A Seed of Doubt

AGENDA | PARTICIPANTS

(Based on an activity created by Stanlee Brimberg, Bank Street School)

You will do this exercise with a group.

Overview: The controversy surrounding genetically modified crops is profound and complicated. It raises constitutional, economic, social, philosophical and ethical issues. Once you become familiar with the facts and the issues by reading and studying the material in the website and other material provided, you will be in an excellent position to debate these issues.

Objectives:

In this activity you will:

1. Acquire information about genetically modified (GM) crops
2. Understand that, depending on a person's identity and situation (social, educational, economic), he or she will have a different opinion about GM crops
3. Develop understanding for all the points of view about GM crops
4. Learn to make compromises to resolve disputes.

Resources: documents and links from the Frontline program "Harvest of Fear" at http://www.pbs.org/wbgh/harvest/ .


Exercise: (60 minutes total)


Step One. Meet briefly with your small group. Each individual should quickly choose an identity from the list below. (5 minutes)

• A corn farmer in the United States.
• A government functionary in a developing country
• A doctor working for the UN's World Health Organization
  
• The CEO of a major pesticide producer
• The Undersecretary for Trade in the European Union

Step Two. Working as an individual, use the resources available on the Frontline website to find information that clarifies the point of view of your character. Look for facts, opinions, reasons, and explanations. You might want to keep in mind the following questions from the perspective of your character: (20 minutes)

• arguments for or against the use of genetically modified foods.
• the potential risks and benefits of genetically modified foods.
• what plants or foods have been allowed or banned in which countries, and why.
• how these foods are different, and how they are the same, as other products currently being sold.
• whether foods should be allowed if they are labeled, and why.
• whether some foods should be allowed but not others, and why.

An overview of the arguments:  
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/exist/

Synopses of major points of view as excerpted from interviews:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/viewpoints/

Links to further resources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/etc/links.html

Although the site does not have global keyword searching capabilities, remember that your Internet browser can search a given document for keywords. This may speed your search.

Step Three. Pause for a moment. What else you need to find out?  What additional knowledge and resources do you need?  Now search the Web for more information, using Google, Lexis-Nexis, or other search engines. (15 minutes)

Step Four.  Review your evidence.  On BlackBoard,  writing from the point of view of your character, post a short statement of your position on GM crops.  Are you in support, in opposition, or a combination of support and opposition?   As best that you can in a few sentences, explain your position. (10 minutes)

Step Five. Read what others in your group have posted and respond to each other in the role of your characters. (10 minutes)

Small Group Discussion (45 minutes):

Gather with others who did this activity. Reflect on and discuss this activity with your small group, using the following sequence of questions as prompts. At the end of this time, prepare one member of the group to share key points of your discussion with the larger group.

• What did you learn from this activity? What could students learn from a classroom version of it (including the sharing and exchange of presentations)? What other kinds of writing or presentation outcomes could this activity support?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of this activity? Is it a good vehicle for developing student skills in inquiry, critical thinking, and writing? How could it be improved?
• How would you describe the pedagogy that informs this activity? What skills and modes of thinking does this activity support? Do the electronic materials being engaged suit the assignment's pedagogy and methodological goals? What can we learn from this activity about the kinds of inquiry assignments that work best when using new media resources?
• How does the inquiry approach used in this activity compare with inquiry approaches you have used in your classes? What is similar? Different? What are the advantages and disadvantages of inquiry learning, in your experience? Where does it fit in the repertoire of teaching in your field?

AGENDA | PARTICIPANTS