Genetic Technologies Activating Prior Knowledge

Genetic Technologies: Activating Prior Knowledge

Poll

Many organisms that exist today only exist because of human interference.

• true

• false

• not sure

Poll

How long have humans been interfering with natural selection, to create ideal plants and animals?

• Only in the last 40 years, since human genomes were mapped.

• Since the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century.

• For many centuries, even before electricity.

Open Ended

Why would a farmer want seeds that have been genetically modified?

Poll

If you see this on a food product, would you still buy it?

• yes

• no

• not sure

Open Ended

Cows don't exist in the wild because they were bred by humans thousands of years ago. What characteristics of a cow might they have bred for?

Summary

• Countless numbers of plants and animals that exist today were bred by humans, including broccoli, cows, and most dog breeds.

• Humans have been breeding plants and animals to suit their needs for at least 10,000 years.

• A farmer may want to use genetically modified seeds because their crop will be bigger, stronger, grow faster, be resistant to drought or bugs, or other reasons.

• If foods are genetically modified, they are required to say so on the label. Many foods include a label if there are no genetically modified ingredients.

• Cows were bred to to have better meat, milk, hides, and bones.