NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this bell ringer activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
DC Greens is a health equity organization that works to end food insecurity by empowering communities to grow their own food. They are just one organization that is part of a national movement to address food shortages through community gardens and food production.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Eric Angel?
- What kind of organization is DC Greens?
- Where is DC Greens' "Well at Oxen Run" located?
- Which communities does DC Greens aim to support?
- How is food "medicine," according to Eric Angel?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
- How does what we eat affect how we feel every day, both physically and mentally?
- How could thinking of food as medicine change the way doctors and communities help people stay healthy?
Media literacy: If you were to conduct follow-up interviews, who else would you want to talk to in order to better understand DC Greens’ impact and the issues of food insecurity and access to healthy food?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Assignment: Design a poster (either digital or on paper) that raises awareness about one of these topics:
- Food as medicine: how healthy food can prevent or improve illness
- Food insecurity: the challenges people face when they lack access to affordable, nutritious food
- The importance of community gardens and local food programs (like DC Greens) in promoting health and equity
Your poster should include:
- A creative slogan
- Facts or statistics to help people understand the issue
- Visuals: graphs, charts, maps, photographs, drawings, etc.
- Suggested actions people can take to help address these issues
Written by Brooke Ingemi, PBS News Hour Classroom's intern and senior at Amherst College, and News Hour's Luke Gerwe.
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