Student Name:

JessicaWalden
The Big Question:
Considering both points of view, does one sides argument outweigh the others?

Debate Preparation:
You will participate in a collaborative discussion, or
debate.
On Tuesday, March 1, each student must come to the discussion
prepared with written responses
to each of the questions below.
Use your
Benefits & Concerns research notes
(Google doc) &
SQWORL
resources
http://sqworl.com/vbe0ea

to help guide you.

Include
CITATIONS
(quoted text from articles, websites, etc.) as
evidence
of your claims.
Use the
argumentative sentence stems
& t
ransitions
(last page) to
create strong claims.
Be prepared to argue both sides (
Pro or Con
) of Genetically Modified
Foods.

Color-Coding:Use the following color-codes for the argument writing

essentials:
Claims (a statement that can be argued and proven with evidence)
Citations (quoted evidence from another source)
Statistics (facts with numbers based on data collection)
Commenting:Identify in your own writing when you appeal to
each
persuasive technique. Instead of color-coding, use the
COMMENT
button.
Ethos (Credibility, Reputation, Citing from a university study, etc.)
Logos (Using Logic, Facts, Statistics, Reason, etc.)
Pathos (Appealing to Emotions, Imagination, Feelings, Fear, etc.)

Answer each question in a detailed paragraph(s) using the directions on page 1:

1. Considering both points of view (Benefits & Concerns of GMOs), how does
each sides
argument outweigh
the others?

IfIwerearguingforthebenefitsofGMOs,twoclaimsIhavearethatGMOshave
lessstresson
theenvironment
and
GMOsaremorenutritious
.
Plantsthatresistweedscanliveinfieldsthatdont
havetobetilledasoften.Tilling,orstirringupthedirt,getsridofweeds,butitalsocausesdirttobe
washedawayintostreamsandrivers
(
GMOs:WhatYouNeedtoKnow
).
Thisprovesthatgrowing
nonGMfoodisstirringupdirtandwashingitintotheoceanandpossiblybugsthatmighthelpthe
plantthrive.Plantinggeneticallymodifiedfoodsdontneedtobetilledasoftenwhichishelpingkeep
goodsoilthathelpsthatplantandotherplantsthriveinthefuture.

For

example,

scientists,

hoping

to
eliminate

the

need
for

postharvest

processing,

have

genetically

modified

riceto

contain

significantly
higher

amounts

of

vitaminA.(Dr.Oz).

Ifwecouldmakethislegalinothercountriesitwouldimprove
thehealthofmanypeople.
3.1millionchildrenunder5dieofmalnutritioninAfricaeachyear.
Ifyou
wereachildinsufferingofmalnutritionwouldyouchoosetogoblindormaybeevendieandnoteat
geneticallymodifiedfoodoreatthericethatisgeneticallymodifiedandbeabletolive?
IfIwerearguingforconcernsofGMOs,twoclaimsIhavearethat
GMOs

cancauseallergic
reactions
and
makenewdiseases.

Geneticmodificationoftenmixesoraddsproteinsthatweren't
indigenoustotheoriginalplantoranimal,causingnewallergicreactionsinthehumanbody(
Pros&
ConsofGMOFoods
).
Iftheydoendupcausingnewallergicreactionstheremightnotbeacureand
tonsofpeoplecoulddiebecauseofit.Ifwedonttamperwithnaturethentherewouldprobablybe
lessallergicreactionsandlessdeath.
Sralinietal.(2011)reviewed19studiesofanimalsfedwithGE
soyandcorn.Thestudiescovered

morethan80%oftheGEvarieties

thatarewidelycultivatedaround
theworld.Theirreviewfound

significantlevelsofnegativeeffectstothekidneysandliversofthe
animalsthatingestedGEfeed.
(GeneticallyengineeredcropsUnitedStatesofAmerica)

Thisshows
thatgeneticallymodifiedfoodcanruinyourhealthandyourlife
.Itcancauseallsortsofdiseasesand
possiblycreatenewones.Wealsodontknowwhattheexactoutcomeofgeneticallymodifyingfood,
onedayitcouldturnupwrongandcreateanewdisease.

2. If you were the

President of the United States
with a struggling economy, high obesity, and
overpopulation, would you e
ncourage
more GMO production or
restrict
it?\\

IwouldntencouragemoreGMOproductionbecausewearealready
sufferingfromobesityand
overpopulation
.
Morethan2./3(68.8%)ofadultsareoverweightinAmerica
.

Atthecurrentpopulation
growthrate,theU.S.populationwilldoubleinthenext100years(
TheU.S.PopulationSituation
).
GMOshaveactuallythoughttobeunhealthyandsince1996whentheywereintroducedhealth
problemshavespikedoverall.
Iwouldonlyencourageitwithfoodthatissufferingfromdiseaselike
GMOpapayas,thatwayfoodsthatwevehadwouldntgoextinct.

3. Considering GMO foods you have researched, which do you believe is most
beneficial
(helpful)
to a civilization and why?

Ithinkgeneticallymodifiedpapayasarethemostbeneficialtoacivilizationbecausetheyare
immunetotheringspotvirus
and
lastlonger
.

Papayasarerichsourcesofantioxidantnutrientssuch
ascarotenes,vitaminCandflavonoids;theBvitamins,folateandpantothenicacid;andtheminerals,
potassium,copper,andmagnesium;andfiber(
TheWorldsHealthiestFoods
).

Papayascanalsohelp
preventcoloncancer
.Theyaregreatsourcesfornutrients.Inacivilizationtheywouldbeveryhelpful
sincetheyaresonutritiousandmanyofthepeoplewouldgetenoughnutrientseatingpapayas.

4. Which GMO foods do you believe is most d

etrimental
(harmful) to a civilization and why?

Ithinkgeneticallymodifiedsoyismostharmfulbecause
wedontknowwhattheyputinitforit
toberesistanttoRoundUp(herbicide)
.
Sincewedontknowwhatsinit,itcouldhavebadordeadly
effects
.

TheauthorsfoundthatMonsanto'subiquitousRoundupReadysoybeans,engineeredto
withstanditsownblockbusterherbicide,containmoreherbicideresiduesthantheirnonGMO
counterparts(
MonsantoGMSoyIsScarierThanYouThink
).
Thisshowsthatwecouldbeconsuming
moreherbicideresiduethannonGMOsoyandthiscouldcauseherbicidaldangers,infantmortalityand
sterility,allergicreactions,andliverchanges.InconclusionGMsoyseemstobemoreharmfultoa
civilization.