The meatrix teacher's handout

1

TEACHERS HANDOUTS

The idea of this material first started with the finding of the animation The Meatrix (http://www.themeatrix.com/). The title hinted different ideas that could be developed and it was altogether very interesting to use as learning material in a secondary education context. This animation is the central idea of a series of tasks linked to accomplish several main objectives: developing awareness on how we eat, rising awareness on the importance of having a healthy diet, noticing different ways of giving our body what it really needs in terms of proteins, vitamins and the like. To do so I have prepared three tasks.

A- What do I know about my health and the way I eat? 1. Students fitness and healthy habits questionnaire. Answer the questionnaire below. Calculate your score and compare your answers with a partner.

1. How often do you eat fruit? a. Once or twice a day b. Once every three days c. Once a week d. Never

2. How much sport do you do every week? a. More than 5 hours b. One or two hours a week c. Less than one hour

3. How often do you have vegetables a week? a. Once a day b. Two or three times a week c. Once a week d. I never have vegetables

4. How often do you spend more than 30 minutes practising an activity that makes you sweaty? a. Three or more times a week b. Once or twice a week c. Never

5. How long does it take you to walk a kilometre? a. Les than 10 minutes b. 10 20 minutes c. I cant walk that far

6. How many of the following activities do you do at least twice a week? a. Play a ball game: football, basketball etc b. Go for a run c. Do some aerobics d. Go to the gym

7. Are cereals part of your diet? a. Yes, always b. Yes, sometimes c. No never

8. How many km. do you think you walk everyday?

a. More than three b. Not more than two c. Not more than one

9. Say if these statements are true or false.

a. I drink soft drinks at least once a day b. I only drink soft drinks once a week c. I normally drink water at a meal

2. What does our body need to grow healthy and strong? Reading in pairs : Teenagers Body Body Grid : Work cooperatively with your partner and fill in the missing information for the third column of the grid. Answer

key Whats happening in

your body

What your

body needs

How to get what you

need Getting larger

Calcium Milk, cheese, tofu, salad seaweeds

Getting larger

Protein Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, soy, nuts

B

O

N

E

S

Getting stronger

Exercise Walking, running, sports

Increasing muscle size


M

U

S

C

L

E

S

Building muscle size

Exercise Walking, running, sports

SCORING SCORE MEANING

1. a. 5 b. 3 c. 1 d. 0 2. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 3. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 4. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 5. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 6. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 7. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 8. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0

20 or less: Your health and your life are in danger ! You must do more exercise and change your eating habits NOW.

20 24: Not bad, but could be better.

25 34: You are healthier than the average person and you probably find your life more enjoyable as a result.

35 or more: You are super-fit and you have very healthy eating habits? (Or are you a liar!)

2

Development of male/female systems

Protein

Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, soy, nuts

R

E

P

R

O

D

U

C

T

I

V

E

S

Y

S

T

E

M

Females: beginning of periods

Iron Read meat, eggs, green vegetables, whole bread, grain products

Brain tissues changing


Developing new connections Protein for neurotransmitters

Meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, soy, nuts

Developing new connections Mental activity Learning new things

Energy for everyday

Animal fats Meat, seafood, butter, cheese, ice cream,

Energy for everyday

Vegetable fats Nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, corn oil

B

R

A

I

N

Energy for everyday

Carbohydrates Bread, pasta, cereal, apples, oranges, potatoes

Passages :

Student A

Proteins

Proteins are the building blocks that grow and repair your body. Proteins are needed for muscle and also for hair, skin and internal organs. Protein is unique because it is the only food source of nitrogen, which is essential to all plant and animal life. Protein foods are classified in two ways: complete and incomplete. Complete proteins, which come from animal sources such as chicken, fish, dairy and soybeans, contain all the essential amino acids that help build your muscle and body tissue. Incomplete proteins, found in plant foods, such as grains, seeds, nuts, beans and vegetables, provide a varying but limited array of amino acids. A greater variety and amount of incomplete proteins must be consumed to cover all the amino acids needed for protein building.

Fats and Oils

Fats and its compounds are known as lipids. Liquids are called oils and solids are fats. A gram of fat contains 9 calories.

Uses of Fat

visible fats: o provides a source of stored energy o gives shape to the body o cushions the skin o acts as an insulation blanket that reduces heat loss

invisible fat: This hidden fat, o is part of every cell membrane o is a shock absorber that protects the organs o is a constituent of hormones and other bio chemicals

You will find fat in many different foods but especially in sugar, cakes, cheese, nuts, butter, pork, milk, sauces etc.

Vitamins

They are organic substances present in small amounts in many foods. They are required for carrying out vital functions of the body and many of them are involved in the utilization of major nutrients like proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Although they are needed in small amounts, they are essential for the health and well being of the body.

Passages :

Student B

Iron

Iron is part of the oxygen-carrying component of the blood. Iron-deficient people get tired easily because their bodies need oxygen. Iron is also helps muscle cells store oxygen. Some iron-deficient people become fatigued even when their haemoglobin levels are normal.

Who is likely to be deficient? Vegetarians eat less iron than non-vegetarians. As a result, vegetarians are more likely to have reduced iron stores. However, iron deficiency is not usually caused by a lack of iron in the diet alone; an underlying cause, such as iron loss in menstrual blood, often exists.

Where is it found? It is found in oysters, meat, poultry, fish, dried fruit, molasses, leafy green vegetables, wine, and most iron supplements.

Carbohydrates

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Carbohydrates are one of the three main classes of food and a source of energy. Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches found in breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, which, during digestion, carbohydrates are changed into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is stored in the liver until cells need it for energy. They come from a wide array of foods - bread, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, corn, and cherry pie. They also come in a variety of forms. The most common and abundant are sugars, fibres, bran cereals, many legumes, including chick peas, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, pinto beans etc.

Calcium

Calcium is essential to maintain total body health. Your body needs it every day not just to keep your bones and teeth strong over your lifetime, but to ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves. You will find it in foods like:

Tofu, Brown bread, Cheddar cheese, Nuts, Brown rice, Cows milk, Dried apricots, Spinach, Dried figs, Cottage cheese, Soya cheese, Sesame seeds, Chick peas, Baked beans, Broccoli.

3. Lets find out if we are having a balanced diet

Step I.- Nutrition Log. Students, individually, will note down what do they eat in an average day. (Students handout provided by the teacher)

Step II.- Nutrition Log Evaluation. Students will look at their totals in each of the six food groups. They will compare them to the recommended servings given. Students will share their findings in pair and then they will describe how to meet the recommendations writing them down on the log.

B- The Meatrix, an animation.

This animation will help us answer the question: Where does our food really come from?. Teacher can introduce this way: Have you seen the film The Matrix? Do you know what it is about?. In The Matrix there are two main characters: Neo( Keanu Reeves), who lives in an unreal world ruled by a computer programme called the matrix and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), leader of human resistance to the matrix. Morpheus is also in charge of finding the hero that will eventually beat the matrix and free the human race. That hero turns out to be Neo, he will wake the world to reality. There are three more characters as supporting actors, Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in love with Neo, Cypher (Joe Pantoliana) that will eventually

betray them and Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) a clone produced by the Matrix to eliminate resistance. In the animation that you are about to watch, the main character Leo is going to see the real world and he is going to make YOU see the real world as well

1. Pre-Watching task.-

Do you think these statements are true or false? T F 1. Animal products come from independent family farms 2. Factory Farms pollute as much as any other factory 3. Factory Farms are where most eggs, milk and meat come from.

4. Family Farming is not sustainable on its own. 5. Animals in Factory Farms never see the sunlight or get fresh air.

6. Animals in Factory Farms are healthy and have better quality meat.

7. Factory farms mutilate their animals to avoid fights among them.

8. There is an overuse of antibiotics in Family Farms 9. The main interest of Factory Farms is to maximize profits. 2. While-Watching task.- Tick () the words you hear from this list. Teacher will revise meaning focusing on content as a whole group activity.

The Meatrix FAMILY FARM

FACTORY FARM

FAMILY CORPORATIONS

YELLOW PILL

DISEASES

MUTILATION

GERMS

POOR CONDITIONS

POLLUTION

MISTREATING WORKMEN

EPIDEMIC

SUSTAINABILITY

RESPECTFUL WITH ENVIRONMENT

CLEAN GROUND WATER

ANIMAL CRUELTY

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT GERMS

MASSIVE POLLUTION

DESTROYED COMMUNITIES

SICKNESSES

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3. Second-Watching task.- Follow the scrip of The Meatrix and try to fill in the missing words in Morpheus speech about Factory Farming.

Morpheus: Ill show you. In the mid 20th century greedy agriculture

corporations began modifying sustainable family farming to maximize

their profits at great costs to both humans and animals. Factory farming

was born. Animals are packed as closely together as possible, most never

see sunlight, touch ground or get fresh air. Many cant even turn around.

These poor conditions caused fights and diseases amongst the animals.

To fix this the corporate machines began systematic mutilations.

Practices such as debeaking chickens and they started adding a constant

dose of antibiotics to their feed just to keep these poor wretches

alive. This overuse of antibiotics reached super strange resistant

disease causing germs. Every day we get closer to an epidemic that

cannot be stopped.

4. After-Watching task.- In pairs try to summarize five main ideas that you obtained after watching this animation.

Students answers could be: - Factory farming was born in the mid 20th century. - Animals in factory farms live in very poor conditions, suffer

mutilations and have to take antibiotics. - Family farming is sustainable on its own. - Animals in family farms are healthier and have better quality meat. - The main interest of factory farms is to maximize profits. - ..

C- To sum up

1. Use the information you have now to fill in the sentences below. I have to start eating more I have to stop eating .. I will also have to

2. Lets get some information outside the school. STEP 1. Look in your fridge and list up the food you have at home into the different categories. Try to find out where it comes from: sustainable or non-sustainable producer.

DAIRY PROTEIN CEREAL Milk, eggs,

Red meat, . Rice, pasta ..

FATS FRUITS VEGETABLES Ice cream,

Banana .. Broccoli .

STEP 2. Is there anywhere in your town where you can buy food coming from sustainable production?. Name them.

STEP 3. Learn more about sustainable farms and understand problems associated with factory farms and what can be done to stop them have a visit around these sites: http://www.themeatrix.com/inside/index.html http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/ http://www.sustainabletable.org/schools/teachers/

STEP 4. Be creative. In groups of four think of different ways of spreading the word. How can you explain what you have learned to other students in your school? Here are some ideas: Make a poster to put up at the school entrance board, write a song to sing at the school festival, prepare a short talk to go from class to class spreading the word, or write a piece of news to publish in the school newspaper or in a local newspaper (such as Catalonia Today) add any creative idea that you may think of .

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STUDENTS HANDOUTS

A- What do I know about my health and the way I eat?

1A. Students fitness and healthy habits questionnaire. Answer the questionnaire below. Calculate your score and compare your answers with a partner.

1. How often do you eat fruit? d. Once or twice a day e. Once every three days f. Once a week g. Never

2. How much sport do you do every week? a. More than 5 hours b. One or two hours a week c. Less than one hour

3. How often do you have vegetables a week? a. Once a day b. Two or three times a week c. Once a week d. I never have vegetables

4. How often do you spend more than 30 minutes practising an activity that makes you sweaty? a. Three or more times a week b. Once or twice a week c. Never

5. How long does it take you to walk a kilometre? a. Les than 10 minutes b. 10 20 minutes c. I cant walk that far

6. How many of the following activities do you do at least twice a week? a. Play a ball game: football, basketball etc b. Go for a run c. Do some aerobics d. Go to the gym

7. Are cereals part of your diet? a. Yes, always b. Yes, sometimes c. No never

8. How many km. do you think you walk everyday?

a. More than three b. Not more than two c. Not more than one

9. Say if these statements are true or false.

a. I drink soft drinks at least once a day b. I only drink soft drinks once a week c. I normally drink water at a meal

2A. What does our body need?. Reading: Work cooperatively with your partner and fill in the missing information for the third column of the grid. Whats happening in your body What your body

needs

How to get what you need

Getting larger Calcium

Getting larger Protein

B

O

N

E

S

Getting stronger

Exercise

Increasing muscle size

Protein

M

U

S

C

L

E

S

Building muscle size

Exercise

Development of male/female systems

Protein

R

E

P

R

O

D

U

C

T

I

V

E

S

Y

S

T

E

M

Females: beginning of periods

Iron

Brain tissues changing

Protein

Developing new connections Protein for neurotransmitters

Developing new connections Mental activity

Energy for everyday

Animal fats

Energy for everyday

Vegetable fats

B

R

A

I

N

Energy for everyday

Carbohydrates

SCORING SCORE MEANING

1. a. 5 b. 3 c. 1 d. 0 2. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 3. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 4. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 5. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 6. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 7. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0 8. a. 5 b. 3 c. 0

20 or less: Your health and your life are in danger ! You must do more exercise and change your eating habits NOW. 20 24: Not bad, but could be better. 25 34: You are healthier than the average person and you probably find your life more enjoyable as a result. 35 or more: You are super-fit and you have very healthy eating habits? (Or are you a liar!)

7

B- The Meatrix, an animation. 1B. Pre-Watching task.

Do you think these statements are true or false? T F

1. Animal products come from independent family

farms

2. Factory Farms pollute as much as any other

factory

3. Factory Farms are where most eggs, milk and

meat come from.

4. Family Farming is not sustainable on its own.

5. Animals in Factory Farms never see the sunlight

or get fresh air.

6. Animals in Factory Farms are healthy and have

better quality meat.

7. Factory farms mutilate their animals to avoid

fights among them.

8. There is an overuse of antibiotics in Family

Farms

9. The main interest of Factory Farms is to

maximize profits.

2B. While-Watching task : Tick the words you hear from this list

The Meatrix FAMILY FARM

FACTORY FARM

FAMILY CORPORATIONS

YELLOW PILL

DISEASES

MUTILATION

GERMS

POOR CONDITIONS

POLLUTION

MISTREATING WORKMEN

EPIDEMIC

SUSTAINABILITY

RESPECTFUL WITH ENVIRONMENT

CLEAN GROUND WATER

ANIMAL CRUELTY

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT GERMS

MASSIVE POLLUTION

DESTROYED COMMUNITIES

SICKNESSES

3B. Second-Watching task.- Follow the scrip of The Meatrix and try to fill in the missing words in Morpheus speech about Factory Farming.

The Meatrix - Dictation

Morpheus: Ill show you. In the mid 20th ________ greedy agriculture

corporations _________ modifying sustainable family farming _____

maximize their profits at ________ costs to both humans and animals.

________ farming was born. Animals ______ packed as closely together

______ possible, most never see ________, touch ground or get

________ air. Many cant even ______ around. These poor conditions

_______ fights and diseases amongst the ________. To fix this the

__________ machines began systematic mutilations. _________ such

as debeaking chickens and ______ started adding a constant dose ____

antibiotics to their feed _____ to keep these poor wretches alive.

_______ overuse of antibiotics reached ______ strange resistant

disease causing germs. _________ day we get closer to an epidemic

_______ cannot be stopped.

8

C- To sum up

1. Use the information you have now to fill in the sentences below. I have to start eating more I have to stop eating .. I will also have to

2C. Lets get some information outside the school.

STEP 1. Look in your fridge and list up the food you have at home into the different categories. Try to find out where it comes from: sustainable or non-sustainable producer.

DAIRY PROTEIN CEREAL Milk, eggs,

Red meat, . Rice, pasta ..

FATS FRUITS VEGETABLES Ice cream,

Banana .. Broccoli .

STEP 2. Is there anywhere in your town where you can buy food coming from sustainable production?. Name them.

STEP 3. Learn more about sustainable farms and understand problems associated with factory farms and what can be done to stop them have a visit around these sites: http://www.themeatrix.com/inside/index.html http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/ http://www.sustainabletable.org/schools/teachers/

STEP 4. Be creative. In groups of four think of different ways of spreading the word. How can you explain what you have learned to other students in your school? Here are some ideas: Make a poster to put up at the school entrance board, write a song to sing at the school festival, prepare a short talk to go from class to class spreading the word add any creative idea that you may think of

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Littlewood, W., Communicative Language Teaching, CUP, 1981 David Nunan, Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom, CUP 1989 Susan Stempleski, Barry Tomalin, Film, Resource Books for Teachers, OUP 2001 S. Windeatt, D. Hardisty, D. Eastment, The Internet. Resource Books for Teachers, OUP 2000

Documents

The meatrix teacher's handout