1. MU NSF Sci-LiFT Presents Insect Food Court: GMOs and Feeding Patterns
Suggested use: slides 1-6 for intro (don’t go farther or you’ll give away answers that students should brainstorm first during the “you are a plant” activity). Slide 7 will introduce the video for the plant vs. insect competition. The activity will be slide 8, which don’t go any further till all discussion and student brainstorming has been done. Slides 9-14 will explaining the different plant defense mechanisms and explain jasmonate for students. Slide 15 will introduce part 2 of day 1, the food and farming relationship: slide 16 is the pre-assessment and slide 17 is the GMO poster to lecture off of for students.

2. This is a picture showing animal coevolution
This is a picture showing animal coevolution. Both the predator and the prey have to evolve to run faster to get food/ avoid being eaten.

3. This is a picture showing coevolution among microorganisms
This is a picture showing coevolution among microorganisms. For example, the virus (yellow) is evolving to invade a bacterium (red), while the bacterium is also developing defenses systems against virus.
*Note: If the teacher is going to introduce Cas9-CRISPR technique (the major gene editing technique used now), it can be addressed that Cas9-CRISPR is derived from bacteria defenses system to recognize foreign virus DNA, which is the “immune system” of bacteria.

4. Plants VS Insects
…A riveting story of violence , betrayal and coevolution

5. For billions of years, insects have been viciously attacking and eating plants.

6. For just as long plants have been fighting back with defense mechanisms both internal and external..

7. Video: Plants vs. Insects

8. Activity: You are a plant, how do you defend yourself against insects?

9. The insects’ weapons and defense….
Mouths/pincers
Long legs to avoid trichome (spiky sticky plant hairs)
Evolving resistance to plant volatiles

10. The plants’ defense….. Trichomes
Volatiles (chemicals produced by plant)
Ever evolving these to battle pest

11. The never ending struggle..
As plants and insects continue this endless battle, they continue to co-evolve every time plants slightly modify their defense, insects either become tolerant, or develop a new method of attack.

12. The latest war technology…..
Jasmonate is a plant hormone that helps the plant activate defense mechanism, such as releasing volatiles (chemicals) to either ward off insects or attract predators to eat the insects

13. Jasmonate Quick Facts
Some plants have significantly higher levels of jasmonate than others
We can study these plants to see the effects on defense and growth of the plants
It seems activating the Jasmonate hormone can inhibit plant growth
Much research is still needed to determine what allows plants to perceive wounding and the pathways that the jasmonate hormone uses.

14. Plants need to enlist the help of you!!
Future Scientist, such as yourself, need to continue work in the research of the plant hormone jasmonate to assist plants in the battle with insects!
Genetic Modification is the front runner for solving world problems such as:
Feeding the ever-growing population
Providing necessary vitamins and nutrients via biofortification
Preventing habitat loss and promoting biodiversity by minimizing agricultural land and use of pesticides ,fertilizers and herbicides

15. Food & Farming Relationship
Beginning of Part 2 of Day 1

16. Assessment: Are GMOs harmful/bad?
No, I don’t agree they’re harmful/bad.
Yes, I agree they’re harmful/bad
Ask students to answer this question on a piece of paper, explaining why they chose the answer they did. Maybe have students shout out their answers after everyone has finished writing.

17. Feeding the large population Potential allergens
Can Introduce and discuss this slide and explain major points. This GMO poster is nicely balanced in regard to pro-GMO and non-GMO.
QUICK discussion points:
GMO labeling on food
Feeding the large population
Potential allergens
Benefits of not using chemical pesticides/fertilizers