Biology Year 12 - Module 7 - Lesson 17
Pesticides and Genetic Engineering
1. Key Ideas
In the 1950s, screwworm flies were destroying livestock across the southern United States at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Scientists solved it not with pesticides but with biology — by releasing 2 billion sterile flies per week until the wild population collapsed. A disease vector was eradicated from a continent using only sterilisation and arithmetic.
- How pesticides are used to control disease vectors
- Why pesticide resistance develops (same evolutionary logic as antibiotic resistance)
2. Success Criteria
By the end, you should be able to:
- How pesticides are used to control disease vectors
- The sterile insect technique (SIT) — mechanism and examples
- How genetic engineering is used in disease control (GM mosquitoes, Bt crops)
3. Key Terms
4. Activity: Build the Lesson Map
Use the lesson to complete the table. Keep answers brief but specific.
| Prompt | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Main concept | |
| Important example | |
| Common mistake to avoid | |
| How this links to the next lesson |
5. Short Answer Questions
1. Explain this lesson goal in your own words: "How pesticides are used to control disease vectors". Use one specific example from the lesson.
2. Apply this idea to a new example: "The sterile insect technique (SIT) — mechanism and examples". Show your reasoning clearly.
3. Analyse why this idea matters for understanding Pesticides and Genetic Engineering: "How genetic engineering is used in disease control (GM mosquitoes, Bt crops)".
6. Extend: Apply the Idea
A student gives a memorised answer about Pesticides and Genetic Engineering but does not use evidence or reasoning.
Improve the answer by writing a stronger response that uses accurate terminology, a relevant example and a clear explanation.
7. Multiple Choice
1. What is the best first step when answering a question about Pesticides and Genetic Engineering?
A. Identify the key concept being tested
B. Write every fact from memory
C. Ignore the command word
D. Skip examples and evidence
2. Which answer would show stronger understanding of Pesticides and Genetic Engineering?
A. An answer with accurate terms and reasoning
B. A copied definition only
C. A single-word response
D. An answer with no example
3. What should you do if a question asks you to explain?
A. Link the idea to a reason or cause
B. List unrelated facts
C. Only draw a diagram
D. Write the shortest possible answer
8. Success Criteria Proof
Finish with evidence that you can do each success criterion.