1. TPO Essential Question Reflection Question STAAR Question
We will examine the impacts of advances in technology on agriculture using a powerpoint & video clips and produce guided notes.
Essential Question
What have been the impacts of genetic engineering on agriculture?
Reflection Question
Should we be concerned about the use of GMOs in our foods?
STAAR Question
What best describes a direct effect of the Green Revolution?
Working Vocabulary
GMO cash crop
Green Revolution organic

2. Warm-up:
In India, an agrarian society, most people practice subsistence farming. What is the difference between subsistence and commercial farming? And what do you think agrarian means?

3. Copy the terms on the next slide under your warm-up.

4. Commercial farming: farming for market or profit
Agrarian: agricultural
Subsistence farming: farming for your family or personal use

5. Copy the definitions from the next slides into your worksheet and create a geoterm picture that corresponds with each definition.

6. Green Revolution
Green Revolution: A large increase in crop production in developing countries starting in the 1950s, achieved by the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs.

7. Genetically Modified Organisms/Crops (GMOs)
GMO: An organism whose genetic material has been altered.

8. Cash Crops
Cash crops: Crops grown for direct sale rather than personal use or livestock feed

9. Guess which of the following are cash crops…

10. Document Analysis: Answer the following questions after analyzing each document using complete sentences.

11. Document Analysis: Document 1

12. Document Analysis: Document 2
…At the end of a dirt road in northeastern India, nestled between two streams lies the remote village of Samhauta. Anand Kumar Singh, a farmer there recently related a story that he could scarcely believe himself.
Last June he planted 10 acres of a new variety of rice. On August 23rd, the area was struck by a severe flood that submerged his field for 10 days. In years past, such a flood would have destroyed his crop. But the new variety sprang back to life, yielding a robust harvest.
“It was a miracle,” Singh said.
The miracle was the product not of divine intervention but of technology- an illustration of how far scientists may be able to go in helping farmers adapt to the problems that bedeviled (caused trouble for) them.
“It’s the best example in agriculture,” said Julia Bailey-Serres, a researcher at the University of California, Riverside, who has done genetic work on the rice variety that Anand Kumar Singh used. “ The submergence-tolerant rice essentially sits and waits out the flood.”
Source: Austin American Statesman, June 12th, 2011

13. Green Revolution Debate
The creation of new technologies (pesticides, GMOs) have led to greater global food production and increased standard of living in developing countries.
However many argue that GMOs and the new technologies are unhealthy, cause pollution, and put small farmers out of business.

14. Monsanto Advertisement
Monsanto: large agricultural technology company that produces GMOs
Answer the following questions after watching the video:
What bias do you notice in this video? (How might this video be one-sided?)
According to the video, how have U.S. farmers changed over time?

15. Store Wars Answer the following questions after watching the video:
Organic agriculture: the process of producing food naturally without pesticides, chemicals, or GMOs.
Answer the following questions after watching the video:
What bias do you notice in this video? (How might this video be one-sided?)
What are some of the benefits of organic farming?

16. Based on our discussion today, take a few minutes to answer the following statements based on what you think.

17. All people should buy organic produce.

18. I would be willing to spend more money on my produce for organic agriculture.

19. It is the responsibility of people to be aware of the nutrition and source of the food they eat and not for companies to advertise it..

20. There is nothing wrong with genetically modified foods.

21. Closure questions (Ticket out the door)
In 4-5 sentences, explain where you fall in the Green Revolution debate: do you feel like commercial agriculture has gone too far with GMOs, or do you think they are justifiable and necessary? Explain.