role plays so as to explore the genetic cause of the condition and consider the issues involved in deciding whether or not relatives should be tested for it.

Learning outcomes

  • Students understand that HCM is caused by a faulty gene, which may be inherited.
  • Students explore the issues involved in deciding whether or not to be tested for HCM.

Possible Lesson Activities

1Starter activity

  • Show the animation ‘Another case of heart trouble’ as far as 0:28. Ask students to speculate as to why the driver – a fit, healthy young man – might have suddenly collapsed. Do not give any answers at this stage.
  • Continue viewing the animation to 1:33. Emphasise that the driver has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Scientists now know that the symptoms of this genetic condition are the result of the patient’s heart using energy inefficiently.
  • Show the rest of the animation. Make sure that students realise that the condition is caused by a faulty gene, and so can be inherited.

2Main activity

  • Divide students into groups of five, and give out the task sheet. Make sure all students understand the task, to take part in a role play which could be filmed and shown to people with HCM to help them understand their disease and its implications.
  • Give one copy of each role card to each group. Allow students to allocate roles. Roles 4 and 5 are the most challenging, and are suited to the higher achieving students in a group. Note – Jack is 15. This age is very much on the borderline when considering who should make the decision, Jack or his parents, and is likely to give rise to much discussion.
  • Give students about 15 minutes to read their role cards and then to plan and practise their performance. A help sheet is available to support this activity. Partway through this stage of the lesson, you might like to give each group a peer assessment sheet, so that they will know the criteria on which they will be assessed.

3Plenary

  • Student groups each perform to one other group. The other group peer evaluates the performance using the sheet provided. Ask students if they think any performance might be good enough for the heart charity to film.
  • Discuss learning from the lesson. Check that students:
  • understand the genetic basis of HCM.
  • have considered the ethical issues linked to the testing of relatives.