LESSON 1: It's a Small World
SUBJECT: Multidisciplinary
OBJECTIVE: Students will learn which countries are the biggest customers of U.S. corn, and will choose one of them to study in depth. Their activities will emphasize the "corn connection" between our country and the one they are studying
EVALUATION: The world will be a smaller place because students will know more about particular countries and they will have an appreciation for the world-wide importance of corn exports and imports. .
BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS:
Corn is a major source of food for both humans and animals throughout the world.
Much of the economic success of the entire agricultural sector depends on international trade. One of every five rows of corn grown in the United States goes overseas. There is no other sector of the U.S. economy where the link between trade and prosperity is clearer than in agriculture.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES:
1. Ask students to read the story, Claire Has a Dream. Discuss some things they learned about Korea from the story-the language, the clothing and the customs. Can they find Korea on the map? Do any of them know someone who's been to Korea?
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What do they think about Claire's dream, in which people from two countries, on different sides of the world, are connected to each other?
2. Pass out the following handout, which lists the top 10 U.S. corn customers. (Example 1)
3. Ask students why they think these countries need to import so much corn from the United States. (For example: they don't have enough land to raise it themselves, they have more people than they can feed on their own, the climate isn't good enough for corn, etc.)
4. Ask students what they think the people in these countries do with the corn. (Most of the corn is used to feed animals for meat (See Unit 6). Corn can also be processed into food for people-like corn tortillas in Mexico or any of the other food items made from cornstarch, corn oil, or corn syrup. (See Unit 9).
5. Students should then, either individually or in teams, choose one of the countries listed. Ask them to complete two or more of the following assignments for their country:
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Learn the word for corn, and be able to write and say it in the language of the country.
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Imagine himself or herself as a person living in that country. Write a poem or story about a ship filled with corn arriving in their country. Describe how they plan to use that corn. Describe how they feel about buying corn from the United States.
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Create a collage of people from the country (or many countries) concentrating on the food needs, favorite foods or food sources in that country. (Give a bonus to any student who can incorporate corn into their collage!)
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Find a foreign student, immigrant or visitor from the country they are studying, and invite them to talk about their country. Or conduct an interview with them about the agriculture or food systems in their country. Ask if they know their country is very important to the U.S. corn farmer! Tell them "thank you!"
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Use the Internet to find a pen pal or classroom in the country they are studying. Tell them "thank you" for being such a good customer of U.S. corn! Ask how they use corn in their country. Tell them some of the ways we use corn here (See Units 6, 7, and 9).
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Find a book or story in the library about the country, and share it with the class.
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Older students can write reports about the language, clothing, music, customs, art, or history of the country. Give extra credit if they can learn about the agricultural or food system of the country, and why it needs to import corn!
6. Encourage older students to investigate political issues affecting trade between countries.
- Information on "Fast Track" and other U.S. trade legislation affecting corn growers is available at http://www.ncga.com/04growers/main/.
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They might want to investigate U.S. trade relations with China.
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Students could research the issue of exporting genetically enhanced grain (See Unit 4). This is currently under close scrutiny by European countries.
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