Chew On This
by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson
Chapter 1: “Introduction”
Eric Shlosser’s opening paragraph is designed to evoke your senses. Illustrate what you visualize
as you read his hook.
As you read...
Identify an interesting fact
Text support
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
Page #: _______
After you read...
Write a connection or realization you had about yourself after reading this section.
What are 2 questions you have about the text?
OR
What are 2 things you are wondering about?
Chapter 2: “The Pioneers”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
radical (adj.)
corporate (adj.)
entrepreneurs (n.)
p. 22
p. 24
p. 26
1.
franchise (n.)
p. 32
3.
Authorization granted to someone to sell or distribute a
company’s goods or services.
People who organize, operate, and assume the risks of starting a
business.
united or combined into one; collective
4.
departing from the usual; extreme
2.
Before you read...
List three nonfiction text features
in this chapter.
How does it enhance your understanding of
the text?
As you read . . .
Place important dates introduced in this chapter on the timeline.
“The Rise of Fast Food”
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
2
Chapter 3: “The Youngster Business”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
manipulate (v.)
tactics (n.)
wield (v.)
p. 39
p. 40
p. 40
embodiment (n.)
p. 42
1.
To influence, manage, or control
2.
A way to achieve a desired goal
3.
A tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling
4.
To exercise (for example, authority) effectively
Before you read...
What do you think this
section will be about?
What do you already know?
What are 2 things you'd like to
know?
•
•
As you read...
Identify an interesting fact
Text support
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
Page #: _______
3
Identify an interesting fact
Text support
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
Page #: _______
After you read...
What is the main idea of this section?
What are 3 questions you have about the text?
OR
What are 3 things you are wondering about?
Discussion Question:
1. Explain a time when a marketing campaign for a product has persuaded you to desire or actually
buy something.
4
Chapter 4: “McJobs”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
confectionery (n.)
real value (n.)
appealed (v.)
solidarity (n.)
p. 64
p. 77
p. 89
p.90
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
upheld (v.)
p. 90
Wages regarded in terms of purchasing power rather than the actual
amount.
a store where candy is sold
made a formal request to a higher authority requesting a change in or
confirmation of a decision
maintained or defended something, especially laws or principles, in the face
of hostility
mutual agreement and support; harmony of interests and responsibilities
among individuals in a group
Text Structure: Write each effect next to its cause, or write its cause next to its effect.
Cause
“The automobile now determined where and
how people lived” (pp64-65).
(p.65):
“Whenever a new McDonald’s opens…” (p67).
(p.67):
(p.74):
“The fast-food industry has changed the way
millions of Americans work and turned restaurant
kitchens into little food factories” (p.74)
(p.81):
“When kids go to work…” (p.81).
Effect
Which details do the authors use to suggest they feel McDonald’s operates and treats
its employees in an impersonal, detached way?
Details from the Text
How the details show the authors feel
McDonald’s operates in an impersonal,
detached manner.
1.
2.
3.
5
Analyze the authors’ opinions. Find three opinions that you agree with. Why do you
agree with these opinions?
Opinion from Text
I agree because…
1.
2.
3.
Analyze the authors’ opinions again. Find three opinions that you disagree with. Why
do you disagree with these opinions?
Opinion from Text
I disagree because…
1.
2.
3.
Discussion Question:
Why did the author include the closing anecdote (a short personal account of an event) about Pascal
and his fight for a union? How does the anecdote help support the authors’ overall argument?
____________
6
Chapter 5: “The Secret of the Fries”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
sacrosanct (adj.)
additives (n.)
processed foods
vast (adj.)
p.92
p.103
(n.) p.104
p.104
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
extract (n.)
p.121
foods treated by a chemical or industrial process to extend their shelf life or
to make them able to be frozen and reheated later.
very great in size
something (usually manmade) added to something else to alter or improve it
in some way, e.g. to change the color or texture of food
a concentrated or purified substance obtained by first using a solvent to
dissolve this substance when present in a mixture and then evaporating the
solvent
very holy and sacred; not to be criticized or tampered with
Discover evidence of the following methods of characterization to describe J.R.
Simplot.
Method of Characterization
text example of an action:
This reveals that…
text example of an action:
text example of dialogue:
Analyze the impact of the following word choices on the authors’ meaning and tone.
What do the word choices reveal about the authors’ opinions or points of view?
Examples of Word Choice
How does the use of the word imply a deeper
meaning and reveal the authors’ opinions?
“Although Thomas Jefferson had brought the
Parisian recipe for pommes frites to the United
States in 1802…” (p93). Why not just call them
French fries?
“ His ZX Ranch in southern Oregon is the largest
cattle ranch in the United States” (p97). Why not
call it a home?
“ The heart of the flavor industry lies between
Exit 4 and Exit 19 of the New Jersey Turnpike, a
part of the state dotted with oil refineries and
chemical plants” (p104). What is the parallel
being drawn here?
“A tour of the IFF plant is the closest thing in real
life to visiting Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory”
(p105).
7
Schlosser and Wilson argue that French fries represent one of the best-kept secrets in
the food industry. What secrets did the authors claim were hidden from common
knowledge in the following chapter subtopics? How do these secrets affect consumers?
“J.R. Simplot”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
“Factory Fries” Secret:
How it affects consumers:
“Smells”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
“Tasty”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
“Those
Strawberry
Shakes”
Secret:
“Kid Testers”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
How it affects consumers:
“The Bugs in
Your Candy”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
“Poop on
Ronald”
Secret:
How it affects consumers:
8
CHAPTER 2-5 VOCABULARY APPLICATION
Due: __________________________
Use the following vocabulary words from Ch 2-5 to complete the sentences.
real value (n.)
extract (n.)
wield (v.)
sacrosanct (adj.)
corporate (adj.)
additives (n.)
solidarity (n.)
radical (adj.)
appealed (v.)
tactics (n.)
entrepreneurs (n.)
manipulate (v.)
embodiment (n.)
upheld (v.)
confectionery (n.)
vast (adj.)
franchise (n.)
processed foods (n.)
1. A law that was once considered _________________________ may no longer be so sacred with the election of
a new governor.
2. Lindsey has to carefully check the ingredients on many foods she eats since they may contain
________________________ to which she is allergic.
3. Techniques used to create ______________________________ include canning, freezing, and dehydrating.
4. There was such a(n) ___________________ amount of shoes to choose from that Carrie had a difficult time
deciding which to wear.
5. Some believe that breathing in the concentrated scent of almond _______________________ can help
relieve pain.
6. The team was the_________________________ of good sportsmanship as they waited to shake hands with the
winning team.
7. The ______________________ of the U.S. minimum wage is lower today than it was fifty years ago.
8. We've worked with large _________________________ companies for many years helping them to find
people whose skills will strengthen their business.
9. Every week, hundreds of ____________________ meet their bank managers in the hope of getting a loan to
start a business.
10. Sarah knew how to_____________________ the lights in order to get the effect she wanted.
11. I stand in _____________________ with you as we fight against the evils of the world.
12. Greg’s sandwich business was a(n) ______________________ of a popular national restaurant.
13. Her plan was to _____________________ her authority when trying to convince the team to use her idea.
14. Bridget had a(n) _______________________ idea that would change the way the business advertised their
products.
15. The verdict was _______________________ by the court and the prisoner was taken back to his jail cell.
16. The ______________________ Jeff used to sell his product were out of the ordinary.
17. Since Linda loves candy, her favorite place to visit at the mall is the _________________________.
18. Ralph ______________________ the decision handed down by the court.
9
Chapter 6: “Stop the Pop”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
culture (n.)
exclusive (adj.)
p. 129
p. 134
legislature (n.)
p. 152
-
1.
The attitudes and behavior that characterize a group
2.
An elected body of persons that make, change, and appeal laws
3.
Not allowing something else
As you read . . . .
Complete the pre-write. Be prepared to write an extended response regarding the following
prompt.
PROMPT: How has the introduction of processed foods (as supplied in school cafeterias and
fast-food restaurants) changed the lives of children?
((Reminders: Use Phrases to Complete the Organizer! It’s also helpful to include page numbers so
you can refer back to the text when needed.))
Main Idea #1:
1.
1.
2.
2.
Main Idea #2:
Your own ideas
(I say…)
1.
1.
2.
2.
Main Idea #3:
Evidence(examples) from text
(It says…)
1.
1.
2.
2.
10
Chapter 7: “Meat”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
condemn (v.)
progressive (adj.)
commodity (n.)
p. 160
p. 161
p. 170
implication (n.)
p. 170
1.
To express an unfavorable judgment on
2.
An understood effect
3.
Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform
4.
Something of use, advantage, or value
QUOTE
Before you read . . . .predict whether the quote is from
“Then” (The Jungle) OR “Now” (Chew On This).
As you read, determine where the quote is found.
Pre-reading
During reading
THEN
NOW
THEN
NOW
1. “Slaughterhouse lagoons can be as big as 20 acres
and as much as 15 feet deep, filled with millions of
gallons of really disgusting stuff.”
2. “They worked with a furious intensity, literally upon
the run—at a pace with which there is nothing to be
compared except a football game.”
3. “Of the butchers . . . and all those who used knives,
you could scarcely find a person who had the use of
his thumb.”
4. “What was happening there had been going on,
one way or another, for thousands of years: the meat,
the hook, the knife, men straining to cut more off the
bone.”
5. “Here and there the grease and filth have caked
solid, and the creek looks like a bed of lava. The
(meat)packers used to leave the creek that way, till
every now and then the surface would catch on fire
and burn furiously, and the fire department would
have to come put it out.”
6. “[Residents] can’t stop thinking about the smell,
even after years. It seeps into everything, gives them
headaches, makes them nauseous, interferes with their
sleep.”
The Jungle is an example of “muckraker” journalism, which became popular in the
early twentieth century. A “muckraker” was someone who dug up dirt — or raked up
mud — to expose social and political evils. Journalists often exaggerated their findings
to create public outrage and cause social change.
11
As you read this section, make a web of text support that could be used as
evidence to argue that Chew On This is muckraker journalism.
Use the space below. Include at least FIVE supporting details from this section.
evidence of
muckraker
journalism
After you read . . . .
1. Do you feel that Chew On This could be considered “muckraker journalism”? Explain your
reasoning.
2. Explain what Sinclair meant when he wrote, “I aimed for the public’s heart and by accident I hit it
in the stomach.”
12
Chapter 8: “Big”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
bittersweet (adj.)
bleak (adj.)
p. 203
p. 213
1.
both pleasant and painful or regretful
2.
a physician who specializes in sedating patients
3.
bare, desolate
anesthesiologist (n.)
p. 229
Before you read, preview the chapter.
What do you think this section will be
about?
Explain the nonfiction text feature(s) that helped
you make your prediction.
As you read...
Identify an interesting fact
Text support
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
Page #: _______
13
Identify an interesting fact
Text support
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
Page #: _______
After you read...
What is the main idea of this section?
What are 3 questions you have about the text?
OR
What are 3 things you are wondering about?
Discussion Question:
1. Representatives of the fast-food industry say that the responsibility for healthy choices lies with
consumers. What do you think? Is the obesity crisis due to people’s bad food choices or is the fastfood industry to blame? Explain.
14
Chapter 9: “Your Way”
Practice: Match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.
conformity (n.)
epidemic (n.)
ingenious (adj.)
integral (adj.)
p. 236
p. 244
p. 250
p. 251
sustainable (adj.)
p. 254
1.
a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something
2
capable of being supported or upheld
3.
characterized by cleverness or originality
4.
necessary to the completeness of the whole
5.
behavior that is in agreement with socially accepted standards
As you read . . .
Most Startling Fact
(What surprised
you?)
Most Profound
Quotation
(What quote had the
most intense effect on
your emotions?)
Most Important
Word
EXPLAIN
(Why this is the Most
Important Word?)
Main Idea
(who, what, when,
where, why)
Graphic
Representation of a
Fact or Quotation
(Create a graph . . .
circle, line, bar, etc)
15
Chapter 10: “Afterword”
More From the Author . . .
What is your hope for students as a result of reading Chew on This?
ERIC SCHLOSSER: One result of a student reading Chew on This and then taking action is being
more aware of the choices they make and maybe changing their own diet, in the simplest way, like
drinking less soda. There’s a real strong link today between soda consumption and obesity among
children. That’s just one kind of an example. Kids have no idea when they’re drinking soda what
they’re really drinking, and a lot of them are stunned when they learn that drinking a Big Gulp is like
taking a big jar of sugar and just pouring it down. There are 50 teaspoons of sugar in a 64-ounce Big
Gulp. We didn’t set out to tell kids to never have any soda, but we went beneath the surface and
showed them what the implications are. The purpose of the book ultimately is to raise awareness.
And if the kids can make changes on the basis of that, then all the better. I hope that Chew on This
does help kids make the connection between choices they make now and their future health — make
the right choices now so they don’t pay for wrong choices later on.
Discussion Question:
1. Has reading Chew On This changed the way you think about the food you eat or
buy? Explain why or why not.
16
CHAPTER 6-9 VOCABULARY APPLICATION
Due: __________________________
Use the following vocabulary words from Ch 6-9 to complete the sentences.
exclusive (adj.)
ingenious (adj.)
commodity (n.)
implication (n.)
anesthesiologist (n.)
progressive (adj.)
bleak (adj.)
culture (n.)
integral (adj.)
epidemic (n.)
condemn (v.)
legislature (n.)
conformity (n.)
sustainable (adj.)
bittersweet (adj.)
1. Tami has a(n) __________________ way of thinking; she is always trying to improve the way she
teaches using the latest resources and technology.
2. The Spring Oaks Country Club is very ___________________________; they do not allow everyone
into their association.
3. We strongly ______________________ the cruel terrorist acts which targeted the innocent people of
the United States.
4. The hillside looked fairly ____________________, with a deep covering of fresh, new snow covering
the boulders.
5.They live in realms where food is a rare _____________________, and therefore are constantly on the
lookout for this valuable resource.
6. The increase in the amount of food-fast restaurants in the United States is a part of the
obesity ___________________.
7. They are young girls blazing a trail that will be followed by youth _____________________ for
decades to come.
8. I resent your ________________________ that I am dishonest; I would never suggest that of you.
9. There was a(n) ____________________ feeling among fans watching the last game of the World
Series; they were happy that their team was winning, but slightly disappointed that the baseball
season was over for the year.
10. Intuition and creativity are ___________________ pieces to making his work whole and complete.
11. Teaching the villagers how to farm and fish will allow them to create a more __________________
society, that will be able to support itself.
12. Any legal measure passed by the _______________ has to be formally approved by the president.
13. Andy invented a(n) _______________ machine that would complete his homework assignments
for him!
14. The________________________ told me about the effects of the drug that would be used to sedate
me before the operation.
15. Students are expected to act in _____________________ and behave in a manner that is socially
acceptable.
17