Fast Food Nation: Topics for Further Study

As you read excerpts from Fast Food Nation and view Food, Inc., you will be expected to investigate further and become one of our resident experts on one of the following topics:

Kids as consumers (see p. 41 . . .)

Fast food in the schools (see p. 51 . . .)

Workers in the fast food industry (see p. 59 . . )

Fast food franchisees: free enterprise with federal loans (see p. 98 . . .)

Potato farmers and the fast food industry (see p. 116 . . .)

The flavor industry (see p. 119 . . .)

The beef industry and the fast food industry (see p. 133 . . .)

The poultry industry and the fast food industry (see p. 139 . . .)

Slaughterhouses (see p. 152 . . .)

Migrant workers and the meatpacking industry (see p. 160 . . .)

Working conditions and the meatpacking industry (see p. 169 . . .)

Meat and public health (see p. 193 . . .)

Fast food across the globe (see p. 225 . . .)

Fast food and obesity (see p. 239 . . .)

Critics of fast food (see p. 243 . . .)

Mad cow disease (see p. 271 . . .)

Politicians / political parties and the fast food / meatpacking industries (see p. 277...)

McDonalds and vegetarians (see p. 278 . . .)

McDonalds and an improved public image (see p. 282 . . .)

Meatpacking industry in Texas (see p. 283 . . .)

 “Organic” meat and produce

“Sustainable” farming and ranching

More possible topics available on the Wikispace

In the beginning, I want you to post links pertaining to your topic, a short excerpt from each site and annotations for those links briefly summarizing the type of information found on them and why you think the information they provide is interesting or important. I want to see that you've read and thought about the importance of the information on the site.

Also, I want you to comment on the blog posts of your classmates. Two per assignment.

For example:
Topic: Mad Cow Disease

Mad Cow Case Found in California

The USDA has confirmed that a case of mad cow disease was found in a California dairy cow. It is the fourth case of mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), found in U.S. cattle since the first in December 2003.

I find it really disturbing that there is a case of Mad Cow found in America.  What's even more disturbing is that the first case of Mad Cow in the U.S. was found in 2003, and I didn't know about it. If this gets into the food chain people can die.  Do you eat beef? Do you know where it comes from? Do you know that it's safe to eat? How much do I trust that the USDA is keeping my food safe? Isn't it more likely that they are protecting the interests of big agriculture? This is scary. I think I need to pay more attention to where my beef is coming from.

This link is good because it has a lot of links to other current stories on this topic.

BSE or Mad Cow Disease 

BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion...

What is mad cow disease? This site is part of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) site; therefore, I feel it has reliable information on the disease. However, it is a little too technical.  I'll keep looking for a site that is easier to understand.

Into the Wild: Tone

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject or audience of a piece of writing.

Your behavior while attending church is different from your behavior while hanging out in the back yard with friends, or at least we hope it is. And part of that difference is the difference in language, a difference not just in the words we use but in what we call tone. We also recall being told, when we were very young, not to "use that tone of voice with me, Mister (or Missy, as the case may be)!" Just as the pitch and volume of one's voice carry a difference in tone from street to church, the choice of words and the way we put our sentences together convey a sense of tone in our writing. The tone, in turn, conveys our attitude toward our audience and our subject matter. Are we being frivolous or serious, casual or formal, sweet or stuffy? The choice of a single word can change the tone of a paragraph, even an entire essay. In the first sentence of this paragraph, for example, the phrasal verb "hanging out" is considerably more casual than others we might have chosen: gathering, congregating, assembling.


How would you describe the author's tone? the director's? Are they objective/unbiased or subjective/biased? Explain.

Leave your answer as a comment. Select "Anonymous" then use the following format:
Name
Period #
Comment

Make-Ups for The Soloist Essay

The Soloist

Make-ups are due Monday, May 18th at the beginning of your class.

No exceptions will be made for computer/printer problems (including I couldn't open my file from home on the school's computer)

See me if you need a copy of the book.

Themes:

• The importance of friendship

• The healing power of music

• The complex problem of homelessness

• The argument over how to treat mental-illness

• What does it mean to be truly happy

• Learning about yourself by helping others.

Task:

Take one of the themes from The Soloist, and write a 500-750 word, double-spaced, font 12 essay that explains the theme in terms of the novel and how it relates to you personally or society in general.

• Cover page:

  • In the middle of the page and with a slightly larger font, write your original title

  • At the bottom left, type your name, period number, and date.

• Introduction:

  • Hook the reader with your first sentence; use a quote, an anecdote, a startling fact or statistic, etc.

  • Give background on the novel

  • Introduce the theme you’ve chosen

  • Give your thesis statement.

• Body Paragraphs:

  • Analyze the theme in terms of the novel

  • Intermix your own thoughts on the theme; how does it apply to you personally or to society in general

  • Look at three different aspects of the theme, for example:

  • The complex problem of homelessness:

    • insufficient housing

    • untreated mental illness

    • disinterested politicians.

• Conclusion:

  • Bring all of your ideas together into a conclusion that shows you’ve thought deeply about the theme

  • Leave the reader with a thought to ponder.

• Works Cited:

  • Use parenthetical references in the text of your essay when you paraphrase or directly quote the author.

  • Complete a “Works Cited” page. Be very careful to use the MLA format. If you are not sure of the MLA format, see the following Web site:

  • http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/index.html

Research Paper Steps

Sample Working Outline

Thesis: Each person in the United States, regardless of his or her financial situation, has a right to affordable healthcare.

I. Background on the current state of healthcare in the United States


II. The rising cost of healthcare in the U. S.


III. Stories of people’s experiences/hardships with the U.S. healthcare system


IV. What is universal healthcare?


V. Solutions for improving the U. S. healthcare system



Keeping Track of Your Research Sources

Keep a folder with all of your resources in it.
Keep a Word document that includes the following:

1. Type the headings from your working outline
2. Bibliography entry (minimally the URL) from the resource that belongs to that heading
3. Under the bibliography entry (URL) type a short description of the kind of information found on that website
4. Also, include the printout of the website with your notes and highlighted quotes


Sample entry for Word document:

I. Background on the current state of healthcare in the United States

http://www.kaiseredu.org/topics_im.asp?imID=1&parentID=61&id=358
Notes:
Info on U.S. healthcare costs
Good background information

II. The rising cost of healthcare in the U. S.


http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml
Facts on the Cost of Health Insurance and Health Care


III. Stories of people’s experiences/hardships with the U.S. healthcare system


IV. What is universal healthcare?


V. Solutions for improving the U. S. healthcare system

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Chartbooks/2005/Oct/A-Need-to-Transform-the-U-S--Health-Care-System--Improving-Access--Quality--and-Efficiency.aspx
Title: “A Need to Transform the U.S. Health Care System: Improving Access, Quality, and Efficiency”
Notes:
Brief discussion of the need for changing the current system

Slave Narratives Documentary Project

The goal of this project is to create a collaborative class documentary of slave narratives using HBO’s Unchained Memories as a model.

Project Guidelines
Each student will assume at least two of the following roles. One of those two roles must be a research role (1-4):
1. Collector of internet images of slavery (images must reflect segment topic, including images of the slaves whose narratives are used in the film);
2. Collector/researcher of slave narratives (gathers narratives relevant to segment topic/theme and selects the part of the narrative to be performed);
3. Collector/researcher of slave/negro spirituals (text and/or audio);
4. Collector/researcher of historical, background information (info relevant to segment overall, to any images that accompany it and to whatever immediately follows it;
5. Actor(s) (performs the dramatic reading of the narratives and the slave spirituals and the historical/background information);
6. Camera person (multiple angles);
7. Film editors (film editors need to have an advanced ability to grasp new technology and be able to learn how to do things by reading information in “Help” and/or follow video tutorials http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/#imovie; logical, cohesive, thematic flow of video, audio, images, etc.; transitions; titles; subtitles; credits);
8. Narrator (uses GarageBand or possibly iMovie to create voice-overs of historical background information)

Day 1
1. Explanation of project
2. Expectations/Rubric
a. Each day each individual will be given a pass/fail grade based on participation and completion of what is due at the end of class
b. Upon completion of the project, your group will receive a grade based on your film
3. Time-line
4. Each group will be responsible for the filming and production of one segment of the documentary
5. As a class we will decide how to group the segments (thematically, topically, chronologically, by gender and/or age, etc.)
6. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS: Selection of groups and roles

Day 2 (Will need access to computers)
1. Research day
2. Collect images (qty. 10 ), slave narratives (qty. 3 different narratives from different people), slave spirituals (qty. 3), historical info (qty. 3 sources) (save to flash drive or email yourself copies, links, documents, etc.)
3. Sources must be documented using MLA format.
4. SIDE NOTE: There must be coordination with other groups to prevent duplicate material. (Ex. Researchers of slave narratives must communicate with researchers of slave narratives from other groups to be sure not to film the same material.)
5. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS: You must show me the files you have saved to your flash drive and/or emailed to yourself.
6. HOMEWORK: Continue to collect and revise your research

Day 3
1. Refine research
2. Organize and plan your segment
3. Put your plan in writing
4. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS: Your plan in writing (a tentative shot list)
a. Ex. 1. Film opens with title page saying …
b. 2. Narrator gives background info about …
c. 3. At the same time narrator is speaking, the screen will show images of …
5. iMovie tutorial (if time permits)

Day 4 (Will need access to cameras and computers)
1. Download images and put into iPhoto
2. Download audio into iTunes
3. Put narration into Garage Band
4. Film your narratives, background info, and slave spirituals
5. You will need to save time to download what your group filmed to your computer
6. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS:

Day 5 (Will need access to cameras and computers)
1. Begin editing video (adding titles, subtitles, transitions, images, etc.)
2. Film your narratives, background info, and slave spirituals
3. You will need to save time to download what your group filmed to your computer
4. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS:

Day 6 (Last day for in-class filming; Any additional footage will need to be filmed at lunch or after school; Will need access to cameras and computers)
1. Begin editing video (adding titles, subtitles, transitions, images, etc.)
2. Film your narratives, background info, and slave spirituals
3. You will need to save time to download what your group filmed to your computer
4. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS:

Day 7
1. This day will be devoted entirely to editing your film
2. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS:

Day 8
1. This day will be devoted entirely to editing your film
2. DUE AT THE END OF CLASS:

Plans for the week of Monday, Feb 23

Plans for the week of Monday, Feb. 23

English 3
Monday, Feb. 23

Collect Homework:
Handouts 11 & 12;
Reading discussion questions;
Thoreau, Gandhi and King comparison matrix (2nd period and absent students)

2nd Period
Review warm-up handouts;
Finish Thoreau group presentation;
Civil Disobedience choice boards;
The Soloist lesson;

6th and 7th
Review warm-up handouts;
Civil Disobedience choice boards;
The Soloist lesson;

Objectives:
To extend the reading of The Soloist beyond the text by reading an article about homelessness and analyzing the article.

Essential Questions:
Is it okay for the homeless to live and sleep, to put up temporary residences, such as tents, on public land?
If society is not going to provide shelter for every homeless man, woman, and child, then what can be done for them?

Task:
Read the article: "Camden's Tent City homeless keep up hope"
Write down one thing that stood out to you.
Make your own list of ten rules, a code of conduct, if you ran Tent City.

Small group then whole group discussion:
Why is it so hard to solve the problem of Skid Row? Which approach is better--solving it top-down through the mayor's office, or helping one person at a time like Lopez?
Why does Ayers resist moving inside into the apartment?

Homework:
Study for quiz--Capitalization and Punctuation--Study handouts 1-12
Due Friday: Using the Civil Disobedience choice board as a guide, come up with a project you would like to do for The Soloist. The project must look at the plight of the homeless, especially in Philadelphia. What would the criteria be? What category would it fit into?

Tuesday, Feb. 24
Quiz: Capitalization and Punctuation

"The Raven" --Edgar Allan Poe

Objective:
Understand and analyze sound effects in poetry.

Essential Terms:
Sound Effects/Devices:
Refrain
End rhyme
Internal rhyme
Alliteration
Onomatopoeia
Meter
Literary Concepts/Terms:
Symbolism
Mood
Tone

Read the Adaptation Distribute copies of the annotated version of
“The Raven”. Have all students read the selection silently.

Listen to the Poem (Use the YouTube download) Help students appreciate sound effects in the
poem. Play the audio recording of the selection in English as
students read along silently. Explain that Poe uses rhythm, rhyme,
and alliteration in “The Raven” to create sound effects. Help students
analyze how he achieves this purpose by guiding students to identify
and discuss examples of these techniques throughout the poem. For
example:
• Pause after listening to line 13. Reread the line aloud
emphasizing the repeated /s/ in silken, sad, uncertain, and
rustling. Help students identify this use of alliteration.
• Then help them identify onomatopoeia by asking the following
questions:
1.What sound is repeated here? (/s/)
2.What is Poe describing in this line? (curtains moving slightly)
3.What sound does moving cloth make? (a swishing sound)

Homework:
Complete test "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe online at my.hrw.com

Wednesday, Feb. 25
Pretest for Unit (Complete online)

Objectives: Evaluate genres and traditions in American literature;

Task:
Paired reading: Read Textbook pp. 299-305 (or if in class, Holt Reader pp. 125-127) "American Masters: Whitman and Dickinson";
Still in pairs: In your notebook, answer questions in the Holt Reader that appear in the margins. (Do not write question, but instead use wording from the question in your answer); Complete a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting both authors;
Whole class: Review Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting both authors;

Homework:
Due Tomorrow: Answer the following question found on p. 305: Write About… What do they mean? A quotation from Walt Whitman and a quotation from Emily Dickinson appear on page 299 in the textbook, at the start of this introduction. Read each quotation carefully. Then, write a paragraph reflecting on the two quotations. You can comment on what you think each poet means by the quotation, or you can express your own feelings about what each poet says—even if your feelings are confused!

Due Friday: Read "from Song of Myself, Numbers 10, 33, and 52" handout; Complete "Free Verse" handout;

Thursday, Feb. 26
***Benchmark Test***

Friday, Feb. 27
Warm-up:
Proofreading handout #14;
Collect reading questions

Objectives:
To analyze The Soloist and discuss a final project (choice board: topics created with student input) that looks at the plight of the homeless in Philadelphia

Task:
Discuss and rate the project ideas students came up with from Monday's homework;
Develop the first draft of the choice board for The Soloist;

WUP for Tuesday, June 3

It is better to be happy for the moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while. --Don Marquis

Vocab
covert (adj.) hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded
Napoleon was an expert at making covert preparations to attack unsuspecting opponents.

Usage: past vs. passed
In the past, people with manners would have asked for the potatoes to be passed instead of reaching over someone to get them. "Past" is a time before now. "Passed" is past tense of "to pass."