Student Task

Do You Know What You Eat?

Science and Technology in Society

do you know what you eat?

Curriculum-embedded Science Performance Task

do you know what you eat?

In this task, students explore the benefits and risks associated with the development of food from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This issue is debated all over the world. On one hand, people are afraid of the yet unknown health and environmental impacts of GMOs; on the other hand, people know that foods from GM technology greatly help in feeding the growing human population all over the globe. Students provide opinions about this complex and important issue in a position paper.

Your task - Write a position paper answering this question:

DO YOU SUPPORT THE CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS?

Based on what you read and learn, take a position on this issue and explain the basis of your position using claims and evidence from 3-4 articles that you have read in your Internet research. You can use your Table I – Internet Research Notes and Table II – Class Debate Notes to help you bring specific facts to support your claims. Your position paper should include the following five paragraphs:

  • Paragraph 1 – Your position statement, including a short description of the science behind the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
  • Paragraph 2 –Your strongest supporting claim and evidence, with citation of the source of the information you use.
  • Paragraph 3 - Description of additional supportive claims and evidence (with citations).
  • Paragraph 4 – Description of counter claims and evidence to describe opposing points of view (with citations) and why you disagree with the opposing view.
  • Paragraph 5 – A brief summary of the benefits and risks of GMOs and why you support or oppose further development of GM organisms.

Use the following pages to write your paper.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS?

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Student Task

Do You Know What You Eat?

Rubric for the evaluation of STS position papers

Scoring Elements / 1 / 2* / 3 / 4** / 5
  1. I. Describing the issue and articulating a position
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  • The background science content is limited and/or includes content inaccuracies.
  • The issue and the position/argument are not clearly described.
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  • The background science content is accurate, but still limited.
  • The issue and the position/argument are clearly described.
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  • The background science content is clear, accurate and relevant.
  • Both the issue and the position/argument are clearly described and well connected.

  1. II. Conducting the research
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  • Information is gathered from only one source and/or information is not accurate.
  • Analysis of the credibility and reliability of the information sources is inaccurate or missing.
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  • Information is gathered from two or three sources and is accurate.
  • Analysis of the credibility and reliability of some, but not all, of the information sources is included.
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  • Information is gathered from more than three sources and is accurate.
  • Analysis of the credibility and reliability of the information sources is complete.

  1. III. Developing and supporting a thesis
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  • The writer’s position is weakly supported by the presented claims, evidence, and/or examples.
  • The sources of the factual information are limited or missing.
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  • The writer’s position is partially supported by the presented claims, evidence, and/or examples.
  • Some of the sources of the factual information are cited.
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  • The writer’s position is fully supported by the presented claims, evidence, and/or examples.
  • All of the sources of the factual information are cited.

  1. IV. Presenting a balanced view
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  • The writer presents only one side of the issue.
  • No evidence of opposing points of view is provided.
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  • The writer includes opposing views.
  • The opposing view is weakly supported by evidence.
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  • The writer presents different sides of the issue.
  • The opposing argument is researched and supported by evidence.

  1. V. Conclusions
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  • The writer doesn’t present enough information for the reader to understand the issue.
  • The research conclusions are not presented in a clear and convincing manner.
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  • The writer presents enough information for the reader to understand the issue.
  • The research conclusions are clear, but not directly supported by the presented claims and evidence.
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  • The writer presents persuasive information for the reader to understand the issue and the position taken.
  • The entire research is presented in a clear, convincing, and precise manner.

*A score 2 is given when the student’s work has one element from level 1 and one element from level 3

** A score 4 is given when the student‘s work has one element from level 3 and one element from level 5

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