Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______

OMG GMOs!– A Debate Case Study

A lack of vitamin A is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) can negatively affect growth and development, cause blindness, interfere with the growth of epithelial cells, and suppress the immune system. Vitamin A can be synthesized from the β-carotene found in green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits or vegetables, and it can be obtained from certain animal products (liver, egg yolk, etc).

Rice is a staple food in many developing regions of the world. Unfortunately, it contains no β-carotene in its milled grain, and is therefore not a source of vitamin A. Rice can be genetically engineered to boost its nutritional content. It is possible to transfer the genes for β-carotene from a plant that produces it into rice DNA. The resulting rice, dubbed “Golden Rice” (GR) because of its yellowish tinge, can provide a key nutrient in the diet of those who eat it.

In 1999 when Golden Rice was first created, it was hailed as the solution to world malnutrition, at the vanguard of a food revolution. Nearly 10 years later, it is still only a promise. Why have developing nations been slow to adopt this technology? Is it a worthwhile endeavor?

Part 1: With your group, review your fact sheet handout and prepare your argument in favor of/or against Golden Rice. You may take notes, but you will not be allowed to use the fact sheet handout during the debate.

Part 2: Split your team into 2 teams consisting of 2 people (one group of 3 if you have a group of 5). Each mini-team will meet with a mini-team of an opposing viewpoint. You have 3 minutes to convince the opposite team of your position. They will have 1 minute to respond. Then they have 3 minutes to convince you and you will have 1 minute to respond. Members of the “audience team” should take notes, as they will be asked to argue for the other side in the next step.

Part 3:You are now arguing for the other side. Find a new mini-team that has a new position that is opposite yours. The procedure is the same as in Part 2 above, except that you must now argue the other position (not your initial position).

Decision Time!

The Research Question:
Is the use of Genetically Modified Organisms beneficial to feed our world or are they a disaster waiting to happen?
Your Claim:
Your Evidence: / Your Justification of the Evidence (Justify how the evidence connects to the claim, explain why the data counts as evidence and/or lack of evidence):