Our experience of the last year

EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCE GUIDE
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

FOOD EVOLUTION EDUCATIONAL

OUTREACH COALITION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

ABOUT THE FILM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

AN OVERVIEW OF KEY THEMES . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

HOSTING A CLASSROOM OR CAMPUS

VIEWING OF FOOD EVOLUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

SCREENING GUIDELINES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CLASSROOM MINI UNIT.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

STUDENT HANDOUTS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION . . . . . . 50

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

ABOUT IFT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

2 FOOD EVO LUTION

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
BRINGING FOOD EVOLUTION INTO THE CLASSROOM

T
his Educational Resource Guide was Additionally, the Screening Guidelines section
created with educators in mind and can be provides activities that can be performed in
used in a variety of ways in the classroom, a group or individually before watching the
as well as in more informal educational settings film, while watching it, and afterwards, to
like community screenings, farmers markets, provide an opportunity for analysis and making
connections. The subsequent lesson plan
workshops, after-school programs, community
provides teachers with specific procedures that
education programs, or training sessions.
drill down into some of the important themes
and topics that the film presents, making
The history, implications, problems, and
connections to national curriculum standards
potential solutions surrounding food
in a variety of courses, formatted for classroom
sustainability, agricultural technology, organic
use. And because one of the main messages of
farming, corporate greed, climate change
the film is the importance of activism, there is a
and the environment, the international
comprehensive section of social action project
economy, and global hunger are complex
prompts that provide educators and students
and nuanced and have been studied, written
opportunities to deepen their exploration of
about, and explored by many academics,
the topics that the film and this guide raise
policy makers, and experts alike. This guide
and turn their understanding into action—both
does NOT endeavor to do the same; rather,
locally and nationally.
we hope to shed a new light on how these
issues affect individuals and communities by
By learning more about the issues raised in
learning about them through the lens of critical
this film, and perhaps more importantly, the
thinking and the everyday application of the
significance of critical thinking, analyzing
scientific method. Because the stories and
information as we consume it, and the
themes explored in the film cannot be fully
application of the scientific method in everyday
understood without context, some abridged
life, we hope to foster productive dialogues
background information is included—but more
around the country that can lead to real and
comprehensive background information can
sustainable change.
be found by exploring the organizations and
websites listed in the Additional Resources
section of this guide.

“FOOD EVOLUTION makes some fascinating points

about human behavior … about how we don’t make
decisions based on facts as often as we think we do. This
documentary may not change your mind, but it will make
you consider what caused you to decide in the first place.”
—Kenneth Turan,
Los Angeles Times

FOOD EVOLUTION 3
 DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
FROM SCOTT HAMILTON KENNEDY

IS FOOD EVOLUTION While on first glance I can see why some people might call

“PRO-GMO” OR FOOD EVOLUTION a “pro-GMO” film, if you look a bit deeper,

the GMO controversy is a metaphor for the importance of using
“PRO-SCIENCE”?
the scientific method to make informed decisions.

Or as our esteemed narrator Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson put it

at our world premiere in New York City:
“WHEN RESULTS ARE
REPEATED AND FOUND
TO BE TRUE, THAT IS
SCIENTIFIC TRUTH.”
“LAWS SHOULD BE
BASED ON TRUTH.”

“…OR THAT IS THE END OF AN

INFORMED DEMOCRACY.”

PHOTOS: MARGARITA CORPORAN, BLACK VALLEY FILMS

THE RESPONSE TO THE FILM HAS BEEN AMAZING.

Following FOOD EVOLUTION’s from cautious or fearful about
theatrical release in the summer GMOs to, thanks to the science
of 2017, the critical response and data presented in the
has been incredible, including film, informed not only about
receiving and maintaining 100% GMOs, but about how to use
on Rotten Tomatoes. And at the scientific method to make
hundreds of screenings around decisions in all aspects of our
the world, we have seen the lives.
film’s power to change minds

4 FOOD EVO LUTION

 “I am happy to see the huge interest in
“I applaud the
today’s showing of FOOD EVOLUTION.
makers of this film
It shows that the topic of biotechnology
for taking the time
is an important one, and we are promoting
to examine the
a constructive dialogue on this topic in
multiple arguments
the European Parliament.
within this debate.
This is a good film,
When it comes to the GMO debate,
an extraordinary
problems arise when value systems
film, and I’m proud
are confused with facts and political
that it’s being
decisions are dressed up as science based
shown right here
when they are not. Questioning the safety
in our nation’s
of GMOs is like denying climate change.
capital.”
If policy makers rely more on alternative
—SENATOR PAT ROBERTS,
facts than science, it makes our mission Chairman of the U.S.
even more challenging.” Senate Committee
on Agriculture,
—Jens Gieseke, Nutrition and Forestry,
Member of the European Capitol Hill screening
Parliament from Germany

THE RESPONSE FROM SCIENTISTS AND

POLICYMAKERS HAS BEEN JUST AS STRONG.
We have had the honor of And we are happy to say that the
screening FOOD EVOLUTION impact of FOOD EVOLUTION
at the National Academy is growing as we reach more
of Sciences, Capitol Hill, communities around the world.
the European Parliament in We are especially excited
Belgium, the U.S. Mission about the educational front,
to the United Nations Food connecting the film with students
and Agriculture Organization from 6th grade through to college
Director Scott Hamilton in Rome, and many more and university postgraduates.
Kennedy presenting FOOD prestigious settings. We invite you to participate in
EVOLUTION to the FAO in Rome.
this important conversation.
PHOTO: ALISON VAN EENENNAAM

FOOD EVOLUTION 5
FOOD EVOLUTION
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH COALITION

GALVANIZING THE COMMUNITY AROUND FOOD EVOLUTION

I
n today’s “post-truth” society, it is more crucial high-school, and college students—and
than ever that each of us become informed communities at large—to use the scientific
consumers of information. If each of us—from method to guide their decision-making.
parents to politicians—fails to use science and This guide, which serves as the curricular
data to help us curb our biases and get outside cornerstone of the Educational Outreach
Coalition, is meant to mobilize stakeholders in
of our bubbles, then, to quote Mark Lynas
the educational community and in communities
from the film, all public dialogue will become
at large to think differently about how they
simply “an amorphous blob of competing world
consume information, how they interact
views.” The most effective way to interrupt this
with evidence, and how these processes
disintegration of public discourse is to enable
feed into how we look to solve the problems
educators and students to rethink the way they that face us as a global community—such as
approach questions and the way they search for climate change, food sustainability, and the
answers. Since its theatrical release in June 2017, management of public discourse. To meet
FOOD EVOLUTION has been shifting hearts and these objectives, we are organizing screenings,
minds across the globe. professional development opportunities, and
other programs for communities and schools
The FOOD EVOLUTION Educational Outreach around the country.
Coalition strives to inspire middle-school,

For more information on this coalition, including how to host a screening, go to

www.foodevolutionmovie.com/host-a-screening/
or
[email protected]

6 FOOD EVO LUTION

ABOUT THE FILM

F
OOD EVOLUTION is set amidst a brutally polarized
“With a soft tone, debate marked by fear, distrust, and confusion: the
respectful to opponents controversy surrounding GMOs. Academy Award®
but insistent on the nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy travels
data, FOOD EVOLUTION from Hawaiian papaya groves to Ugandan banana farms
to cornfields in Iowa, documenting how agricultural
posits an inconvenient
technology can be used in such varied crop settings.
truth for organic
boosters to swallow: In FOOD EVOLUTION looks at one of the most critical
a world desperate for questions facing the world today—that of food security—
safe, sustainable food, and demonstrates the desperate need for common sense,
solid information, and calm logical deliberation. Using the
G.M.O.s may well be a
often angry and emotional controversy over genetically
force for good.” modified foods as its entry point, the film shows how
—Daniel Gold, easily fear and misinformation can overwhelm objective,
New York Times evidence-based analysis.

FOOD EVOLUTION takes the position that science and

scientists hold the key to solving the food crisis. But
whose science? In the GMO debate, both sides claim
science is on their side. Who’s right? How do we figure
this out? What does this mean for the larger issues of
food security, sustainability, and environmental well-
being? FOOD EVOLUTION seeks to answer these critically
important questions.

Narrated by Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, FOOD EVOLUTION

presents an inside look at how misinformation travels with
fear and the uphill battle to prove that what is accepted
might not always be true.

FOOD EVOLUTION 7
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
AN OVERVIEW OF KEY THEMES IN FOOD EVOLUTION

T
UNPACKING THE PUBLIC he survival of our species has always
depended on advances in food and
DISCOURSE AROUND agriculture. If few people dispute this
ADVANCES IN FOOD AND statement, then why do we have so much conflict,
AGRICULTURE confusion, and distrust in discussions around food
and agriculture? The answer to that is complex,
but let’s begin with what most people can agree
upon: Everyone wants safe, nutritious, affordable,
and sustainable food for the entire planet. We
also know that, as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson states
in the film, “The profit motive is a double-edged
sword. It can lead to innovation, as well as
temptation.” So the trick is to find the balance
between promoting innovation and technology,
while also checking and curbing the temptations
of greed and power.

The good news is our global food and agricultural

systems are the best they have been in the
history of humanity. More people have access to
safe and nutritious food than ever before. But at
the same time, there are still huge problems: Too
many people go hungry every day, and issues like
obesity are real and daunting.

While it is healthy to be skeptical, if people are

presented with overwhelming evidence that
should alleviate that skepticism and they still
don’t change their minds, then they are no longer
skeptics; they have become denialists. And that is
not a helpful position.

We are witnessing the rise of a “post-truth” era

where “alternative facts” may threaten our ability
to innovate and thus survive one of the biggest
challenges humans have ever faced: How are we
going to feed over nine billion people by 2050?
And while there isn’t one perfect road that will
get us there, the rigorous application of science
is the best tool we have to help us chart a safe
course through an uncertain future.

8 FOOD EVO LUTION

 SELECTIVE BREEDING: A HISTORY OF CORN

“I might argue that

a Chihuahua and
7000 BC a Great Dane are
Teosinte genetically modified
relative to their
ancestor, the wolf.”

—Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D.,

University of California, Davis

HUMANS HAVE BRED TEOSINTE FOR THOUSANDS

OF YEARS, turning a wild grass with only a few edible
kernels into the modern, abundant corn we enjoy today.

GENETIC ENGINEERING IS A MODERN FORM OF PLANT BREEDING.

A
lmost all major food how to find the genetic needle As agriculture is one of the
crops today are the in the haystack, mixing different world’s most environmentally
products of human kinds of plants together could intense practices, producing
intervention or what Charles produce negative unintended greenhouse gases, depleting
Darwin called artificial selection. consequences like toxins or water supplies, polluting
The tasty corn, watermelons, allergens. Conventional plant ecosystems with chemicals
and peaches we gobble up breeding methods remain a hit- from pesticides and fertilizers,
on a summer picnic are nearly or-miss process that is usually and clear-cutting forests for
unrecognizable from their untested and unregulated for farms that lead to the loss of
wild ancestors. This is because safety or environmental effects. biodiversity, GE can also serve
humans have bred plants as an essential tool to address
by selecting those with the We can breed plants with more climate change. By inserting,
most desirable traits since precision with a technique silencing, or altering a gene or
the beginning of modern called genetic engineering (GE). gene sequence, GE can protect
agriculture, about 10,000 In 1973, scientists inserted a crops from disease, pests,
years ago. By the 19th century, gene from one bacterium to weeds, and drought, potentially
Gregor Mendel’s research on another, conferring that trait to reducing pesticide, fertilizer, and
the hybridization of pea plants the recipient organism, creating water use, increasing yield and
found inheritance patterns that the first genetically engineered income, improving nutrition and
further targeted results and organism, often called a food safety, and contributing to
led to the field of genetics. But genetically modified organism a more sustainable environment.
since scientists did not yet know or GMO in popular culture.

FOOD EVOLUTION 9
FOOD FOR THOUGHT [CONT.]

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD VS.

THE SINGLE-STUDY SYNDROME

T
he Royal Society is the world’s oldest is often referred to as critical thinking,
scientific society in continuous existence. troubleshooting, or problem solving. With
Formed in the 1660s and now comprising greater access to conflicting information at
some 1,600 eminent scientists across the globe, our fingertips, however, it can be difficult
their motto is nullius in verba, which means to to uncover the truth about a complex
take no one’s word. Rather than being swayed scientific topic. It is much easier to find one
by special interests who make up stories about simple, absolute explanation that does not
the world around us to secure power, scientists require deciphering a lot of data, especially
arrive at facts by a systematic process called if the study confirms what you already
the scientific method. By making detailed decided to believe in the first place. Once
observations of natural phenomena and using we take part in this “confirmation bias”
experimentation to test hypotheses, scientists with a community of support around the
draw conclusions based on the evidence. idea, it becomes harder to change our
The scientific method is used in everyday positions later.
life as well. Outside of scientific settings, it

“I TRUST SOCIAL MEDIA like blogs like Vani Hari’s or other moms that
even just do a post. I trust what they say more than most medical
doctors, more than the CDC, more than the FDA, more than the USDA, more
than the EPA. That’s real, I don’t need a scientific study.”
—Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America

When some anti-GMO activists cherry-pick

evidence in this way, they are engaging in
what science journalist Andrew Revkin calls
the “single-study syndrome”: selecting only
the studies that appear to support a position,
while ignoring all scientific evidence to the
contrary.

PHOTO: BLACK VALLEY FILMS

10 FOOD EVO LUTION

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“AS A SCIENTIST, when nothing
[CONT.]

seems to be working, you have to

think of alternative solutions.”
—Dennis Gonsalves,
Ph.D., Cornell University

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS

“YOU NEVER TRUST ONE SCIENTIST OR ONE
OPINION,” says Dr. Pamela Ronald in the film. “You
look at the consensus of experts in the field.” Scientists
are skeptics who challenge each other with great rigor
in the quest for truth. Scientific consensus is achieved
when most scientists, who are experts in their fields
after many years of study, come to the same conclusion.
Scientific consensus is a combination of the depth of
knowledge, repeatability of the results, and conversation In the 1990s, the PAPAYA
among scientists over time. As Dr. John Swartzberg says RINGSPOT VIRUS nearly
in the film, there are no absolute answers, and consensus destroyed this popular
is neither unanimous nor definitive forever. But science fruit crop in Hawaii.
provides the best information we have to make the most Scientist Dennis Gonsalves
informed decisions we can regarding the critical issues wondered if it would be
that affect our health and the planet. The scientific possible to “vaccinate” the
consensus is that GMOs currently on the market have no plant against this disease
known negative health or environmental consequences. by using a gene from the
This consensus is based on over 2,000 peer-reviewed virus itself. With the new
scientific studies conducted over 30 years by the world’s
technology of genetic
leading scientific institutions. Over one hundred Nobel
engineering, Dr. Gonsalves
Laureate scientists agree.
and his colleagues saved
both the fruit and an
GMOs continue to be the “most extensively tested
crops ever added to our food supply,” vetted by the
essential industry to the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United Hawaii economy.
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Even
in Europe, where there are bans in place on GMOs, the
European Commission concluded that GMOs are no
more likely to produce unintended consequences than
traditional plant breeding.

FOOD EVOLUTION 11
FOOD FOR THOUGHT [CONT.]

“(T)he science is quite clear:

crop improvement by the
WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS? modern molecular techniques
of biotechnology is safe.”
VIDEO CLIP
Please click on the play button above
to view the clip or go to bit.ly/2F9xNRL

“To date, no adverse “There is no evidence that unique

health effects attributed to hazards exist either in the use
genetic engineering have of rDNA (GE) techniques or in
been documented in the the movement of genes between
human population.” unrelated organisms.”

“All criticisms against GMOs

can be largely rejected on “In addition, no effects on human
health have been shown as a result
strictly scientific criteria.”
of the consumption of such foods
by the general population in the countries
where they have been approved.”

12 FOOD EVO LUTION

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “ORGANIC”?

A
s we learn from two organic farmers in the film, Emma Naluyima Mugerwa in Uganda and
Raoul Adamchak at the University of California, Davis, organic farming practices have
made people think about agricultural solutions in new ways, from lowering the toxicity and
negative environmental impacts of farming inputs (insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers) to finding
ways to conserve to understanding how food is grown and brought to our tables. But both Emma
and Raoul also know that there is no one perfect method of farming. It is important to note that
while some try to make the conversations around farming and food very binary (right vs. wrong,
good vs. bad, GMO vs. organic), FOOD EVOLUTION looks at the data and embraces the nuances
of ‘“yes, and,” “it depends,” and the right of farmers to decide what is best for their particular
situations.

Many pro-GMO and pro-organic farmers

are using science-based thinking to find
solutions. So let’s get past misinformation
and remind ourselves that if we must see
two sides, they aren’t organic vs. GMOs;
they’re science-based thinking vs. marketing
misinformation. One aim of the film is to
identify when some organic and natural food
companies use misinformation and fear-
mongering to sell their products. When they
attempt to convince customers that buying
organic is a safer and more nutritious choice,
that is not only scientifically false; it is also
unethical, especially when it makes people
who can’t afford organic products question
their food choices.

FOOD EVOLUTION 13
FOOD FOR THOUGHT [CONT.]

HOW WILL WE ENSURE FOOD SECURITY FOR

FUTURE GENERATIONS?

I
f the scientific consensus says GMOs are it is put toward in society. Several different
safe, why does the debate continue? Much avenues can address concerns about how any
of the reason is that the term GMO means technology may be employed. One way would
something different to each person. Concern be to increase transparency and accountability
around GMOs may not be with science but from the private sector and government
with politics, perception, and the profit motive. around scientific and technological advances.
Additional investment in science education
can help the public become better informed.

“We should have been much Finally, in one of the most comprehensive
more transparent in reaching the studies ever produced on GMOs, the National
Academy of Sciences concluded that one
public. You know as I look back,
area of concern is the domination of the
I wished that was something industry by large corporations, which could
that we would have done restrict access to the new technology for

earlier.” small farmers. Efforts to democratize our

food system, putting power, knowledge, and
—Robert Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto
resources into the hands of small farmers as
well as consumers, can help strengthen our
food system and generate confidence in it.
Given the corporate track record, from
tobacco companies hiding the health effects
of smoking to oil companies denying climate
change, to quote Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
in the film: “Corporate greed and bias have
broken the public’s trust.”

In the end, however, it is science-based

thinking and repeatable data that confirmed
the dangers of tobacco, the existence of
THE PROFIT MOTIVE IS A
climate change, and the safety of genetic
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
engineering, as well as hundreds of things we
take for granted every day of our lives.
VIDEO CLIP
The validity of the underlying science behind Please click on the play button above
to view the clip or go to bit.ly/2odifEq
genetic engineering is separate from the uses

14 FOOD EVO LUTION

HOW WILL WE ENSURE FOOD
SECURITY FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS? (cont.)
“So, while we may have
Another way to build trust in GE may be more had a crisis of trust, when
user-friendly applications. GMOs are ubiquitous in we come to our next
our food supply but one reason the public may be evolutionary fork in the road,
skeptical is because they have yet to directly see
how do we decide which
the effects of the technology. Future GMOs are
entering an exciting new phase that some refer way to go? What kind of
to as GMO 2.0, where the benefits to consumers a future will we have if we
are much more evident. In FOOD EVOLUTION, we turn our backs on credible
learn that scientists are working on non-allergenic
evidence, sound science and
peanuts and mosquitoes that can stop malaria,
dengue, and even the Zika virus. repeatable studies? What
impact will that have on
There are also more efforts to produce food for ourselves, our planet and our
human consumption rather than commodity crops,
future?”
from drought-tolerant maize and sugarcane to
—Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson,
disease-resistant bananas, wheat, and potatoes.
FOOD EVOLUTION
Scientists are looking at increasing the nutritional
potential of food, including carrots that help
people absorb more calcium or tomatoes with
greater antioxidant properties.
There is no question that human activity has
had an increasing impact on the planet and
Due to a deadly disease called trypanosomiasis,
concerns about the effects of technology on our
livestock cannot be raised on a third of the African
health and environment will persist as we enter a
continent, but GE cows could survive the disease,
dangerous and uncertain future. While we can’t
providing food and tilling fields for poor farmers.
return to the Garden of Eden, socially responsible
science and technology can help us identify
Scientists are also finding ways to bring nearly
the problems and come up with answers. If we
extinct heirloom species, such as the American
pursue solutions from a position of knowledge
chestnut tree, back to life. Even further afield is
and reason, rather than misinformation and fear,
the possibility of self-fertilizing crops, which pull
the possibilities that science offers us are infinite.
nitrogen out of the atmosphere, increasing crop
yield without pollution. Someday we may be able
to grow biodegradable plastics, which would
eliminate the need to use petroleum or coal to
produce our current plastics that are damaging to
our health and the environment.

FOOD EVOLUTION 15
HOSTING A CLASSROOM OR CAMPUS
VIEWING OF FOOD EVOLUTION

HOW TO SCREEN Start by reading the Screening and License FAQs, which can be found
on our website at: https://www.foodevolutionmovie.com/faq/
FOOD EVOLUTION
If you’re interested in an educational screening, event, or getting
involved in the Educational Outreach Coalition, contact Big Picture
Educational at: [email protected]

...and our educational team will get you started!

RECOMMENDED FOOD EVOLUTION moves quickly and is rich with information—much

of which is quite nuanced. Yet while it may be sophisticated enough
AUDIENCES to spark debates among agricultural science professionals and post-
graduate students, it is entertaining and accessible enough for any
layperson: the intent of this film is to enlighten, inspire, and engage all
audiences to rethink their position in the polarized discourse around
technology and food.

Therefore, the film can be used with audiences from middle schools
and high schools to communities and families, to universities, graduate
programs, and for professional development.

In addition, the film, when paired with the lessons in this guide,
provides an opportunity for classroom and community educators to
explore all of these issues in the context of a number of educational
standards, including civics, language arts, world history, the sciences,
media studies, and media literacy, to name a few.
16 FOOD EVO LUTION
 While the experience, prior knowledge, and existing
biases of each screening group will be different,
“We wanted to screen the conversation around scientific consensus,
agricultural technology, and the many political,
FOOD EVOLUTION social, and economic factors, among others, that
because the film starts play into these themes can be perplexing and
the process of breaking polarizing. Be sensitive to the level of exposure,
knowledge, and experience of your audience and
down an emotional and structure your discussion and activities to reflect
fraught issue into its that particular group.
component parts [...] We
think it’s a crucial next
step in the conversation
about feeding the world’s
population today and
in the future. Everyone
with an opinion about
GMO foods, whether for,
against or undecided,
should see this film.”
—Jane Metcalfe,
founder, NEO.LIFE, and
co-founder, Wired magazine

PHOTO: MARIA CORPORAN, BLACK VALLEY FILMS

FOOD EVOLUTION 17
SCREENING GUIDELINES
FOOD FOR THOUGHT [CONT.]

PRE-VIEWING GUIDELINES
1. Create a chart on the chalkboard, white board, or chart paper.

2. Ask the group, “What is one challenge that we are facing on a global scale?” Allow time
for volunteers. Chart their responses on the board or chart paper in the “CHALLENGE”
column.

3. Ask the group, “How would one begin to look for answers to these challenges? In theory,
what sorts of steps should we take to find solutions?” Again allow time for volunteers and
chart responses on the board or chart paper in the “SOLUTION” column.

4. Conduct a short, whole group discussion using some or all of the following questions as a
guide:

ӹӹ How could you turn the challenges we listed into questions? How does viewing a
problem as a question start the solution process?
ӹӹ What do all of these problems have in common? What do the solutions have in
common?
ӹӹ What do you currently do that makes you part of the problem? What do you currently
do that makes you part of the solution?
ӹӹ What else could you do to help solve these problems?
ӹӹ How can science help solve these problems?
ӹӹ What makes these problems global? How do you see them manifesting nationally and
locally as well?

5. Before the film, ask the group, “By a show of hands, how many of you fear or have concerns
about your safety or the safety of the environment with regard to GMOs?”

6. Count the hands so you can compare it to a show of hands after the film.

7. Then, provide a brief introduction based on your objectives. Refer to the About The Film
section (page 7) of this guide for a general description and the Food For Thought section
(pages 8-15) for background information and context on the topics of agricultural science,
scientific consensus, GE technology, media literacy, and others.

18 FOOD EVO LUTION

POST-VIEWING GUIDELINES
1. Now ask the group again, “By a show of hands, how many of you fear or have concerns
about your safety or the safety of the environment with regard to GMOs?” Count the hands
so you can compare it to the show of hands from before the film.

2. Ask for volunteers who raised their hands before viewing, but not after viewing, to explain
what changed their minds about GMOs. Encourage volunteers to share specific examples
and moments from the film that they felt affected their opinions.

3. Conduct a whole group discussion using some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What is one thing that surprised you in this film?

ӹӹ What is one new piece of data that you got from this film about GMOs and the history of
GE technology?
ӹӹ After watching this film, why do you think there is such a difference between public
opinion and scientific consensus when it comes to GMOs?
ӹӹ After viewing this film, what are your thoughts on the role of independent science and
scientists in society at large?
ӹӹ What are some ways you can advocate for the application of science and the scientific
method in your daily life?
ӹӹ What are some small changes you can make to work toward a sustainable,
environmentally friendly global food supply?

Note: For more in-depth discourse, see the Classroom Mini Unit and Questions for Further
Discussion sections of this guide.

FOOD EVOLUTION 19
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
SCREENING GUIDELINES [CONT.]
[CONT.]

ACTION STEPS
Use the following project prompts to encourage viewers to take their learning beyond the
classroom or screening room. Once they’ve gained new knowledge and insight, these project
prompts can get them to turn that knowledge into action.

• Go to your local supermarket or take a look in your fridge or pantry and make a list of 10
packaged products that you eat most often (e.g., pasta, cereal, milk, snack bars). Look
carefully at the packaging. Note specific details such as the colors, font sizes, images,
and descriptive language. Note which aspects of the food the manufacturers chose
to highlight—nutritional content? Flavor? Something else? Write down everything you
noticed and then consider: What do these packaging choices tell you about the food?
How does the package design influence what you think about the food? Find differences
in packaging, nutritional values, and labeling in the foods you list. How are two different
pastas packaged differently, and what perception does the consumer get from these
different packages? After completing this exercise, consider: What purpose does food
packaging serve, and why is it so influential in our economy?

• Research the difference in public opinions on GMOs in the United States, Europe, Asia,
and Africa. Write a first-person monologue or journal entry from the perspective of a
commodity or subsistence farmer from each of those continents and compare them. How
do these personal narratives overlap? How are they different? What do you notice about
each perspective in relation to the GMO debate? What can you learn about similar debates
by completing this creative writing exercise? See if you can publish one or more of these
narratives in a local or school newspaper, with an editorial about the global food crisis.
What other ways can you use your writings to help your peers and neighbors to engage in
a productive dialogue around science, technology, and the future of our planet?

• With your classmates, colleagues, or friends, create two small groups, one pro-GMO and
the other anti-GMO. Each side will run a full campaign for its position. The campaign must
include:

ӹӹ Campaign Video
ӹӹ Campaign Twitter (at least 15 tweets with cited facts)
ӹӹ Graphic Organizer that shows your campaign goals, an overview of your campaign, and
full rationale behind it
ӹӹ 500-word Campaign Speech
ӹӹ Campaign Trail – Map out which states to visit, and which to fundraise in, and explain
why you chose these geographical locations and how they relate to your campaign
goals.

20 FOOD EVO LUTION

ACTION STEPS [CONT.]

• Any time a person seeks to answer a question with replicable evidence, they are employing
the scientific method. Think of some examples of how a person might employ replicable
evidence, hypothesis testing, research, and the other steps of the scientific method in
everyday life (e.g., deciding on an item to purchase, treating a minor injury, choosing a
restaurant, planning a trip, etc.). Write up a “case study” showing how the steps of the
scientific method can be utilized in this circumstance to come to a conclusion. Then, write
up a contrasting case study wherein the scientific method is NOT utilized. How might the
decision be made based on emotions, hearsay, and assumptions, rather than facts? How
is the outcome affected? Note: For more information on the scientific method, please see
page 27 of this guide.

• Research how organic farms operate.

How are they created? What makes
a farm organic? What does a farmer
need to do to make his or her farm an
“organic farm”? Next, visit your local
farmers market and find out which
farmers use organic or conventional
agricultural practices. Which use GM
seed? Which use pesticides? Is the
line between practices as clear as you
thought? Map out a plan for a personal
or community garden, taking ideas from
organic farming to create a sustainable
source of food for the community.

• At the Intelligence Squared U.S. debate, Margaret Mellon says, “If you want to feed hungry
people around the world, I can give you a list of ten things to do. You can build roads, you
can raise their incomes, you can change the role of women, you can help people make
their own decisions about what they want to grow and help them grow it.” Robert Fraley
responds, “I absolutely agree. It’s a complicated question that will take all of the tools we
have. I couldn’t agree more.” Both sides of the GMO debate fiercely defend their positions,
but to come to a consensus on GMOs, we need to find common ground. Make a list of the
most likely areas where each side might start to find agreement and invite someone on
each side to try to agree.

• In a healthy intellectual environment, scientists, policymakers, politicians, academics,

and citizens are able to fiercely defend their positions, but simultaneously find common
ground to establish consensus and successfully create change—and be willing to change
their minds, if the facts deem it necessary. Create a list of topics or issues where you think
opposing sides might find common ground in order to create consensus. Invite members
of your community to come together to discuss the issue and see if they can find points
upon which they agree.

FOOD EVOLUTION 21
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
SCREENING GUIDELINES [CONT.]
[CONT.]

ACTION STEPS [CONT.]

• Host a debate between friends, family, or colleagues about any “hot-button” issue in
today’s headlines. Who is pro, who is con, and what evidence do they use to support their
positions? How do their positions relate to their stances on other scientific questions, to
their political leanings, and religious beliefs?

• Consider joining your campus science club. Think of ways that science can be used and
promoted on campus to create a more informed student body comprised of critical
consumers of information.

• Design the kitchen of the future. Consider what is in your kitchen today. What will be there
in 10 years? Reimagine the refrigerator and freezer. What new appliances might exist? What
would shelf-stable food look like? How might smartphone technology be integrated into
the kitchen? Consider how the future kitchen might deal with food waste. Will you have a
3D food printer? How will it work? Include a floor plan and be creative!

• How can we talk about FOOD and not talk about FOOD WASTE? What is food waste, and
how can it be mitigated or repurposed? To explore these questions, do some research. How
much food is thrown away or wasted in your school? What does your school do with extra
food from the cafeteria or food that is thrown away as trash? Work with your peers to
start a campus food recycling program, organize food donations to a local food bank, start
a school garden, a school composting program, or another campus initiative that looks at
ways that food waste can be put to good use.

• Research how science and technology can revolutionize personal nutrition. Will science
allow us to personalize everything? Explain.

• What do you know about food fraud (e.g., fake sushi, purposefully mislabeled food, meat
being passed off for a different grade)? What is it? Have you seen it? What are its
implications? What can be done—in terms of science, policy, and industry—to put an end
to food fraud?

• Research the history and evolution of shelf-life and best-by dates on food. What foods last
the longest? Why are some foods dated differently than others? How are best-by dates
calculated? Is this sort of shelf-life labeling a benefit or hindrance for consumers? Why?

• Conduct some research on the history of dieting and diets. What are some of the biggest
diet trends and fads over the last 100 years? How has our culture’s attitudes about
diet evolved over the years? What seems to work, what doesn’t, and why? How does
agricultural and food technology relate to consumer diet trends?

22 FOOD EVO LUTION

JOINING THE
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH COALITION

Use this guide to host your own screening of FOOD EVOLUTION for a group in your area
(for example, your school, church, public library) and provide an opportunity for an honest
discussion about community concerns. Invite pro- and anti-GMO scientists, parents, students,
and activists to participate. Consider planning your event around a special day or month like
National Nutrition Month.

REMINDER: For more information on the coalition,

including how to host a screening, go to

www.foodevolutionmovie.com/host-a-screening/
or
[email protected]

FOOD EVOLUTION 23
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]

ABOUT THIS MINI UNIT

How does the public become informed about the important issues that affect us? What is the
difference between opinion and fact, and how do these differences affect policy and public safety?
How much of what we think is fact is actually opinion? How does public opinion form? These big
questions and related issues are explored in this cross-curricular, multimedia lesson for middle and
high school students studying the sciences, civics, media literacy, and more. While the lesson is
geared toward participants aged 13-18, it can be easily modified for other age groups.

Vocabulary building, large group discussion, small group work, critical

TECHNIQUES
and analytical thinking, supporting ideas with examples, comparing and
+ SKILLS contrasting information sources, research, listening skills, expository,
creative, and responsive writing.

CURRICULUM This lesson fits in perfectly with units that address curriculum standards

CONNECTIONS in the sciences, including agricultural and environmental science, social

studies, civics, media literacy, language arts, thinking and reasoning,
film studies, conflict mediation and resolution, expository and creative
writing, and service learning.

KEYWORDS Scientific method, hypothesis, experiment, analyze, correlation,

+ PHRASES causation, spurious, conclusion, data, sustainability, genetics, modify,
agriculture, climate, corporate, stakeholder, toxicity, perception,
influence.

REQUIREMENTS LESSON PREPARATION

MATERIALS MATERIALS
ӹӹ Whiteboard and markers, chalkboard and ӹӹ Prepare a DVD player, television set or
chalk, or chart paper and markers monitor, and a DVD of the film FOOD
ӹӹ Monitor/projector, DVD player, or computer EVOLUTION
with internet access ӹӹ Prepare copies of Student Handouts for
ӹӹ Notebook paper distribution
ӹӹ Student Handouts

TIME
ӹӹ 6 periods

24 FOOD EVO LUTION

SAMPLE STANDARDS ALIGNMENTS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7
Determine the meaning of words and Integrate and evaluate multiple sources
phrases as they are used in a text, of information presented in diverse
including figurative, connotative, formats and media (e.g., visually,
and technical meanings; analyze the quantitatively, as well as in words) in
cumulative impact of specific word order to address a question or solve a
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how problem.
the language of a court opinion differs
from that of a newspaper). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.B
Work with peers to promote civil,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2
democratic discussions and decision-
Write informative/explanatory texts to making, set clear goals and deadlines,
examine and convey complex ideas, and establish individual roles as needed.
concepts, and information clearly
and accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and analysis of CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.C
content. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that probe
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.3 reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing
for a full range of positions on a topic or
Evaluate various explanations for issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas
actions or events and determine which and conclusions; and promote divergent
explanation best accords with textual and creative perspectives.
evidence, acknowledging where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.D
Respond thoughtfully to diverse
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 perspectives; synthesize comments,
Determine the central ideas or claims, and evidence made on all sides
information of a primary or secondary of an issue; resolve contradictions when
source; provide an accurate summary of possible; and determine what additional
how key events or ideas develop over the information or research is required to
course of the text. deepen the investigation or complete the
task.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, Write arguments to support claims in an
including vocabulary describing political, analysis of substantive topics or texts,
social, or economic aspects of history/ using valid reasoning and relevant and
social science. sufficient evidence.

FOOD EVOLUTION 25
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

SAMPLE STANDARDS ALIGNMENTS

MS-LS1-5 FROM MOLECULES TO ORGANISMS: HS-LS2-7 ECOSYSTEMS: INTERACTIONS,

STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES ENERGY, AND DYNAMICS
Construct a scientific explanation based Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for
on evidence for how environmental and reducing the impacts of human activities
genetic factors influence the growth of on the environment and biodiversity.
organisms.
HS-LS3-1 HEREDITY: INHERITANCE AND
MS-LS2-1 ECOSYSTEMS: INTERACTIONS, VARIATION OF TRAITS
ENERGY, AND DYNAMICS Ask questions to clarify relationships
Analyze and interpret data to provide about the role of DNA and chromosomes
evidence for the effects of resource in coding the instructions for
availability on organisms and populations characteristic traits passed from parents
of organisms in an ecosystem. to offspring.

HS-ESS3-1 EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY

MS-LS3-1 HEREDITY: INHERITANCE AND
VARIATION OF TRAITS Construct an explanation based on
evidence for how the availability of
Develop and use a model to describe natural resources, occurrence of natural
why structural changes to genes hazards, and changes in climate have
(mutations) located on chromosomes influenced human activity.
may affect proteins and may result in
harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects
HS-ESS3-2 EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY
to the structure and function of the
organism. Evaluate competing design solutions
for developing, managing, and utilizing
MS-LS4-5 BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION: UNITY AND energy and mineral resources based on
DIVERSITY cost-benefit ratios.

Gather and synthesize information about HS-ESS3-4 EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY
the technologies that have changed the
way humans influence the inheritance of Evaluate or refine a technological
desired traits in organisms. solution that reduces impacts of human
activities on natural systems.

MS-ESS3-5 EARTH AND HUMAN ACTIVITY

HS-ETS1-1 ENGINEERING DESIGN
Ask questions to clarify evidence of the
Analyze a major global challenge to
factors that have caused the rise in global
specify qualitative and quantitative
temperatures over the past century.
criteria and constraints for solutions that
account for societal needs and wants.
HS-LS2-2 ECOSYSTEMS: INTERACTIONS,
ENERGY, AND DYNAMICS HS-ETS1-2 ENGINEERING DESIGN
Use mathematical representations to Design a solution to a complex real-world
support and revise explanations based problem by breaking it down into smaller,
on evidence about factors affecting more manageable problems that can be
biodiversity and populations in solved through engineering.
ecosystems of different scales.

26 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY ONE
1. As students enter the classroom, distribute Student Handout: Medical Press Advisory
(page 44).

2. Allow 5-10 minutes for them to read the advisory and take notes on what they’ve read.

3. After the class has had time to read and notate the handout, conduct a short, whole group
discussion, using the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What are your thoughts on this press release?

ӹӹ What questions does the press release raise for you?
ӹӹ Do you think that this press release is accurate or inaccurate? Why?
ӹӹ What scientific information does this release communicate?
ӹӹ What data does the press release reference to back up its claims?
ӹӹ How might you go about proving or disproving the claims set forth in the press release?
ӹӹ What words are used in the document to give the claims authority?
ӹӹ What other tactics are used to make the information in the release seem authoritative?
ӹӹ Can you relate this document to anything you’ve ever encountered in “real life”? Explain.

4. Ask the class, “What is the scientific method?” and allow time for students to volunteer
their own responses.

5. Explain that the scientific method is a process used by scientists to solve questions or
problems, using observation, experimentation, and analysis.

6. On the chalkboard, white board, or on chart paper, outline the following steps that
comprise the scientific method:

1. Ask a Question
2. Offer a Hypothesis
3. Test the Hypothesis with Experiments
4. Analyze the Data
5. Draw Conclusions

7. Discuss each step with the class, allowing for student volunteers to offer examples and
definitions of each step. Record student responses on the board.

8. Ask the class if they think the authors of the press release used the scientific method (or
relied on scientifically proven information as their source). Ask them why or why not?
Allow a few minutes for a robust debate.

FOOD EVOLUTION 27
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY ONE [CONT.]

9. Offer the following information: It is true that the following ailments increase during the
summer months in North America and that certain cancers can be traced to activities that
take place more often during the summer (skin cancer from sun exposure, pancreatic cancer
from carcinogens in charred meat).

ӹӹ Water-borne illnesses, including gastroenteritis, eye infections, skin lesions, and more
ӹӹ Food poisoning
ӹӹ Drowning
ӹӹ Heatstroke
ӹӹ Sunburn
ӹӹ Lightning strikes
ӹӹ Lyme disease
ӹӹ West Nile virus
ӹӹ Poison ivy, oak, sumac
ӹӹ Car accidents
ӹӹ Ear infections
ӹӹ Burns – from grills, fireworks, bonfires

10. Point out that while there is a higher incidence of these illnesses and ailments in the summer
months, it is NOT true that sunlight is toxic. Ask the class: If there is a higher incidence of
these ailments when there is more exposure to sunlight, then WHY is it not proof that sunlight
is toxic?

11. Write the following terms on the board: CORRELATION and CAUSATION. Explain that
correlation is when two pieces of information relate to one another in some way and that
causation is when one piece of information CAUSES the other. Many times, data can
CORRELATE to one another, but neither data point CAUSES the other. Offer the example:
“Every time a traffic light turns red, the taxi I’m riding in stops.” In this example, the light
turning red CORRELATES to the taxi stopping, but does not CAUSE the taxi to stop. Or,
“When I am exposed to additional sunlight, I am at a higher risk for poison ivy.” Longer days
may correlate with a higher risk of poison ivy, but it does not CAUSE poison ivy infection.

28 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY ONE [CONT.]

12. Elicit additional examples from the class of two data points that might correlate but not be
causal.

NOTE:
For fun, share the website “Spurious Correlations” with the class, created
by a student at Harvard University, which displays graph after graph
of data sets that correlate but are otherwise unrelated, including, for
example, the consumption of margarine to divorce and the total revenue
generated by arcades to the number of doctorates awarded:

http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

13. Remind the class that there was a time when everyone—even scientists—believed that the
earth was flat. Ask for volunteers to call out some of the observations that lead people to
come to this conclusion (e.g., the straight horizon, the appearance of the sun and moon,
their belief in multiple gods, etc.).

14. As a quick recap, discuss the various ways that people can come to faulty conclusions:
correlation vs. causation, assumptions based on superficial evidence, fear, incomplete
analysis of data, etc. Map the students’ responses on the board or on chart paper as a word
web:

15. Break the class up into pairs and distribute a copy of Student Handout: Scientific Method
(page 45) to each pair.

16. Instruct the pairs to complete the first column based on the press release handout. What
sorts of experiments and analysis would they conduct in order to arrive at the conclusion
that the hypothesis is correct? Then, allow time for them to imagine the experiments, data,
and analysis they might complete in order to arrive at the conclusion in the second column.
Allow 15 minutes for this activity.

FOOD EVOLUTION 29
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY ONE [CONT.]

17. Once the pairs have had time to complete the handout, conduct a short debrief as a whole
group. You can use some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What sorts of experiments might show data that support either hypothesis?
ӹӹ How important is the analysis phase? Is it possible to analyze the same data in different
ways? If so, how might a scientist figure out the accurate conclusion?
ӹӹ How would you figure out if data were causal or correlating?
ӹӹ How does this exercise illustrate how a person could come to a faulty conclusion?
ӹӹ How does this chart relate to the issue of “fake news”?
ӹӹ How could a similar approach to the scientific method be used to analyze other kinds of
information, like current events or societal trends?
ӹӹ How is this exercise useful for critical thinking and media literacy?
ӹӹ Are there any statistics that you assumed to be true that you can question now after
conducting this exercise? Explain.

18. Tell the class that in the coming days they’ll be watching a film that explores the different ways
that people consume media and information and how we as a society arrive at widely held
conclusions. The film uses a big question to explore this topic, one that affects every person on
the planet.

19. Write the big question on the chalkboard, white board, or chart paper and read it aloud to the
class:

“How can we successfully feed the world’s growing population?”

20. Explain that this is a problem that scientists, corporations, universities, and farmers around the
world are trying to solve. Because there are so many stakeholders and factors playing into this
issue, there are many conflicting ideas and these ideas are becoming more and more polarized.
Tell the class that it will be up to them to use the scientific method, and the critical analysis
skills that they examined in class thus far, to come to their own conclusion on this complicated
conversation.

21. For homework, instruct students to conduct some preliminary research in order to complete
Student Handout: An Introduction to the Problem of Food Sustainability (page 46). They
should use the critical analysis that they acquired in class to assess the accuracy of their
sources. Remind students to look for data-backed research, pay attention to the analysis of
the data that is presented and the citations listed on the sources they use, and to question
correlation vs. causation, focusing on sources that are science-based.

30 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY TWO
1. Before the start of the class, write the following quote on the chalkboard, white board, or
chart paper:

“What if, when trying to do the right thing, we got it wrong?”

2. Allow 5-10 minutes for the class to free write using this quote as a prompt. Encourage
students to think of a time when they, someone they know, or society at large acted with
the best intentions, but because they did not analyze all the information available, ended
up getting it wrong—and how this affected everyone involved.

3. After a period of silent writing, ask for volunteers to share what they wrote. Encourage
cross discussion among the students using the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What decision did you write about?

ӹӹ What were the good intentions of the person or people who made the decision?
ӹӹ How did the decision maker interpret information inaccurately?
ӹӹ Why was this decision the wrong one?
ӹӹ What were the immediate and/or long-term consequences of this decision?
ӹӹ Once it was clear that the wrong choice was made, how could the decision be reversed
or the situation be rectified?

4. Distribute Student Handout: Viewing Log (page 47). Explain that this will be used to take
notes as they watch the film on what they see. Instruct students to use the space carefully
as the logs will be used for much of the film.

5. Screen the first segment of FOOD EVOLUTION, from the beginning of the film to timecode
12:19.

NOTE:
In this segment, viewers are introduced to the main questions raised in
the film, to the topic of GMOs, and to the county council meeting where
the issue of legalizing GMOs on the Big Island of Hawaii was debated.

FOOD EVOLUTION 31
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY TWO [CONT.]

6. Conduct a whole group discussion using some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What are some of the main issues that are creating food sustainability problems for the
future?
ӹӹ What are some of the main issues that are creating confusion around food sustainability and
agricultural technology?
ӹӹ At the beginning of the segment, why does it appear that Margaret Wille wants to ban GMOs
on her island? Why are the filmmakers questioning her motives by the end of the segment?

ӹӹ Who is Jeffrey Smith, and what makes him an expert on agricultural technology?

ӹӹ Are GMOs, as one protester said, “a thoughtless invasive species”? Why or why not?

ӹӹ One protester called proponents of GMOs “mad scientists.” Why did he say that?
ӹӹ Why does Jeffrey Smith claim that eating GMO papayas could make people sick? What is
Michael Shintaku’s response to Smith’s claims?
ӹӹ One speaker says, “The face of this issue is not the papaya. The face of this issue is these
huge, multinational companies.” Why is this significant?
ӹӹ Charles Benbrook claims that the main health issue with GMOs is that they increase the use
of pesticides. Why would GMOs generate more pesticide use?
ӹӹ Brenda Ford states, “There is no middle ground. You’re either going to be GMO allowing,
or you’re going to be organic. They cannot coexist.” Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Could there be a middle ground? Did Hawaii County end up finding a middle
ground in the end?
ӹӹ Vandana Shiva claims that GMOs are an “extension of pesticides, not a substitute or an
alternative to them.” Why would she say this?

ӹӹ What is the common thing that all the scientists in this segment are saying?
ӹӹ What do you notice about the qualifications of each person featured in this segment? What
about their qualifications would indicate that they are (or are not) experts in the field of
biotechnology or agricultural science?
ӹӹ Stephanie Seneff shows a chart that illustrates a correlation between the use of pesticides
and the incidence of autism. What do you know about data sets that CORRELATE? And
what does this chart have to do with GMOs?

ӹӹ Discuss the correlation between genetic engineering and breeding, or artificial selection.
ӹӹ What are some examples offered of genetically engineered products, and what problems do
they solve?

32 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY TWO [CONT.]

7. For homework, students should write an expository essay about the relationship between
science, fake news, and alternative facts in modern culture that either supports or refutes
the Mark Twain quote from the beginning of the film: “It is easier to fool people than to
convince them they have been fooled.”

NOTE:
Remind students to bring their Viewing Logs to their next class
meeting, as their notes will be used for classwork and the Log will
continue to be utilized as they resume viewing the film.

FOOD EVOLUTION 33
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY THREE

1. Divide the class into 5 groups. Assign each group one of the following themes:

Group 1 – Climate Change & GMO

Group 2 – Corporate Distrust & GMO
Group 3 – Alternative Facts/Fake News & GMO
Group 4 – Science and Technology & GMO
Group 5 – World Health & GMO

2. Draw the following graph on the chalkboard, white board, or on chart paper:

EXTREME A GREY ZONE EXTREME B

3. Tell the class that they’ll be working in small groups to go through their Viewing Logs
from yesterday and arranging the notes they took on their particular theme on this graph.
One side of the graph represents one extreme of an argument or outcome, for example,
“completely safe,” “completely corrupt,” or “completely false.” The other side is the
opposite, such as “completely toxic,” “completely ethical,” or “completely true.”

4. Allow 10-15 minutes for students to work in small groups, first identifying which extreme
position they’re charting and then placing their notes from yesterday’s viewing on this
continuum. Encourage students to look for notes that fall in the center of the graph, in that
“grey zone.”

5. Reconvene as a class so each small group can report back to the larger group. Conduct a
short debrief on the activity using some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ Approximately what percentage of your groups’ notes fell into one extreme or the
other?
ӹӹ How much of your groups’ notes were in the “grey zone”?
ӹӹ As you hear from the other groups, how much of their notes seem to be in conflict
with yours? What are we noticing about each of your group’s notes and how your
information relates to one another’s?

34 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY THREE [CONT.]

6. Tell students to turn their attention to the screen, as they will be watching the next segment
of FOOD EVOLUTION. Instruct them to continue taking notes on their Viewing Logs.

7. Screen the next 12 or so minutes of the film, stopping at timecode 24:18, just before the
narrative shifts from the Hawaiian papaya to banana wilt in Uganda.

NOTE:
In this segment, viewers learn that the Hawaii County Council
grandfathered in the Rainbow papaya, still making all other GMOs illegal.
Viewers also learn how the scientists behind the Rainbow papaya used the
scientific method to develop a disease–resistant, “vaccinated” papaya, and
viewers begin to see the huge divide between scientific consensus and
public opinion.

8. After the class views this segment, conduct a large group discussion on what the class just
saw. Use some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ What tensions are shown between protesters and farmers in Hawaii? Why do you think
there is this tension?
ӹӹ What feeling do you get about Margaret Wille’s position in her interview in this segment?
Why do you think you’re getting this feeling about her position?
ӹӹ What might be considered hypocritical about the Hawaii County Council allowing the
Rainbow papaya while banning all other GMOs?
ӹӹ Why does it undermine the council’s fears about GMO safety when they allow the
genetically modified Rainbow papaya?
ӹӹ What happened to the papaya industry on Hawaii before GE?
ӹӹ Where did the idea of the Rainbow papaya come from?
ӹӹ How did scientists use the scientific method to develop the Rainbow papaya?
ӹӹ How did they distribute the new, disease-resistant papaya seeds to papaya farmers?
ӹӹ Why did a vocal opposition develop against GE technology?
ӹӹ What do you notice about the tone of the media coverage of GMO technology?
ӹӹ What does Andrew Kimbrell claim regarding the dangers of GE agriculture?
ӹӹ Why is there such a large gap between public opinion and scientific opinion on the
subject of GMO technology?

FOOD EVOLUTION 35
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY THREE [CONT.]

ӹӹ Michael Pollan talks about the dangers of “fear-mongering.” What does he mean by this?
ӹӹ What is the difference between scientific opinion and scientific consensus? Why is this an
important distinction?
ӹӹ The film points out that scientific consensus shows that GMOs are safe to eat and safe for
the environment. Why, then, does the film say we should continue to assess GMOs on a
case-by-case basis?
ӹӹ What is your perspective on Jeffrey Smith based on his depiction in this film?
ӹӹ How do Michael Shintaku and Dennis Gonsalves analyze the video from the council
meeting? Why do they think the council voted the way it did?
ӹӹ According to Michael Shintaku, what makes the GMO debate so confusing? What do
people on both sides of the debate have in common?
ӹӹ What might be some “real-world consequences” of acting against scientific consensus?
ӹӹ What examples of information that could fall into the “grey zone” did you notice in this
segment?

9. For homework, students should write a one-page expository essay in response to the
following essay prompt, which can be written on the chalkboard, white board, or chart paper,
or, alternatively, copied and distributed to each student:

ESSAY PROMPT
Allison Van Eenennaam calls GMO technology a “politicized scientific
topic.” Why do you think she uses this term? What does this term mean
to you? What are other “politicized scientific topics”? Why would a
scientific topic become politicized, and what impact—both good and
bad—might politics have on science? How does the “grey zone” play into
the phenomenon of “politicized science”? Do you think there is a place for
politics in science? Support your opinion using examples from the film
FOOD EVOLUTION.

36 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY FOUR
1. Before class, write the following prompt on the chalkboard, white board, or on chart paper:

Brainstorm a list of all the stakeholders—in this country and worldwide—

who have a vested interest in agriculture. Next to each stakeholder, list
what, exactly, their interests are. Think outside the box to all the people,
from consumers to heads of state and everyone in between, who care
on some level about the success, cost, quality, and accessibility of the
agricultural industry, and list those people alongside details about what
you think their interests/concerns would be.

2. If students need an example to get going, suggest, for example, “farmers – they want to
make money on their crops so they’re concerned with raising healthy, robust plants” or
“families – they want safe, abundant food.”

3. After 5-10 minutes have elapsed, ask students to stop writing. Ask for volunteers from the
class to share one of the entries from the list they wrote.

4. Track student responses on the board or chart paper.

NOTE:
If no one mentions the following stakeholders, make sure you add them
to the list on the board and elicit their corresponding likely concerns
from the class: farmers, agricultural corporations, scientists, consumers,
governments.

5. Once a good amount of responses are tracked on the board, ask the class, “What do ALL of
these stakeholders have in common? What is one thing that they ALL want to see happen?”
Write these responses on the left-hand side.

6. Then ask the class, “What are some things that only SOME of these stakeholders want?
What are some outcomes that would be good for some, but not others?” List those on the
right-hand side.

7. Ask the class which of these stakeholders feel the most trustworthy. Ask whose interests
they think coincide or overlap most with theirs. Allow the class to discuss and defend their
responses in a whole group discussion, encouraging cross-conversation among students.

FOOD EVOLUTION 37
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY FOUR [CONT.]

8. Break the class up into pairs. Distribute Student Handout: Competing Interests (page 48) to
every student.

9. Explain that they will be watching the next 20 or so minutes of the film. In it, they will meet
many stakeholders in the debate over GE technology and food sustainability and will begin to
understand more about what each of these groups is fighting for. As they watch, they should
make note of who they are introduced to (by name or occupation), and what their most
pressing interests or concerns are, on the bottom of their handout.

10. Screen the next segment of the film, from timecode 24:18 to timecode 43:16.

NOTE:
In this segment, viewers learn about another agricultural crisis, that
of banana wilt in Uganda. They meet both subsistence farmers and
commodity crop farmers. Viewers learn about the main GE crops that
are manufactured by Monsanto, as well as the Seralini rat study and the
Monsanto corporation’s history with toxic chemicals, which fuels much of
the public fears around GE technology. Viewers learn a bit more about the
activists in this space and what their main beliefs and biggest fears are.

11. After the class watches the segment, conduct a whole group debrief, using some or all of the
following questions to guide the discussion:

ӹӹ Why is banana wilt so devastating to the economy and people of Uganda?

ӹӹ What are some non-GE efforts to fight banana wilt? Are these curative or preventative?
What is the difference?
ӹӹ What is the GE solution to banana wilt that is being explored?
ӹӹ Why are the Ugandan farmers afraid of GMOs and GE technology?
ӹӹ What are some of the problems with the Seralini rat study? Why did this study have such
a huge impact on public opinion on GMOs?
ӹӹ Why do you think one study can have such a huge impact? What does that say about
people’s existing beliefs about the trustworthiness of corporations and governments?
ӹӹ Is it “easier to sell fear than to sell science”? Explain.
ӹӹ Why are people so suspicious of corporations? How have corporate greed and bias
broken the public’s trust?

38 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY FOUR [CONT.]

ӹӹ Why is Monsanto “one of the most hated companies in the world”?

ӹӹ What is Bt? Is it toxic? How is Bt used as a pesticide?
ӹӹ What is Bt corn?
ӹӹ What are “Roundup Ready” seeds?
ӹӹ What are the perceived positive attributes of Bt and Roundup Ready GMO seeds? What
are the perceived negative attributes of these same seeds? Which of these are backed by
scientific consensus? Explain.
ӹӹ How is Monsanto making money on GE technology?
ӹӹ How has the use of GMOs INCREASED the amount of pesticides used? How has the use of
GMOs DECREASED the toxicity of the pesticides used?
ӹӹ Why are people against Monsanto—even in the face of contradictory science?
ӹӹ How has the public conflated their concerns about toxic chemicals, the trustworthiness of
Monsanto and other big corporations, and the safety of GMOs? Why is this a mistake?

12. After a short discussion, allow students to work in pairs to complete their handouts, “plotting”
each stakeholder on the Venn diagram according to their interests and concerns.

NOTE:
As an example, a stakeholder who is most concerned with making money,
but secondarily with human health, will plot somewhere on the bottom of
the blue circle, where it overlaps with the red.

13. Once pairs have finished plotting their diagrams, reconvene as a large group. Allow 10
minutes to discuss this activity, using some or all of the following questions as a guide:

ӹӹ Who were some of the stakeholders you listed from the segment?
ӹӹ Do any of the stakeholders have the exact same concerns and interests? Which
stakeholders are closest to each other in terms of what their concerns and interests are?
ӹӹ What do you notice about the plot points on your diagram? Are they clustered together or
scattered apart?
ӹӹ Do you think these three concerns (environment, economy, health) are mutually exclusive?
Or is there a real-life overlap among them?
ӹӹ What does this exercise teach you about the agricultural industry as a whole and about the
GE debate specifically?

FOOD EVOLUTION 39
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY FOUR [CONT.]

14. For homework, students should write a one-page opinion paper defending or refuting the
following quote as a thesis and supporting their opinion with real-life examples and research.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinions and to their emotions but

in the end we have to be grounded in the real science, otherwise
we are aimless in our decision making—and this is true whether we
are talking about vaccines, whether we are talking about climate
change, or whether we are talking about GMOs.”
-Robert Fraley

40 FOOD EVO LUTION

PROCEDURES DAY FIVE
1. Write two brands that the class will recognize (such as “Coke” and “Pepsi” or “Burger King”
and “McDonald’s”) on opposite sides of the chalkboard, white board, or a piece of chart
paper.

2. Ask the class what they think of, what comes to mind, when they see these brands. What
colors do they “see” in their mind’s eye? What flavors? What sounds or music do they hear?
Is there an experience or memory that comes up when they think of this word? Allow for a
quick free-association brainstorm, noting student responses as a word web.

3. Ask the class what they notice about the words that they listed. What sorts of associations,
assumptions, and feelings do they attribute and equate to each of the brands? Why do they
think this is the case? How has their perception of that particular food, beverage, activity,
etc., been shaped by the branding?

4. Now, write the word “NATURAL” on the chalkboard, white board, or on chart paper. Again,
ask the class what they think of, what comes to mind, when they see this word. Once again,
allow for a broad, free-association brainstorm, noting student responses as a word web.

5. Allow for a brief discussion of how we establish associations, feelings, memories, and
assumptions about certain words. Ask the class if there are any other words they can think
of, that when they hear them, they have associations with feelings or experiences.

6. Count the class off in 4’s. Assign each number a different word:
1’s – ECONOMICS
2’s – EMOTIONS
3’s – OPTICS
4’s – NUANCE

Take a moment to define each term with the class so they have a full working meaning
of each word.

7. Instruct students to take out a piece of notebook paper and a pen, and write their word on
the top of the page. Explain that they will be viewing the next 20 minutes of the film FOOD
EVOLUTION. As they watch, they should take special note of moments, examples, quotes,
or scenes in the film that they could relate to their word. Encourage students to be creative
in their analysis and explain that while they are watching the whole segment, they’re viewing
it through the lens of their theme.

FOOD EVOLUTION 41
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
CLASSROOM MINI UNIT [CONT.]
[CONT.]

PROCEDURES DAY FIVE [CONT.]

NOTE:
For the purpose of this lesson, students should consider “economics” as money,
global division of wealth, and how it relates to communities, nations, companies,
and individuals. Students should consider “emotions” as a person’s feelings and
responses about certain things and experiences, such as guilt, fear, disgust, trust,
or confusion. Students should consider “optics” as perception, how things appear
to people, what people assume about other people or things. “Nuance” should be
considered the grey area between two extremes, where things are not black and
white, right or wrong, one thing or the other—where understanding requires higher-
level analytical thinking skills and can’t be boiled down to a simple yes or no.

8. Screen the next 20-minute segment of FOOD EVOLUTION, stopping at timecode 1:04:30.

9. Divide the class into their small groups so that the 1’s are sitting with the 1’s, the 2’s with the
2’s and so on. Give the class 10 minutes to discuss and compare their findings with the other
members of their groups.

10. While the groups are convening, write the following question on the chalkboard, white board,
or on chart paper:

How are influences besides science affecting

the application of new technology to solve
the problem of feeding the world?

11. Reconvene as a large group and pose this question to the group. Based on the segment they
just watched, and the conversations they’ve been having, how are influences besides science
affecting the application of GM and other new technology to solve the problem of feeding the
world?

12. Distribute Student Handout: Influences and Influencers (page 49) to the class and instruct
students to complete it for homework.

42 FOOD EVO LUTION

 PROCEDURES DAY SIX
1. Begin class by taking an inventory of all the themes, stakeholders, and concepts that have
been raised over the course of the viewing of FOOD EVOLUTION. List all the words that
the class offers on the chalkboard, white board, or chart paper.

2. Once the class has generated a good list, ask the students about the last time they
changed their minds. What was their first belief? What happened to get them to rethink
or revisit this belief? Who helped them to change their mind? Elicit volunteers from the
class to share their stories. After a few volunteers have shared, conduct a short discussion:

ӹӹ Is changing your mind a strength or a weakness?

ӹӹ If you change your mind on a subject, does that undermine the validity of your opinion?
ӹӹ When you hear that a vocal expert or a leader has changed their mind on a high-profile
issue, what do you think of that person? Why do you think this?

3. Screen the final 29 minutes of the film.

NOTE:
In this segment, students will watch a live debate on the pros and cons of
GMOs. They’ll hear more from the scientists leading the charge in support
of GE agriculture, more from the scientists leading the charge against it,
see how and why many environmental activists insist on protesting GMOs
in spite of what science says about its safety, and how science is starting
to win the war of public opinion.

4. As a longer-term culminating homework assignment, students should research and write a

five-page paper that answers the question:

What kind of future will we have if we turn our backs on credible

evidence, sound science, and repeatable studies? What impact
will that have on our planet, our future, and ourselves?

Encourage students to explore this question in terms of the natural sciences and the
scientific method, or in terms of the social sciences and media literacy, or another application
of their own.

FOOD EVOLUTION 43
STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

MEDICAL PRESS ADVISORY

Directions: Read the press release below. Write down any questions and observations that you
have. These notes will help inform the discussion to follow.

Newswire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDICAL PRESS ADVISORY: Sunlight Shown to be Toxic to Humans

Washington, DC

CAUTION! Exposure to sunlight might actually be TOXIC. THE

FACTS: In North America, our highest exposure to sunlight is
when the days are the longest, during the months of June, July,
and August. Also during these months, people throughout the US
are at an astonishingly higher risk for dozens of related health
issues, including deadly accidents, bacterial and viral infections,
persistent and debilitating skin disorders, and certain cancers.
Studies show that over 48 million Americans will become sickened
this year alone. CONCLUSION: Based on the data, exposure to
additional sunlight could be making us SICK! To stay safe, the
public should remain indoors as much as possible this season.
Analysis: Avoid being outside at all costs to evade getting sick,
injured, or DYING this summer from deadly exposure to sunlight.

END

###

44 FOOD EVO LUTION

STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Directions: Complete the chart below. In the column labeled Option #1, fill in answers based
on your assumptions about how the authors of the “Medical Press Advisory” came to their
conclusions. In the column labeled Option #2, come up with your own, new hypothesis and
describe how you’d go about using the scientific method to prove or disprove it.

FOOD EVOLUTION 45
STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

AN INTRODUCTION TO
THE PROBLEM OF FOOD SUSTAINABILITY
Directions: Conduct preliminary research on each of the topics below. Then, write 5-10 sentences
for each, explaining how the topic relates to the future of global food sustainability and the
challenge of feeding the planet’s population.

1. Climate change

2. Corporate mistrust: Recent corporate scandals and how they’ve shaken public trust, the fear
of corporate greed vs. the better good

3. The global economy: How increased trade, increased international imports and exports, and
international travel have increased our interdependence on food sources and the spread of
human, livestock, and agricultural disease

4. Today’s culture of information sharing: Increasingly polarized opinion camps, the conversation
around “fake news,” “alternative facts,” and the “post-truth,” 24-hour news cycle

5. Technology and science

6. Global population growth

46 FOOD EVO LUTION

STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

VIEWING LOG
Directions: As you watch FOOD EVOLUTION, use this viewing log to take note of moments in the
film that relate to each topic. Be as specific as you can.

FOOD EVOLUTION 47
STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

COMPETING INTERESTS
Directions: As you watch FOOD EVOLUTION, make note of the stakeholders you meet. Write
them down at the bottom of the page. Then, either in the box or on a separate page, write down
examples as they arise of what these stakeholders are focused on, what they are fighting for and
against. Then, with your partner or small group, “plot” each stakeholder on the Venn diagram
below, according to his or her interests and concerns.

Who are some of the main stakeholders in the debate over agricultural technology that you
meet in the film FOOD EVOLUTION? List as many as you can by name or occupation as you
watch.

48 FOOD EVO LUTION

STUDENT HANDOUT
SCREENING
FOOD FOR GUIDELINES
THOUGHT [CONT.]

INFLUENCES AND INFLUENCERS

Directions: Based on the film FOOD EVOLUTION as well as the conversations conducted in class,
complete this chart, listing how each influence across the top affects each of the stakeholders
listed on the left. Then, on the back side of the paper, write 1-2 paragraphs that answer the
following question:

How do all of these influences, combined with the actions of all of

these stakeholders, affect the adoption and application of cutting-edge
agricultural technologies like genetic engineering that, if adopted, could
solve the problem of food security?

FOOD EVOLUTION 49
SCREENING GUIDELINES
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
QUESTIONS FOR [CONT.]

FURTHER DISCUSSION

ӹӹ Early in the film we see several people say they are against GMOs, but they admit they don’t
know what GMOs are. How can people be fearful of things when they don’t know what they
are?

ӹӹ How might you communicate about scientific topics differently, now that you have seen FOOD
EVOLUTION? What will you do if the facts are not enough in your discussions with others
about GMOs?

ӹӹ Mark Lynas, Nathanael Johnson, and Bill Nye changed their opinions about GMOs. In the film,
we see even staunch anti-GMO advocates appear to give in when Andrew Kimbrell admits
there are some positive applications of GMOs and Margaret Wille permits grandfathering the
Rainbow papaya into public policy in Hawaii. Has your opinion about GMOs changed since
watching the film?

ӹӹ The Pew Research Center report shows that 88% of scientists believe GMOs are safe for
human consumption, compared to only 37% of the public, creating the largest gap of any
politicized scientific topic. What accounts for this large gap? The majority of the public trusts
the scientific community on evolution, vaccines, and climate change. Why does the public trust
science on some issues and not others?

ӹӹ A film only has so many topics that it can cover. What are other topics that you wish had been
covered in FOOD EVOLUTION?

ӹӹ Answer Tamar Haspel’s question: When was the last time you changed your mind about an
issue of substance? What made you do it?

ӹӹ What are some common myths about GMOs?

ӹӹ One of the benefits of GE technology is the engineering of crops to be resistant to pests,

which translates to putting fewer pesticides into the environment. What are some of the other
benefits of GE technology? What are other creative uses of GE technology that might be
beneficial to society?

ӹӹ Vani Hari, the Food Babe, and Zen Honeycutt want food that Mother Nature or God made: they
trust it because it is “perfect.” Many new trends such as the Paleo Diet or raw water movement
seek to return to purely natural foods. What is the definition of “natural food”?

ӹӹ Nathaniel Johnson says, “Technology doesn’t have a moral valence. It’s how the technology
is used.” Is this true? Can or should technology be created outside of moral or ethical
considerations?

50 FOOD EVO LUTION

ӹӹ Earlier forms of plant breeding prior to GE, including chemical and radiation treatments,
can produce unintended consequences such as toxins and allergens. What might be some
of the consequences of GE technology? Is there any innovation that has no unintended
consequences? Both pro-GMO and anti-GMO sides use facts to support their case. How can we
know which side is right? Can there ever be “alternative facts”?

ӹӹ Mark Lynas says confirmation bias or choosing to believe information that supports your pre-
existing beliefs may be necessary for mental health but is also dangerous because it means we
do not change our minds even when presented with evidence. Why do so many of us engage
in confirmation bias and what does it take to change our minds? If so many people continue
to believe studies that are debunked by scientific consensus, what better method is there for
disproving false information?

ӹӹ Jeffrey Smith and Charles Benbrook acknowledge that fear may be a factor in deciding to
take a position about GMOs. Do you think the anti-GMO groups and companies are exploiting
fear and, if so, why? Is sharing the concerns of feeding the growing global population without
GMOs exploitative?

ӹӹ What are some other ways to address the critical problems of food insecurity, climate
change, and environmental sustainability through science? What are some ways to address
these problems through social science, such as politics or psychology? It is often said that
technology advances faster than human capacity to adjust socially. Are there ways in which
a scientific approach conflicts with a social science approach? Can these solutions work
together in tandem?

ӹӹ The film acknowledges that corporate greed has broken the public’s trust. Neil deGrasse
Tyson says, “The profit motive is a double-edged sword. It can lead to innovation as well as
temptation.” How can we ensure the protection of public health and the environment are
prioritized? What if protection conflicts with profit? How can large corporations win back the
public’s trust?

ӹӹ One of the complaints of anti-GMO activists is that Monsanto owns both Roundup Ready
seed and pesticide, using the crisis as a solution to create an endless market for itself. Is this a
problem or is it an effective way to ensure there is the money needed to explore solutions to
problems? Should DNA be patented as intellectual property? What benefits and dangers are
there associated with this approach?

ӹӹ Farmer Motlatsi Musi says, “Americans: Beware. Please be informed. Whenever you say ‘no’
to GM technology you are suppressing Africa.” How do developed world decisions impact
developing countries? Why should we be concerned with these effects?

FOOD EVOLUTION 51
SCREENING GUIDELINES
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
QUESTIONS FOR [CONT.]

FURTHER DISCUSSION [CONT.]

ӹӹ Mark Lynas says, “Science is completely counter to activism.” What does he mean by this?
Are there any activists who use scientific consensus to support their causes? Or is there a
reason for a separation between how activists and scientists see the world? Can scientists be
activists?

ӹӹ As a medical doctor, John Swartzberg advises that we eat fresh produce and whole grains
for our health, no matter their origin. How does negative information about GMOs affect
low-income people who cannot afford organic produce? In what ways are the pro-GMO and
anti-GMO positions a class issue? Whose interests are at stake on the pro-GMO and anti-
GMO sides?

ӹӹ The scientists in the film endeavor to answer the question: How will we guarantee food
security for our growing planetary population? How will we feed the world by 2050?
Explore some possible technologies—aside from GM technology—that could help solve this
challenge—for instance, aquaponics; vertical/indoor/city farming; alternative meat; water
conservation; nanotechnology; drone technology; precision farming; microbiome research,
and more.

ӹӹ We saw an example in the film of how we might fight illness with food with “golden rice”
preventing blindness in developing nations. What other science or technology could be
packed into foods to help treat illness? How could this affect not only developing nations,
but countries like the US, UK, and others?

ӹӹ There is much discussion in the film about healthy food. Is there such a thing as healthy
“junk” food? Or “healthy” food that’s really junk? Why do some foods have so many
calories? So much sugar, salt, or fat? How could we reduce those statistics with science?

ӹӹ In a world where food security is not a given, do you think non-traditional proteins, such as
insects, will become more widely consumed? Why or why not?

ӹӹ Much is made of “locally sourced” food in the film. What exactly is local food? If you only
ate local food, what would your diet consist of? Consider the answer for each season of the
year. What would you have to eliminate from your diet in order to eat locally?

ӹӹ One commonly utilized food technology is that of food replacements: mayonnaise without
egg, bread without gluten, etc. Are these “replacement foods” better for the environment?
Worse? Will people adopt it/eat them? Why or why not?

52 FOOD EVO LUTION

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

American Association for the Advancement of Science

https://www.aaas.org/

American Medical Association

https://www.ama-assn.org/

American Society of Agronomy

https://www.agronomy.org/

Center for Science in the Public Interest

https://cspinet.org/

Crop Science Society of America

https://www.crops.org/

Food Tank
https://foodtank.com/

Genetic Literacy Project

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/

Global Footprint Network

https://www.footprintnetwork.org/

Institute of Food Technologists

https://www.ift.org/

National Academy of Sciences

http://www.nasonline.org/

National Center for Science Education

https://ncse.com/

U.S. Department of Agriculture

https://www.usda.gov/

World Health Organization

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/

FOOD EVOLUTION 53
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

DIRECTOR - PRODUCER - WRITER

SCOTT HAMILTON KENNEDY
Academy Award® nominee Scott Hamilton
Kennedy is a writer, director, producer,
cameraman, and editor. He has worked with
legends like Roger Corman, directed music
videos like Jimmy Cliff’s international hit “I Can
See Clearly Now,” and on commercials, motion-
capture animation, scripted and reality television.
His documentary work includes Oscar-nominated
THE GARDEN, about the struggle over the
nation’s largest community garden; Independent
Spirit Award nominee OT: OUR TOWN, about the
first play in 25 years at Dominguez High School
in Compton; and the critically acclaimed FAME
HIGH, which follows four students through a year
at a competitive performing arts high school.
Scott recently launched Time Capsule Movies,
personalized documentaries that can be shared
for generations at timecapsulemovies.com. Scott
resides in Los Angeles with his wife Catherine
Borek, their two daughters Tessa and Eden, and
their dog Pepper. For more information, please
PHOTO: REBECCA SANABRIA
visit blackvalleyfilms.com.

WRITER - PRODUCER
TRACE SHEEHAN
Trace Sheehan is the founder and CEO of
Boomdozer, Inc., and director of development
at Leftfield Pictures. Before launching
Boomdozer, Sheehan co-founded the
sales and production company, Preferred
Content, responsible for critically acclaimed
documentaries including JIRO DREAMS
OF SUSHI and GRACE & MERCY. Sheehan
graduated from Duke University with a degree
in international business and has postgraduate
degrees from the London School of
Economics, the University of Cambridge, and
the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He
is a member of the PGA and NPACT and is
represented by the Kaplan Stahler Agency.

54 FOOD EVO LUTION

 SPONSOR
IFT

The Institute of Food Technologists funded the Kennedy because he is known for his skill and
documentary FOOD EVOLUTION to inspire integrity. We knew he would come at this project
discussion and show the critical role science from a completely fresh, objective vantage point.
and innovation play in building a safe, nutritious,
and sustainable food supply for everyone. FOOD EVOLUTION focuses on the GMO debate
This film is intended to contribute to a rational because the director found it to be emblematic
conversation about science, facts, and food. The of the public misunderstanding about the science
documentary was funded through IFT’s financial of food and food sustainability. We believe
reserves, derived from revenue generated Scott’s film is thought-provoking, fair-minded,
primarily through membership dues, scientific and an important contribution to gaining a better
publishing, events, and advertising, and without understanding of the critical role sound science
contribution from any other organization or plays in the global food system. Unlike a trade
company. IFT wanted to fund a documentary association, IFT is a non-profit scientific association
dealing broadly with the challenge of feeding comprised of 17,000 scientists from 95 countries
an estimated global population of nine billion representing multiple disciplines, innumerable
people in 2050. We approached several high- perspectives, and shared commitment to science.
quality filmmakers, including Scott Hamilton We are committed to a world where science and
Kennedy. While we funded the film, it represents innovation are universally accepted as essential
the vision, full creative control, and final cut to a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food supply
that Kennedy and his partner on this project, for everyone. We are proud to have funded this
Trace Sheehan, have maintained throughout important film and hope that it will encourage
the project. We worked with Scott Hamilton informed discussions about sound science.

NARRATOR - SCRIPT CONSULTANT

DR. NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the
American Museum of Natural History, where he also serves
as director of its world-renowned Hayden Planetarium. Dr.
Tyson was the host and narrator for Cosmos: A Spacetime
Odyssey, a series that appeared in 181 countries in 45
languages and won four Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award,
two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, as well as a dozen
other industry recognitions. He served as host of PBS’s
NOVA ScienceNOW and the popular radio show and podcast
StarTalk, which is the first-ever science-based TV talk show
on the National Geographic Channel, where it earned two
Emmy nominations. In addition to dozens of professional
publications, Dr. Tyson writes for the public. His books
include Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, which debuted at
number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He is the
recipient of twenty honorary doctorate degrees, the NASA
Distinguished Public Service Medal, and was elected a fellow
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015.

FOOD EVOLUTION 55
ABOUT IFT

WHAT IS FOOD EVOLUTION ABOUT?

F
OOD EVOLUTION looks at one of the most critical questions facing the world today—
that of food security—and demonstrates the desperate need for common sense,
solid information, and calm logical deliberation. Using the often angry and emotional
controversy over genetically modified foods as its entry point, the film shows how easily fear
and misinformation can overwhelm objective, evidence-based analysis. FOOD EVOLUTION
takes the position that science and scientists hold the key to solving the food crisis. But whose
science? In the GMO debate, both sides claim science is on their side. Who’s right? How do
we figure this out? What does this mean for the larger issues of food security, sustainability,
and environmental well-being? FOOD EVOLUTION seeks to answer these critically important
questions.

WHY DID IFT DECIDE TO PURSUE THE MAKING OF

FOOD EVOLUTION?

T
he film was part of our endless pursuit of
the IFT Vision: A world where science and
innovation are universally accepted as
essential to a safe, nutritious, and sustainable food
supply for everyone. When we launched FutureFood
2050, to celebrate IFT’s 75th anniversary, we
wanted to tell the multi-dimensional story of
science, scientists, facts, and food, and how we’re
going to feed the nine billion people expected
worldwide by 2050. We hired an independent editor
and several independent journalists to write the
thought-provoking articles for FutureFood 2050.
This film was the culmination of these efforts. The
same approach was taken—find the best storyteller
and documentarian (Scott Hamilton Kennedy) and
give him creative control to tell a story that will
begin a rational discussion about sound science.

HOW DID IFT SELECT

W
e interviewed 5-10 potential directors and
selected Scott Hamilton Kennedy, based
THE DIRECTOR? on his passion for film, his experience, his
award nominations, and his vision for this film. It was
important this person not be involved with the food
industry in any way so they would be able to present
an independent viewpoint. Kennedy is an Academy
Award® nominated director who has directed THE
GARDEN, FAME HIGH, and other films.

56 FOOD EVO LUTION

HOW WAS IT DETERMINED HOW MUCH DID IFT
THAT THE DEBATE INFLUENCE THE CONTENT
OVER GMOS WOULD BE OF THE FILM?

F
CENTRAL TO THE FILM? rom its very origin, the director has had
total creative control, including approval

O
ur original inspiration was a film of the final cut. Scott Hamilton Kennedy
that would highlight the science of came into the project as a documentarian
food. This was a broad and open- who did not have a scientific background
ended vision, for which the director would and was neither for nor against genetic
interpret and determine the best way to engineering in food. As an experienced
tell a compelling story and inspire thinking documentarian, Kennedy went where the
about the role of science and innovation in research and interviews led him and the
our food supply. Scott Hamilton Kennedy story unfolded as he learned more about the
told us he went this direction because he saw science of food. While IFT funded the film,
GMOs as a proxy for the larger debate over the message and conclusions drawn from the
the widespread public misunderstanding of film are entirely those of the filmmakers, but
science. The larger issue addressed in the we believe the film serves as an opportunity
film is how we make decisions about science to demonstrate the rational conversation that
overall and the consequences of making can be had about the nature of science and
decisions based on emotions and ideology as food and what that means to feed the world.
opposed to data and scientific evidence.

DID OUTSIDE
N
o. FutureFood2050 and FOOD EVOLUTION
were funded through IFT’s financial reserves,
COMPANIES PROVIDE derived from revenue generated primarily
through membership dues, scientific publishing,
FUNDING FOR THE events, and advertising, and without contribution from
any other organization or company to bring a rational
FILM? conversation about sound science in our global food
system to a larger audience.

FOOD EVOLUTION 57
 FOOD EVOLUTION IS AVAILABLE FOR
HOME VIEWING ON THESE PLATFORMS:

If you’re interested in a corporate or community

screening, fill out the Screening Application form or
contact Matthew Chandler, Campaign Director, at
[email protected]. Our community
screenings team will get back to you with all the
information you’ll need to license the film and host
your own event.

big picture
E D U C A T I O N A L C O N S U L T I N G
enlightening audiences everywhere

Big Picture is a leader in the fields of film education

and media literacy, specializing in resource
development and educational outreach for film and
media projects of all kinds. We leverage film as a
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
powerful educational tool to enlighten audiences,
spark engagement, inspire social change, and cultivate
new generations of filmgoers and filmmakers. For
more infomation visit www.bigpictureeducational.com
or contact [email protected].