Subjects:

Biology/AP Biology

• This lesson likely fits best in a unit on biochemistry. Students will be reviewing nutritional value of both meatless and meat patties. To do this, students will need some background on the macromolecules and micronutrients necessary for human subsistence.

Environmental Science/AP Environmental Science

• This lesson will fit in a unit on interactions between humans and the environment or a unit on sustainability. It provides a platform for a discussion of the intersection of science, politics and economics.

Lesson Duration:

• Three 45-minute class periods (more time may be required if students work on advertisements in class)

Essential Questions:

• Do plant-based meat alternatives present an effective mitigation strategy for climate change?
• How can scientific information be communicated to a wide audience?

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

• Assess the nutritional value of a meatless burger
• Assess the environmental impact of plant-based meat production compared to beef production
• Assess the economic success of plant-based meats by considering the economic growth of companies and the statistics presented by the Association of Plant-based Meat.
• Develop a scientific argument to support or negate the use of meat alternatives as a potential mitigation strategy for climate change
• Create an advertisement to communicate a scientific argument to a wide audience

Materials

• Retro Report video “Meatless Burgers Are on Trend. Eating to Save the World Has a Long History.”
• Student Activity Handout
• Retro Report video “Our Appetite for Beef is Growing. So Are Climate Worries.”
• Beyond Meat Nutrition Information | Beyond Meat
• Beef Nutrition Information | Verywell Fit
• Lifeless Market For Meatless Meat | Forbes
• 2021 U.S. Retail Sales Data For the Plant-Based Foods Industry |  plantbasedfoods.org
• Beyond Meat advertisement: “You’ve evolved. So should your snacks.” | Muse

Procedure:

Day 1

1. Start the class with a quick poll: “Have you ever had a plant-based meat?” Consider having several students share their experiences to highlight the personal connection to the topic.
2. Provide students with an overview of the environmental, nutritional, and economic evidence surrounding the production of plant-based meat by watching Meatless Burgers Are on Trend. Eating to Save the World Has a Long History.
   1. Students should fill in the table on the Student Activity Sheet while they watch the video. Bring the students’ attention to the example evidence included in the first column of the table.
   2. For a middle school level class, you might consider pausing the video every four or five minutes to provide time for students to record their thoughts.
   3. Reviewing the video transcript may help students add more detail to their tables.
3. After watching the video, create a blank evidence table such as the one on the student activity sheet (on the board, as a shared document, or slide template on a digital learning platform), and have students add evidence to it as a class.
   1. It is likely that students include the following in the three columns:
      1. Environment:
         1. Pros: Cattle emit methane and nitrous oxide, so relying less on cattle for meat is better for the environment; agriculture contributes to climate crisis; cattle consume large amount of grain which exploits land and water; plant-based meat alternatives require less water, less land, less energy, and emit fewer greenhouse gasses
         2. Cons: Plants used to make meat alternatives may be exposed to pesticides, synthetic fertilizers
      2. Nutrition:
         1. Pros: high levels of animal protein present health concerns; plants are natural sources of fiber and offer vitamins/ minerals
         2. Cons: some plant-based meat alternatives are heavily processed and may have high levels of saturated fat and sodium
      3. Economy:
         1. Pros: Marketing has helped these products take hold; supply and demand have greatly affected manufacturers of meat alternatives; meat sales are more or less flat; sales of meat alternatives have gone up by about 37 percent
         2. Cons: Alternatives to meat must build market share to compete
4. Once the table is complete, ask students if they have enough evidence to generate an argument to address the question, “Is plant-based meat the answer to climate change and food shortages?”
   1. It is likely that students will say that one video does not supply enough evidence to develop a convincing argument.
   2. Follow up by asking students what additional evidence they need and where they can find it. Students might ask for nutrition information on meatless burgers compared to beef burgers and/or recent sales data from the plant-based meat manufacturers.
      1. This might be a great opportunity to review what makes a source reliable. Present a framework such as the STINK test or the CRAAP test to help students assess the reliability of sources. These last two questions can serve as an exit ticket for the day.
         1. Huffman, Louise. “The Stink Test: Validating Resources – Ice Drilling Program (IDP) Education and Outreach.” Ice Drilling Program (IDP) Education and Outreach – Cutting Edge Ice Core Research and Activities for Educators, Students, and the Interested Public., 6 Jan. 2023.
         2. “Libguides: Literature Reviews: Evaluating Info.” Evaluating Info – Literature Reviews – LibGuides at CSU, Chico, 17 Sept. 2110.

Day 2

1. Consider opening with the four-minute video Our Appetite for Beef is Growing. So Are Climate Worries. (Transcript) Have students record additional evidence to the first table on their Student Activity Handout as they watch. This video provides more detailed evidence related to the environment.
2. Divide the class into groups of two or three students (or have students work independently) and assign each group a resource from the list below or from their own research. Have the groups assess the reliability of the source (students can use the STINK or CRAAP test linked in step 4) and extract additional evidence.
   1. Possible sources are linked below, but you may want to find additional resources based on the evidence the class asks for in the previous day’s exit ticket. You can also have students find the sources. Remind students that they need to keep an open mind and find all pieces of evidence rather than just the evidence that supports their opinion on plant-based meat.
      1. Beyond Meat Nutrition Information | Beyond Meat
      2. Beef Nutrition Information | Verywell Fit
      3. Lifeless Market For Meatless Meat | Forbes
      4. 2021 U.S. Retail Sales Data For the Plant-Based Foods Industry |  plantbasedfoods.org
3. As each group finishes extracting evidence from their source and recording it on the Student Activity Sheet, have them add it to the appropriate column of the class table that was started in step 3.
4. To wrap up Day 2, have the students review the evidence and state a claim. Does the preponderance (majority) of evidence support or negate the idea that meat alternatives are an effective way to address climate change?

Day 3

1. Start class by showing students this advertisement for Beyond Meat. Several versions of the commercial are included.
   1. After viewing at least one of the commercials, ask students if they present a scientifically valid argument. The students can start by recording their thoughts on the Student Activity handout and then share with a partner or the class.
   2. If you have covered evolution, it might be interesting to ask students if the commercials are using the word “evolve” in the correct way.
2. Have students (either independently or in groups) create an advertisement to either support or negate meat alternatives as a mitigation strategy for climate change. The advertisement should present a scientific argument related to their claim.
   1. Review the requirements for the advertisement on the Student Activity Sheet.
   2. Students may write a script for the advertisement and/or create a video. You may also choose to have students create a print advertisement.
   3. You can provide students the remainder of class time on this day to work on the assignment. It is likely that students will need additional time to complete the project. This time can be given on subsequent class days or the project can be assigned as homework.

About the Author:

Jacqueline Katz has taught Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science in New Jersey since 2012. She is an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress.

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

• MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment
• MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems
• HS-ESS3-4. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems

AP Environmental Science Big Ideas

• Big Idea 3: Interactions between different species and the environment
• Big Idea 4: Sustainability (STB) 

  AP Biology Big Ideas

• Big Idea 2: Energetics 
• Big Idea 4: Systems Interactions

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies

• D3.1.6-8. Gather relevant information from multiple sources while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide selection
• D3.1.9-12. Gather relevant information from multiple sources representing a wide range of views while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection
• D3.3.6-8. Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources to support claims, noting evidentiary limitations
• D4.1.6-8. Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging the strengths and limitations of the arguments.
• D4.1.9-12. Construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.