Treasure Hunt on Genetically Modified Crops

Balve G. Granido
Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School
Cagayan de Oro City
abetgrans@yahoo.com


Introduction

Have you eaten a GM (Genetically Modified) Crops? Can you name some GM crops? And can you make one?

In this treasure hunt, you will know what a GM crop is and how it is made.
Here is how the treasure hunt works: In groups of three or four, look for the answers to the questions below in the websites listed. Simply click on the website URL or address to be able to open and read it. Read each website carefully. Write your answers to the questions neatly on a separate answer sheet with the names of group members written on it.
After answering all of the small questions, proceed to the Big Question. Be sure to work as a team.

Questions
1. What is a Genetically Modified Crop/Plant? How a Genetically Modified Crop does differ from a normal or ordinary crop?
2. List down at least 3 foreign GM crops and 3 local (Philippine) GM crops
3. How plant is genetically modified?
4. How Bt Corn is introduced in the Philippines?
5. Enumerate the steps in making Bt Corn.
6. In what ways GM crops benefited the people?
7. Is GM crops safe for human consumption?

Web Resources
· Title: Asia's First: The Bt Corn Story in the Philippines Title (Video)
URL: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/inforesources/videos/btcorn/default.html
· Title:How a plant is genetically modified
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/sci_nat_how_a_plant_is_genetically_modified/html/1.stm/
http://cls.casa.colostate.edu/TransgenicCrops/animation.html

· Title: Global Status of Approved Genetically Modified Plants
URL: http://www.agbios.com/dbase.php?action=Synopsis
· Title: How are GM crops made
URL: http://www.bcp.org.ph/faq/faq03.html
· Title: Documented Benefits of GM Crops
URL: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/inforesources/pocketk/default.html

· Title: Scientific Facts on Genetically Modified Crops
URL: http://www.greenfacts.org/gmo/index.htm#4
· Title: Genetically Modified Crops
URL: http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1860943535&id=sFIYtf6d-gkC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&ots=JFs-FIRdz3&dq=GM+crops+in+the+philippines&sig=ZJpT9CK9XN59UVmk_B0s-_TZzFM#PPA86,M1
· Title: Video on GMO
URL: http://www.ualg.pt/anuncios/Divulgacao/JRC/txt_v/contents/videos.htm


The Big Question
The group will make a (hypothetical) Genetically Modified Plant of their choice. Then the group will do the following (based on their own work):
Ø Illustration/drawing showing how they make their GM crop (Manila Paper)
Ø Enumerate the steps involved in making their own GM crop
Ø Identify the desired gene
Ø Identify the undesired gene
Ø Name the GM plant made
Ø Cite the contribution of the GM plant made
The group will report and submit their work tomorrow. Please indicate the specific task done by each member. Assign one to facilitate the reporting but everybody should be involved in the question and answer portion.

(April 10, 2007)



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