Socratic Seminar Genetically Engineered Foods

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Socratic SeminarGenetically Engineered Foods

• Meghan-Elizabeth Foster
• Roger Williams University
• Biology
• mfoster399_at_hawks.rwu.edu

High School Biology or Bioethics Course
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Socratic Seminar Standards

• National Science Education Standards
• - Science and Technology in local, national, and
  global challenges
• Understanding basic concepts and principles of
  science and technology should precede active
  debate about the economics, policies, politics,
  and ethics of various science and technology
  related challenges. However, understanding
  science alone will not resolve local, national,
  or global challenges.
• Individuals in society mush decide on proposals
  involving new research and the introduction of
  new technologies into society. Decisions
  involve assessment of alternatives, risks,
  costs, and benefits and considerations of who
  benefits and who suffers, who pays and gains, and
  what risks are and who bears them. Students
  should understand the appropriateness and value
  of basic questions what can happen? and
  How do scientists and engineers know what will
  happen?

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Socratic Seminar Focus

• Playing With Our Food
• Genetic Engineering and Irradiation
• Lisa Turner

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Socratic Seminar Guiding Questions

• What are the risks? What are the benefits? Who
  will benefit? Who will suffer? Do the benefits
  out way the risks?
• How could GM foods affect your future?
• How would GM food effect a stable ecosystem?
• Could GM foods cause irreversible effects to
  ecosystems?
• How would GM foods effect global stability?
• How would GM foods effect the earths carrying
  capacity?
• How would GM foods effect nutrition?
• What other information about GM foods would help
  you make a decision?
• Does the tone in which the article is written
  effect your decision?

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• IMPLEMENTATION TIPS
• Students should have some background information
  on genetically modified foods, ecosystems,
  interactions between humans and the earth, the
  carrying capacity of the earth, global stability,
  how ecosystem stability is maintained, and what
  can disrupt the stability.
• A follow up or pre-activity should be an article
  supporting genetically modified foods that will
  show students both sides of the issue.
• Before assigning the reading ask students to
  think about their own eating habits organic,
  vegetarian, vegan, meatetarian.
• Assign reading to students for homework the night
  before seminar.
• Have students mark up passage based on the
  advantages, disadvantages, comment on the tone or
  bias, how GM foods could effect future, etc..
• This seminar should take one full class period,
  preferably allowing all students to have a chance
  in the inner circle
• Remind students to question other students
  responses and make them explain and support there
  statements refer to Socratic Seminar Norms
• The first inner circle can focus on the pros and
  cons of genetically modifying food and the second
  inner circle can focus on how genetically
  modified foods will be important in the future
  and how they will affect the environment.

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• SOCRATIC SEMINAR NORMS
• All members of the inner circle are expected to
  participate in the discussion.
• Try to direct your comments and questions to each
  other and not to the Seminar leader.
• Please maintain rules of civil discourse Its
  OK to disagree with a persons ideas, but never
  to criticize the person offering them.
• Ask each other to support ideas and statements
• Members of the outer circle must maintain silent
  until the seminar is concluded.

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• FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
• Students in the inner circle will be assessed
  based on
• Contributing to the discussion.
• Students in the outer circle will be assessed on
• Completion of their assigned task
• All students will be assessed based on
• A summary or reflection upon the inner circle
  discussion How is it that when people are
  presented with the same information they come to
  different conclusions? Everyone was present/had
  access to the same information on genetically
  modified foods but they came to different
  conclusions, why do you think this is?

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• CREDITS
• http//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FKA/is_6_6
  2/ai_62702366/pg_1?tagartBodycol1
• National Science Education Standards