The United States has the safest
food production system in the
Introduction
world. There are many working
pieces that make the system as safe
as it is. It is also important to
understand that food safety
practices didnt develop overnight.
Students will take time to learn
about how the system was
developed as well essential
components of the system. Along
with a visit to the local meat
packing plant to see how all the
pieces operate together. Students
will appreciate the importance of
food safety in their life and how
they can advocate for the industry.
Meat Science
(Ag Class)
To understand how and why food
The Jungle can become contaminated or
spoiled, we will be researching a
by: Upton Sinclair little bit about bacteria and what
they do to make something
The Jungle is a novel written by the American
contaminated. Along with that,
author and journalist Upton Sinclair. Sinclair
we will be conducting an
wrote the novel to expose the harsh living
experiment to figure out if the
conditions immigrants were forced into
food of interest is contaminated.
during the Progressive era in industrialized
This knowledge will help you
American cities. Though the novel focuses
understand a little more about
heavily on the experiences of immigrants,
where things maybe went wrong
there was a negative response among readers
in the case of the book, The
concerning obvious health violations and
Jungle.
unsanitary practices of the meatpacking
industry.
"I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident Biology
I hit it in the stomach."
 Microbiology - food spoilage
Students will demonstrate knowledge of what bacteria are and how they work (S2:6)

Students will be able to test food for bacteria and viruses (S2:6)

Essential Question: What are bacteria and how can we test food properly to identify what is
considered spoiled, and what is safe to eat?

Assessments/projects:

-Bacteria research and write-up: Be able to write up a paper about what bacteria are and how they
can spread and harm us as humans

Food spoilage experiment with lab report: Be able to conduct an experiment on testing food for
bacteria, and write up a proper scientific lab report to communicate your findings

You will be connecting this knowledge to the book, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (in english class), as well as
proper food handling techniques (in agriculture class). These connections will be displayed in a summative
project, detailed in the summative assessment slide. For the biology section of the PSA, you will need to
display your experiment with results on some form of physical display, as well as be able to talk about the
English
Inquiry Question

How can literature create social change?

Formative Assessments:

Book Journal: You will use a two column journal to keep track of characters and their
interactions with the meat packing industry.

Poster of a Scene from the Novel: You will create a poster that illustrates one scene from
The Jungle that you can use in a Public Service Announcement about proper meat
handling protocol.

Standards

Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and relate elements
of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the
characters are introduced and developed). (CCSS: RL.11-12.3)

Explain the influence of historical context on the form, style, and point of view of a written
 Agriculture Science -
Meat Science
Essential/Inquiry Question

What are the elements of a successful HACCP plan and how it is used to ensure food safety
and proper harvest/processing methods in the United States?

Formative Assessment

The class will be split into 7 groups and asked to each develop their piece of a HACCP plan.
Each group will turn in their pieces and a class HACCP plan will be developed.

Defend how present day harvesting techniques have changed from the early 1900s. You will be connecting this
* * You will have to use textual evidence from The Jungle knowledge to the book, The
and your sentence summary from the field trip to the meat packing plant * * Jungle by Upton Sinclair (in
Possible Misconceptions: The meat industry is inhumane and one of the main sources english class), as well as your
of Global Warming. Food we consume is not safe and harmful to the American diet. experiment and results from how
you can test food properly
Identify the importance and recognize principles of food safety and sanitation (FPPS.03.01.a)
(biology). These connections will
be displayed in a summative
Define the seven principles of HACCP (FPPS.03.05.a)
project, detailed in the
summative assessment slide.
Explain the four major areas to control to prevent contamination (air movement, physical
contamination, temperature, and moisture) (FPPS.06.04.a.)
Assessmen
t
Students will create a Public Service Announcement with the objective of
raising awareness of meat handling practices.

Your announcement must include:

- Results (and explanation) from your Food Testing Experiment, and be able
to communicate bacteria knowledge (Microbiology Class)
- Compare and contrast of examples from The Jungle (English Class)
- A summary of a HACCP Plan. Make sure you mention each of the 7
elements of a plan. (Ag Class)

** See rubric for more information**

 Assessment
1
Rubric: 2 3 4

Biology Content Experiment results not
displayed, knowledge of
bacteria is poorly
communicated, if at all
Experiment results are Experiment results Students display experiment
displayed, but not displayed and results in an effective way,
completely understood, communicated, knowledge and can verbally
and knowledge of bacteria on bacteria is communicate knowledge of
is mentioned communicated bacteria

English Content Students do not provide
examples from the novel.
Students provide at least
one example of improper
meat handling from the
novel but do not make
connections to their work
in biology or ag.
Students provide two Students provide at least two
examples of improper or more examples of
meat handling from the improper meat handling from
novel and attempt to make the novel and connect them
connections to their work to their work in biology and
in biology and ag. ag.

Ag Content Students do not mention any Students only mention 1-3 Students mention 4-6 parts Student summarizes ALL 7
aspect of a HACCP plan. parts of a HACCP Plan. of a HACCP plan. parts of a HACCP Plan.

Presentation and The PSA is less than 2
Organization minutes or longer than 4.
Errors distract audiences
attention. Message is
unclear.
The PSA is 2-4 minutes The PSA is 2-4 minutes The PSA is 2-4 minutes long.
long. Has a few errors with long. Has minimum errors Has no errors with neat
a clear message. with neat display of display of information. With
information. With a clear a clear and concise message.
message.