Title Text
Are genetically modified (GM)
foods ok?
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 this video that explains genetic modification simply
Debate: What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
Getting to
know you!
Do you ...?
What would you...?
Have you
ever ...?
Can you tell
me ...?
What is
your ...?
How do
you ...?
Hello. I'm Tim and I'm a scientist. I create genetically modified (GM) foods. Do you know what they are?
For example, we can make plants grow bigger or taste better by changing the plants genes.
GM foods are foods that have been changed by humans, such as scientists like me.
Would you like to learn more about GM foods?
Then, let's get scientific!
Quiz time!
Which of these vegetables has been modified to include a gene from a fish?
potato
corn
tomato
carrot
Quiz time!
What is one of the benefits of genetic modified crops?
They can
grow without sunlight
They require less water
They don't need to be cared for
They need no soil
Quiz time!
This is a natural banana not modified by humans.
true
false
Quiz time!
Which of these foods was modified to help stop children going blind?
rice
corn
tomatoes
apples
Quiz time!
true
false
In all countries, genetically modified foods must be labelled.
GM
food
Quiz time!
Which of these vegetables has been genetically modified to last longer?
potato
carrot
tomato
lettuce
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
when scientists change the genes of a plant or animal to make it better or different
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
good things or advantages that you get from something
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
possible bad things that
might happen
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
plants that farmers grow for food, like wheat, corn and rice
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
very bad weather, like hurricanes, floods, or very hot days
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
small animals or insects that can damage plants, like bugs that eat leaves
What's
the word?
genetically
modified (GM)
crop
benefits
risks
extreme
weather
pests
genes
are tiny parts inside of plants that decide how the plant looks and grows.
What's
the word?
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.
yield = very high number of something
yield = very high number of something
Traits suggest 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?
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 ?
Are genetically modified crops
a new thing?
What examples of genetically modified crops did you see?
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 countries that don't have
enough food.
Team: benefits
Team: risks
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modified crops?
Team: benefits
Team: risks
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
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 a farm
they have unknown long-term
health effects
they are expensive for farmers
to buy
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because ...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because ...
they are strong against pests
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because ...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because ...
they make enough food to feed
lots of people
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because ...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because ...
they reduce the variety of plants
and animals on a farm
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because ...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because ...
they have unknown long-term
health effects
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
Team: benefits
Team: risks
We should genetically modify crops because ...
We shouldn't genetically modify crops because ...
they are expensive for farmers
to buy
What are the benefits and risks of genetically modifying crops?
We have a problem! Extreme weather is causing our 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?
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?
What’s the coolest GM food you can imagine? Describe it.
Would you prefer to eat natural or GM food? Why?
What would you say to someone who is scared of eating GM foods?
Let's chat!
... think of your
own question.
What did you
learn about your classmates today?
Goodbye!
Did you enjoy today's lesson?
Yes
No
What's the
word?
s
c
i
e
n
t
i
s
t
s
c
i
e
n
t
i
s
t
s
e
n
e
g
s
e
n
e
g
s
e
n
f
i
b
t
e
s
e
n
f
i
b
t
e
a
o
p
o
t
t
a
o
p
o
t
t
s
p
s
e
t
s
p
s
e
t
l
u
s
n
t
i
g
h
l
u
s
n
t
i
g
h
Are GM foods ok?
By Kate Pearce
