Are genetically modified (GM)
foods okay?
Vocab: genetically modified (GM), crop, benefits, risks, extreme weather, pests, genes
Grammar: should/shouldn't
Warm up: An interactive quiz to engage students and introduce them to the topic.
Real world text: a clip from a video that explains genetic modification in a simple way
Debate: What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
Getting to know you!
Do you... ?
What would you... ?
How do
you... ?
Have you
ever... ?
Can you tell
me... ?
What is
your... ?
For example, we can make plants grow bigger or taste better by changing their genes.
GM foods are foods that have been changed by humans, such as scientists like me.
Let's learn more about GM foods.
Hello. I'm Tim, and I'm a scientist. I create genetically modified (GM) foods. Do you know what they are?
Quiz time!
Which of these vegetables has been modified to include a gene from a fish?
potato
corn
carrot
tomato
tomato
Quiz time!
What is one of the benefits of some genetically modified crops?
They can grow without sunlight
They don't need soil
They don't need to be cared for
They require less water
They require less water
This is a natural banana that has not been genetically modified.
Quiz time!
false
true
true
seeds in the modified banana are very small
modified
natural
Quiz time!
rice
corn
apples
rice
tomato
Which of these crops has been modified to help stop children going blind?
Genetically modified food products must be labelled in all countries.
GM
food
Quiz time!
false
false
true
Match it!
risks
extreme weather
crops
pests
benefits
genes
genetically modiefied (GM)
 when scientists have changed the genes of a plant or animal to make it better or different
good things or advantages that you get from something
possible bad things that might happen
 plants that farmers grow for food, like wheat, corn and rice
very bad weather, like hurricanes, floods or very high temperatures
small animals or insects that can damage plants, like bugs that eat leaves
are tiny parts inside plants that decide how the plant looks and grows
Watch the video
Read text
Humans have been genetically modifying plants and animals for thousands of years. Maybe a few of your crops had very good yields. Maybe one of your wolves was especially loyal. So you did the smart thing, and bred the plants and animals that had traits beneficial to you.
yields
bred
beneficial
bred = Â have more of
yield = Â very high number of something
beneficial = Â of benefit, a good thing
 Traits are just an expression of genes. So with each generation, those genes got more pronounced. After thousands of years, almost every single plant and animal around us is vastly different from its pre-domesticated state. If humans have been changing genes for millennia, what makes a so called "Genetically Modified Organism", or GMO, different?Â
pre-domesticated
millennia
more pronounced = get stronger
millennia = Â thousands of years
pre-domesticated = before humans owned something
more pronounced
generation
generation = Â the time it takes for a plant to become an adult, make seeds and die
  Selective breeding is basically hoping for lucky hits. Genetic engineering eliminates this factor. We can choose the traits we want. Make fruit grow bigger, immune to pests, and so on. So, why are people concerned about them ?Â
eliminates
immune
concerned
immune = Â can fight off
eliminates = Â stops
concerned = Â worried
Are genetically modified crops
a new thing?
What examples of genetically modified crops did you see in the video?
Do you know of any worries people have about GM foods?
Some people think GM crops might make us sick in the future.
Others don't think it's okay to modify plants' genes and think crops should be left to be natural.
Not everyone thinks GM crops are okay.
What do you think?
Scientists shouldn't
be making GM crops.
It's dangerous!
What do you think?
We should use genetic modification to make crops more healthy.
What do you think?
We should use
genetically modified
crops to help people in countries that don't have enough food.
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modified crops?
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because...
they are strong against pests
they make enough food to feed lots of people
they reduce the variety of plants
and animals on farms
they have unknown long-term
health effects
 they are expensive
Team: benefits
Team: risks
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
We have a problem! Extreme weather is causing crops to die. Let's create a new GM crop to help!
Create your own GM crop!
What benefits would you like your crop to
have?
Let's chat
Would you eat a GM vegetable that glows in the dark? Why or why not?
If you could make a GM fruit that mixes your two favourite fruits, what would it be and why?
Describe the coolest GM food you can imagine!
Would you prefer to eat natural or GM food? Why?
What would you say to someone who is scared of eating GM food?
Think of your
own question.
Did you enjoy today's lesson?
Yes
No
Goodbye!
What did you
learn about your classmates today?
What's the word?
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Are GM foods okay?
By Anna Kostraba
