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GM Food

- Activity 1

- Activity 2

- Activity 3- Extension Activity

- Alternative activity 3

Click the links below to access the activities:

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Activity 1: What is on the shelves?

What are your favourite snacks and drinks?

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Have you ever bought genetically modified (GM) food?

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Activity 1: What is on the shelves?

Are they your favourite snacks?

All of them contain GM food ingredients!All of them contain GM food ingredients!

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35% of instant noodles and other 35% of instant noodles and other snacks tested in Hong Kong contain snacks tested in Hong Kong contain genetically modified ingredients genetically modified ingredients (Choice Magazine, 2003)(Choice Magazine, 2003)

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Examples of GM food 1994: FlavrSavr© tomato

– the first approved GM food product

- tomato genes are usually modified to delay ripening and softening

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Examples of GM food

maize

potatoTheir genes are usually modified to make the crops pest or herbicide resistant rice

soya bean

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GM food is everywhere GM food is everywhere whenever you eat!!whenever you eat!!

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Why can characteristics from one organisms be transferred to another?

Are there any similarities Are there any similarities between the two?between the two?

Yes!Yes!They share the same genetic They share the same genetic material: DNAmaterial: DNA

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GM Food

GM = genetically modified Genes can be transferred from one organism to

another by recombinant DNA technology

Foods with any ingredients from genetically modified organisms are known as genetically modified (GM) foods.

The universal genetic code

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Would you choose to eat GM food?

Count the number of students accepting or not accepting GM food.

For Against Undecided

No. of students

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The introduction of GM The introduction of GM crops has been highly crops has been highly

controversialcontroversial.. Why?

Read the two articles!

Activity 2: Good or Bad?

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From the two articles, what can you conclude about science?

Solution?

Can science solve all the Can science solve all the problems?problems?

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Activity 2: Good or Bad?

What are the claims of the two articles?

What is the evidence supporting the claims?

After reading the articles, can you accept GM food? What are your reasons?

Count the number of students accepting or not accepting GM food.

For Against Undecided

No. of students

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How to make a decision?

What should we do before deciding whether or not to accept the production of food from GM organisms?

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Activity 3: Should Genetic Modification continue?

(1) What are the claims for the role you are playing?

(2) Match evidence on p.9 which might be used to support your

claims!

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ClaimsClaims should be based should be based on on evidenceevidence!!

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A part of doing A part of doing Science is seeking Science is seeking

evidence to support evidence to support claims!claims!

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Poster design

Design an attractive, convincing poster for or against GM food

GM GM FoodFood

………………..

………………..………………..………………..

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Poster Competition

Each group is given 7 minutes to present your poster.

The posters will be judged based on:– creativity– originality– artistic quality– the clarity of your position on GM foods and the

evidence supporting it

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Have you read all the posters?

Do you accept GM food now? What are your reasons?

Count the number of students for or against GM food.

For Against Undecided

No. of students

Should Genetic Modification continue?

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Have you changed your mind about GM food?

Explain your reasons for change or no change

Are you influenced by evidence?

Are you influenced by others?

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Do people support GM foods? How do they make decision?

Decision making may be influenced by …

the mass media

trust in the Government

other organizations (e.g. Greenpeace)

scientists

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What should we base our decisions What should we base our decisions upon?upon?

benefitsbenefits risksrisks

evidenevidencece

Should we believe all the claims Should we believe all the claims made by others?made by others?

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Extension Activity: Which countries are participating in research

into the rice genome?

USA

China

Taiwan

Korea

India

Thailand

France

Brazil

UK

Japan

Job allocation of participating countries. Rice carries 12 pairs of chromosomes. The Academia Sinica of Taiwan is responsible for the 5th pair.

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Why is the research into rice dominated by these countries?

What other aspects of What other aspects of science are seen here in science are seen here in this research project?this research project?

What aspect of culture is What aspect of culture is affecting science here?affecting science here?

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In the case of GM food, what have you learnt about the characteristics of science?

Does science affect society and the Does science affect society and the environment?environment?

Does the society affect scientific Does the society affect scientific research?research?

Do you think science can solve all of Do you think science can solve all of society’s problems?society’s problems?

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GM food can be used to increase food

supply and quality of nutrition in poorer

countries

GM food will only benefit a

few large companies.

GM food will improve human

health

GM food is safe for humans

GM food is likely to cause

health problems to humans.

GM food benefits the environment

GM food will cause serious

damage to ecosystems

GM food can benefit

farmers

Part A: Finding evidenceAlternative activity 3

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Part A: Finding evidence

Are these claims supported by evidence?

Choose the evidence supporting each of the claims!

Alternative activity 3

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ClaimsClaims should be based should be based on on evidenceevidence!!

Alternative activity 3

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A part of doing A part of doing Science is seeking Science is seeking

evidence to support evidence to support claims!claims!

Alternative activity 3

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Part B: Poster Design

Do you accept GM food?

Design an attractive, convincing poster for or against GM food

GM GM FoodFood

………………..

………………..………………..………………..

Alternative activity 3

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Have you changed your mind about GM food?

Explain your reasons for change or no change

Are you influenced by evidence?

Are you influenced by others?

Alternative activity 3

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Do people support GM foods? How do they make decision?

Decision making may be influenced by …

the mass media

trust in the Government

other organizations (e.g. Greenpeace)

scientists

Alternative activity 3

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What should we base our decisions What should we base our decisions upon?upon?

benefitsbenefits risksrisks

evidenevidencece

Should we believe all the claims Should we believe all the claims made by others?made by others?

Alternative activity 3