If my students were immigrants, I would also consider looking at the factory farming industry in terms of its treatment of workers, many of whom are immigrants.

The story follows two high school students, one of whom (atypically) questions the value of the feed and follows news reports that are absent from the mainstream media. While the satire is not subtle, it is accurate and heartfelt. I really enjoyed the book and, afterwards, noticed that it was written for “young adults”. Thus, it may be appropriate for advanced English learners.

In addition to offering a chance to read about and discuss global issues in an interesting way, Feed,also features interesting language. Anderson’s characters use a variety of fictitious slang words. The roots of many of these are readily apparent, and could lead to discussions on how language changes over time.

In addition, I think students might enjoy seeing the playful, creative aspect to language. This book could lead to discussions of the fact that there isn’t an absolute right and wrong when it comes to grammar and vocabulary. At the same time, some students might get frustrated with the unfamiliar words and see no point in learning terms that don’t exist outside of the novel.

More photos are available at Nina Berman’s website. Check the purple hearts and marine wedding portfolios. Any or all of these materials would be great additions to a unit on war.

He also talks about how the US policies on hazardous chemicals are much laxer than the EU policies. Thus, many products deemed too toxic for Europe end up being sold in America. Unsurprisingly, labeling for these chemicals is nonexistent.

One interesting point that Schapiro raises is that EU governments are more willing to take action because they provide health care for their citizens. They have much more of a financial stake in the health of their citizens than the US government does. Schapiro is the editorial director for the non-profit Center for Investigative Journalism.

There is a lot of potential here for class activities. For example, a simplified summary of the points raised in this interview could be used in units dealing with health, shopping or the environment. Advanced students could learn about the differences in regulation between the EU and the US.

I haven’t yet read the book (waiting for a used paperback) but the story is great: Watson co-founded Greenpeace but left because he found them too passive. He has an all-black ship fitted with a giant blade (the can opener) and hunts whaling vessels.

In the interview, Heller also focuses some of his attention on Japan. They lead the world in illegal whaling, and the don’t even use most of the meat. Most of it is sitting in freezers, too high in mercury to be consumed. Incredibly, some of this mercury-laden whale meat is being used in school lunch programs. And, apparently, this story is completely absent in the Japanese press.

The interview is great because it covers an interesting story, talks about an issue, and suggests individual action. Especially for teachers working in Japan, this could be a great topic for class projects.

update: Japan halts humpback whale hunt, but they’re still expected to kill 935 minke whales and 50 endangered fin whales for “scientific research.”

If I were teaching ESL students in the US, I think this could be the basis for a great activity. I would begin by having students read about and discuss some of the basic rules outlined in the Constitution. Next, they would learn about some of Sabato’s suggestions, and make suggestions of their own. In fact, I might do a similar activity with my classes here, seeing as the Chinese Communist Party is having its quinquennial (!) policy-setting Party Congress.