Genetic Engineering and Human Health

Classroom Activities

The activities used in this curriculum unit will incorporate the use of a McGraw-Hill computer simulated virtual lab in addition to three case studies obtained from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. These activities have been carefully chosen to achieve the primary goal of improving reading comprehension skills. The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science has stated the following: "In our 20 years of working with this method, we have found it to be a powerful pedagogical technique for teaching science. Cases can be used not only to teach scientific concepts and content, but also process skills and critical thinking." ⁴³

Activity 1

This is a McGraw-Hill computer simulated virtual lab obtained from http:www.mhhe.com/genbio/virtual_labs_2K8/labs/BL_01/index.html and is entitled "Dependent and Independent Variables". The students will examine the growth of four different varieties of corn plants in the presence of the European Corn Borer. Two of the corn plants are grown from different wild type seeds, whereas the other two plants represent the growth from different varieties of BT transgenic seeds. These seeds contain the gene for a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. The students will complete the worksheet and post-lab questions that accompany the lab. One period of fifty-seven minutes will be allocated for this activity.

Activity 2

This activity, "Frankenfoods? The Debate Over Genetically Modified Crops" was developed in 2001 by Bill Rhodes, Maha M. Alkhazindar, and Nancy Schiller. It was obtained from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/files/3-gmfoods.pdf. This activity involves arranging the class into collaborative learning groups composed of three or four students. After reading the case study which deals with the vandalism of a university greenhouse housing genetically modified plants, the students will examine the benefits and risks of biotechnology. Each group will report their answers to the worksheet that accompanies this case study.

Activity 3

"Torn at the Genes: One Family's Debate Over Genetically Modified Plants" is a case study developed by Jennifer Nelson and Clyde Freeman Herreid in 2000 and available through the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/files/torn_genes.pdf. This activity will span approximately three periods. It involves a heated debate among family members at the dinner table. Students within individual cooperative learning groups will answer the questions supplied at the end of the case study. Each group will report their answers which will be the basis for a whole class discussion.

Activity 4

Wayne Shew and Mary Celeste Reese developed this case study in 2007. "Do You Really Know What You're Eating? A Case Study on Genetically Modified Foods" was obtained from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/files/gmo_safety.pdf. Initially, the students will read an article dealing with the possible allergic reactions to eating tacos prepared from genetically modified corn. Each cooperative learning group will be required to prepare a ten minute power point presentation on any one of fifteen options that involves technical aspects of genetic engineering and biotechnology.