Genetically Modified Food

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Genetically Modified Food

• Foods 11 and 12

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The Connections
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Technology Standards for Students

• Use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect
  information from a variety of sources
• Students use technology resources for solving
  problems and making informed decisions

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Prescribed Learning Outcomes

• Nutritional Issues
• Grade 11
• Identify nutritional issues and describe their
  effects on well-being
• Grade 12
• Critique the production, composition, and
  consumption of commercial food products

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Prescribed Learning Outcomes

• Social and Economic Issues
• Grade 11
• Identify environmental and health issues related
  to the production and consumption of food
• Grade 12
• Critique global environmental and health issues
  related to the production and consumption of food

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Introduction

• Bigger, better, faster, more!
• Humankind has usually sought challenges with
  these goals in mind.

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• GM Foods are developed to meet these challenges
  but many see them instead as Frankenstein
  Foods.

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What we know now

• What do you know about GM Foods? Take a test by
  clicking on the link below and determine your GMF
  smarts!
• GM Foods Test

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Examples of GM Foods

• Golden Rice
• Purple tomatoes
• Edible vaccines (potatoes bananas)

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Do You Eat GM Foods?

• Ask someone this question and most would answer
  No way! But how do they know for sure?

• Complete the exercise found on the link below to
  determine if some of the foods you eat are GM
  Foods.
• GM Foods

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Why the Controversy?

• Well....
• Food in general is a very personal thing.
• Much is unknown. This is because the technologies
  being used are relatively new and because
  applying the technologies continually produces
  new results.
• There is great perceived potential for both
  beneficial and damaging discoveries and
  developments.

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• It doesn't take much more than that to make a
  good controversy. Stir in a lot of international
  media attention and the internet, and you've got
  'so much' controversy it's hard to sort it all
  out.

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What are GM Foods?

• Genetically modified foods (GM foods) have
  ingredients in them that have been modified by a
  technique called gene technology.

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• This technology allows food producers to alter
  certain characteristics of a food crop by
  introducing genetic material and proteins from
  another source.

• An example of this is a corn plant with a gene
  that makes it resistant to insect attack.

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Statistics

• According to Scientific American, some experts
  predict that 40 60 percent of all seeds planted
  in the U.S. are genetically modified.
• It is therefore a near certainty that all U.S.
  citizens (and most Canadians) feed to some degree
  on genetically modified food.

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Task

• You are at a backyard BBQ, hanging out with some
  friends. Because you are somewhat of a smart
  person, you casually mention that the BBQ sauce
  and the salad dressing contain genetically
  modified ingredients.

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Task (continued)

• No way! the host replies. Your buddy asks,
  Whats that? and another asks, Is that good or
  bad? The whole group falls SILENT and is
  looking at YOU for answers

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Task (continued)

• What do you tell them (and remain the somewhat
  smart person you are?)
• How do you convince them of your opinion?

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Process Step 1

• Choose a partner and register both names with the
  teacher

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Process Step 2

• Using the resource links listed under
  Resources, research and answer the following
  questions

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Questions

• How are they made?
• Who produces them and who consumes them?
• Where are they grown?
• Provide five interesting examples of GM Foods
• Find two new and interesting facts about them
• Why are they considered good?
• Why do critics insist they are bad?
• What global effect do they have, if any?
• In your opinion, are they beneficial or not and
  WHY?

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Process Step 3

• Together with your partner, organize your new
  knowledge into an oral presentation for the class
• Other sources of information such as magazines,
  books, and television programs/videotapes can be
  valuable tools

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Process Step 4

• Convince us and impress us! Presentations will
  be given by you and your partner to the class
• Be creative! Using visuals, role plays,
  powerpoint, and other ideas enhances the
  presentation

• Be prepared to answer questions from myself and
  the class at the end

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Required Hard Copy

• A word processed copy of your presentation should
  be handed to the teacher just prior to presenting

• Evidence of collaboration with your partner
  should be apparent

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Powerpoint

• For those who choose to present a PowerPoint
  presentation, these presentations will be
  published to the Web
• Pictures of all presentations will also be
  uploaded to the class homepage

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Resources

• Should we grow them?
• Engineer a crop
• Whats for dinner?
• What about this fish?
• Viewpoints
• Adapted from Harvest of Fear a PBS/Frontline
  production

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Additional Resources

• These websites will provide additional
  information to enhance your presentation
• Greenpeace
• Recent Research
• Pros Cons
• More Pros Cons
• Down Under (excellent site)

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Citing References

• Remember to cite your references and carefully
  evaluate any sources of information for bias and
  credibility.

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Evaluation

• Presentation marked out of 80
• Self Partner Evaluation out of 20
• TOTAL POSSIBLE MARKS ARE 100
• Click here to go to Presentation Evaluation
• Click here to go to Self Partner Evaluation

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Thought to Close On
We are right to take seriously the development
of genetically modified foods, to debate the
issues that their use raises, and to question
critically the risks and benefits they present.
At the same time, however, it is important to
avoid hysteria, to define clearly the issues of
concern, and to tackle these rationally and on an
informed basis.
Leighton
Jones
Genetically Modified Foods


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Conclusion

• Good job! You have taken steps to become more
  knowledgeable on a very hot topic in political,
  scientific, environmental, agricultural,
  nutritional, and global circles.
• Genetically modified foods will continue to be a
  hotly debated issue in the future you now are
  more informed and have lots of solid information
  to share!