CBC Archives

Ask the students to define the term “sensitive.” Following consensus on a definition, ask the students to define sensitive social issues. Generate a list on the board of issues that the students think are sensitive both personally and for society in general. Direct students to the topic The Birth Control Pill on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site and have them view Clip 3. Discuss why the audience can be heard chuckling nervously in the background.

Tell students about Margaret Sanger, an advocate of birth control for women and for society, and explain that she was a key figure in the issue of birth control.

Provide the students will a printer friendly version of Clip 1 from the topic The Birth Control Pill on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Read the information aloud with the students and focus in on the ‘Did you know section’ which formally introduces Margaret Sanger. (Be sensitive to the fact that students may be nervous discussing the subject of birth control and that they may be challenged by the maturity necessary to have this type of conversation in a classroom.)

Students will write a biography about Margaret Sanger. They should include in their biography five key points in Sanger’s life. They can research further information about Sanger on the Web sites listed in the Material section.

Have students share the five key points about Margaret Sanger’s life that they included in their biography. Ask: Why do you think Time Magazine listed her as one of the top 100 Leaders and Revolutionaries? What did she do to entitle her to be on this list?

Students can research the life and career of Dr. John Rock, Dr. Gregory Pincus, and Dr. Carl Djerassi and describe their efforts in developing the first contraceptives in the 1950s.