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Lesson 4

We will read two articles about global meat consumption and its impact on farming and the environment, examining the subtopic questions: Is industrial agriculture a sustainable means of feeding the world? If so, why? If not, what might some alternative solutions be? We will think of possible responses to these questions and read a piece that cautions against proposed solutions. Students will evaluate the claims in each piece and then participate in a speed debate that will allow each student to practice forming evidence-based claims quickly with a partner.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence to demonstrate an understanding of the UN climate-change report calling for changes in global meat consumption, and develop ideas based on proposed solutions to these claims?

  • Can I generate and develop ideas, positions, and solutions to issues related to global meat consumption, and can I present and argue these perspectives with my peers?

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “Eat Less Meat: UN Climate-Change Report Calls for Change to Human Diet,” Quirin Schiermeier, Springer Nature Limited, 2019
    • “Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims,” Anna Lappé, Medium, 2019

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Write

We will read and annotate “Eat Less Meat: Un Climate Change Report Calls For Change To Human Diet,” an article published in nature that summarizes and comments on a recent report from the United Nations. It suggests that humans should eat less meat in order to reduce our impact on the environment.

Read and annotate "Eat Less Meat: UN Climate-Change Report Calls for Change to Human Diet." As you read, make special note of any details and evidence that the author uses to support the claims made. This will become useful in an activity we will do as a class at the end of this lesson. You might consider using the Delineating Arguments Tool to keep track of the claims as you read.

Use the following questions to guide your close reading of the text:

  1. What claims does the author make? Does he present evidence to back up these claims?

  2. What potential solutions does the author offer?

Activity 2: Read – Write

We will read and annotate the article “Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims,” an opinion piece written by anna lappé that investigates whether meat alternative products are actually more sustainable.

Read and annotate the article, "Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims." As you read, make special note of any details and evidence that Lappé uses to support her claims. This will become useful in an activity we will do as a class at the end of this lesson. To do this, you might consider using either the Delineating Arguments Tool in order to keep track of the claims as you read.

Use the following questions to guide your close reading of the text:

  1. What claims does the author make? Do they present evidence to back up these claims?

  2. What potential solutions does the author offer?

Activity 3: Discuss – Write

We will participate in a short class discussion about the two articles we have read, comparing some of the main claims and proposed solutions.

As a class, or in small groups, discuss and compare the articles by Schiermeier and Lappé.

Below are some guiding questions for the discussion:

  1. How do you think each author would respond to the other’s claims? Would they agree or disagree? Why do you think this?

  2. What are the main issues and challenges that each author brings up? Are they similar or different? Are these in line with some of the other issues examined in this section or unit so far?

  3. What perspective is missing from each text?

This class discussion will also help you prepare for the next activity, in which you will need to be prepared to discuss and argue in favor of or against some of the main claims presented.

Take notes during this discussion, especially on perspectives that your classmates bring up that you had not initially thought about.

Activity 4: Discuss

We will participate in a speed debate, which will allow us to engage in short impromptu discussions and debates with our peers using evidence from each text to respond to a series of statements.

Participate in a speed debate activity that connects to the subtopic questions: Is industrial agriculture a sustainable means of feeding the world? If so, why? If not, what might be some alternative solutions?

You will have a chance to make arguments in favor of or against a series of statements related to both of the articles you have just read. You will take turns debating one of these statements in pairs. You will have five minutes per statement. The first four minutes will be spent making your arguments, and the last minute will include a discussion about finding common ground or a common solution to the problem.

This activity is fast-paced and meant to get your thoughts flowing. You will be able to pull from your reading notes and notes from the class discussion on both texts.

Activity 5: Read – Write

We will take a closer look at “Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims” and find example sentences that use language and syntax in an effective way.

On your own, review "Impossible Foods, Impossible Claims" and note interesting sentences and paragraphs you think could be used as a model for writing your own. Write down these sentences in your Mentor Sentence Journal. Use the following questions to guide your process of selecting sentences and paragraphs:

  1. What makes this sentence or paragraph compelling?

  2. What do you notice about the sentence structure or punctuation of the sentence or paragraph?

  3. What is the effect of the sentence structure or punctuation?

  4. How would the meaning of the sentence or paragraph change if the sentence structure or punctuation changed?

With a partner, share which sentences and paragraphs you chose as models, and explain why. Make a note of these models in your Learning Log for later reference, as you continue to develop your own claims.