BSCS Biology: A Molecular Approach

Unit 3: Heredity: Continuity of Life

WebQuest

Introduction
The first genetically engineered food was brought to market in 1996. Since that time, genetically modified (GM) foods have proven to be controversial. Opponents call them Frankenfoods and say they threaten our health and the environment. Proponents say they are safe, environmentally friendly, and may help end world hunger. Whatever you think of GM foods, you will find them difficult to avoid. Food manufacturers are not required to label GM foods. Grocery store shelves are lined with foods that contain GM corn, soybeans, and other engineered plants. Even foods that are USDA Certified Organic, which are not supposed to contain genetically engineered ingredients, sometimes contain trace amounts of GM materials.

Humans have been altering the genetics of plants for thousands of years. So why all the controversy now? Much of the debate centers on how GM plants are made. How exactly is a genetically engineered plant made? How does genetic engineering differ from what has been done to plants in the past? Are GM foods bad for your health? Are they bad for the environment? Could they help end world hunger? Is the U.S. government doing enough to regulate these crops? Should we be allowing these crops at all?

Task
Your job in this WebQuest is to form an opinion on the subject of GM foods. You will learn what GM foods are and how they are made. You will learn how the Federal government regulates GM foods. You will research the arguments for and against GM foods. You will read what people on both sides of the issue have to say about how GM foods will impact human health and the environment. You will read about scientific research into the dangers and benefits of these plants. You will discover likely develops in GM food in the coming decades. Once you have done your research, you will write an opinion paper stating what you think about GM foods.

Resources
Look at the Web sites here to find the information that will enable you learn about and form your opinion on GM foods.

http://scope.educ.washington.edu/gmfood/faq.php

Visit this Web site for definitions of "genetic engineering," "transgenic," "hybrid," and other common terms you will need to know.

http://fog.n4h.org/fsc4.htm

Visit this site from the National 4-H Council for an introduction to genetic engineering, a discussion of the benefits of genetic engineering, and a description of how a GM food is developed. This site was developed in partnership with two companies that produce GM foods.

http://www.is.wayne.edu/mrichmon/gen_eng.htm

Visit this site to learn how plants are genetically engineered. Read how genetic engineering compares with traditional plant breeding.

http://www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?id=2157

Visit this site to view a time line that traces how humans have been manipulating plants, from the dawn of agriculture to modern times.

http://scope.educ.washington.edu/gmfood/position/

Go to this site for an introduction to the controversy over GM food. Read what different experts have to say about the benefits and dangers of GM foods.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology/page.cfm?pageID=342

http://pewagbiotech.org/buzz/display.php3?StoryID=2

Go to these sites to learn how GM foods are regulated. You will also read differing opinions on whether these regulations are adequate to ensure the safety of GM foods.

http://pewagbiotech.org/agtopics/index.php?TopicID=7

Go to this Web site from the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology to download survey results and learn what Americans think of GM foods. Scroll down and click on "Poll Results."

http://cspinet.org/biotech/faq.html

Visit this Web site by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for answers to many of your questions about GM foods. The information here includes what genetic engineering means, how GM foods are made, how they are regulated, the benefits and risks of GM foods, and what new GM foods are being developed.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology/page.cfm?pageID=1542

This site by the Union of Concerned Scientists describes a report showing that some genetically engineered crops cause farmers to use more pesticides.

http://www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?id=2861

Visit this Web site from the Council for Biotechnology Information to read about the environmental benefits of GM plants.

http://www.biotech-info.net/much_ado.html

Go to this site to read an article from New Scientist magazine that sifts through the controversy over GM plants.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology/page.cfm?pageID=346

Visit this Web site by the Union of Concerned Scientists to read a list of the possible risks of GM foods to health and the environment. Go to the section of this site entitled "Backgrounders" for a series of articles on other topics relating to GM foods.

http://www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?id=4075

Go to this site to learn why Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug thinks GM foods might help end world hunger.

http://www.bioethics.net/articles.php?viewCat=2&articleId=92

Go to this site to read an article by a bioethicist on whether GM foods pose a risk to human health.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/turnsofphrase/tp-gen1.htm

Visit this site to read an introduction to the concept of genetic pollution.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/ge-agriculture-and-genetic-pol/genetic-pollution

Go to this site by Greenpeace to read about the problem of genetic pollution.

http://ipm.osu.edu/trans/02_201.htm

Visit this site to read about research describing how genetically engineered plants behave in natural habitats.

http://www.biotech-info.net/no_bumper_crop.html

Read this article from the Christian Science Monitor about how the future of GM foods is being shaped by consumer skepticism.

http://ucbiotech.org/~bionews/index.html

Visit this site and gain access to a long list of current newspaper and magazine articles on biotechnology. Scroll down for a link to an even larger archive of older articles.

Time
3 class periods for research; one week at home to write the paper.

Process
Now that you have completed your research on the Internet, form your own opinion about GM foods. Are GM foods safe to eat? Do GM foods pose a risk to the environment? Should they be allowed to stay on the market? What sorts of restrictions should be placed on GM foods? Should there be better labeling of GM foods? Write a paper answering at least three of these questions. Cite facts, poll results, and scientific research to support your arguments.

Conclusion
In the process of completing this WebQuest, you have become informed about the important topic of GM foods. Many people still do not agree whether GM foods are safe for human health or the environment. You have read different opinions about GM foods and human health, the environment, and world hunger. Your research has shown you that there are legitimate concerns on all sides of this issue. You have read different perspectives, compared and contrasted them, and formed your own opinion on this issue. In the process you have educated yourself about a controversial technology that will continue to impact the food you eat for years to come.