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Exploring the Rights of Human Subjects Through a Classic Work In Literature: Daniel Keyes’s Flowers for Algernon Eugene F. Provenzo, Jr. School of Education University of Miami
	Introduction Flowers for Algernon is a classic novel by Daniel Keyes that is based on an earlier short story of the same title. It is widely taught at the 9th and 10th grade level in schools across the United States. The novel tells the story of Charlie Gordon, a 32 year-old retarded man with an I.Q. of 68 who is put through an experimental treatment by scientists to boost his intelligence. The story is told from Charlie’s perspective in a personal journal that he keeps for the scientists. This lesson plan uses Keyes’s novel to focus on ethical issues involving the Rights of Human Subjects—in particular, issues involving the use of subjects who are developmentally challenged or highly vulnerable, such as prison populations. Educational Objectives • The student will better understand the ethical issues involved when experimenting on human subjects. • The student will reflect on the ethical issues of using a human subject, and placing them at risk. View More
	Key Concepts and Vocabulary • Informed Consent • Justifiable Risk • Acceptable Risk • Ethical Behavior for Researchers • Responsibility of Researchers to Subjects View More
	Background for Teachers In July 12, 1974, the National Research Act (Pub. L. 93-348) became law. It created a National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. The Belmont Report was developed as a result of the abuse of human subjects in a number of government studies. The Belmont Report represented the government’s most important early efforts to address the appropriate use of human subjects in research. It is a milestone in the study and implementation of ethics in the United States. Flowers for Algernon addresses a number of important ethical issues including the ability of experimental subjects to understand how an experiment might affect their lives, the obligation of scientists performing a treatment to make sure that their subjects are aware of how they might be affected, and the ethics of having a person participate in a potentially risky experiment that might benefit the advancement of science and humanity. View More

	Core Subject Areas and Grade Level		Description of Classroom Activities
	Objectives from Competency-Based Curriculum		Case Studies for Further Discussion and Exploration
	Correlations to Language Art Benchmarks (Sunshine State Standards)		Assessment for Activities
	Core Values Emphasized in this Learning Module		Extension Activity
	Suggested Time for Instruction		Bibliography and Web Resources

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