Genetically Modified Organisms GMOs

Found in Hunger GamesCC Literacy & Science ITQ

Essential Questions

• What is the value of creating genetically modified organisms?

• What are some of the concerns surrounding GMOs?• How is bioethics considered or not considered in

both the Hunger Games and in contemporary society?

Science Content

• Traits• Cell• Genes• Protein• Chromosome• Genetic information• Heredity• DNA• Breeding• Sex cell• embryos

• Genetic engineering• Natural selection• Artificial selection• Transgenic species• Genetically Modified

Organism, GMO• Recombinant DNA

Foundational Information Key Concepts

Literacy Content

Concepts• Claim • Counterclaim• Argument• Counterargument• Refutation• Text-based evidence• Citation

Skills• Analyze technical and information

texts• Discriminate between fact and

opinion• Cite relevant text-based evidence• Employ argumentative

techniques and strategies• Outline 5-paragraph

argumentative essays

Pre-Assessment Questions• Plickers• https://www.plickers.com/details

– Classroom polling system– Each student gets a card that can be attached to back of

interactive notebook– Teacher displays multiple choice questions. Ss hold card in

direction to indicate their answer.– Student responses are recorded individually with an immediate

graph of the aggregate results.– Teacher scans student cards using iPhone, iPad, or Android device

Question 1Which of the following is TRUE regarding most currently

genetically engineered (GE) plants?A. Most GE plants are designed to have better flavor and be

more nutritious.B. There are serious biological and environmental issues

regarding their use.C. There has been worldwide acceptance of their use.D. Only a few commercially available processed foods contain

GE plants in the US.

Question 2

Why is it more difficult to create transgenic animals than transgenic plants?

A. Plants and animals use a different code.B. It is more difficult to introduce foreign DNA into

animal cells.C. Animal cells cannot replicate foreign DNA.D. Animal cells cannot transcribe and translate foreign

DNA.

Question 3

Bacteria are the “workhorses” of genetic engineering because they ___.

A. They provide the polymerase chain reaction.B. Reproduce very slowly and accuratelyC. Can readily take up plasmids containing human

genes and then produce the human proteins encodes by those genes

D. Are always homozygous

Question 4

What best describes plasmids?A. Plasmids are clones of bacteria or DNA segments.B. Plasmids are enzymes used to cut DNA at specific

locations.C. Plasmids are circular pieces of DNA that can be used

to carry foreign DNA into cells such as bacterial.D. Plasmids are transgenic bacteria.

Question 5

Organisms that have been genetically engineered to carry one or more foreign genes are known as ___.

A. Ligated organismsB. Homogeneous organismsC. PlasmidsD. Transgenic organisms

Question 6

The procedure illustrated in the Figure is an example of:A. genetic testing.B. DNA finger printing.C. gene therapy.D. cloning.

Question 7Which of the following is true of patents in biotechnology?A. Scientists are only allowed to patent genes; they

cannot patent techniques they use in the lab.B. A scientist who holds a patent can demand high fees

that block others from doing certain research.C. Human genes cannot be patented because they

belong to everyone.D. Genetically modified foods cannot be patented.

Question 8Which of the following findings, if true, would support an argument

IN FAVOR of GM foods?A. Farmers using herbicide-resistant crops pollute groundwater

more than farmers growing non-GM crops.B. The cost of using GM crops is prohibitively expensive for 75

percent of all farmers.C. Farmers who grow GM crops have much higher yields than

farmers growing unmodified crops.D. The populations of bees on farms growing insect-resistant crops

are half as large as bee populations on other farms.

Question 9Which statement below might be used by someone who is arguing

against the use of GM crops?A. GM crops reduce the amount of land and energy that need to be

devoted to agriculture because they have high yields.B. GM crops need more insecticide to be used than other crops

because they grow faster.C. The patents for the seeds of GM crops are held by big companies,

which may raise prices and force small farmers out of business.D. No studies have shown that GM crops are dangerous to human

health.

Question 10

In recombinant DNA technology, plasmids may be used to:

A. Introduce foreign DNA into bacteriaB. Activate restriction enzymesC. Cut DNA at a specific locationD. Introduce foreign DNA into human cells

Mockingjay/Jabberjay Excerpt Ch. 3

At the last minute, I remember Madge’s littlegold pin. For the first time, I get a good look at it.It’s as if someone fashioned a small golden birdand then attached a ring around it. The bird isconnected to the ring only by its wing tips. Isuddenly recognize it. A mockingjay.

Mockingjay/Jabberjay ContinuedThey’re funny birds and something of a slap in the face to the Capitol. During

the rebellion,the Capitol bred a series of genetically altered animals as weapons. The common term for them was muttations, or sometimes mutts for short. One was a special bird called a jabberjay that had the ability to memorize and repeat whole human conversations. They were homing birds, exclusively male, that were released into regions where the Capitol’s enemies were known to be hiding. After the birds gathered words, they’d fly back to centers to be recorded. It took people awhile to realize what was going on in the districts, how private conversations were being transmitted. Then, of course, the rebels fed the Capitol endless lies, and the joke was on it. So the centers were shut down and the birds were abandoned to die off in the wild.

Mockingjay/Jabberjay ContinuedOnly they didn’t die off. Instead, the jabberjays mated with

female mockingbirds, creating a whole new species that could replicate both bird whistles and human melodies. They had lost the ability to enunciate words but could still mimic a range of human vocal sounds, from a child’s high-pitched warble to a man’s deep tones. And they could re-create songs. Not just a few notes, but whole songs with multiple verses, if you had the patience to sing them and if they liked your voice.

Compare and contract Muttation and Mutation

Tracker Jackers Excerpt – Ch. 14• At the end of chapter 13, Katniss is hiding up in a tree; sees

Rue hiding in another tree; Rue points to something in the tree above her. Beginning of their alliance.

• Video Excerpt• Read the passage from Hunger Games and the

accompanying information about Killer Bees aloud with a partner.

• Highlight key information and think aloud by asking relevant questions.

• Fill in a Venn diagram in your IN comparing/contrasting the 2 organisms.

Compare and Contrast Tracker Jackers and Killer Bees

Checking In• Write a short response to a GMO Illustration • This is part of baseline assessment – so you don’t

need to cite textual evidence.

Genetic Modification – The Basics!• Formative Task– Help name components and structure of DNA– Explain how DNA makes a protein– Define genetically modified organism and

recombinant DNA technology– Use Page 7-11 of Genetically Modified Organisms:

PCR analysis of DNA (Grades 9-12) – linked to wiki

Genetically Modified Food• The Debate over Genetically Modified Foods by

Kerryn Sakko – Close Read– Complete a T-Chart for IN detailing the pros and

cons of Genetically Modified Food• Complete a Frayer model for the vocabulary word

transgenic for IN

T-Chart Pros and Cons of GM FoodsPros Cons

Frayer Model - Transgenic

Who Wants to be a Genetic Engineer?• Simulated Lab Activity• Task: Create both Cinna-apples and Bt-corn.• Complete lab report handout for each and include in

IN.• Website linked to wiki.

Claim and Counterclaim Organizer - Refutations• The Pros and Cons of Designer Babies by Priya Johnson (Linked

to wiki)– Use the Claim and Counterclaim Organizer to support a claim

regarding “designer babies”. (Tape to IN)– Practice 4-Step refutation process to write an effective

refutation.• Step 1: Restate (“They say…”)• Step 2: Refute (“But…”)• Step 3: Support (“Because…”)• Step 4: Conclude (“Therefore…”)

Suicide Mosquitoes• View the 4 articles rated at different Lexiles taken from

Newsela. (Linked to Wiki)– Sending dengue mosquitoes into a dead end (760)– A mosquito created to help fight a deadly disease (830)– Frankenskeeters to seek mosquito brides to curb

dengue disease (1020)– Suicide mosquitoes a gene-altered weapon in war

against dengue fever (1170)

Annotated Drawing• Draw a picture to describe what happens with the

suicide mosquitoes and why they were created. Annotate your drawings with brief explanations.

Hunger Games Wolf-Mutt Excerpt – Chapter 25

• Set the scene… End of Chapter 24….Cato is running away from something, but what?

• Read passage – describes the vicious dog-like creature with features of human beings.

• Possible Formative TASK: Design a comic strip that depicts in logical sequential order how these creatures may have been created.

Additional Questions & Prompts• What predictions can you make for what might happen if

the tools of biotechnology spread to everyone, and lead to “an explosion of diversity of new living creatures”?

• Consider how responsible Panem was in genetically engineering the jabberjays and tracker jackers, as well as how responsible real-life scientists have been in engineering organisms. Defend and argue your position on genetic engineering with regard to bioethics.

• Formulate a plan the United States should have in place to make sure the genetic engineering being done or contemplated is ethical.

Final Performance Task• Write a five-paragraph essay analyzing the

significance, ethics, and impact of GMO on society, arguing whether it should be continued or regulated.– State a claim. Acknowledge and refute

counterclaims.– Cite textual evidence.– Avoid plagiarism and follow standard

citation format.

Resources• Intro Pre-assessment

– http://wps.aw.com/bc_johnson_humanbio_6/176/45113/11548954.cw/index.html

– http://blogs.jefftwp.org/wordpress/psmith/files/2010/09/Ch.-15-Genetic-Engineering.doc

• Using Hunger Games to get students ready for Biology Test (linked to wiki)

• Bioethics in the Hunger Games, The Science Teacher, January 2014

• NYCDOE – Grade 8 Genetic Modification of Organisms (linked to wiki)