Teaching Tools

Read and Respond 

Reaction papers are a common assignment in college courses.  Instructors frequently ask students to locate articles that relate to the topics in the course curriculum.  Making connections between the course content and information from outside sources increases your understanding and application of new principles.  Drawing on your own interests and knowledge, choose a feature length article (450 words) from a recent journal, magazine, or newspaper that pertains to current attitudes and trends.  Topics should relate to social, political, and economic issues raised in McMillan’s book, The American Way of Eating.

• Summarize the content of the article. 
• Choose one sentence or passage as a focal point and then write a personal response.  
• Suggested length:  600 words. 
• Your article should be stapled to the reaction paper
• Follow the MLA style for final copies. 
• Papers will be evaluated using the final criteria:
  • Ability to summarize the article
  • Ability to isolate a significant point from the article
  • Ability to link the content of the article to previous knowledge and personal experience

Throughout the book The American Way of Eating, McMillan introduces and defines terms and labels that may be unfamiliar to readers.  Note these words and phrases as you read and jot down the definitions given/your understanding of the terms.

• fringe retailers
• non-traditional food retailers
• paradox of plenty
• farm to plate
• industrialized agriculture
• shift work disorder
• COOL labeling
• crisping
• shelf stable foods
• bio-intensive agriculture
• dead food
• foodie
• urban farming
• community gardens
• USDA

Answer reader response questions from each of the following sections of Tracie McMillan’s book, The American Way of Eating: Introduction, Farming, Selling and Cooking. 

INTRODUCTION

• As a newcomer to NYC, Tracie and her roommate discuss the sighting of a cockroach at a supermarket.  Her roommate asks,” Maybe we can shop somewhere else?” What prevents them from finding better food sources? 
• What factors prevent many of us from eating better, healthier food? How important is time and convenience in your diet choices? Does it override taste and price? 

Part I   FARMING

• Why is bottled water the norm in California, even for farm workers? What do you know about your local water source? Does it concern you? 
• At each new job, Tracie is required to learn the “tricks and techniques” of the job.  Describe a work assignment or new job that required you to acquire new skills. 

Part 2  SELLING

• During her stint as an hourly employee at Walmart, Tracie must learn to “budget” and live on minimum wage. Again, as in the farm fields she has some advantages over her co-workers.  What are they? Despite these advantages, she has budget dilemmas.  Which of her situations did you relate to the most?
• While working in produce, Tracie reveals food handling practices that may surprise the reader. Crisping and other practices may have disturbed you.  Will these revelations influence your grocery store choices? 

Part 3  COOKING

• In 2010 Americans spent about 42% of their food budget eating out.  How often do you eat out each month? What type of restaurant do you frequent?  Do you agree that “eating out” is more than simply satisfying hunger?
• Explain the challenges and workplace hazards that Tracie experienced as an “expo” at Applebee's.  What did she say she enjoyed most about working at Applebee’s? Can you identify