"Conversations about important things" November 10 — topic and program of the lesson
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- "Conversations about important things" November 10 — topic and program of the lesson
On Monday, November 10, Russian schools and colleges will host another lesson from the series "Conversations about important things", which will be devoted to breeding and genetics. The lesson will be dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Russian scientist, the founder of Russian breeding Ivan Michurin. Izvestia tells about how the lesson will be held in different classes.
"Talking about important things" on November 10 — the topic of the lesson
Genetics and breeding are fundamental scientific fields that largely determine the quality of life of modern society and its food security. Historically, mankind has been engaged in the transformation of wild plants into cultivated varieties for thousands of years.
Many of the food products that are familiar today have gone through a long process of selective breeding. For example, ancient bananas had thick skins and large hard seeds, corn kernels were small and extremely hard, and cabbage resembled a bush with small flowers. Even the plum is the result of the natural hybridization of cherry plum and blackthorn.
With the advent of agriculture, people began to purposefully improve the conditions for the growth of cultivated plants, but a key breakthrough occurred when they realized the hereditary variability of their characteristics. Observations that one plant can produce more grains and have sweeter fruits formed the basis of breeding.
In the modern understanding, breeding is the science of creating new varieties and hybrids of agricultural plants, characterized by consistently high yields and resistance to negative environmental factors.
A significant contribution to the development of world breeding was made by the Russian scientist Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin, whose 170th anniversary is celebrated this year. He was not only engaged in practical gardening, but also developed the theoretical foundations and methods of hybridization, which made it possible to "breed" heat-loving southern plants with frost-resistant northern crops. His work laid a solid foundation for the further development of such an important science as genetics, which studies the heredity and variability of living organisms.
A self-taught genius: 170 years since the birth of Ivan Michurin
Ivan Michurin (1855-1935) was a Russian biologist and breeder, the creator of many varieties of fruit and berry crops. At the age of 20, in Kozlov (now the city of Michurinsk in the Tambov region), he organized a nursery, where he began to cross plants from different parts of the world. Michurin tried to develop new varieties that were resistant to the climate of central Russia. In total, he bred more than 300 such varieties, including new types of currants, pears, plums, grapes, apricots, blackberries and apple trees. Gardeners came to Michurin for seedlings not only from all over Russia, but also from Europe and America. In 1913, he was even offered to move to the United States or sell his plant collection, but the scientist refused. Moreover, the breeder never received a specialized higher education and was engaged in self-education all his life, devoting himself to his favorite business.
Modern Russian breeding scientists are actively developing the scientist's legacy using advanced technologies. Thanks to their work, an abundance of various vegetables and fruits can be found on store shelves, which can be purchased at any time of the year.
Next Monday, students will talk about how new varieties appear, what the breeders' work is, as part of the topic "Breeding and genetics. On the 170th anniversary of I.V. Michurin". The purpose of the upcoming lesson is to form students' ideas about the role of breeding and genetics in the development of society and their prospects as a future profession.
The information partner of the lesson will be the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia. Socrates Monakhos, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Head of the Department of Botany, Breeding and Seed Production of Garden Plants at the Russian State Agrarian University (RGAU—MSA named after K.A. Timiryazev), will join the class in a video interview format.
A variety of interactive tasks, videos and presentations designed for students of different ages will also help students master the topic. The recommended duration of the lesson is 30 minutes. Methodological materials and recommendations are published on the project's website.
"Conversations about important things" November 10 — lesson program
For elementary school students (grades 1-4), the lesson will begin with a discussion of the fairy tale "Turnip". Students will be offered to speculate about why they couldn't pull out a turnip right away, whether there are such large vegetables in reality, and what is the meaning of the folk sayings "Easier than a steamed turnip" and "What you sow, you reap."
During the quiz, the students will try to identify the precursors of modern cultivated plants that were not initially suitable for food. They will be told about Ivan Michurin, who created more than 300 new varieties of fruit and berry crops and founded his first nursery at the age of twenty. The material will be consolidated through watching a video clip with Socrates Monajos and a conversation about the agricultural specifics of his native region.
Students in grades 5-7 will learn about the process of creating new varieties of vegetables and fruits that are much tastier and healthier than their "wild" ancestors. Interactive tasks "Creating a new variety" and "Hybrid Laboratory" have been prepared for them, where students will be invited to act as breeders and imagine how to improve their favorite fruit and create a new one by crossing two different fruits.
As part of the lesson, they will also recall one of the lessons from last year — "The Way of Grain", which dealt with the concept of "food security" and the impact of various environmental factors on it, including environmental pollution and climate change. An important element of the lesson will be information about what products are produced in the regions of students, as well as their importance for the socio-economic sphere of the country.
For students in grades 8-9, the central theme will be the impact of the development of breeding on the yield and food independence of the country. Students will discuss the achievements of the Russian agro-industrial complex, after which they will watch the video "Russian scientists-breeders". Using the example of the latest developments (the creation of a "smart" greenhouse, the introduction of unmanned vehicles and space technologies), students will see how modern technologies are integrated into the agricultural sector.
High school students (grades 10-11) They will discuss the relationship between breeding and genetics. They will learn about the role of genetics in improving people's quality of life and the reasons for the rapid development of this science. The lesson will also address issues of professional self-determination. Students will learn about the professions of a geneticist and a genetic engineer, which are considered professions of the future.
In the practical part, high school students will complete the task "Portrait of a modern breeder" and compile a resume of this specialist. The key issues for discussion will be the possibility of completely replacing humans with technology in industries such as medicine and agriculture, as well as the ethical aspects of professions related to breeding and genetics.
A similar discussion, including the automation of the agricultural sector and the formation of an ecological culture, awaits college students. As a result of the lesson, students will come to understand that modern agriculture is a dynamic, high-tech industry that opens up a wide range of new opportunities and professional self-realization.
"Conversations about important things" November 10 — about the project
"Conversations about Important things" is a cycle of extracurricular activities launched by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in 2022. The project covers a wide range of topics on the history, culture and geography of Russia, as well as topical issues from the daily lives of schoolchildren. Classes are held every Monday in all schools and colleges in the country.
The previous lesson took place on November 1 and was dedicated to the topic "A society of unlimited possibilities". Within its framework, students talked about the importance of mutual respect and opportunities for self-realization in various spheres of life, including for people with disabilities.
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