Lesson 6
We will review some of the major topics discussed in this unit and how they fit into the greater food system by looking at the Culminating Task Checklist and reviewing the subtopic questions. We will pay specific attention to some of the challenges that have been addressed, as well as some of the potential solutions that were posed. In small groups, we will think about our own perspectives and brainstorm some of the differing points of view. We will determine a position on a subtopic question and begin to delineate an argument we can present for review in the Section Diagnostic.
Lesson Goals
Can I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence to demonstrate an understanding of the texts and topics presented in the unit, and can I make claims and develop ideas based on the major challenges to, and proposed solutions for, the global food system?
Can I recognize points of connection among texts and different author perspectives to make logical, objective comparisons to topics related to food technology, agricultural practices, and local food systems?
Texts
Core
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- “Nourish Food System Map,” Nourish, WorldLink, 2014
- “The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges,” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2017
Materials
Tools
Reference Guides
Editable Google Docs
Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write
We will review some of the main topics and challenges examined in this unit, as well as the subtopics. We will use the “Nourish Food Systems Map” from section 1 as well as the Future of Food infographic as tools to think about the Culminating Task prompt.
Step 1
As a class, examine the Culminating Task Checklist.
Review the Task Question: What are the most critical challenges facing the future of the global food system? How should we go about addressing those challenges?
Now examine the subtopics:
Option 1 - Food Technology: Are new technologies, such as indoor urban agriculture and vertical farming, viable solutions to sustaining the global food system? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Option 2 - Agricultural Practices: Is industrial agriculture a sustainable means of feeding the world? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Option 3:- Local Food Systems: Is regionalization a viable alternative to a globalized food system? If so, why? If not, what role, if any, should local food systems play?
Step 2
Form a small reading group and review some of the main topics and challenges examined in this unit. You might return to the lists and diagrams you made in Section 2, Lesson 7 as you prepare for the Section Diagnostic.
Review the "Nourish Food System Map" from Section 1 and think about how the topics and challenges identified relate to this diagram, including its four realms (farming, economic, social, and environmental) and five systems (biological, economic, health, political, and social).
Make notes about the relationships in the diagram, the topics and challenges identified, and the three subtopics. You might use the numbers to code which of the three topics are connected to your list of topics and challenges and the realms and systems they are connected to.
Activity 2: Read – Discuss – Write
In small groups or pairs, we will review “The Future Of Food And Agriculture: Trends And Challenges” from Lesson 1 and brainstorm possible topics related to it as we consider questions from the Culminating Task.
Step 1
In small groups, examine the Culminating Task Checklist.
Unpack the Central Question: How do we feed a growing population in a viable way?
Now, unpack the Task Questions: What are the most critical challenges facing the future of a global food system? How might we go about addressing them?
Paying attention to the phrase "most critical challenges facing the future of a global food system," examine "The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges" more closely.
Individually, make a list of the 10 challenges highlighted in the infographic. Determine which three challenges seem to be the most pressing and highlight, underline, or circle them on your list.
Discuss your list of critical challenges with your group members. As a result of your discussion, expand your list so that it identifies at least five major challenges you see as pressing.
Step 2
In small groups, read and annotate the three subtopics presented as options on the Culminating Task Checklist:
Option 1 - Food Technology: Are new technologies, such as indoor urban agriculture and vertical farming, viable solutions to sustaining the global food system? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Option 2 - Agricultural Practices: Is industrial agriculture a sustainable means of feeding the world? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Option 3:- Local Food Systems: Is regionalization a viable alternative to a globalized food system? If so, why? If not, what role, if any, should local food systems play?
In your small group, discuss the topics and challenges that the questions address. Discuss the relationship among the perspectives and positions encompassing these subtopics.
For each of the three subtopics, identify a list of possible materials from the unit that relate to the subtopic. Thinking about these sources, consider challenges and solutions that have been raised in each text.
Activity 3: Read
We will consider the list of critical challenges we have identified and the three topic areas to determine which subtopic we think is most significant and interesting.
Individually, return to the list of most critical challenges you identified after studying "The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges."
With this list in mind, determine whether you see the area as having an overall positive or negative impact on those challenges. In other words, would you see yourself having a positive or negative perspective on the area as a possible response to the challenges you have identified?
Ask yourself which of the three areas most interest you, and which one you feel best prepared by the unit to address.
Based on all of these considerations, rank the topics from one to three based on how likely you are to write an argument about them.
Activity 4: Write
We will practice forming a claim and establishing a perspective and position in response to the questions from the section 3 diagnostic checklist.
Based on your analysis in the previous activity, pick one of the subtopic questions from the Culminating Task to explore in more depth. This will likely be the topic you ranked first in the previous activity.
Food Technology: Are new technologies, such as indoor urban agriculture and vertical farming, viable solutions to sustaining the global food system? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Agricultural Practices: Is industrial agriculture a sustainable means of feeding the world? If so, why? If not, what might serve as alternative solutions?
Local Food Systems: Is regionalization a viable alternative to a globalized food system? If so, why? If not, what role, if any, should local food systems play?
Analyze the question for your chosen topic, thinking about its controversy. Consider again the topic’s various perspectives and positions.
Decide which side of the controversy you would like to argue for.
Use the organization of the Section 3 DiagnosticDelineating Arguments Tool to help you think about the following elements of your argument:
the central topic you are focusing on and how it relates to one of the subtopics
the subtopic questions and controversy related to this topic
your perspective on this topic
your position on the topic
a list of unit materials that might provide supporting evidence, noting the material’s author
Activity 5: Write
We will prepare for the Section Diagnostic by drafting a delineation of our proposed argument.
Thinking about the argument you propose to develop, use the Section 3 Diagnostic Delineating Arguments Tool to write notes about the topic, controversy, purpose, perspective, and position that might guide your development of the argument.
In considering your purpose, think about who you might be writing the argument for (other than your teacher), what you will be trying to convince people to believe, and why your argument is important.
Think about the Culminating Task Central Question and the subtopic questions. Make a list of areas in which you might need to make claims to develop and support your position. Example claim areas are below:
claims that present the most pressing challenges to the global food system, including why they are most pressing (i.e., your list of major challenges)
claims that present the challenges and solutions suggested by your subtopic question (e.g., a claim about vertical farming)
claims about possible solutions to food system challenges within your subtopic
counterclaims to arguments against your position and proposed solutions
Without writing the claims, use this list as headings for the Claim section of the Section 3 Diagnostic Delineating Arguments Tool.
For each claim area identified, list possible sources of information and evidence from the unit.
Activity 6: Write
For homework, review and revise your Section 3 Diagnostic Delineating Arguments Tool draft in preparation for presenting and defending it in a peer review.
For homework, write clear, complete sentences that present your analysis of the controversy you will address in your argument, your possible purpose, and your perspective on a blank copy of the Section 3 Diagnostic Delineating Arguments Tool. Write a strong evidence-based claim that expresses your position in response to the question in your chosen subtopic. Be sure to use applicable words from your Vocabulary Journal in your sentences.
Write down what supporting claims you will present for your position in the Claims section of the tool and list possible sources of evidence beneath each claim.