The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and the International Food Information Council Foundation unveiled the launch of “Bringing Biotechnology to Life,” at World Food Prize 2015 Borlaug Dialogue international symposium. This curriculum is a free educational resource that aims to facilitate learning about agricultural biotechnology and its role in food production. Bringing Biotechnology to Life guides the learner through the process of understanding DNA, selective breeding, biotechnology and GMOs. Students also are presented with tools to evaluate the reliability of information they see and hear.

‘Bringing Biotechnology to Life’ is a science-based classroom resource with applicable lessons related to agriculture,” said Julie Tesch, executive director of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

The resource includes seven sequential lesson plans for educators which address national learning standards for 7th to 10th grade students. Lessons focus on topics including the following:

· What is DNA?
· How can we examine DNA?
· What is Selective Breeding?
· What is Biotechnology?
· The Technology of Life
· How is Biotechnology Used?
· How do researchers compare DNA?
· Where would we be without GMOs?

A research and public presentation module also is included to encourage students to take what they have learned and present it to an audience outside the classroom.

The Bringing Biotechnology to Life learning kit is available for download at no cost at http://www.foodinsight.org/biotech-curricula or http://www.agfoundation.org/images/uploads/EG_Biotech_Final.pdf.