OBJECTIVE

Students will explore the meaning of “nourish” in both personal and global contexts. Students will investigate the role of corn in their daily lives and understand its historical impact on society.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What does food tell us about culture?

How do we nourish ourselves?

How does eating corn affect the world?

MATERIALS NEEDED

Cornbread (prepared in advance)

Worksheet: What Does Nourish Mean to You?

Student resources: Uses of Corn and List of Corn Products

Map of the U.S.

Nourish Means

PROCEDURE

Introduction (15 minutes)

1. Engaging Hook:
   • Ask students to raise their hands if they think they eat corn every day.
   • Prompt a discussion by calling out common products that contain corn, such as:
     • Yoplait or Dannon yogurt
     • Pepperidge Farm bread
     • Special K, Cheerios, Fiber One bars
     • Frozen pizza
     • Easy Mac
     • Soda
     • Bottled salad dressings
     • Canned fruit
     • Mott’s Applesauce
     • Heinz Ketchup
     • Jam and jelly
     • Canned soups
     • Cold cuts
     • Hot dogs
     • Pancake syrup
     • Ice cream
     • Cake mix
     • Twinkies
   • Ask again if they think they eat corn every day to highlight its prevalence.
2. Discussion:
   • Pose the question, “Why is there corn in so many of the foods we buy?”
   • Discuss the role of large corn farms in producing corn cheaply in the U.S.

Lesson Development (25 minutes)

1. Understanding Food Types:
   • Ask students, “What is the difference between a whole food and a processed food?”
   • Discuss how corn is a major ingredient in processed foods. Distribute the “Uses of Corn” handout and have students identify familiar and unfamiliar items.
2. Discussion Topics:
   • Based on the reading of “La Tortilleria,” engage students in a discussion about:
     • How the American system of growing and eating corn differs from the traditional Mexican system.
     • The meaning of “nourish.”
     • The nourishing aspects of both systems. Consider framing this as a debate.

Activity (30 minutes)

1. Exploring Nourishment:
   • Hand out the worksheet “What Does Nourish Mean to You?” and ask students to draw themselves doing something that makes them feel nourished.
   • Share cornbread with the class, connecting the activity to the lesson on corn.

Assessment (15 minutes)

1. Sharing Drawings:
   • Invite students to share their drawings with the class, discussing what nourishment means to them.
2. Homework Assignment:
   • Using the “List of Corn Products” and “Uses of Corn” handouts, students will identify how many food products at home contain corn. (If this hasn’t been covered previously in the Corn: Botany lesson, ensure students are prepared.)