English · Class 10

Active learning ideas

Scientific Ethics in 'Footprints without Feet'

Active learning works particularly well for this topic because students often romanticise the idea of 'cool' scientists breaking rules. By engaging in hands-on activities like a mock trial or collaborative investigation, they confront Griffin's unethical choices directly, making the abstract concept of scientific ethics tangible and memorable.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE: Footprints without Feet - Class 10
• CBSE: The Making of a Scientist - Class 10

• 20–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Mock Trial
• 60 min · Whole Class

Mock Trial: The State vs. Griffin

Students hold a trial for Griffin. The prosecution argues that he is a dangerous criminal, while the defense tries to argue that his scientific genius or circumstances (like being homeless) should be considered. A 'jury' of students delivers the verdict.

Analyze how Griffin's invisibility serves as a metaphor for his detachment from social norms.

Facilitation Tip

During the Mock Trial, assign roles like witnesses, lawyers, and jury members to ensure every student participates actively and engages with the text's moral complexities.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If Griffin had used his invisibility to help people, would his actions still be considered unethical?' Facilitate a class debate, prompting students to consider the intent versus the outcome and the scientist's duty to society.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Power of Invisibility

Pairs discuss: 'If you were invisible for 24 hours, what would you do?'. They then compare their answers with Griffin's actions to see if they would use the power more ethically than he did.

Evaluate at what point a brilliant scientist transforms into a lawless eccentric.

Facilitation Tip

For the Think-Pair-Share activity, provide sentence starters such as 'Using invisibility could help people by... but it could also harm them by...' to guide deeper reflection.

What to look for

Ask students to write down one specific ethical dilemma faced by a scientist (either fictional like Griffin or real-world) and one potential consequence of that scientist acting without moral consideration.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Making of a Scientist

Groups compare Griffin with Richard Ebright (from 'The Making of a Scientist'). They create a chart showing the different qualities that made one a 'lawless eccentric' and the other a 'successful researcher'.

Explain the societal consequences when personal power is exercised without accountability.

Facilitation Tip

In Collaborative Investigation, limit groups to four students and assign each a different aspect of Griffin's life to research, such as his education, experiments, or interactions with others.

What to look for

Present students with three hypothetical scenarios involving scientific discovery. Ask them to identify which scenario most closely mirrors Griffin's ethical lapse and explain their reasoning in one sentence.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should approach this topic by balancing empathy with accountability. While it is important to acknowledge Griffin's intelligence and curiosity, the focus must remain on the consequences of his choices. Research suggests that framing ethical dilemmas as real-world scenarios helps students transfer their learning to broader contexts, such as discussing the misuse of AI or genetic engineering.

Successful learning looks like students consistently connecting Griffin's actions to real-world ethical responsibilities in science. They should articulate why invisibility alone does not justify his behaviour and cite specific textual evidence to support their reasoning during discussions and written tasks.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Mock Trial activity, watch for students portraying Griffin as a hero rather than a villain.

  Use the trial to highlight Griffin's victims, such as his landlord and the people of Iping, and ask students to prepare testimony that exposes his cruelty and selfishness.

• During the Think-Pair-Share activity on the Power of Invisibility, watch for students listing only the advantages of invisibility.

  Provide a template with two columns—one for benefits and one for drawbacks—and require students to include at least two points from each column based on the text.

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Methods used in this brief

• Mock Trial
• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle