LESSON #2

Genetically Modified Organisms: What, Where, How, and Why?

LESSON
OBJECTIVE
POINT TO
PONDER
ESSENTIAL
QUESTION
CONTENT
Outline the content
you will teach in
this lesson.

I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT

Students will understand of GMO and non-GMO foods from a
cellular DNA, historical, and agricultural perspective.
Because humans have the ability to manipulate the genetic makeup of living organisms, they also have the right.
How and why have GMOs become part of our food supply
system? Is that a good thing?
II. Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs
A. Description of GMOs
1. Living organisms that have had their genetic
make-up manipulated in a
laboratory
a. Isolating and removing genetic material
b. Insert genetic material into another
organism
2. Genetic material sources
a. Plants and/or animals
b. Bacterial or viral microorganisms
B. Purpose
1. Acquire a more desirable trait
a. Pest protection
b. Herbicide resistance
c. Improved nutritional value
2. Time-saving method
a. Produces larger, higher quality crops
b. Requires less effort and expense
C. Safety
1. Concept of substantial equivalence in composition
and nutritional characteristics
2. Since 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has required labeling of GM foods
only if the food has a nutritional or food safety property that
is significantly different from what consumers would expect
of that food.
Federal agencies that regulate:
a. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
b. U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA)
c. U. S. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide (FIFRA)
D. Historical perspective of genetic modification
1. Ancient farmers
a. Seeds from
fittest organisms were saved and

Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie
planted
b. Selective
breeding of strongest animals
2. Gregor Mendel
a. Father of
Genetics
b. Moravian
monk in Austria who lived in Austria in
1800s
c. Experiment
ed by cross-pollinating pea plants using
tweezers
and tiny paintbrush
d. 1856 recorded findings in journal
3. Modern genetic engineering
a. Powerful
laboratory tools and sophisticated
techniques
b. Flavr Savr
tomato
i. First FDA approved GMO food in
1984
ii. Developed in at Calgene, bio-tech
company in Davis, CA
iii. Gene that triggered rotting was
isolated and its DNA was reversed to allow
vine-ripening before shipping
iv. Triggered entry of GMO foods into
US grocery market
c. May, 2005 - one-billionth acre of GE
crops was planted

What will students

UNDERSTAND as
a result of this
lesson? How does

II. PRE-PLANNING
Students will understand how and why genetically modified
organisms became part of our food supply system?
Students will begin to develop their own personal perspectives
concerning the purpose and use GMOs.

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Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie
this connect to the
Essential
Question?
What will students
be able to DO as a
result of this
lesson?

Describe and visualize the process of gene splicing as it is

currently done.
List both pros and cons of genetic engineering and use that
information to form a personal opinion.

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Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie

HOOK
Describe how you
will grab students
attention at the
beginning of the
lesson.
BE CREATIVE.
INSTRUCTION
Explain Step-bystep what you will
do in this lesson.
Be explicit about
ties to Points to
Ponder, Essential
Question, and
Perspectives
here. Include ALL
support and
teaching materials
with your unit.

III. PLANNING
TIME: 5 minutes
Written on the board: What is your perspective of this quote from
Pajama Sam, You are what you eat, from your head down to your
feet? Think about that corn in your hair. How much do you really
know about it? Open the TEDEd lesson entitled Genetically
Modified Corn, http://ed.ted.com/on/aowX4IUg.
TIME: 40 minutes
Students will:
- take a three question, paper-based or electronic-based (Survey
Monkey) survey related to GMO knowledge,
- take an online food literacy quiz (15 questions) at
http://www.nourishlife.org/learn/food-literacy-quiz
Teachers will present a brief lecture on the material in this lessons
content outline.
Students will:
- draw on paper a simple timeline of GMOs.
- engineer a crop (Internet Interactive Activity)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/engineer/
Teachers will show
- CFSAFs 2-minute video supporting GMOs
http://coalitionforsafeaffordablefood.org/benefits-of-biotechnology
- parts of Growing Doubt, 18-minute video opposing GMOs
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/agriculture/
problem/genetic-engineering/growing-doubt/ (2012)
- Teachers and students will discuss the following questions. How
do you feel about eating food that may contain ingredients made
from genetically modified crops? Should you have a choice?
Should such products be clearly labeled?
- new bill in Congress just introduced on March 25
http://thehill.com/regulation/237268-gmo-bill-intensifies-federalfood-fight
https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1599/text
- Pros and Cons Activity for labeling GMO foods created from
position statements and articles:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09371.html
http://fortune.com/2015/04/27/gmo-6-chipotle-crops/ (2015)
http://www.mtseedtrade.com/index.php?page=gmo-positionstatement (2014)

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Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie
http://www.aaas.org/sites/default/files/AAAS_GM_statement.pdf
(2012)
https://www.unfi.com/ProductsAndServices/Documents/UNF_Positi
onStatement__GMOs.pdf (2007)
https://corporate.publix.com/about-publix/publix-faq/positionstatements (20??)
http://factsaboutgmos.org/disclosure-statement (20??)
http://www.businessinsider.com/neil-degrasse-tyson-believes-ingmos-2014-7 (2014)
http://getamoveon.fb.org/PDFs/NorthCarolina&GMOs.pdf (2015)
http://coalitionforsafeaffordablefood.org/benefits-of-biotechnology/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2014/08/25/why-liberalamericans-are-turning-against-gmo-labeling/2/ (2014)
http://www.businessinsider.com/bill-nyes-stance-on-gmos-2015-3
ASSESSMENT
(Performance
Task) What will
the students DO
to demonstrate
that they have
mastered the
content? Be
specific and
include actual
assessment with
unit materials.

TIME: 25 minutes
Design a GMO: If you could engineer an organism, what would
you engineer, and why? What impact would your genetically
modified organism have on the environment/society? Students will
write a paragraph addressing the question, and then draw a picture
of their engineered organism. Have students share their organisms
with the group.

DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE

STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES OR NO

ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Insert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.
Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have been
submitted for this lesson.
15 Question Online Food Literacy Quiz
Laptops, iPads, and/or LCD Projector
paper
crayons/markers
scissors

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Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie
pencil(s)

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Who Puts Fruit in My Smoothies & Why Is There Corn in My Hair?

Laura Chesnut and Brenda Saunders-Moultrie

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