FALL 2012: OUR CLASS AND OUR FOCUS

This semester we will be working with the guiding question:
How does what I eat affect my own health and the sustainab

ility of the planet? and how do we deal with FOOD ACCESS? where to start?

For the first half, I want you all to get learn more about the food industry, where your food comes from, what is in your food, how do we make healthy food accessible to everyone, local farms and why do they cost more, is organic worth it, what are GMO's?  Food and water are the basis of life, let's get involved!

Therefore, we will as a class, THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION, focus on citizenhip through the current event topic of food...the life topic of food.  Food bridges social issues, science and citizenship perfectly.

(the pigs in the picture way back there are where our "half" pig lived.  We pick up our half pig order today.  If you have a chance, watch FOOD INC on the pig industry section (smithfield, which is where almost all supermarket pig comes from), on  how they treat the immigrants and the pigs, it is horrifying and wrong. Finding a local farm and being able to buy a share in meat is a great way to avoid the major industries and the way they treat humans and animals...

IN social studies, the main focus is (according to NCSS):

Social studies educators teach students the content knowledge, intellectual skills, and civic values necessary for fulfilling the duties of citizenship in a participatory democracy. 
NCSS defines social studies as "the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence." 

My friend who lives in Brooklyn wrote this to me when I asked for some information that could increase access for you guys to understand the whole issue, which is HUGE


There is the debate over organic certification, GMOs, etc. but also, for me, more importantly is food access (esp for poor and (often poor) rural areas) and how that relates to class, race, etc. Not only is "good food" important, but really, to me, the main indicator of WHY it's important is not just environmental (as a lot of people hook into), it's health outcomes. There is a statistic that I like to use where in the Upper East Side, median income is over $80K. More of those residents eat fruits/veggies per day than in my nabe (med income $29K) and they have a lower incident of diet-related diseases. Then when you factor other data (race, for example) it just gets weirder. There's no hiding the fact that low-income nabes get more fast food restos than the higher income ones... This is awesome that you're getting the students interested in this topic b/c it's very hot right now and it really encompasses every thing. Food bridges people--across cultures, families, etc. and so it's really a great way to experience issues facing our society IMO.


In our class we are going to get involved with one issue (food) for the first few weeks, and then you will engage in a topic of your own interest and get involved.  If you love the food topic, you can continue, or you can choose your own, it might be a topic that is being discussed in the election debates that you want to learn more about etc...

Please view links on the side bar and check out videos...

On September 18, we will be doing a service learning trip over to Green Meadows Farm, about 30 minutes away from SSU.   We will learn about what they are doing and help them out for a morning.

if anyone wonders if indigenous people are still being compromised in favor of "progress"

If you are teaching columbus OR pilgrims and native americans, etc) you might be good to know that native american culture and genocide continues...Here in Brazil, they have voted to build the biggest dam at the demise of this indigenous tribe.  I tried to find out more and interestingly I could not find any US news covering it per se, only al jazeera...
But here is the quote that clued me into this issue, followed by  a news article..which has some videos etc.

"I have more respect for a Warrior that protects life—for us, for our children and grandchildren and future generations –than for a false civilization and their interests!
While newspapers and television talk about the lives of celebrities, ...the chief of the Kayapo tribe received the worst news of his life: Dilma, 'The new president of Brazil, has given approval to build a huge hydroelectric plant (the third largest in the world).
It is the death sentence for all the people near the river because the dam will flood 400,000 hectares of forest. More than 40,000 Indians will have to find another place to live. The natural habitat destruction, deforestation and the disappearance of many species is a fact. '
What moves me in my very bowels , making me ashamed of being part of Western culture, is the reaction of the chief of the Kayapo community when he learned of the decision—his gesture of dignity and helplessness before the advance of capitalist progress, modern predatory civilization that does not respect the differences ...

But we know that a picture is worth a thousand words, showing the reality of the true price of our bourgeois "quality of life". (posted by Gonzalo Cesar, my translation from Spanish)
to read more on the whole dam and it happening, here is an article from aljazeera:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/01/201212015366764400.html