Frontloading for Standard 1, Objective 1e



Biology

Standard 1, Objective 1

Title: Frontloading Food

Description: This activity will help students access their prior knowledge about what food is made of, how food is produced and which foods are healthy. It also provides some reading materials to begin the process of research in to meet the indicator from the Biology Core Curriculum that states:

Standard1, objective 1e. Research food production in various parts of the world (e.g., industrialized societies’ greater use of fossil fuel in food production, human health related to food product).

Materials: student sheet (below) 15-20 empty containers of foods commonly eaten by students

Time Needed: 30 minutes

Background Knowledge: None, this is an introductory activity.

Procedures:

1. Copy enough of the articles below for students each to have one and a student sheet for each student.

2. Show students a food item container and ask them what the ingredients are. Discuss where the ingredients may have come from (usually far from where you are)

3. Read the introduction on the student sheet with students.

4. Have students pair to read "Fossil Fuels and Agriculture" and “Building a Better Pyramid” to fill out the remainder of the table. Each student can read one article.

5. Instruct students to share their information with their partner and decide which food choices are more ecologically sensitive and which are better for their health.

5. Ask students to write a paragraph on the topic of how they choose the foods they eat now and how they might choose differently now that they have learned a little about the "ecology" of food production and the food pyramid.

Scoring Guide:

1. Students accurately and completely fill in table………………………….4

2. Student read article for content…………………………………………….4

3. Student display understanding of article in paragraph

written about foods they currently eat ……..…………………………………4

Student Sheet Name____________________________________

Title: Frontloading Food

Introduction: Americans have a rich and varied diet. However, since fewer and fewer Americans live on farms and we rely on prepared foods more often, we may have lost touch with where foods come from, how the ingredients are grown or what is really in it. We also may not understand how energy in the form of fossil fuels is used to grow our foods or if the food is good for us. In this activity you will investigate the question:

"How do my food choices affect my health and the health of Planet Earth?"

Materials: 5 packages from commonly eaten foods

Procedures:

1. Look at the data table below and fill it in as you trade the food containers around the room.

2. List the 3 main ingredients in the food by looking at the label. Trade packages when you finish with one. Discuss with your group the possible sources for the ingredients.

3. Read the article "Fossil Fuels and Agriculture" or “Building a Better Pyramid” and fill in the rest of the table.

| |3 main |How are fossils fuels used to produce this food? |How much of this food should you eat, based|

|Food item |Ingredients | |on the food pyramid? |

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Analysis:

1. Which food would you rate as worst for Earth?

2. Which would be worst for you?

3. Which food would you rate as best for Earth?

4. Which would be best for you?

Conclusion: Write a paragraph on the topic of how you choose the foods you eat now and how you might choose differently based on these articles.

Fossil Fuels and Agriculture

Few people realize that an enormous amount of energy is required to produce our food. In fact, 17% of all fossil fuel used in the U.S. is consumed by the food production system.

As a result of the industrialization of agriculture, most food is now produced at large-scale, centrally-located facilities which use energy-intensive farming practices. Large amounts of fossil fuel are required to power heavy farming machinery, to process foods, to refrigerate foods during transportation, to produce packaging materials, and to manufacture and transport chemical inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are particularly fossil-fuel-intensive; production and transport of 1 lb of nitrogen releases an average of 3.7 lbs of CO 2 into the atmosphere.

It is estimated that the average U.S. farm uses a total of 3 calories of fossil energy to produce each calorie of food energy.

Transportation

A tremendous amount of energy is also used to transport our food. As a result of the development of centralized industrial agricultural operations and the corresponding disappearance of local family farms, food is now shipped extraordinarily long distances before it reaches your dinner plate.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, food and agricultural products (not including imported or exported foods) are transported 566 billion ton-miles within U.S. borders each year, constituting more than 20% of total U.S. commodity transport.7 In 1969, the U.S. Department of Energy estimated that, on average, food traveled 1,346 miles.8 Another study conducted in 1980 determined that fresh produce traveled 1,500 miles!

Furthermore, an increasing quantity of food is now being transported internationally; in 1998, a total of 172 million tons of food were shipped into and out of the U.S.10 In 2001, the U.S. imported 39% of all fruits, 12% of vegetables, 40% of lamb, and 78% of fish and shellfish.

This excessive and unnecessary food transportation requires the consumption of large quantities of fossil fuel, thus polluting the environment and damaging human health. Lengthy food transport also generates additional energy expenditures by creating the need for increased food packaging, processing, and refrigeration. It also forces the government to spend more of our tax dollars repairing, constructing, and maintaining an extensive system of roads and railways.

Energy Conservation in the Agriculture Sector

Given the damage to human health and the environment caused by the use of fossil fuels, it is clearly in our best interest to reduce our consumption of this source of energy whenever possible.

As a consumer, you can also help reduce agriculture-related energy consumption by simply choosing to buy your food from local farms – this drastically reduces the distance that food is shipped, thus conserving fuel, reducing pollution, and protecting human health.

From:

Building a Better Pyramid- HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

The Healthy Eating Pyramid sits on a foundation of daily exercise and weight control. Why? These two related elements strongly influence your chances of staying healthy. They also affect what and how you eat and how your food affects you. The other bricks of the Healthy Eating Pyramid include:

* Whole Grain Foods (at most meals). The body needs carbohydrates mainly for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. They deliver the outer (bran) and inner (germ) layers along with energy-rich starch. The body can't digest whole grains as quickly as it can highly processed carbohydrates such as white flour. This keeps blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly. Better control of blood sugar and insulin can keep hunger at bay and may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

* Plant Oils. Surprised that the Healthy Eating Pyramid puts some fats near the base, indicating they are okay to eat? Although this recommendation seems to go against conventional wisdom, it's exactly in line with the evidence and with common eating habits. The average American gets one third or more of his or her daily calories from fats, so placing them near the foundation of the pyramid makes sense. Note, though, that it specifically mentions plant oils, not all types of fat. Good sources of healthy unsaturated fats include olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut, and other vegetable oils, as well as fatty fish such as salmon. These healthy fats not only improve cholesterol levels (when eaten in place of highly processed carbohydrates) but can also protect the heart from sudden and potentially deadly rhythm problems.(3)

* Vegetables (in abundance) and Fruits (2 to 3 times). A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke; protect against a variety of cancers; lower blood pressure; help you avoid the painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis; guard against cataract and macular degeneration, the major cause of vision loss among people over age 65; and add variety to your diet and wake up your palate.

* Fish, Poultry, and Eggs (0 to 2 times). These are important sources of protein. A wealth of research suggests that eating fish can reduce the risk of heart disease. Chicken and turkey are also good sources of protein and can be low in saturated fat. Eggs, which have long been demonized because they contain fairly high levels of cholesterol, aren't as bad as they're cracked up to be. In fact, an egg is a much better breakfast than a doughnut cooked in an oil rich in trans fats or a bagel made from refined flour.

* Nuts and Legumes (1 to 3 times). Nuts and legumes are excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Legumes include black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and other beans that are usually sold dried. Many kinds of nuts contain healthy fats, and packages of some varieties (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios) can now even carry a label saying they're good for your heart.

* Dairy or Calcium Supplement (1 to 2 times). Building bone and keeping it strong takes calcium, vitamin D, exercise, and a whole lot more. Dairy products have traditionally been Americans' main source of calcium. But there are other healthy ways to get calcium than from milk and cheese, which can contain a lot of saturated fat. Three glasses of whole milk, for example, contains as much saturated fat as 13 strips of cooked bacon. If you enjoy dairy foods, try to stick with no-fat or low-fat products. If you don't like dairy products, calcium supplements offer an easy and inexpensive way to get your daily calcium.

* Red Meat and Butter (Use Sparingly): These sit at the top of the Healthy Eating Pyramid because they contain lots of saturated fat. If you eat red meat every day, switching to fish or chicken several times a week can improve cholesterol levels. So can switching from butter to olive oil.

* White Rice, White Bread, Potatoes, White Pasta, Soda, and Sweets (Use Sparingly): Why are these all-American staples at the top, rather than the bottom, of the Healthy Eating Pyramid? They can cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic disorders. Whole-grain carbohydrates cause slower, steadier increases in blood sugar that don't overwhelm the body's ability to handle this much needed but potentially dangerous nutrient.

* Multiple Vitamin: A daily multivitamin, multimineral supplement offers a kind of nutritional backup. While it can't in any way replace healthy eating, or make up for unhealthy eating, it can fill in the nutrient holes that may sometimes affect even the most careful eaters. You don't need an expensive name-brand or designer vitamin. A standard, store-brand, RDA-level one is fine. Look for one that meets the requirements of the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia), an organization that sets standards for drugs and supplements.

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