The New York Times Learning Network is an interactive blog that uses the best of the multimedia resources at The New York Times to develop lesson plans for teachers around current events. It also invites teachers and students to share what works in their classroom.

 

In this lesson created in honour of World Food Day, students will compare their childhood dreams with the story of a hungry childhood shared in this New York Times op-ed written by a Kenyan farmer to examine how hunger shapes a child’s dreams and truly impacts his/her life. Then, they’ll watch short videos of students who benefit from WFP school meals programs across the globe talking about their dreams to understand the most important part of the definition of hunger: it is solvable. To finish the lesson, students will create an action plan to address hunger and engage their communities. 

 

This lesson is aligned to the McRel’s National Standards, but can be adapted to satisfy the new Common Core State Standards. The lesson includes aspects of economics and geography.

 

Click here to view the lesson.