Lesson Title: What’s in a Cheeseburger Meal?
Grade Levels: 6-12
Subject Area: Family and Consumer Science, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies.
Author: Tracy Autry
Illinois Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial,
political) behind its presentation.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse
media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of
each source.
Objectives:
1. Introduce the concept of food from the farm to the table.
2. Provides clarity between the two terms/concepts
3. Demonstrate the use of technology by developing a power point, prezi or whiteboard
related to the topic.
4. Identify and define new or unfamiliar vocabulary words found in informational reading
activities.
Activity One – Introduction Activating Prior Knowledge
Teacher Preparation:
1. Make copies of the picture or use the VP or whiteboard to project the picture
2. Use the questioning process to ask the students to make of list of what makes up a cheeseburger
and fry meal
Materials:
1. Transparency of cheeseburger and fries meal, map, chart paper, or a white board
2. Copies of Black line master of picture and map for students
3. Chart paper to record the class responses
Approximate Time: 5-10 minutes
Lesson:
1. Ask the students to take a few minutes to study the picture.
2. Now write down what you see when you look at the picture.
3. Show the video: Cheeseburger and Fries: http://www.history.com/shows/foodtech/videos/food-tech-cheeseburger-and-fries#food-tech-cheeseburger-and-fries. Please note
that the video should be downloaded to a disc for better results or purchased from the History
Channel. All the information can be found at the above website.
4.
The lesson can be varied depending on the topic you wish to cover this activity and be a shared
or an independent practice activity. The student can use the picture and record where each
item is produced and determine the distance it needs to travel to reach your town. Then, they
can graph or chart travel distance by using the following websites and map provided: Distance
Between Cities Places On Map: http://www.distancefromto.net/
Name___________________________________
Directions: Before watching the video look at the picture to see if you can identify all the
ingredients or items included in cheeseburger and fries meals.
Before the Video
During the video jot down all the food related items you hear while watching the video.
After the video compare the list. What did you miss?
What did you learn ?
Name__________________________________________________________
Activity: What’s in a Cheeseburger and Fries Meal?
While watching the video record where each item discussed is produced or made. After the
video determine the distance the items will need to travel to reach your town/city or community.
Use the following website: Distance Between Cities Places on A Map:
http://www.distancefromto.net/
Meat
Lettuce
Cheese
Buns
Pickles
Sesame Seeds
Fries
Onions
Tomatoes/Ketchup
Name______________________________________
Activity: Distance Between Cities: Technology/Math Activity
Directions: After watching the video, use the information collect to determine the distance each
item will need to travel to reach your local food establishment. Distance Between Cities Places
on A Map: http://www.distancefromto.net/
Item
Meat
Cheese
Pickles
Lettuce
Onions
Buns
Tomatoes/Ketcup
Fries
Where the item is produced
or grown
Distance of trip to reach your
home town
Activity Two Sharing or Pairing - Venn Diagram of Pizza and Cheeseburgers Description: Students are able to further develop their understanding by comparing and
contrasting two different concepts.
Purpose/Objectives:
1. Provides clarity between the two terms/concepts.
Teacher Preparation:
1. Identify two concepts or terms from the current lesson.
2. Create a Venn Diagram on the board, chart paper, or have it available on a transparency.
Materials:
1. Transparency of Venn Diagram, chart paper, or a white board
2. Copies of Black line master of Venn Diagram for students
3. Transparency of Venn Diagram Answer Key
Approximate Time: 10-15 minutes
Lesson:
1. Discuss with students the three parts of a Venn Diagram using the Venn Diagram
Transparency and share an example with familiar terms. The first circle will contain all
the features of one term. The second circle will include all the features of the second
term. The intersection of the two circles will hold the features common to both terms.
The students will compare pizza/cheeseburger
2. Introduce the two terms to be compared and have the students repeat the words.
3. Divide the class into pairs and have the students use their Venn Diagram graphic
organizer to place the student responses in the appropriate sections of the circles to
compare and contrast the terms or omit responses as appropriate.
4. Bring the entire class back together and discuss their Venn Diagrams. Be sure to have
students discuss what they used and what they didn’t use from the list of student
responses. Teacher should record answers on the blank Venn Diagram transparency.
5. Place the Venn Diagram Answer Key transparency on the overhead. Students can
compare their responses and discuss ingredients listed.
Assessment:
Students can summarize the similarities and differences between the two terms and describe a
situation in which each would be appropriate.
VENN DIAGRAM ANSWER KEY
Pizza
 Crust
 Tomato sauce
 Spices
Cheeseburger
 Cheese
 Tomatoes
 Meat





Lettuce
Bun
Pickles
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Name_________________________________________
Activity: 3 Cheeseburgers and Fries - Food Tech Video Guide Sheet
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences during the video.
1. Who inspects the beef?
2. What cuts of meat are used to make hamburger?
3. What ingredients are used to make the buns?
4. What vegetable is used to make pickles? Identify one additional ingredient found in
pickles.
5. What safety procedures is use in the process of preparing lettuce for sale/distribution?
6. How are the plants arranged in the fields for onions to grow? What insect is used to
pollinate the onion plants
7. What is the best potato for French fries?
8. What test is used to determine the flow of the ketchup?
9. Identify 3 things you learned from the video.
Extending the Lesson:
Objectives:
1. Demonstrate the use of technology by developing a power point, prezi or whiteboard related to
the topic.
2. Identify and define new or unfamiliar vocabulary found in informational reading activities.
Literacy Group Activity: After watching the video and completing the Distance Between Cities Activity,
divide the class into groups or assign each student one of the states mentioned in the video to complete
a short written report or power point on the various agricultural produced grown in each state by using
the following website. www.agclassroom.org. The student will need to enter the name of the state and
a one page document will be available for the student to collect the data for the presentation.
kansas.pdf
idaho.pdf
wisconsin.pdf
california.pdf
washington.pdf
northcarolina.pdf
Vocabulary Activity
Use the “What in the World?” Word Worksheet , to encourage students to find interesting words that
they do not understand and determine the meaning. The students can find one word from their reading
or work as a group to answer all the terms by using the jigsaw format. This is a word list of words that
are related to some the ag-classroom readings.
TERMS TO KNOW:
Topographical
Cecil soil
Acres
Fertile
Pollination
Irrigation
Channel scablands
Bio-energy systems
Commodities
Name______________________________________
Resources
A Look At Agriculture: www.agclassroom.org
Distance Between Cities Places on A Map: http://www.distancefromto.net/
Cheeseburger and Fries-Food Tech- History Channel Documentary:
http://www.history.com/shows/food-tech/videos/food-tech-cheeseburger-and-fries#food-techcheeseburger-and-fries
San Diego County Office of Education Website
Additional maps can be found online by searching maps with state names.