'Hunger Games' Science: Investigating Genetically Engineered Organisms

‘Hunger Games’ Science: Investigating Genetically Engineered Organisms BY JENNIFER CUTRARO AND KATHERINE SCHULTEN MAY 16, 2012 3:31 PM May 16, 2012, 3:31 pm Lionsgate A poster for the film “The Hunger Games.” Go to related article Materials | Computers with Internet access Overview | What lessons can we learn about genetically engineered organisms from the example of the jabber jay, a fictional bird in the movie “The Hunger Games”? In this lesson, students discuss the definition of genetically modified organisms, learn about the risks and benefits of research on G.M.O.’s, explore the growing do-it-yourself biology movement, and develop proposals seeking to either restrict or permit research into genetically modifying the avian flu virus. Warm-up | Before students arrive, write the following prompt on the board: In the movie “The Hunger Games,” the Capitol (a term used to refer to what we would call the government) produced genetically enhanced birds called jabber jays to spy on rebels. Unexpectedly, these birds bred with mockingbirds, creating a new hybrid bird called the Mockingjay. The Capitol did not intend for this to happen, and the bird became a symbol of rebellion. What lessons can we draw about genetic engineering from these examples? Could a scenario like this, where a genetically engineered organism hybridizes with a wild animal or plant, happen in the real world? Why or why not? When students arrive, allow several minutes for them to reply individually to this prompt in their journals. Then, take a quick poll by asking students to raise their hands if they think a scenario like the one depicted in “The Hunger Games” could happen in the real world. Ask, “What conditions would be required for a genetically engineered organism to hybridize with a wild animal or plant? What steps could be put in place to keep this from happening?” Finally, explain that students will now read about how “The Hunger Games” scenario speaks to a growing movement known as D.I.Y. biology , in which anyone can acquire the basic tools of biotechnology and potentially engineer new organisms of their own. Related | In the article “Do-It-Yourself Biology, on the Wings of the Mockingjay,” James Gorman reports on the growing availability of tools to modify organisms, and the possibility that a creature like the bird imagined in the “Hunger Games” series could someday exist: Genetically modified organisms are not wildly popular these days, except one: a fictional bird that is central to the hugely popular movie and book trilogy “The Hunger Games.” That’s the Mockingjay, a cross between a mockingbird and a genetically engineered spy bird called a jabber jay. The action in “The Hunger Games” takes place in a fictional future in which teenagers are forced to hunt and kill one another in annual competitions designed to entertain and suppress a highly controlled population. The Mockingjay first appears as a symbol, when Katniss Everdeen, the heroine, is given a pin that depicts the bird. Mockingjay pins, although not the birds have spread to the real world. “They’re funny birds and something of a slap in the face to the Capitol,” Katniss explains in the first book. And the nature of that slap in the face is a new twist on the great fear about genetic engineering, that modified organisms or their genes will escape into the wild and wreak havoc. The Mockingjay is just such an unintended consequence, resulting from a failed creation of the government, what Katniss means when she refers to “the Capitol.” But rather than being a disaster, the bird is a much-loved reminder of the limits of totalitarian control. …I asked Joan Slonczewski, a microbiologist and science fiction writer at Kenyon College in Ohio, about her, take on the Mockingjay. Dr. Slonczewski, whose recent books include a text and a novel, “The Highest Frontier,” teaches a course called “Biology in Science Fiction.” The tools needed to modify organisms are already widely dispersed in industry and beyond. “Now anybody can do a start-up,” she said. Read the entire article with your class, using the questions below. ● Questions | For discussion and reading comprehension: 1. What is a genetically modified organism? 2. What is a jabber jay? A Mockingjay? 3. What roles do these organisms play in the book series “The Hunger Games”? 4. What is the value of creating genetically modified organisms? What are some of the concerns surrounding G.M.O.’s? 5. What predictions can you make for what might happen if the tools of biotechnology spread to everyone, and lead to “an explosion of diversity of new living creatures”? ● D.I.Y. Biologists Students in this group should be able to describe the “do-it-yourself” biology movement. They should address concerns about the safety of D.I.Y. biology and discuss whether this type of activity should be regulated. Students also should be prepared to talk about whether increased accessibility to the tools of biotechnology presents any biosecurity risks. ● Scientists Who Support the Publication of Research That May Make It Easier for the Avian Flu Virus to Spread Among Mammals Students in this group should convince the board of the importance of a better understanding of how the avian flu virus works, and present the evidence for it. They should be able to explain why some scientists believe that in the interests of public safety, this research needs to proceed and be made publicly available . ● Researchers Opposed to This Research and Its Publication Students in this group should convince the board that research that alters the avian flu virus in a way making it contagious to mammals should be limited. They should first explain how avian flu in its unaltered form can be transmitted to mammals from birds. They also should be able to explain why scientists involved in the research voluntarily stopped their work last winter. ● Going Further | Students dream up their own genetically modified organisms that could be used by governments. They might find inspiration in this summary of some of the ways government intelligence agencies have sought to use animals in various spy missions, or the potential to use glowing bacteria to encrypt secret messages. Invite them to create and display illustrations or prototypes of their organisms, along with information about the origins and special characteristics of each. .

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