yes or no to gmo - welcome to our virtual classroom€¦ · crops are also genetically modified to...

Copyright 2015 – Florida Department of Education

Yes or no to GMO

1. Untitled Scene

1.1 Opening Slide

Notes:

Welcome to “Yes” or “No” to GMO? an online Life Science tutorial for students in grade 7.

Click ‘Next’ to get started.


1.2 In this tutorial you will learn:

Notes:

By the end of this tutorial you should know what genetic engineering is and be familiar with

some of the applications of this technology. We’ll be focusing on agriculture and food. You

will gain an understanding of some of the benefits of genetic engineering but we’ll also cover

the potential drawbacks. Ultimately, you’ll be able to think critically about genetic

engineering and write an argument describing your own perspective on its impacts.


1.3 Review what you should know . . .

Notes:

But before we get started, let’s review a few things you should have already learned. If we’re

going to talk about genetic engineering, we need to be clear on a few basic facts about

genetics first. To start, every living organism needs a special set of instructions to specify it’s

traits. These instructions come in the form of molecules called deoxyribonucleic acid, better

know as “DNA” and DNA contains genes. Genes are found on the chromosomes of each cell

and can be thought of as the individual units of heredity. Remember that heredity is the

passage of genetic information across generations. Genes can influence many traits and can

also be artificially modified through biotechnology, which we’ll talk a whole lot more about

soon!


1.4 So what is biotechnology anyway?

Notes:

Although we think of biotechnology as a modern idea, humans have actually been using it

for thousands of years. Simply defined, biotechnology is the use of living systems to make

products. So even very early human attempts at fermentation and creating medicines from

plants and animals were a form of biotechnology! Today though, when we hear the term

“biotechnology” we’re not thinking of primitive methods for preserving food, but rather of

some very modern sciences like cloning, artificial selection and genetic engineering. These

modern forms of biotechnology offer exciting possibilities to improve global health and well

being. But many technologies also come with their fair share of controversy. In this tutorial,

we’ll focus on genetic engineering in agriculture. We’ll explore the amazing technologies on

the horizon and discuss both the benefits and drawbacks.

So if biotechnology is the use of living systems to make a product, what is genetic

engineering? Really, genetic engineering is just what it sounds like: engineering or directly

manipulating a living organism’s set of genes. New genetic information can be manually

added to an organism and genes can also be removed in the lab. Any organism resulting

from genetic engineering is called a “genetically modified organism” or GMO.

1.5 Practice 1: Vocabulary Review

(Matching Drop-down, 10 points, 2 attempts permitted)


Correct Choice

The use of biological or living systems to make

a product

Biotechnology

Manipulating genes of organisms Genetic Engineering

Genetic information in the cells of all living

things

DNA

Sections of your DNA that code for specific

traits or functions

Genes

Feedback when correct:

Excellent, now that you have identified and defined the main terms for this tutorial, we can

continue.

Feedback when incorrect:

The correct answers are shown here. DNA contains our genetic information and is found in our

cells, while genes are specific sections of DNA. Scientists use our knowledge of genes and their

functions in genetic engineering. Any manipulation of living things for our benefit is considered

biotechnology.


Notes:

Let’s review our vocabulary before we continue. Read the descriptions on the left and then

choose the correct term from the drop down list that matches the description.

Correct (Slide Layer)


Incorrect (Slide Layer)

Try Again (Slide Layer)


1.6 Selective Breeding or Artificial Selection

Notes:

Before we dig deeper into genetic engineering, let’s make sure we really understand the

definition. There are many examples in history where humans have tried to do the same

things but without manipulating genes in the lab.

For example, many top dog breeders go to a great deal of effort and expense to find the

best possible mate for their female show dogs. Breeding a female to a champion male with

the most desirable traits possible helps increase the chances that he’ll pass on his genetic

traits to the puppies and they will succeed in the show ring too. Is this type of selective

breeding an example of genetic engineering?

Actually no, it is not. Genetic engineering involves manually and directly manipulating an

organism’s genetic material in the lab and the definition generally does not include methods

like selective breeding. If a scientist added and/or removed genetic material in the lab and

used it to create genetically modified puppies, that would be an example of genetic

engineering. However, simply selecting a mate for a dog because of its desirable genetic

traits is not.

Selective breeding and artificial selection are both the same idea. This process has been

around almost as long as humans have existed on Earth! We have selectively bred for

desired traits in all kinds of crops from corn to apples; and animals such as cattle, pets, and

so on. Your pet dog is an example of selective breeding! All dogs descended from wild

wolves but over time we have selectively bred them to display all kinds of desired traits such


as being a good hunter, having a kind disposition, and we have even selected for size and

attractiveness!

1.7 Practice 2

(True/False, 10 points, 1 attempt permitted)

Correct Choice

True

X False


Excellent, even though we are selecting desired traits with selective breeding we aren’t

modifying the genes in a lab.



No, this statement is actually false. Selective breeding or artificial selection is used to select

desired traits through selecting mates to breed. Genetic engineering involves actually modifying

genes in a lab setting and then inserting them into the cells of a living organism.

Notes:

Read the statement and decide if it is true or false. Selective breeding is an example of

genetic engineering.




1.8 How is genetic engineering used?

Notes:

You’ve probably heard about genetic engineering mostly within the context of GMO food.

Agriculture is certainly a very important application of genetic engineering technology and

will be our focus for the rest of this tutorial but it’s important to understand that genetic

engineering has many other important uses that we might not be so familiar with.


Medicine is one of them. Genetic engineering is used in medicine to create vaccines that

protect people from many serious diseases. Viruses can be genetically modified to be strong

enough to provide immunity when injected in a vaccine, but weak enough that the recipient

of the vaccine won’t become ill. Genetic engineering holds a lot of promise for curing some

types of cancer, and gene therapy is an exciting new technology that involves genetically

altering human cells by inserting modified genes in order to treat disease. In gene therapy,

defective genes can actually be replaced with functional copies in order to treat diseases like

Parkinson’s.

Genetic engineering is also a very important tool for research scientists. Researchers can use

genetic engineering to isolate, store and create an unlimited supply of specific genes they

want to study. This type of research can help us understand a lot about the natural world,

especially the way organisms grow and develop. And although scientists often use animal

models like mice in their research, studying the function of individual genes in animals can

help answer questions about human biology as well.

Genetically engineered bacteria are currently used for many important industrial

applications. Scientists can genetically modify bacteria to perform specific tasks such as

making biofuels and cleaning up toxic waste!

And finally, agriculture. Genetically modified food products can be found in the majority of

processed foods we eat today in the U.S. Genetic modification of produce can result in

greater yields of hearty, pest-resistance plants that are more nutritionally dense. While

there are many commercial and health benefits of this technology, it is also controversial.

We’ll dive a lot more deeply into this topic very shortly.

1.9 Practice 3

(Pick Many, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Choice

Poplar trees that have been genetically altered to absorb and break down groundwater

pollutants through their roots.

Bananas that have been altered to produce human vaccines. The effects of eating such a banana

is similar to receiving a traditional vaccine.

Glow-in-the-dark mice

Cloning a sheep

Feedback:

Nice! If you selected the first three choices you’re on the right track! Trees genetically

engineered to clean up toxic waste sites, bananas engineered to deliver immunity to human

disease, and animals modified with fluorescent proteins are just a few of the amazing examples

of genetic engineering technology out there! The fourth choice, cloning a sheep, wouldn’t be

considered genetic engineering however. The key difference is that cloning involves creating an

identical genetic copy of an organism while genetic engineering involves genetically altering an

organism to be different.


Notes:

Let’s check in again to make sure we’re clear on what genetic engineering is and the many

ways it can be used before we proceed. Select all the examples of genetic engineering from

the choices listed above. And here’s a little hint before you get started: just because

something sounds like science fiction, doesn’t mean it is!

Thank You (Slide Layer)


1.10 GMOs in Agriculture; why do it? Part 1

Notes:

Now that we’ve learned a little bit about genetic engineering in general, let’s talk more about

its use in agriculture. For good or for bad, genetically modified produce is in our food supply

and while it may be controversial, there are clear benefits and advantages. Crops are

genetically modified for different reasons and purposes but there are a few main goals that

drive the technology. The first is for commercial benefit. Crops can be genetically

engineered to be resistant to environmental stressors like cold, viruses, fungi, or pests. They

can also be engineered to resist man-made stressors like herbicide. All of these

modifications can strengthen crops and improve yield or the amount that is harvested.

Scientists have even gone one step further and engineered crops like sweet corn, cotton,

and potatoes that produce an insecticide. The crop itself poisons would-be insect pests and

eliminates the need for use of a chemical insecticide. This technology allows farmers to

avoid using a toxic spray on their crops that could harm the surrounding environment as

well as the people who handle the pesticide.

Crops are also genetically modified to improve their nutritional value. Soybeans have been

altered to produce healthier oils while a genetically modified rice that is very high in beta

carotene is now produced. Beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin-A when eaten and is

what gives carrots their bright orange color. The increased beta-carotene in this GM rice

gives the rice an orange tinge, which is the reason behind its name - “Golden rice.” The rice

isn’t genetically modified using carrots though! Three new genes from daffodils and a

bacterium are added to the rice’s DNA in order to make it produce beta-carotene. The

increased nutritional value in this rice is a huge benefit to people living in impoverished or

developing areas, where the lack of essential vitamins and nutrients and malnutrition are


constant struggles. It is an especially important benefit in areas where white rice is major

dietary staple such as in parts of Asia for example, and much of the population relies on it

for every meal.

1.11 GMOs in Agriculture: why do it? Part 2

Notes:

One rather strange application of GMOs in agriculture is called “pharming”. Farming with a

“p-h” as in farming pharmaceuticals. In pharming, genetic engineering technology is used to

insert genes into plants or animals in order to make them produce medicines. The milk

mammals produce has proved a great system for pharming using animals so far. Milk is

readily produced, can be harvested in large quantities without harming the animal, and

pharmaceutical products are easy to separate and purify from a milk base. In 2009 the

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug produced using

genetically modified livestock. The drug, called ATryn, is used to treat a hereditary blood

clotting disorder and is produced in the milk of of genetically modified goats. Scientists claim

that one GM goat can produce as much of the drug in a year as 90,000 blood donations,

which was the conventional method for the drug’s production!

And finally, speeding up growth to increase yield and production of agricultural plants and

animals is a goal of genetic engineering. Plants and animals can be genetically modified to

grow faster and larger. This type of technology has both commercial benefits and

advantages for meeting the food supply demands of an ever-growing world population. In

animals, scientists can modify the growth hormones a livestock produces to increase its size

or growth rate. This has been done successfully by speeding the growth rate of salmon,


putting the fish on track to be the first GM animal to enter the US food supply if approved by

the FDA!

1.12 Practice 4: A virus-resistant papaya?

(Essay, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Feedback:

Thank you for your response! Whether or not you really support or oppose genetically modified

papaya, forming an argument in support of it is a good exercise in making sure you understand

the benefits. Above are some examples of the benefits you may have included in your response.

Notes:

Now let’s take it one step further and get some practice forming and writing our own

arguments about the benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture. Read the prompt on the

screen then type your response in the box.



1.13 So what’s the problem? Part 1

Notes:

So far we’ve learned about many examples of the amazing genetic engineering technology

available in agriculture today. We’ve also discussed the advantages GM food can offer.

Given all the benefits, why are so many people concerned about GMO products in the food

supply? As it turns out, the list of concerns about GM food is at least as long as the list of

benefits! The scientific consensus is clear that GM food poses no greater health risks to

humans than conventional food. Still, many people remain concerned about GM food’s

long-term human health effects. In addition to health concerns, many people are worried

about environmental impacts and the fact that GM foods are not currently required to be

labeled. We’ll dig deeper into each of these areas to uncover some of the potential

drawbacks of GM food.

Despite a good deal of evidence indicating that GM foods are safe, many people remain very

concerned about possible human health risks. There are a few reasons for this. The first is a

worry that GMOs have not been adequately studied. GMOs have been in our food supply

since the 1990’s but have been steadily increasing in frequency and amount since then.

Some people are concerned that health risks have not been studied enough and GMOs have

not been in the food supply long enough to determine any long term health effects.

The fear that GM foods could trigger an allergic reaction is another common area of concern

about human health. Although there is no evidence that this has occurred, some people

worry that introducing a foreign and potentially allergenic protein into a non-allergenic food

could spark an allergic reaction. Imagine that scientists wanted to genetically engineer corn


by adding genes from a peanut. Peanuts are a common culprit of severe food allergies and

if peanut DNA was introduced into corn, a very common ingredient in all sorts of processed

foods, what might happen next? Typically though, genetic information from commonly

allergenic foods is not used in GM foods and many safety protocols are in place to test for

these types of effects. Still, allergies are very complex immune system reactions in humans,

and many people are worried that scientists have no way to be sure GM foods are safe.

Another area of concern about the health effects of GM foods is the idea of gene transfer.

What if genetic material from GM foods was absorbed into human cells during the digestive

process? And what if these foreign genes were harmful in some way, perhaps resistant to

antibiotics? Again, there is no evidence of this happening and safety tests are in place to

prevent it, but it is still a common concern of GMO critics.

1.14 So what’s the problem? Part 2

Notes:

But many people are not only worried about the effects of GM foods on human health.

There are also a lot of concerns about the environmental safety of GMOs in our food supply.

Some people are worried about the increased use of chemicals in agriculture associated with

GM foods or the potential loss of other plant species and biodiversity because GM species

are becoming so prevalent. One major area of concern is the possibility that GM species

could escape and interbreed with wild populations. This fear has been one of the major

criticisms of the new GM salmon we talked about earlier. Although the producers of the

salmon have tried hard to assure the public that their GM fish are not capable of breaking

free and contaminating wild salmon populations, the effects would be irreversible if such a


thing did happen.

In addition to health, safety, and environmental concerns, one of the most common

criticisms of GM foods is that they are not regulated tightly enough in the United States and

are not even required to be labeled. This is different in many other countries such as

Australia and Japan for example, and many people feel that they should have the right to

choose for themselves whether they want to eat GM foods. As it stands currently, making an

informed choice is not very easy because GM foods are ingredients in so many things we eat.

Estimates say that GM ingredients can be found in about 70% of processed foods in the

United States. That’s a lot! Usually these ingredients are from corn or soy. Processed foods

include just about everything that comes in a package or box. So unless it’s organic or has a

small label certifying that it is GMO free, your breakfast cereal, bread, crackers, cookies, or

soup from a can most likely contains GM food.

1.15 Practice 5

(Pick Many, 10 points, 2 attempts permitted)

Correct Choice

The GM beef might not taste good.

X The new GM beef could trigger an allergic reaction.


Humans could catch a cow disease from eating the beef.

X The GM cattle would accidentally be crossbred with other cattle species.


Great job! You successfully identified that a possible allergic reaction and the fear of

interbreeding with a natural population are two significant concerns that people might have

about this seemingly promising development in genetic engineering technology.


There are two correct choices here. You should have identified that a fear of the new beef

triggering an allergic reaction and of the GM cattle being crossbred with natural species were

the possible risks relevant to this hypothetical example. These choices were both common

concerns with GMO food that we discussed previously and fit the example. While the issue of

taste could be raised by some people, it is not a common strong criticism of GM foods and is

also not relevant to this example. If the GM beef is intended as a solution to combat world

hunger, taste wouldn’t be a significant concern to those who had no other means of eating

protein! And while some people could worry about humans catching an animal or plant disease

from eating GM food, this idea is more of an irrational fear than a true concern. Genetic

engineering in our food supply continues to be thoroughly tested and examined.

Notes:

Now that we’ve discussed possible risks and concerns with GM food, let’s try identifying

them in a hypothetical scenario. Hypothetical means that it hasn’t’ happened yet, but it could.

Tens of millions of children suffer from hunger and extreme poverty in the developing world.

Lack of protein and iron are huge contributing factors to this global hunger problem. Meat

contains high amount of protein and iron, but it is expensive and typically outside the range

of what the very poor can afford because it takes a lot of time and resources to produce.

Scientists genetically engineer a species of cattle that grows to maturity at four times the

normal rate and only requires half the amount of food as conventional cattle. This new GM

beef would make it possible for millions of people to avoid extreme hunger.


What are possible risks and drawbacks of this use of genetic engineering in this example?

Select all the choices you believe are accurate.




Try Again (Slide Layer)

1.16 Yes or No to GMO?

Notes:

For good or for bad, GM food has established some serious roots in our food supply, no pun

intended! There are impacts of this technology, both positive and negative, on individual

health, the environment, and society. Let’s focus in on some of the key impacts of genetic

engineering in agriculture. Genetic engineering technology can provide stronger and

heartier crops that are resistant to common diseases, pests, and herbicides. It can create


plants and animals that grow faster and larger and are even more nutritious. All of this

results in providing more food to a fast-growing and hungry population at a lower cost. But

there are negative impacts too. People cannot be certain that GM foods are completely safe

for human health or the environment. And when they are used in extremely large amounts

without significant regulation or labeling requirements, we run the risk of completely losing

track of what we’re eating. With any promising new scientific developments, overuse can

have drawbacks. The best solution probably involves learning how to use the technology

carefully and responsibly. But now it’s your turn to decide what you think. Does genetic

engineering belong in our food supply?

1.17 What do you think?

(Essay, 0 points, 1 attempt permitted)


Feedback:

Thank you for your response! There was no right or wrong answer here. As long as you

supported your argument with some of the pros and cons of GM food that we discussed in this

tutorial, you are on the right track! Also keep in mind that your answer didn’t have to start with

a clear “yes” or “no”. There is a definite middle ground on this issue, which involves allowing

the use of GM foods with care to make sure they are regulated and safe.

Notes:

Now it is your turn to think critically about the role of GM foods in agriculture and defend

your position. Please read the prompt on the screen and follow the instructions.



1.18 Let’s Review

Notes:

Let’s review the main points of what we covered before you’re on your way. We started by

defining biotechnology as the use of living systems to make a product, and genetic

engineering as direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. We then briefly touched on all

the different applications of genetic engineering in medicine, research, industry, and

agriculture. We stuck with agriculture for the rest of the tutorial and talked about the

amazing technology out there and the related benefits. We also talked about concerns and

the possible drawbacks of this technology. We ended by giving you a chance to decide what

you think. Hopefully, you were able to think critically about genetic engineering in

agriculture and form your own opinion based on everything we discussed.


1.19 Closing Slide

Notes:

Congratulations for completing this tutorial! You can view credits for the content used in this

tutorial by clicking the Acknowledgments button, and you can print a certificate of

completion by clicking the Download button.

Acknowledgments (Slide Layer)

yes or no to gmo - welcome to our virtual classroom€¦ · crops are also genetically modified to...

Documents