Article Argument Map

Devan Merico

Terence McTague

HRCHS Biology

Resources:

article argument map

http://www.literacyta.com/sites/default/files/skill-in-action/730/argumentmapprintfriendly.pdf

debate a side

http://www.literacyta.com/literacy-skills/debate-side

argument posters

http://www.literacyta.com/literacy-skills/argument-poster

PBS Lesson Plan

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons_plans/genetically-modified-foods-lab-dinner-

table/

Whole Foods

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/gmos

Monsanto

http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/biotech-safety-gmo-advantages.aspx

Interactive GM Food Table

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/coming/coming.html

Engineer Your Own crop through either selective breeding/transgenic manipulation

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/engineer/

CCSS Literacy Activity

Topic: GMO

Open with video showing both pros and cons of the side of the debate of genetically modified foods; particularly highlighting what GMOs look like in the food the student’s eat:

·  GMOs – Myths and Truths (neutral)

·  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ztZGbLEJ0

·  Why They Don’t Want Us To Know What We’re Eating (against GMO)

·  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsjh2DGhOeo

·  Golden Rice (for GMO)

·  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbxA4WlkUP8

Students will watch three videos and formulate an argument either for or against the use of GMOs. Students should support their arguments with information from the videos. Then, students will decide whether or not the videos are reliable sources of information.

Provide articles that show mutliple view points on the issue, providing students with a variety of opportunties for knowledge acquisition.

·  When reading the articles, students can use a literacy template (http://www.literacyta.com/sites/default/files/skill-in-action/730/argumentmapprintfriendly.pdf) that allows them to pull out and analyze key information such as the reliablility of the source, the intent of the author, the actual information being given, the argument that the author is presenting, and the evidence that is beign given to support it.

·  Sample Articles:

o  Photo Essay:

Should Mexico's tequila producers start using GMOs?

·  http://images.businessweek.com/photos/2013-10-17/mexicos-tequila-production-craft#slide1

o  'New Source for Healthy Fats'

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.com.php5-17.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/wp/2011/04/new-source-for-healthy-fats/

o  'Popping to Perfection'

https://student.societyforscience.org/article/question-sheet-popping-perfection

·  Once students have a hold on the topic, they can begin to formualte their own opinion on the issue. This can be done in a variety of ways. One way is through an argument posters, (http://www.literacyta.com/literacy-skills/argument-posters ) which allow students to visually demonstrate their understanding of the topic and their opinion on the topic. Another is through debating a side (http://www.literacyta.com/literacy-skills/debate-side). This allows students to voice their opinion in a mature manner with each, using evidenced based information to support their opinions. To prep for this, they can list pros and cons of the topic. Then, they would create an evidence based diagram about the information and debate the issue.