5.2 Culminating Activity

Culminating Activity

Time Estimate: 2~3 hours

This culminating activity contains two parts. The first part guides students to explore perspectives from different groups of the society regarding the issue. The second part is a town hall meeting in which students will make decision regarding the issue based on their own opinion.

The first part (Slides 3-4) explores the question: How can cultured meat affect our community?

Students are divided into four groups. Each group is assigned a role: NC Animal Welfare Organization, Green NC (Environmental activists), biotechnologist from the lab, and the hog farm owner. Students work in small group, read a short passage providing facts (evidence) supporting each group's perspective, and summarize the claim the specific assigned role would make as well as evidence each role provides using the table provided:

2. Students present their claims and evidence to their class. When a group present their claim and evidence, students take notes in the provided table to record other roles' claims and evidences.Through this activity, students will be able to learn about the multiple perspectives regarding the impact of cultured meat on the society.

The second part of the activity turn students' role from the role assigned to them to their perspectives. It's your option to organize this activity as a debate. We provide a scenario:

"In the small town of Pine Creek, North Carolina, the heartbeat of the local economy revolves around the hog farming and traditional meat processing industry. Generations of families have relied on this industry for their livelihoods, making it an integral part of the town's identity and economy. However, as the world progresses towards innovative solutions to address environmental and ethical concerns related to traditional meat production, Pine Creek finds itself at a crossroads. A proposal has emerged within the town council suggesting the construction of a cultured meat factory. Should the town allow a cultured meat factory to be built?"

Students will make a decision to support or oppose the cultured meat factory in the small town. The decision should be based on their own opinion, rather than the role assigned them previously. Students need to use evidence to support their opinion.
After students make a decision, they should prepare for the debate (ask questions and answer classmates' questions).

Students went through various perspectives, exploring the complexity of the issue. The identified problem involves multiple stakeholders and their interests occasionally conflict. Students must recognize that the issue encompasses diverse viewpoints to arrive at an informed decision. On slide 7, the complexity of the diet issue can be summarized by examining three different impacts of diet. Students can reflect on the town hall activity they participated in, concluding that considering various perspectives will place decision-makers in different positions.

📂 Materials

Teacher

Teacher slides 5.2 How can our future diet be healthy and sustainable

Student

Student material: 5.2 How could cultured meat affect our community? reading

Student material: 5.2 Town Hall Meeting worksheet

Information for Planning & Teaching

Background Knowledge

Additional perspective: Politician

With the global population expected to exceed 9.5 billion by 2050, we face the challenge of producing more food for future generations. Natural resources such as land, water, and livestock are limited. Raising enough animals to feed the growing population will become impractical. Cultured meat can increase food accessibility, potentially reducing world hunger, as it uses fewer natural resources and doesn't involve the raising and slaughtering of animals. This means that cultured meat can indefinitely sustain our expanding global population.

The demand for meat is on the rise worldwide, doubling over the past two decades. Forecasts indicate a 13% increase in the demand for livestock protein by the end of this decade. To meet this demand, the conventional meat supply chain faces increasing pressure. Cultured meat offers an alternative solution that can alleviate this pressure while using significantly fewer natural resources. It provides another meat protein option that can meet the increasing demand.

Lesson Timing

Student Ideas & Experiences

Deciding on a position among complex issues is important for students for several reasons:

Critical Thinking Skills: Evaluating different positions on a complex issue requires critical thinking. Students need to analyze various perspectives, weigh evidence, and consider implications to form a well-informed opinion.
Informed Decision-Making: Understanding and deciding on a position helps students make informed decisions. This process involves research, analysis, and the ability to distinguish between credible and unreliable information.
Developing a Personal Standpoint: By engaging with complex issues, students develop their own viewpoints and values. This contributes to personal growth and a deeper understanding of their own beliefs, fostering a sense of identity.
Civic Engagement: Forming opinions on complex issues encourages students to become active participants in society. Understanding the nuances of problems allows them to engage in discussions, contribute to debates, and potentially advocate for change.
Preparation for Future Challenges: Life is filled with complex issues that require individuals to take a stance. Learning this skill in an academic setting prepares students for future challenges where they'll need to navigate and make decisions on intricate problems.

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