The Progressives

Lesson 1: Discussion of The Jungle and its Effects

Time Estimated: 1 day

Objectives:

Students will:

1. Identify and discuss themes contained in The Jungle
2. Empathize with characters, and their plight, found in The Jungle
3. Explain how The Jungle led to the passage of The Pure Food and Drug Act
4. Summarize the Pure Food and Drug Act.

Materials:

• Every student should have a copy, and read The Jungle
  http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5727 for chapter 9
• The Jungle Reading Quiz
• Guided Questions for discussion of The Jungle
• Essays on The Jungle
• Excerpted version of Pure Food and Drug Act for students
  http://www.ourdocuments.gov/index.php?flash=true&

Strategies:

1. Hand out the short reading quiz for The Jungle to make sure that all students have read the book. Collect after they have finished.
2. Arrange desks so that students are sitting in a circular pattern around the room and the teacher should sit in the circle also. Cut the questions into strips and ask for volunteers to read a question. Then open up the floor to discussion about the questions. (Note: I use a ball or something to pass around. The person that has that is the ONLY person who can talk, including the teacher.) Hopefully the discussion will stay focused and in the direction you want; however, if that is not the case, ask follow up questions that guide the students in the correct direction.
3. Near the end of the discussion it is especially important to make sure that the discussion is headed in the right direction. It might require more active participation by the teacher. If you haven’t touched the specifics of chapter 9, now is a good time. (A copy of this selection can be found at the History Matters website listed above).
4. After connecting The Jungle to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act, pass out a copy of the law to students (see the Excerpted Version). Have the students examine the law as a primary source. Go through the steps of Notice/Questions/Historical Background with them as a class. Focus on the language of the law and try to decipher what the law is saying in plain English. This can be difficult for students depending on their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills – remember it is written by lawyers.
5. I like to list the questions that the kids have on the board and use dictionaries to help us since most questions are concerning language. For help with the historical background, see the History Matters website listed above also. After we have deciphered what the law is saying, I give the students the following assignment: For each of the sections of the law that I have given them, they must find an example of a product that Sinclair has described that violates that law. For example, Section 7 of the law describes adulterated foods and there are six ways that food can be considered adulterated. The potted chicken description fits at least three of the categories. Refer them specifically to chapter 9 of The Jungle to help them with this.
6. Homework: Finish finding the products if they have not. Have each student answer the following Essay Questions on The Jungle. (I normally give them out now and have them due in about 1 week.)

Differentiation:

This lesson, though very concentrated with text, allows for all students to participate. The questions that are being discussed in the book group are very broad and call for an individual's opinion. It also incorporates group discussion, individualized work, and higher level thinking skills.