Student Name: Mya Sherman :)

● The Big Question:

Considering both points of view, does one side’s argument outweigh the others?

● Debate Preparation: You will participate in a collaborative discussion, or

debate. Next week each student must come to the discussion prepared with
written responses to each of the four questions below.
▪ Use your “Benefits & Concerns” research notes (Google doc) &
SQWORL resources http://sqworl.com/vbe0ea to help guide you.
▪ Include CITATIONS (quoted text from articles, websites, etc.) as
evidence of your claims.
▪ Use the argumentative sentence stems & transitions (last page) to
create strong claims.
▪ Be prepared to argue both sides (Pro or Con) of Genetically Modified
Foods.

● Color-Coding: Use the following color-codes for the argument writing

essentials:
● Claims (a statement that can be argued and proven with evidence)
● Citations (quoted evidence from another source)
● Statistics (facts with numbers based on data collection)

● Commenting: Identify in your own writing when you appeal to each

persuasive technique. Instead of color-coding, use the COMMENT button.
● Ethos (Credibility, Reputation, Citing from a university study, etc.)
● Logos (Using Logic, Facts, Statistics, Reason, etc.)
● Pathos (Appealing to Emotions, Imagination, Feelings, Fear, etc.)
Answer each question in a detailed paragraph(s) using the directions on page 1:

1. Considering both points of view (Benefits & Concerns of GMOs), how does each side’s
argument outweigh the others?

80 percent of America’s favorite packaged food consists of false DNA. Soy, corn,

sugar, oils, and many more are full of genes that aren’t like itself. The GMOs that are being

injected into each item include much more nutrients and vitamins which can help heal people

around the world that are suffering from a vast variety of illnesses. Luckily, these GMOs

enhance the nutrients in the food to make them more effective in the human body. For

example, Golden Rice has been mixed with genes of a daffodil and soil bacterium which allows

it to increase its amount of vitamin A. One article that explains the positive and negative

effects says, “For example, engineers are able to create rice that has vitamin A and iron.

The modified rice is more nutritious” (Should the US. . .). Vitamin A deficiency is a huge

problem is third-world countries such as Africa. The 500,000 children that are suffering

from vitamin A deficiency are losing their eyesight and are losing strength in their bones.

The Golden Rice Humanitarian Board explains the unfortunate effects to a lack of vitamin A,

“Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is considered to be one of the most harmful forms of

malnutrition in the developing world. It can cause blindness, limit growth, and weaken the

body's immune system, thereby increasing morbidity and mortality” (The Golden Rice

Project). This explains how we need GMOs to fight the lack of nutrients in the world. Clearly,

GMOs are a simple solution to fighting VAD and other health issues.

Allergic reaction, stronger bacteria, less effective vaccines, bad for the environment -

there is no end to the list of concerns that come along with GMOs. Genetically Modified

foods could evolve into potential issues. Thousands of trusted organizations have released

studies showing the negative impacts that GMOs have had on the world. One main issue is the
 harmful effects that GMOs have on the environment. The Institute of Responsible

Technology says, “GM crops and their associated herbicides can harm birds, insects,

amphibians, marine ecosystems, and soil organisms” (10 Reason to Avoid GMOs). This quote

explains the crucial impact that GMOs have on our world. Eventually, if the GM herbicides

continue to be exposed in the world, then our children may not be able to chase around

butterflies or swim in the ocean with the 229,000 known marine species. On top of this, due

to the lack of labeling, there is a high risk of allergic reactions from food because there is

no way to know what is truly inside your food. Another credible source talks about how GMOs

could increase allergic reactions, “BT toxin, designed to kill pests that eat crops, caused

allergies and other responses” (GMO - Negative Impacts). From this quote, we can conclude

that there are several downsides to GMOs. And that’s not all! There are countless studies

that prove that GMOs are very concerning to the world.

Overall, I believe that GMOs have a positive effect of the world and will help make

our world a better place. As scientists continue to learn more and continue experimenting, we

may be able to erase the concerns and be eating GM food without a doubt in our minds.

2. If you were the President of the United States with a struggling economy, high obesity, and
overpopulation, would you encourage more GMO production or restrict it?

If I were President of the United States, I would encourage GMOs because,

although they pose many concerns, they have never killed anybody and are proven to have

solved world issues. The GM Crops & Food association explains the impact that GM foods

have had on the economy, “This annual updated analysis shows that there have been very

significant net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $18.8 billion in 2012 and

$116.6 billion for the 17-year period. . .” (Economic impact of GM crops). From this citation,
 you can see the amount of money made in a 17 year period. The price is much more

significant than before. $18.8 billion is enough money to buy about 58,000 pickup trucks! So,

due to the increase in money in the economy, I would encourage GMOs if I were the

president.

3. Considering GMO foods you have researched, which do you believe is most beneficial (helpful)
to a civilization and why?

I think the most beneficial effect of GMOs is how fast the crops can be produced.

In third-world places such as Africa, where starvation is more relevant, this type of GM

food will be very useful because if there is more of the food, it will become less valuable and

be less expensive. One essay that talks about the positive and negative effects of GMOs

says, “Genetically engineering food could help feed the 800 million undernourished people in

the world” (Should the U.S Support. . .). Because GMOs help to rapidly produce crops, they

could help to feed the millions of starving people. Just imagine being a starving child in

Africa and alas there is food on the table - thanks to the GM food. This is why I believe the

most beneficial effect of GMOs is the mass production of crops.

4. Which GMO foods do you believe is most detrimental (harmful) to a civilization and why?

The most dangerous GMO impact to a civilization is how they could cause allergic

reactions. This is because, for some people, death is part of an allergic reaction. Also,

because you wouldn’t expect it, you may not have the proper tools or medications on hand to

control the reaction. The Institute for Responsible Technology states, “These unlabeled

genetically modified (GM) foods carry a risk of triggering life-threatening allergic

reactions, and evidence collected over the past decade now suggests that they are

contributing to higher allergy rates” (Genetically Modified Foods. . .). Using this information,

I can conclude that these GM foods are a very high risk that are caused by another issue

which is that hardly any of the food that is crossbred with other genes is not labeled. One

source named “Just Label It” talk about the low percentage of states in the world that have

agreed to labeling their GM crops, “Currently, 64 countries around the world require labeling

of genetically modified foods” (Labeling Around the World). Sadly, out of the few countries

that have labels, the United States is not one of them. This is why allergic reactions are the

most concerning effect of GMOs.