Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra feature stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write a 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Schools Go Local for Better Food, 05/30/06
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june06/farms_5-30.html

Initiating Questions:

1. Where do the fruits and vegetables you eat come from?

2. Are there any farms in your community? If so, what kinds?

3. What does "buy local" mean?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What trend is impacting schools and school lunches across the country?

School districts across the country are trying to fight obesity and pollution by purchasing food from local farmers.

2. Why is this trend beneficial?

By using local farms, schools hope to offer their students fresher food that tastes better, while financially supporting small businesses in their communities.

3. Describe the Ventura program. What four points does the program focus on?

The Ventura program focuses on four points: providing locally grown food in all the schools' cafeterias, incorporating a different food item into the curriculum each month, creating gardens so that students can grow their own fruits and vegetables, and introducing students to the professional farmers.

The students learn when, where, and how each item is grown, as well as the food's nutritional value.

"Before we started the program kids couldn't tell the difference between oranges and tangerines. Know they all know at least three varieties of tangerine," said Van Houten.

4. Where are these programs most successful? Why?

Although 23 states have programs, the most successful are in California, Florida, Alabama and Georgia because of their agricultural history.

"It is easier to start programs in rural areas because there is an understanding about farmers and farm culture," Kalb said.

5. Where are these programs least successful? Why?

Joshi said the reason the programs are successful in rural areas is also the reason they are rarer in the city. "Urban school districts tend to be further away from farms, so transportation and distribution of farm fresh product pose a hurdle."

Frank Kelly of the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin tried a farm to school program, but decided not to make a permanent change to the school lunches.

"The educational component of the program worked very well," Kelly said, but it was hard to get the food to the cafeteria.

"Because the growing cycle and school cycles are in conflict," local farmers aren't able to provide enough food year round, Kelly explained.

6. What challenges face any school involved in a farm to school program?

Another challenge, said farmer Mike Tabor, who runs Liking Creek Bend Farm in Needmore, Pa., "is getting schools to raise enough money to compete with agribusiness," who can offer food at a lower price.

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. According to the article, many in the movement believe that existing laws should be funded to help subsidize farm-to-school programs. What do you think? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

2. Look at your community. Is your school ripe to become a National Farm to School Network candidate? Why or why not? What obstacles does your school face? What opportunities? Create a workable plan for your school.

3. What are other "buy local" programs? Think about the possibilities for businesses and government offices. Do such programs work? What are the obstacles?

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.