WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Earth and Life Science, Quarter 2, Week 4b

Benefits and Risks of Using Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Learning Competency:
- Evaluate the benefits and risks of using GMOs (S11/12LT-IIej-19)
- Time Allotment: 2 days

Specific Objectives:
After going through the learning activity sheets, you are expected to:
1. cite the benefits and risks of using GMOs;
2. explain the impacts of using GMOs in the Philippine industry; and
3. express opinions and/or stand on the use of GMOs.

Key Concepts

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genes are being altered
through genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is a biotechnological technique used by
scientists to directly modify and manipulate an organism‟s genome. The picture below
summarizes the process on how GMOs were made (Powell, 2015).

Insert

Source: https://i1.wp.com/sitn.hms.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Untitled2.png?w=900

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
 Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) posed two different perspectives, the risks and
benefits to human and to the agricultural crop production. These are as follows:

BENEFITS WITH GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

Source: Phillips, T. (2008)
1. Agricultural crop yields will be increased which could give greater food security
and medical benefits to the world's growing population.

2. Costs for food or drug production will be reduced.

3. Reduction of the need for pesticides and insecticides to those GMOs containing
genes that could fight against pests and
insects.
4. Agricultural animals can increase their yields
and decrease vulnerability to diseases when
genetically modified. For example, cattle have
been enhanced to increase resistance to mad cow
disease, and salmon have been genetically
modified to grow bigger and mature faster (see
Figure 1).

5. Agricultural crops mature faster and tolerate

environmental stressors allowing plants to Figure 1- The Genetically Modified Atlantic Salmon
grow in the place where they are not used to Source:
flourish. For instance, strawberries can be https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_gmf/images/GM_Food_News
letter26_1e.jpg

genetically engineered to grow in hot climate.

6. Genetically modified food can contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals.
For instance, rice can be genetically modified to contain more Vitamin A to reduce
the number of people going blind. Figure 2 shows how the golden rice is
genetically engineered to contain vitamin A.
In fact, Philippines get the go signal from the regulators in the use of golden rice
technology to solve the increasing number of children who gets killed and/or blind
worldwide based on the report of the World Health Organization (WHO) due to vitamin A
deficiency. This is after the Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
who developed the crop announced that Golden Rice is safe as the conventional rice and
it was supported by the Philippine Department of Agriculture Bureau of Plant Industry
(Baragona, 2019).

Source: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/inforesources/biotechcrops/image1.jpg

Figure 2- The Golden Rice Technology

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
 RISKS WITH GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs)
One of the notable risks of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is its potential to
develop allergens and the toxicity we could get from it. Hence, the risks stated below need
further scientific studies and researches to support the authors‟ claims.
 Adverse Effects on the Health of People or the Environment
The following may occur after long term cumulative exposure and/or use of
GMOs according to Prakash, Dhan, et.al
(2011):
 enhanced pathogenicity or the ability
of microorganisms to cause damage to
its host,
 occurrence of a new disease,
 increased disease burden if the
recipient organism is a pathogenic
microorganism or virus, and
 increased weed or pest burden if the
recipient organism is a plant or an
invertebrate. Adapted from: https://nutritionalbalancing.org/center/htma/food/_i/autism-GMO.jpg

In fact, in recent study, Casper (2020) suggests that there is a direct correlation
between the increase of number of children with autism to the consumption of
glyphosate on corn & soy as shown in Figure 4.

 GMO is not precise technology that will continue to deliver unpleasant

surprises. Hence, an effect in a single organism brought by the changes in the
introduction of GMOs could extend to the entire ecosystem. Single impacts are
always joined by the risk of ecosystems‟ damage and destruction.

As of today, many available genetically modified products are already available in the
market. The pictures below show few of them. Non-BT eggplant vs. BT eggplant

Source: https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/10/05/without-gm-insect-resistant-bt-eggplant-
filipino-farmers-face-51-73-crop-losses-almost-daily-pesticide-spraying/

Golden Rice vs. Conventional Rice

Source: https://im-media.voltron.voanews.com/Drupal/01live-166/styles/892x501/s3/2019-12/rice.jpg?itok=OAq-ZmcK

BT Cotton vs. non-BT Cotton

Figure 6- GMOs Produced in the Philippines vs. Native/

Figure 5- World’s Genetically Modified Crops as of Today Conventional Organisms
Source: https://i0.wp.com/entomologytoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/
Source: https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/gmo.jpg Bt-and-non-Bt-cotton.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&ssl=1

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
Exercises / Activities
Activity No.1- Reading Comprehension
Objectives:
1. identify risks and benefits of GMOs; and
2. explain the impacts of using GMOs in the Philippine industry.

What you need:

 a separate sheet of paper
 pen
What to do:
Read the selection carefully and answer the questions that follow in 2-3 sentences.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Unintended Impacts on Other Species: The Bt Corn Controversy

Excer pt fr om the ar ticle: Genetically Modified Or ganisms (GMOs): T r ansgenic Cr ops and Recombinant DNA T echnology
By: T her esa Phillips, Ph.D. (Wr ite Science Right) © 2008 Natur e Education

One example of public debate over the use of a genetically modified plant involves the
case of Bt corn. Bt corn expresses a protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Prior
to construction of the recombinant corn, the protein had long been known to be toxic to a
number of pestiferous insects, including the monarch caterpillar, and it had been
successfully used as an environmentally friendly insecticide for several years. The benefit of
the expression of this protein by corn plants is a reduction in the amount of insecticide that
farmers must apply to their crops. Unfortunately, seeds containing genes for recombinant
proteins can cause unintentional spread of recombinant genes or exposure of non-target
organisms to new toxic compounds in the environment.
The now-famous Bt corn controversy started with a laboratory study by Losey et al.
(1999) in which the mortality of monarch larvae was reportedly higher when fed with
milkweed (their natural food supply) covered in pollen from transgenic corn than when fed
milkweed covered with pollen from regular corn. The report by Losey et al. was followed by
another publication (Jesse & Obrycki, 2000) suggesting that natural levels of Bt corn pollen
in the field were harmful to monarchs.
Debate ensued when scientists from other laboratories disputed the study, citing the
extremely high concentration of pollen used in the laboratory study as unrealistic, and
concluding that migratory patterns of monarchs do not place them in the vicinity of corn
during the time it sheds pollen. For the next two years, six teams of researchers from
government, academia, and industry investigated the issue and concluded that the risk of Bt
corn to monarchs was "very low" (Sears et al., 2001), providing the basis for the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency to approve Bt corn for an additional seven years.

Guide Questions:
Q1. What are the benefits and risks of using GMOs specifically the BT corn as mentioned
in the selection?

Q2. Knowing the benefits and risks of the use of BT corn in the selection, what do you
think are the impacts of this GMO in the Philippine industry?

Q3. If you were a farmer, would you choose to plant BT corn in your farmland after
knowing the benefits and possible threats of the GMO to biodiversity? Why or Why not?

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
 Scoring Rubric for Q1, Q2, and Q3
4 points Discussions are well organized with no misconception.
3 points Discussions are organized but with minor misconception.
2 points Discussions are less organized with minor misconception.
1 point Discussions are incomplete with minor misconception.
0 point There is no discussion shown.

Activity No.2- What’s Your Opinion?

Objectives:
1. express opinions and/or stand on the use of GMOs; and
2. identify genetically modified organisms within the locality.
What you need:
 a separate sheet of paper
 pen
 comic strip
What to do:
Read the conversation of the two characters in the comic strip below and answer
the questions that follow in 2-3 sentences. Write your answer on a separate sheet of
paper.

Source: https://sbt.blob.core.windows.net/storyboards/rebeccawilson21/e-tech-gmo.png

Guide Questions:
Q1. What is your stand about the use of GMOs in the Philippine agriculture?

Q2. Aside from the organisms mentioned in the comics strip, can you identify GMO
product in your locality? Give at least two of them and compare it to the organic crops
produced by some farmers in your barangay.

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
 Scoring Rubric for Q1 and Q2
4 points Discussions are well organized with no misconception.
3 points Discussions are organized but with minor misconception.
2 points Discussions are less organized with minor misconception.
1 point Discussions are incomplete with minor misconception.
0 point There is no discussion shown.

Reflection:

Mang Jose is a farmer from Agusan del Sur. He is undecided on what variety of rice he
will plant on the next planting season. He is torn between the native rice and the Golden rice
(GMO). Can you help Mang Jose in choosing between the two varieties by writing a letter
(maximum of 100 words) or making a flyer informing him about the advantages and
disadvantages of each variety on human? Note: (emphasize in your letter or flyer the health
benefits and risks of each variety on human)

Rubrics:

Scoring Rubric for Letter

20 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, and has no misconceptions
15 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, but with minimal misconceptions.
10 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, but with misconceptions.
5 points Concepts presented have no scientific basis.

Scoring Rubric for Flyer

20 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, and has no misconceptions.
The output is very creative.
15 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, but with minimal misconceptions. The output is
creative.
10 points Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, but with misconceptions. The output is less creative.
5 points Concepts presented have no scientific basis and the output does
not show creativity.

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
References:
Baragona, Steve (2020) “Philippines Approves GMO Rice to Fight Malnutrition”.
Accessed November 18,2020.
https://www.voanews.com/science-health/philippines-approves-gmo-rice-fight-
malnutrition

Bt and Non-Bt cotton. Accessed November 18, 2020.

https://entomologytoday.org/2018/10/23/problems-driving-resistance-bt-crops-
proposed-solutions-bollworm-corn-earworm/bt-and-non-bt-cotton/

Casper, Julie “LMOs, GMOs, and Glyphosate (a toxic antibiotic)”.

Accessed on November 4, 2020.
https://nutritionalbalancing.org/center/htma/food/_i/autism-GMO.jpg

GM Food Newsletter (Issue No. 26) December 2017 Published by the Centre for Food
Safety. Accessed November 4, 2020
https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_gmf/images/GM_Food_Ne
wsletter26_1e.jpg

GM insect-resistant Bt eggplant could help Philippines prevent as much as 73% crop

losses, cut „almost daily‟ pesticide use . Accessed November 18, 2020
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/10/05/without-gm-insect-resistant-bt-eggplant-filipino-
farmers-face-51-73-crop-losses-almost-daily-pesticide-spraying/

Muanya, Chukwuma .”Top 20 Genetically Modified Foods, Products”.

Accessed November 4, 2020
https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/gmo.jpg

Phillips, T. (2008) “Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Transgenic crops and

recombinant DNA technology”. Nature Education 1(1):213.

Powell, Chelsea, et al. “How to make a GMO”.

Accessed on November 4, 2020. <https://i1.wp.com/sitn.hms.harvard.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2015/08/Untitled2.png?w=900 >

Prakash, Dhan, Sonika Verma, Ranjana Bhatia, and Bhupindera N. Tiwary. "Risks and
precautions of genetically modified organisms." ISRN Ecology 2011 (2011).

The Golden Rice Technology. Accessed November 4, 2020

http://www.isaaa.org/kc/inforesources/biotechcrops/image1.jpg

Accessed October, 27, 2020.

https://sbt.blob.core.windows.net/storyboards/rebeccawilson21/e-tech-gmo.png

Author: Jupiter A. Ruta

School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Division: Agusan del Sur
email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
 email address: jupiter.ruta@deped.gov.ph
Division: Agusan del Sur
School/Station: Corpuz National High School
Author: Jupiter A. Ruta
Activity 2: What‟ s Your Opinion? (Possi bl e answer s)
Guide questions:
Q1. Answers may vary
Q2. Answers may vary
Activity 1: Reading Comprehension (Possi ble answer s)
Guide questions:
Q1. The benefit of the expression of this protein by corn plants is a reduction in the
amount of insecticide that farmers must apply to their crops. Unfortunately, seeds
containing genes for recombinant proteins can cause unintentional spread of
recombinant genes or exposure of non-target organisms to new toxic compounds in the
environment.
Q2. Answers may vary
Q3. Answers may vary
Answer Key