We can explain how the Pure Food and Drug Act showed a shift in the relationship between the federal government and private businesses.
What do you think would have happened if the Pure Food and Drug Act was not passed?
If the Pure Food and Drug Act was not passed, I predict...
By studying this visual, students might:
- Prepared foods, meat, and medicines had dangerous chemicals.
- The muckrakers, like Upton Sinclair and Samuel Hopkins Adams, wrote about this issue.
- The American public was upset when they found out about the condition of their food.
- Congress passed two acts — the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.
- The passage of these acts led to the FDA being in charge of regulating and approving products for the public.
- What motivated muckrakers to expose unsafe practices?
- How did the public react when The Jungle was published?
- Did all business owners agree with these new regulations?
- How did the Pure Food and Drug Act impact the economy or jobs?
- What long-term effects did the FDA have on American society?
Extending the Discussion
- After randomly calling on students, if there is anything from this list that was not mentioned, then ask the class, "Did anyone notice...?"
- After students have shared what they notice, ask the class, "Did anyone wonder...?" using the suggestions above or anything else you might think is interesting or relevant to the lesson.
Structured Conversation Prompts
How was the Pure Food and Drug Act passed?
The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed...
How was the Pure Food and Drug Act related to muckrakers?
The Pure Food and Drug Act was related to muckrakers because...
What do you think would have happened if the Pure Food and Drug Act was not passed?
If the Pure Food and Drug Act was not passed, I predict...
Example Student Responses to the Observational Question
The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed after people found out their food and medicine were unsafe.
The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed because muckrakers exposed dangerous food and medicine practices, leading the public to demand that Congress create laws to protect consumers.
Responding to Responses
Emphasize and celebrate each student's use of the key vocabulary to support a culture of "no wrong answers."
Structuring Student Conversations
Have students list observations from the visual as a warm-up, then use the Q-SSS-A process to guide small-group conversations. In the slide decks, brackets can be moved to prepare the structured conversation. In the example to the right, students will be instructed: Q-SSS-A.
- To put a thumb up, then lower their hand when they are ready to answer the question
- To share with their elbow/shoulder partner, and that the student with the darkest shoe will share first
- That they will be randomly called on after the conversation
Here is an example of structuring a conversation with Q-SSS-A.
Note: the inferential question is the same as the language objective. It is recommended that students answer the inferential question in a small-group discussion before answering it individually as the closure or exit ticket of the lesson.
Structured Reading
The purpose for reading is to explain how the Pure Food and Drug Act changed the balance of power between private companies and the federal government.
- The conditions of food and medicine production before the Pure Food and Drug Act
- How muckrakers exposed unsafe or dishonest business practices
- What role President Theodore Roosevelt and Congress played in passing the law
- How the Pure Food and Drug Act changed the government’s power over business
- The long-term effects of this law, including the creation of the FDA
How did the Pure Food and Drug Act change the relationship between businesses and the federal government?
The Pure Food and Drug Act changed the relationship between businesses and the federal government by…
Structuring the Reading
Communicate the purpose of reading to the students and instruct them to make a note every time they see something on the PAT ("Pay Attention To") list. How you have students note items on the PAT list is up to you. This could include:
- Putting an asterisk in the margin
- Underlining text that supports the PAT list
- Putting a comment in the margin
Follow the reading with the post-reading discussion. Structure this discussion using the Q-SSS-A process just like the structured conversations in this lesson.
Note: you might find the relational question is better discussed before or after the reading. This depends on whether the relational question is directly related to the reading or might make connections across units.
Differentiating the Reading
You will notice that three different reading passages are provided with this lesson. Look at the shapes in the top-left of each passage to determine the grade level.
In a class with students at diverse reading level proficiencies, you can give the appropriate reading passage to different students, while having all students follow the same PAT list and post-reading discussion.