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Grades 9-10th. Genetics and Heredity: Genetically Modified Foods. LESSON OVERVIEW . Lesson developed by Jal Raval and Raquel Vigil. SYNOPSIS. This lesson is designed to introduce students to the debates regarding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s).
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Overview. Students will compare and contrast methods of selective plant breeding, describe the scientific process of creating a genetically modified plant, compare genetically modified soybean seeds to conventional soybean seeds, describe the impact weeds have on plant growth, and understand how a genetically modified seed can help farmers ...
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This resource contains story cards, information cards, and issue cards which are used to guide effective group discussion on the issues surrounding GM foods. With detailed teachers notes, worksheets and student information sheets, students should be able to develop a well-informed view point and be able to consider other points of view by the ...
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The approaches taken by governments to assess and manage the development and release of genetically modified organisms(GMOs) vary from country to country. Some of the most marked differences are between the USA and Europe. The US regulatory policy is the Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology. The policy has three main principles: 1....
Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are genetically modified plants that are used in agriculture. The first crops developed were used for animal or human food and provide resistance to certain pests, diseases, environmental conditions, spoilage or chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide). The second generation of crops aimed to improv...
Corn starch and starch sugars, including syrups
Starch or amylum is a polysaccharideproduced by all green plants as an energy store. Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odourless powder. It consists of two types of molecules: the linear and helical amylose and the branched amylopectin. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 20 to 25% amylose and 75 to 80% amylopectin by weight. Starch can be further modified to create modified starchfor specific purposes, including creation of many of the sugars in processed foods.
Lecithin
Lecithin is a naturally occurring lipid. It can be found in egg yolks and oil-producing plants. It is an emulsifier and thus is used in many foods. Corn, soy and safflower oil are sources of lecithin, though the majority of lecithin commercially available is derived from soy.
Sugar
The US imports 10% of its sugar, while the remaining 90% is extracted from sugar beet and sugarcane. After deregulation in 2005, glyphosate-resistant sugar beet was extensively adopted in the United States. 95% of beet acres in the US were planted with glyphosate-resistant seed in 2011. GM sugar beets are approved for cultivation in the US, Canada and Japan; the vast majority are grown in the US. GM beets are approved for import and consumption in Australia, Canada, Colombia, EU, Japan, Korea...
Animal feed
Livestock and poultry are raised on animal feed, much of which is composed of the leftovers from processing crops, including GM crops. For example, approximately 43% of a canola seed is oil. What remains after oil extraction is a meal that becomes an ingredient in animal feed and contains canola protein.
Proteins
Rennet is a mixture of enzymes used to coagulate milk into cheese. Originally it was available only from the fourth stomach of calves, and was scarce and expensive, or was available from microbial sources, which often produced unpleasant tastes. Genetic engineering made it possible to extract rennet-producing genes from animal stomachs and insert them into bacteria, fungi or yeasts to make them produce chymosin, the key enzyme. The modified microorganism is killed after fermentation. Chymosin...
Livestock
Genetically modified livestock are organisms from the group of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, birds, horses and fish kept for human consumption, whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. In some cases, the aim is to introduce a new traitto the animals which does not occur naturally in the species, i.e. transgenesis. Some mammals typically used for food production have been modified to produce non-food products, a practice sometimes called Pharming.
Golden rice is genetically modified for an increased nutrient level, which has a different color and vitamin A content.Application of genetically modified food throughout the globe.Grade Level. 9 - 12. Purpose. While many view bioengineered crops (GMOs) as a promising innovation, there is controversy about their use. This lesson provides students with a brief overview of the technology, equipping them with the ability to evaluate the social, environmental, and economic arguments for and against bioengineered crops (GMOs).
Grades 9-12. Estimated Time. 2 hours, plus observation of seed/plant growth. Materials Needed. Engage: What is the Difference? survey (administered with Kahoot!) and student devices for participation. Activity 1: Crops vs. Weeds Simulation. 3 different colored poker chips or fuzzy pompoms. Blue = water (10-25) Red = sun (10-25)
Grade Level. 9 - 12. Purpose. Students will determine the presence of DNA in their food by extracting it from a strawberry. Then, students will compare and contrast GMOs and organic foods in order to evaluate the nutrition, safety, economic, geographic, and environmental impacts of these agricultural production practices. Grades 9-12.
