Service-Learning Action

Research Evaluation Plan

Food Justice: We Are What We Eat 

Integrated Thematic Unit 
on Food Systems
Zac Brown, Amanda Wolfe, Kristen Partridge, 
Kathleen Rodriguez, Cheryl Fletcher
 Essential Questions of the Unit 
In what ways can food be seen as a national, political
issue?

Why have American food systems developed in the way

they have? Where are we going?

How can food systems be described in terms of eating

closer to, or further away from the sun?

How does what we eat make us who we are? From a

molecular and cellular level to national and global
perspective.

What is “food justice”?

 Essential Understanding 
Food, is an essential aspect of human life, nurtures us
physically, as well as culturally. Our current food system is
flawed in that not all people have access to the good,
nutritious food they deserve. Further more current industrial
food production practices threaten long term sustainability
and the ecological diversity of our ecosystems. Students will
understand that individuals and community organizations
can affect positive changes in our food systems through:
a. Supporting local food production and distribution
b. Educating ourselves and others about healthy eating.
c. Demanding accountability and transparency in food
production, distribution, and advertising.
 Overview of Activities
Student-Centered Activities:

- Community Food Mapping (Where food is bought, sold, traded and

grown in their community)
-Public Service Announcement (PSA) creation
-Debates about ethical issues surrounding current food systems
-Current events presentations issues in food systems
-Conducting oral histories interviews of farm workers and
compilation into a story book
-Inductive calorimetry experiment
-Evaluation of media advertisements
-Identification of cultural influence on food
-Persuasive writing regarding food policies
-Wiki Research Pages for Genetically Modified Organisms and
Industrial Agriculture Alternatives
-Defining Food Justice in groups, as a class and individually
2) Effectiveness of Action Research Plan to evaluate the
Service-Learning Curriculum 

Problem: Consumers do not understand their situatedness within their food

system.
Hypothesis: Through the design and creation of the mural, wiki research
pages, recipe creation, oral narratives story book, and PSA's students from the
various disciplines will be able to explore and make connections between
food production, consumption and the effects on the environment. In making
the invisible visible these students begin a process of enlightening their
community through the farmers market exhibition about the
interconnectedness of the food system.
Experimental Design:
Students will present their final products at the exhibition, students will
reflect on their learning from the completion of the projects and contribute to
a collective definition of food justice, attendees of the exhibition will be
surveyed.
Career/work connections:
* Developing skills of communication through group work and
development of Public Service Announcements
* Collaborative Research Skills
* Empowerment Action Oriented
*Exploration of various career fields (Culinary arts, media and
technology, agriculture, biotechnology, conservation, marketing,
chemistry, nutrition, medical, health services)

Curriculum connections:
All lessons meet the CA state standards for each course
Project based learning fits within the inquiry based standards and
aspirations of the school district
 Survey for Attendees 
Did you speak with someone about recipes?
If yes how likely are you to use one of these recipes and
ingredients from the farmers market?
Did anything suprise you about the advertising tactics and
trends that were discussed in the Public Service
Announcement? If so, what suprised you?
How will the public service announcements affect your future
food choices?
Did you read any of the Wiki research pages? If so, what is your
understanding of the benefits and consequences of the
industrial food system/biotechnology in agriculture?
Did you speak with any day laborers or read a narrative in the
story book? How would you describe the experience of farmers
in our community? Who produces our food?
How did your total experience at the farmers market exhibition
affect the decisions you make about food?
 Overview of proposed activities/assessments. 
Are these doable in the time frame suggested? Are they are good match for
the curriculum and the standards they address?

Block schedule accomodates project-based assessment.

There are multiple diagnostic and formative assessments
in each content area.
e.g. Lab report for calorimetry, GMO foods realia
discussion, poster jigsaw.
The projects and service learning will be the summative
assessments given in each content area.
e.g. Storybook with local farmers' narratives, mural
with visual representation of themes in all content
areas, wiki research project for GMO's and industrial
agriculture.
Example of a Formative Assessment
Food & Culture Discussion
 Example of a summative assessment
Oral History of Farm Worker's Story Book
 

 
ITU Strengths and Challenges
Strengths: 
Theme is cross-cultural and adaptable to any
population.
Potential for long term health and community benefits.
Social-justice oriented lessons and plans.
Meets specific needs of the community and current
generation.
Challenges
The unit does not include an assessment that utilizes
quantitative analysis.
Gaps in the grade levels result in holes in the
curriculum. (e.g. biology and chemistry non-
correlation).
Project currently lacks a math component.
 Realistic?
 
Yes, however some disjunction between the grade levels
and subjects taught. 
 
Cost Effective?
Yes, 10-15% of the proceeds generated at the farmer's market
will pay for supplies needed for the next year
Plan for dissemination of findings from the curriculum,
at the school site and or larger community?

Online learning communities

Podcasts
Reporting through school websites
Community workshops for feedback and future planning
Creation of website for providing downloadable lesson
plans to other educators
Synopsis of ITU success printed on the back of
postcards that portrait the summative mural