Journalism Lesson Plan

Overview:A series of recalls of dangerous pet food products has those who own cats and dogs worried. Who is responsible for inspecting and ensuring safety? The FDA is, but does that group have enough time and personnel to focus more on this issue? What are pet owners to do?

Suggested time allotment: Two days to explore what the laws are related to pet foods and their safety. Additional time to interview area veterinarians or pet store owners and pet owners in your school. A week to write a news feature with possible sidebars of human interest stories about any affected pets.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Research pet food safety laws – what is required in general
2. Explore what has happened in the last month and what others are trying to do to improve the situation. (Remember, using secondary source material is fine but needs to be cite in context. E.g. “According to an article in The Plain Dealer, “…….”)
3. Consult with a veterinarian about what he or she thinks about pet food safety.
4. Interview students or teachers whose pets might have been affected or those who had to throw out food and hunt for safe food.
5. Write a news feature, using the pet food scare as the news peg, but localizing with the problems both pet owners and veterinarians have in making sure pet food is safe.
6. Write an editorial or commentary if the staff believes the government should do something about the situation.

Standards: National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association Standards for English Language Arts:

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12. Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion and the exchange of information).

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information:
• For a good overview, read the MSNBC article by Matthew Philips, “Limited resources: A tainted food scare linked to the deaths of at least 16 animals raises questions about the regulation of pet foods,” March 21, 2007.
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• A Baltimore Sun article covers additional efforts to help the situation. “More oversight of pet food urged; Scare spurs advocates to seek safeguards as concerns over safety of food supply deepen,” by Jonathan D. Rockoff and Laura Barnhardt, ran April 7, 2007.
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• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a great deal of information on its Web site, including a long list of withdrawals and alerts.
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• At least one member of Congress announced he was asking the FDA to clarify its actions since the pet food scare began. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) posted a press release about this April 1, 2007.
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