Student Worksheet

• GMO activity sheet
• Vocabulary Worksheet
• Vocabulary Worksheet Answer Key

Vocabulary Words

There are ten vocabulary words to be found throughout the reader. They are bold with a small explanation to help define the word.

• Print the vocabulary worksheet part 1 and 2. Students can use the worksheet to learn more about the words that will be used throughout the reader.
• Words that could be studied further to create extension are heterozygous, recessive, genotype, dominate and genetics.

Page 2

Focusing on the history of corn, students will learn that corn originates from a grass grown in Mesoamerica.

• Have students compare and contrast teosinte to modern corn using the Venn diagram in the reader.
• Students will read how corn was ground and used by many Native cultures and see a photo from the cliff dwelling of peoples of Mesa Verde. To expand learning you can have students conduct research on various agriculture practices for this area. For instance, crops were grown on the tops of the mesa so they could receive water from rainfall.
• Further research can be done about Mesa Verde as part of the social studies connections.
• Corn facts could be used to make a math connection on measurements.

Page 3

• Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a big part of the history of corn. This topic gives students the opportunity to learn what a GMO is while working on their writing skills.
• Students will start to get an idea of what a GMO is and keep expanding on that knowledge throughout the page. Have students watch the “Importance of GMOs to Farmers” video to learn more about why GMOs are important.
• Students can explore many important careers that help with the advancement of corn and other crops. Have students explore biotechnology careers with the provided QR code. Note that the website allows you to load more careers besides those found on the bottom of the first page. You could have students report on careers they found or turn this into a writing assignment.
• After researching these careers, write a short reflection (1-2 paragraphs) on which career interests you the most and why. How do you think this career could impact the future of agriculture and food production?
• Career Report:
  • After exploring, choose a career that you find interesting. For each career, include the following information in your report:
    • Job Title: What is the name of the career?
    • Job Description: What does the job involve? What are the primary responsibilities?
    • Skills Required: What skills or qualifications are needed for this career? Consider education, certifications, or technical skills.
    • Connection to Agriculture: How does this career contribute to the advancement of crops, such as corn, and biotechnology?
    • Future Outlook: What is the outlook for this career? Is it growing in demand due to advancements in biotechnology and sustainable farming?
• Have students complete the GMO activity. It will help students understand what genetically modified foods are, especially corn, and how and why they were created.
  • Students will learn to use appropriate vocabulary to identify and construct an argument for the benefits and potential cons of genetically modified foods.
  • Students will root their C.E.R writing and arguments with evidence using various resources in the activity sheet.
• Optional: Have students use this link provided by the Smithsonian in 2020 for corn history.

Page 4

This Corn Science Investigation is a great time to continue the discussion about genetic modifications and selective breeding strategies for many different foods. Students will be working on Punnett squares for corn traits.

• The lab is set up to discuss normal and albino corn. You could change this to tall and dwarf corn if you choose.
• For materials, you can use any color craft pom poms or adapt to use supplies you have available. Make sure the items used are two colors and the same type of item.
• If you choose to change the genes that are being modeled, make sure that you provide or have students find out which are the dominant and which are the recessive before beginning.