As a high school or undergraduate Biological Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to teach about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), their genetic make-up and application in agriculture and industry
This lesson plan will explain what GMOs are, describe how they are constructed and will introduce the question of whether GM crops could be one possible mechanism to address food and livelihood security in the face of global climate change.
Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Biological Sciences.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Biological Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Genetics, Botany, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Genetic Engineering, Gene Editing, GMO Crops |
| Climate Topic | Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Climate and the Biosphere, Climate and the Anthroposphere |
| Location | Global, Africa |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 70-90 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Video (15 mins)
Use a set of videos and associated readings, ‘The Science of GMOs’ by Purdue University, to introduce the topic of GMOs to your students. Navigate through the tabs at the bottom of the webpage to explain various topics concerning GMOs, as listed below:
Use each section to enable discussions regarding the different aspects of the creation and usage of GMOs in agriculture and industry. Finally, discuss the difference between genetically modified crops and gene edited crops.
Reading (15 mins)
Use the video, ‘How to Make a Genetically Modified Plant’ by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, to explain how genetic engineering techniques are used to modify the genetic material in plants to introduce, remove or regulate certain traits. Discuss, using the examples given in the video, the rationale for modifying certain traits in these plants. Describe, using the video, the molecular components (gene of interest, plasmid, promoter sequence, origin of replication (ORI), regulatory sequences, antibiotic selection gene), techniques (gene-transfer, plasmid selection), and strategies employed to create GM crops.
Reading (15 mins)
Use the reading, ‘African farmers want GMO seeds to help weather climate change’ by John Agaba, Alliance for Science, Cornell University, to explain to your students how GM crops could possibly bolster food security in several Sub-Saharan African countries that are dealing with failed crops due to climate change. Use the text to emphasize to your students how the GM seeds could be the solution to growing crops that are more resilient in changing climatic conditions. Discuss the various case studies mentioned in the text to explain to your students the different approaches adopted by several African countries to improve their crop yield and crop resilience.
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading; ‘Frequently asked questions on genetically modified foods’ | A document by the World Health Organization (WHO) that addresses the FAQs about GMOs and GM food.
This can be accessed here |
| 2 | Reading; ‘Impact of Climate Change on Crops Adaptation and Strategies to Tackle Its Outcome: A Review’ | A 2019 review by Ali Raza et al., in ‘Plants’ by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Basel, about the climate adaptation strategies
in agriculture, including GMO and gene-edited crops, against climate change.
This can be accessed here. |
| 1 | A set of videos and associated readings; ‘The Science of GMOs’ | By College of Agriculture, Purdue University |
| 2 | Video; ‘How to Make a Genetically Modified Plant’ | By the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. |
| 3 | Reading; ‘African farmers want GMO seeds to help weather climate change’ | By John Agaba for Alliance for Science, Cornell University. |
| 4 | Additional Resources |
A document by the World Health Organization (WHO).
A 2019 review by Ali Raza et al., in ‘Plants’ by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Basel. Hosted by National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) |
| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Biological Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Genetic Engineering, Gene Editing, GMO Crops |
| Climate Topic | Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Climate and the Biosphere, Climate and the Anthroposphere |
| Location | Global, Africa |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 70-90 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Video (15 mins)
Use a set of videos and associated readings, ‘The Science of GMOs’ by Purdue University, to introduce the topic of GMOs to your students. Navigate through the tabs at the bottom of the webpage to explain various topics concerning GMOs, as listed below:
Use each section to enable discussions regarding the different aspects of the creation and usage of GMOs in agriculture and industry. Finally, discuss the difference between genetically modified crops and gene edited crops.
Reading (15 mins)
Use the video, ‘How to Make a Genetically Modified Plant’ by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, to explain how genetic engineering techniques are used to modify the genetic material in plants to introduce, remove or regulate certain traits. Discuss, using the examples given in the video, the rationale for modifying certain traits in these plants. Describe, using the video, the molecular components (gene of interest, plasmid, promoter sequence, origin of replication (ORI), regulatory sequences, antibiotic selection gene), techniques (gene-transfer, plasmid selection), and strategies employed to create GM crops.
Reading (15 mins)
Use the reading, ‘African farmers want GMO seeds to help weather climate change’ by John Agaba, Alliance for Science, Cornell University, to explain to your students how GM crops could possibly bolster food security in several Sub-Saharan African countries that are dealing with failed crops due to climate change. Use the text to emphasize to your students how the GM seeds could be the solution to growing crops that are more resilient in changing climatic conditions. Discuss the various case studies mentioned in the text to explain to your students the different approaches adopted by several African countries to improve their crop yield and crop resilience.
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading; ‘Scientists Say GMO Foods Are Safe, Public Skepticism Remains’ | A National Geographic article by Tamar Haspel that summarizes a 2006 comprehensive report on GMO crops by the National Academy of Sciences, USA. This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Reading; ‘Frequently asked questions on genetically modified foods’ | A document by the World Health Organization (WHO) that addresses the FAQs about GMOs and GM food. This can be accessed here |
| 3 | Reading; ‘Impact of Climate Change on Crops Adaptation and Strategies to Tackle Its Outcome: A Review’ | A 2019 review by Ali Raza et al., in ‘Plants’ by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Basel, about the climate adaptation strategies in agriculture, including GMO and gene-edited crops, against climate change. This can be accessed here. |
| 1 | A set of videos and associated readings; ‘The Science of GMOs’ | By College of Agriculture, Purdue University |
| 2 | Video; ‘How to Make a Genetically Modified Plant’ | By the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. |
| 3 | Reading; ‘African farmers want GMO seeds to help weather climate change’ | By John Agaba for Alliance for Science, Cornell University. |
| 4 | Additional Resources | A National Geographic article by Tamar Haspe A document by the World Health Organization (WHO). A 2019 review by Ali Raza et al., in ‘Plants’ by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Basel. Hosted by National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) |
