"What should we have for dinner?" "What am I eating?" "Where did it come from?" These three questions are at the heart of Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Pollan's book provides some very disturbing answers to these questions. The 32-page teacher's guide provides a detailed summary of each chapter, followed by questions that ask readers to carefully consider Pollan's claims and his motives in making the claims he does.

Concepts

argumentative writing, arguments, critical thinking, close reading, organic farming

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Instructional Ideas

• Ask groups to become ecological detectives, select a food, investigate where it comes from, what it contains, how it is processed, and report their findings to the class
• Use the book as a model for project-based learning

Classroom Considerations

• Page numbers are for the Penguin edition of the book

Pros

• The guide's chapter summaries are detailed and concise
• The questions encourage critical thinking and close reading

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.10a RI.9-10.10b RI.11-12.10a RI.11-12.10b