Agriculture and Related Biotechnologies

Unit 3

Think, Pair, Share

2 minutes – What is agriculture? What do YOU think biotechnology is? Please record your answers in your EDJ.

1 minute – Pair up and discuss your answers.

2 minutes – Share with the class.

The 7 Designed World Systems

There are 7 areas that technology is said to fall in to: Agricultural and Related Biotechnology

Construction Technology

Energy and Power Technology

Information and Communication Technology

Manufacturing Technology

Medical Technology

Transportation Technology

Agricultural and Related Biotechnology

The techniques used to create, improve, or modify plants, animals, and microorganisms.

What is Biotechnology?

“Any technique that uses living organisms, or parts of organisms, to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or to develop microorganisms for specific purposes” – Standards of Technological Literacy Changing the genetic make up of an organism to solve problems.

In Your Own Words…

What is Biotechnology?

When or where is it being used? OR… When or where do you think it could it be used?

Today’s Activity

View the following video: Heal, Feed, Sustain: How Biotechnology Can Help Save the World.

Take notes as you are watching the video – at the end, you will have a writing assignment. The techniques the scientist and technologist are using

How biotechnology is helping the world

The types of technology being used in the video

Please write a paragraph (3-5 sentences) summarizing the video. You can focus on the whole video or one segment of the video.

Warm Up

Please think of a food that is not currently being genetically modified, but could become a GMO in the near future.

Use the comment card with the hashtag #transformationtuesday or #TT (bottom right).

Please include your name (top left next to the “@” symbol).

Warm Up

Think of some current issues related to agriculture and/or biotechnology. Record your ideas in your EDJ

Unit Project - Agriculture and Biotechnology Design (TSA Event)

Advances in science and technology have had a tremendous impact in agriculture and biotechnology, helping us to grow more disease-resistant plants, to use our planet’s resources more wisely, and to understand and use genetic engineering to our benefit. In this event, students choose to explore any aspect of agriculture or biotechnology that interests them.

Participants conduct research on a contemporary agriculture or biotechnology issue of their choosing, document their research, and create a display. A model or prototype depicting some aspect of the issue should be included in the display.

Requirements for Display

Issue Name of the issue

Definition of the issue

Description of the issue

Importance of the issue in our daily lives

Impacts on the environment, economy, and society

Ethical considerations

Possible problem(s) of this issue Possible solution(s) to the problem

Technology used to solve this issue Description of the technology

Career(s) related to this issue Description of the career(s)

Prototype or model relating to some aspect of the solution or issue

Web Quest – Alternate Project

Over the next few days, you and a partner will work together to complete a web quest!

Please refer to the packet and listen to the directions.

Web quest due: 10/8

Extension Activity

Directions: Please work on the following extension activities after you have completed your Web Quest. You may work on these activities in the order of your choosing. Read “High tech down on the farm: Helping growers cope with climate change.” Write a

summary about the article. Your summary should focus on the technology being used to help cope with the changing climates.

Read “Breeding a grape that tastes just like cotton candy to capture consumers.” Take the attached 5 question quiz.

Go to the following website: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/sust13.sci.eco.cityfarm/city-farm/. Select the word “Launch” on the picture of the garden. Test your harvesting skills by playing through the game.

Create a poster that describes Agriculture and Biotechnologies. You should include things like a title, a description of this Designed World System, examples of technology that would fit in this system, and explanations for why the technology fits into Agriculture and Biotechnologies.