A.

Abstract
My paper will be titled Genetically Modified Organisms and the Law, but since my project
is kid-oriented, the title of my project will be Organic Food: What is it, and Whats the Big
Deal? I have selected GMOs for a topic and project because first and foremost, I am passionate
about healthy eating, but unfortunately, there is more to this issue than personal health. I learned
last year while researching for my Ethics project on Monsanto, the main agrochemical company
that is responsible for GMOs, that Monsanto has a huge amount of influence on the legislative
and judicial systems. Not only does this company lobby to prevent GMO-labeling laws from
getting passed, but it also devotes funds to a legal team that sues organic farmers whose crops
have been contaminated with Monsanto seed. My driving questions are as follows:

Why should GMO-containing foods be labeled as such?

What is the patent law that allows Monsanto to sue farmers whose crops are

contaminated by Monsanto seed?

What were the outcomes of the cases in which Monsanto sued farmers?
How does U.S. law on this topic compare to law in other countries?
How successful are the GMO-labeling laws in other countries?
What are the social implications of this topic?
What is a viable solution?

My consultant, Ms. Lingua-Wheless, will assist me with planning a class to teach to Mrs.
Shelers 5th grade class at Old Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented in March 2015. I
would like to work with this teacher because she was actually one of my fifth grade teachers
when I was a student at ODC. Therefore, the participants, as well as audience, for my project will
be the students in that class. I hope that showing kids that organic food tastes just as good as or
even better than generic food when they are young will help them make better eating choices as
they grow older. What they are learning will have to correspond with their learning objectives,
but my plan is to teach them the basics of organic food, hence my title: What is it, and Whats

the Big Deal? Topics discussed in my lesson will include what exactly it means for a food to be
organic or genetically modified, how organic farmers get certified, how to tell whether a food in
the store is organic or non-GMO, and why this is an issue. In order for my project to be
evaluated, the students will be filling out a note guide during my lesson, which will help them for
the small quiz at the end to assess how much the kids learned. Next, they will take a survey to
tell me how they felt about the class. I will not need much new materials for this project, as I
already have the technology required to incorporate videos and PowerPoint slides into my
presentation. I will simply need to find out how many children are in the class so that I know
how many surveys and organic snacks to bring in and if any of those students have food
allergies.
B. Learning Skills
I will need to enhance:
o Professional communication skills, such as emails and phone calls
o Presentation skills (speaking in front of a class, as well as the digital presentation)
o Video making skills
I will need to learn:
o How to make a lesson plan
o How to teach a fifth grade glass
o How to keep a group of fifth graders engaged for an entire class
C. Project Steps

STEP 1:
STEP 2:

Create outline of lesson

2 hours
Meet with Consultant, Ms. Lingua, to receive 2 hours

STEP 3:

feedback on outline before contacting Mrs. Sheler

Email Mrs. Sheler to explain the project and ask 1 hour

STEP 4:

for permission
Prepare masterplan and sample lesson to present 6 hours
to Dr. Hedrick

STEP 5:

Meet with Mrs. Van Schenck to prepare for the 2 hours

STEP 6:

presentation to Dr. Hedrick

Present masterplan and sample lesson to Dr. 1 hour

STEP 7:

Hedrick
Create PowerPoint, including group quiz at the 6 hours

end
STEP 8: Create videos using iMovie
6 hours
STEP 9: Make pre-test, worksheet and survey
2 hours
STEP 10: Meet with Ms. Lingua for feedback on pre-test, 1 hour
worksheet and survey
STEP 11: Practice presentation with Ms. Lingua in the room 2 hours
so that she can provide feedback
STEP 12: Go grocery shopping and baking
STEP 13: Teach Classes

3 hours
6 hours (or more, depending
on how many classes there are

STEP 14: Write Thank You Cards

D.

E.

to teach)
1 hour

Explanation of Documentation
Keep a log
Have photographs taken of me working on each step
Take notes during consultations with Ms. Lingua
Keep all email records between me, Mrs. Sheler, Ms. Lingua, etc.
Keep all receipts (from purchasing food, etc.)
Collect surveys
Project Justification

I have selected this project because I believe that being able to teach a class is a useful
skill that I have yet to master. In fact, I have never come close to teaching an entire class,
meaning that I have never made lesson plans. Furthermore, I am aware that it is difficult to get
project ideas approved by the Kemps Landing/ Old Donation School principal, Dr. Hedrick, so
preparing a professional defense for teaching my proposed class will be difficult for me in itself.
The only teaching experience that I have is in dance, so this is completely different than what I
am used to doing. In addition, the research that I conduct in order to write my paper will be at a
much higher level than what I will be teaching to the fifth graders, so another challenge for me
will be simplifying my research in order to cater it toward them, as well as making it fun. I want
to accomplish this project because I believe that if students get familiarized with non-GMO food
early-on, they will be able to make better choices in the future.
F.
PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION
Because my paper is a legal analysis of genetically modified organisms in food, and
childhood eating habits can carry on into adulthood, naturally, my project will be teaching fifth
graders about non-GMO, or organic, food. Not only will I be teaching an interactive class, but I
will also be bringing in food so that the kids can actually experience firsthand that healthy food
tastes just as good as or even better than normal food. I will teach them valuable skills like
how to read labels and identify whether a food is organic and/or non-GMO. My paper will
highlight the publics unawareness that so much of the food that is being consumed contains
GMO ingredients. Because I cannot personally implement a law that requires GMO labeling for
my senior project, I will instead teach others how to tell whether their foods contain GMOs to
increase awareness.
G.
ACADEMIC HONESTY

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in
failure of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School
H.

diploma.
COMPLETION DATES

STEP 1:
STEP 2:

Create outline of lesson

January 29th, 2016
Meet with Consultant, Ms. Lingua, to receive February 2nd, 2016

STEP 3:

feedback on outline before contacting Mrs. Sheler

Email Mrs. Sheler to explain the project and ask February 3rd, 2016

STEP 4:

for permission
Prepare masterplan and sample lesson to present to February 5th, 2016
Dr. Hedrick (KL/ODS principal)

STEP 5:

Meet with Mrs. Van Schenck to prepare for the February 8th, 2016

STEP 6:
STEP 7:

presentation to Dr. Hedrick

Progress Report
February 12th, 2016
Present masterplan and sample lesson to Dr. The date that Dr. Hedrick

Hedrick
Create PowerPoint, including group quiz at the end
Progress Report
STEP 9: Create videos using iMovie
Progress Report
STEP 10: Make pre-test, worksheet and survey
STEP 11: Meet with Ms. Lingua for feedback on pre-test,
STEP 8:

sets
February 19th , 2016
February 26th, 2016
February 29th, 2016
March 1st, 2016

worksheet and survey

STEP 12: Practice presentation with Ms. Lingua in the room March 4th, 2016
so that she can provide feedback
Progress Report
STEP 13: Go grocery shopping and baking
STEP 14: Teach Classes
Progress Report
STEP 15: Write Thank You Cards
STEP 16: Progress Report
STEP 17: Progress Report
FACILITIES IMPACT FORM You must get prior
intended for this project.
n/a

March 10th, 2016

March 11th, 2016
March 14th, 2016
March 18th, 2016
March 25th, 2016
approval to use any facility

I.