Implications Of Selective Breeding, Cloning & Genetic Engineering

D. Crowley, 2007

Implications Of Selective Breeding, Cloning, & Genetic Engineering

To understand the implications on society of selective breeding, cloning and genetic modification

Friday, April 21, 2023

Recap

What is selective breeding?

Selective breeding is a process used to produce different breeds of animals or varieties of plants that have useful characteristics

Using selective breeding you can produce a specific offspring with useful characteristics of both parents via breeding only the organisms with the characteristics you want (or organisms with similar characteristics)

Recap

What is cloning?

Cloning is the production of genetically identical copies

This can occur naturally (potatoe plants), or via human intervention (Dolly the sheep)

Recap

What is genetic engineering?

Genetic engineering takes genes from one organism, and places them into the chromosomes of another organism. It alters an organism's genetic code, and works because there is only one code for life

Enzymes are used to cut up and join together parts of the DNA of one organism, and insert them into the DNA of another organism. In the resulting new organism the inserted genes will code for one or more new characteristics - for example producing a new substance, or performing a new function

Super Mouse

Task

Your task today is to work in a small group to argue the case for / against one of the topics below: - Selective breeding Cloning Genetic modification

Your arguments need to contain well thought out reasons for your standpoint (including moral, ethical and scientific points)

You will have 25 minutes to prepare for the debate During this time you must write down your topic and the pros and cons

of it in your book

You must then make some key notes as preparation for the debate

Debate

During the debate you must stand on the ‘for’ side or the ‘against’ side

After the different groups speak you will be given an opportunity to challenge what they are saying

Hopefully by the end of the debate you will have decided for yourself if selective breeding, cloning and genetic engineering is an overall benefit to human society, or if it should not be allowed