The Cost of Discovery

Professional Learning Module | Cross-Curricular Unit Design | Secondary Education

Project Overview

The Cost of Discovery is a professional learning module designed to help secondary educators explore how an anchor phenomenon can be used to support cross-curricular instruction. Using the story of Henrietta Lacks and the discovery of HeLa cells as the central anchor, the module demonstrates how a single compelling narrative can connect science, history, literacy, and ethical inquiry within a cohesive instructional unit.

Rather than presenting subjects in isolation, this professional learning experience models how educators can design learning opportunities that help students examine complex topics through multiple disciplinary lenses. Participants explore how the story of Henrietta Lacks can serve as a powerful entry point for discussions about scientific discovery, medical ethics, historical context, and the human impact of research.

The Design Challenge

Teachers are often encouraged to design interdisciplinary learning experiences, but connecting multiple subjects in a meaningful and structured way can be challenging. Many educators struggle with how to maintain clear learning goals while integrating standards across disciplines.

The challenge for this project was to demonstrate how a single anchor story could support a cohesive cross-curricular unit. The goal was to show how the story of Henrietta Lacks could serve as a foundation for exploring scientific discovery, historical context, ethical decision-making, and literacy connections within the same learning experience.

The Learning Experience

The module guides educators through an example of how an anchor story can support interdisciplinary instruction. Using the story of Henrietta Lacks as the central thread, the learning experience demonstrates how different disciplines can contribute unique perspectives to the topic.

Participants explore the scientific importance of HeLa cells, the historical context surrounding Henrietta Lacks' life, and the ethical questions that continue to shape conversations about medical research today. Throughout the module, educators examine how these perspectives can be integrated into a structured instructional unit that encourages inquiry, discussion, and critical thinking.

Educators are introduced to the cross-curricular structure of the unit and how Henrietta Lacks serves as the shared anchor across disciplines.

The architecture diagram shows how science, history, math, and ELA each examine the central idea through their own disciplinary lens.

Educators evaluate potential lesson elements and determine whether they support the structural focus of the unit.

This course was developed in Articulate Storyline. The interactive module can be explored below.

Launch Interactive Module

Supporting Design Documents

This project was developed through a structured instructional design process that included both a formal proposal and a detailed design document. These materials outline the instructional goals, learning outcomes, and design decisions that shaped the professional learning module.

View Project Proposal

View Design Document

Key Design Decisions

A few design choices shaped the way this module was built:

Anchor-based learning. The story of Henrietta Lacks serves as the central thread connecting multiple disciplines.
Cross-curricular structure. The module demonstrates how science, history, literacy, and ethical inquiry can reinforce one another within a single unit.
Practical instructional modeling. Rather than presenting only theory, the module shows educators how interdisciplinary learning experiences can be structured in practice.
Reflection and discussion. Educators are encouraged to examine how complex scientific topics can support deeper classroom conversations about ethics and human impact.

Reflection

One of the most valuable lessons from this project came from revisiting an interaction that initially seemed effective but created accessibility barriers for some learners. The original design relied on a visual sorting interaction that required precise drag-and-drop movement, which can be difficult for learners using assistive technologies or alternative input methods. To make the experience more accessible, I redesigned the activity so participants could evaluate and categorize elements using a simpler interaction that maintained the learning goal while reducing unnecessary barriers.

This revision reinforced an important design principle for me: accessibility should not be an afterthought. Even well-intentioned interactive activities can unintentionally exclude learners if accessibility is not considered from the beginning. Redesigning the interaction helped me think more carefully about how to balance engagement with usability and inclusivity.

The process also strengthened my understanding of how professional learning experiences should model thoughtful design practices. Because this module is intended for educators, ensuring the learning experience was accessible became part of the message itself, demonstrating how instructional choices can support or limit learner participation.