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Educator’s Guide

Inside: • Suggestions to Help You Come Prepared • Essential Questions for Student Inquiry • Strategies for Teaching in the Exhibition • Map of the Exhibition • Online Resources for the Classroom • Standards Correlation thestoryoftexas.com/education/educators/activity-guides • Glossary ESSENTIAL Questions

How does reflect and influence emissions annually, and methane, another greenhouse gas, and identity? is released by livestock and cultivation. This increase in greenhouse gases is causing the climate to warm. Fertil­ Food and culture are profoundly intertwined. Every izers and pesticides can pollute widely, and 70% percent of tells a story about the culture that shaped it, when it was the world’s available fresh that use goes to eaten, and by whom and when and where it was served. crops and livestock. Fishing is a key source of for and ingredients have always traveled, and different billions of people, but almost 90% of global marine fisheries civilizations may use the same food in distinct ways. are under pressure and entire marine ecosystems have been For example, chile peppers native to the Americas are both devastated. Transporting food between far-flung markets a celebrated staple of Mexican and an essential has an environmental cost as . Global demand for food is ingredient in , the national of . Culinary tra­ increasing — along with global per capita demand. Despite ditions change over time, influenced by geography, climate, all the effort that goes into producing food for people to eat, economics, trade, and one third of it never reaches their mouths. In the developed individual creativity. world, much food is wasted after it reaches the consumer, Recipes, both oral and and throughout the world much is lost while grown written, gave food its or stored. own language. We know from an ancient that ingre­ Why is the diversity of food important? dients from Persia, Whether farms or forests, healthy ecosystems are biodiverse: Central , and to a variety of living things. Healthy, resilient agricul­ blended into inventive tural ecosystems replenish soil nutrients and support a range feasts in the court of of crops and livestock, along with pollinators and the natural Mongolian ruler Kublai Before refrigeration, access to enemies of pests. Monocultures — where a single variety Khan. Modern examples during winter was difficult. Koreans often of a crop is cultivated in a given — are less able to of include made huge batches of kimchi, salted and adapt to changes in weather or pest populations. American fermented vegetables preserved in pots on and and sometimes protected from early farmers experienced this in 1970 when their corn crop was sweet plantain in . spring sunshine by small grass . devastated by southern corn leaf blight. Healthy , like healthy ecosystems, also involve diversity. There are many What’s the role of ingenuity in different ways to meet nutritional needs, and diets change as we encounter new and dishes. Many ingredients in shaping food – past, present, and future? our cabinets come from different countries, broaden­ Over the centuries, humans have created a spectacular ing our nutritional and culinary options. diversity of to suit our needs, which range from higher yields and drought resistance to bigger size and better . What’s the role of food in human health? We farm in plots and large-scale commercial Humans convert food into energy and the and operations, and adapt to regional conditions as well as the it contains keep us healthy. The amount of food a global marketplace. We use longstanding techniques such person requires varies according to weight, sex, energy out­ as and selective breeding, and new ones like put, and , and changes with age. What we eat genetic modification of plants and animals. Arable land affects our health and wellbeing. Too much, too little, or the is finite, so farmers are working on ways to produce more wrong kinds of foods — like ones with an abundance of , food sustainably and distribute it more efficiently. Ingenuity , and , or lacking in nutrients — can make people doesn’t stay on the farm. We’ve developed many ways — sick. Cultural factors that include habits, family income, , , and microwaving, to name just a few — to ethnic heritage, attitudes toward body size, advertising, and transform raw ingredients into a fantastic range of flavors, peer pressure influence nutritional choices and pat­ recipes, and . terns. Fewer than 5% of Americans are undernourished, but around 15% are food insecure. By causing poor health, How does what we eat affect the planet? low energy levels, and even mental impairment, insufficient Decisions about food — how and where it’s grown, how it’s calories can reduce people’s ability to work and learn, processed, and how it reaches our plates — all affect the leading to more poverty and even greater . While an environment. Our collective choices reflect trade-offs estimated one in every eight people, or 870 million, around between productivity and environmental impact, between the world is undernourished, more than a billion are over­ economic and social priorities. Clearing land for weight or obese — conditions associated with chronic health alone contributes as much as 12% of global dioxide problems. A moderate, balanced is key to human health. GLOSSARY COME PREPARED arable land: land suitable for growing crops Plan your visit. For information about biotechnology: using living biological or reservations, transportation, and lunchrooms, visit processes for various purposes, including production www.thestoryoftexas.com/education/field-trips. of drugs, hormones, and genetically modified foods Read the Essential Questions in this guide to calorie: a unit of energy, provided in food by see how themes in Our Global Kitchen connect to , , and fats your curriculum. Identify the key points that you’d commodity: bulk agricultural product that can be sold like your students to learn. and traded, such as or soy cuisine: a set of practices and traditions, often Review the Teaching in the Exhibition section associated with a particular region or culture of this guide for an advance look at the models, : altering wild plant and animals at the artifacts, and interactives that you and your class genetic level by selective breeding to accentuate traits will be encountering. that benefit humans Download activities and student worksheets fishery: an area where fish are harvested (wild) or at thestoryoftexas.com/education/educators/ farmed (aquaculture) activity-guides. Designed for use before, during, food security: stable access to enough food and the and after your visit, these activities focus on ability to prepare it in a healthy way themes that correlate to the Texas Essential greenhouse gas: gases that absorb energy and Knowledge and Skills Standards. reemit it as infrared energy that warms Earth’s atmosphere Decide how your students will explore the metabolism: the set of chemical reactions that maintain Our Global Kitchen exhibition. life within organisms • You and your chaperones can facilitate the visit organic farming: farming that does not use synthetic using the Teaching in the Exhibition section fertilizers and relies on natural or mechanical methods of this guide. for weed and pest control • Your students can use the student worksheets selective breeding: breeding members of the same to explore the exhibition on their own or in small species for desirable traits groups. undernourishment: too little food for good health. Malnutrition — too little of the right kinds of nutrients — • Students, individually or in groups, can use can involve under or over nourishment. copies of the map to choose their own paths.

THE OF TASTE Your tongue and mouth are filled with taste buds. Each cell in these bundles senses a single taste — sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami (savory) — and sends this chemical information to the brain. In order to sense flavors, your brain integrates information about taste, along with tex­ ture, temperature, and input from the other senses: your eyes (red likely taste sweet!), your ears ( has to crunch!), and above all your nose. Odor molecules are inhaled through your nostrils and also pass between your throat and nasal cavity as you chew. These messages travel to the brain, which can tell thousands of aromas apart. All of this sensory input combines to make it pos­ sible to enjoy countless subtle flavors, like the difference between and cherry jellybeans. Preferences — whether you like spicy foods or unusual flavors, for exam­ ple — can be shaped by many factors, including anatomy, genetics, evolution, culture, memory, and marketing. Teaching in the EXHIBITION

Food is — and so much more. Our food choices connect all Our Global Kitchen Theater of us: families, , and the billions of people with whom we share ingredients, cuisines, and the planet itself. Feeding this growing global A video towards the beginning of the population will require meals that meet our nutritional needs, safeguard exhibition describes how everything we the environment, and still delight us with their textures and flavors. eat affects — and is affected by — the world around us. Invite students to watch Use the guided explorations below to help your students investigate the video and keep this theme in mind how food is grown, how it reaches our markets and , how cooks as they walk through the exhibition. and cultures create cuisines, and the role of food in ceremony and celebration. (Possible answers follow each question.)

GROW TRADE

OVERVIEW: Over the centuries, humans have created OVERVIEW: From sacks of to shiploads of , food countless varieties of crops and livestock adapted to local moves along complex trade networks: between corporations conditions. We’ve also come up with many different ways to and governments, from markets to , even among grow food, which involve factors that range from climate and families and neighbors. soils to available energy and . GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: • Aztec marketplace diorama: Walk through the giant • “Reshaping Our Foods” : marketplace near Tenochtitlán in 1519 with your students. Most domesticated species barely Food and other items were carried to this capital from all resemble their wild ancestors. over the thriving Aztec Empire (now Mexico). Invite students Have students look at these to examine what’s for sale and to identify foods that look examples of plants and animals familiar. (e.g. peppers, tomatoes, corn) What common foods are we raise for food and identify missing? (e.g. , , chicken) Have them find Domesticated chickens ones they recognize. (e.g. chicken, in different forms and explore how the Aztecs used it. (e.g. produce up to 300 eggs strawberry, , , chile) beverage, currency, tribute to conquerors, offerings to gods) a year. Their closest wild ancestor, the red junglefowl Ask them what aspects have been of Southeast Asia, lays transformed by humans. (e.g. yield, 10 to 15. size, shape, taste) • Agriculture mini-dioramas, vertical gardens, & “Future of Growing” cases: All plants require water, light, and a growing medium (e.g. soil) in order to thrive. Have students compare and contrast farming methods. What techniques help people farm successfully around the world? What are some challenges they face? (e.g. large-scale farming produces high yields at relatively low prices; uses chemicals and a great deal of water; depletes the soil) How are farmers address­ Vast and well organized, the market of Tlatelolco served up to 60,000 ing these challenges? people a day. Beyond its loomed the Aztec city’s great . (e.g. in densely populated urban areas farmers use • “Modern Markets” map & trade interactive: Food rooftop garden beds, vertical might come from your garden — or from the other side of On diversified farms like this gardens, and hydroponic one, farmers grow crops and the world. Have students explore how and why foods move growing technology) raise animals in ways that sustain around the world. natural ecosystems. EAT

OVERVIEW: Over time and across civilizations, cooking OVERVIEW: As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” has given rise to a fantastic diversity of , techniques, Meals reflect our histories, social and economic status, and and cuisines. priorities. Issues that include obesity and food scarcity are influencing the way we eat now — and will eat in the future. GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: • Cooking objects, preservation methods, & utensils: GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: People in almost • “Groceries for a Week” photos: Diets vary greatly. every culture Have students examine photos of what families around around the world the world consume over the of one week. How do cook. Have these families’ diets compare to their own? students explore • “What Does Food Mean to You?” virtual postcards: similarities and Have students explore what food means to other visitors. differences in the Ask what image they would choose for their own postcard. ways cultures around the world • Dioramas and models of seven iconic meals: These preserve and represent meals eaten by notable people in different eras, prepare food. French chefs are famous for using copper including Kublai Khan’s feast, Jane Austen’s , and (e.g. high-heat pots, like those in this kitchen. Copper, an Michael Phelps’ . Invite students to examine the cooking in China, excellent conductor of heat, has been used in meals and identify familiar dishes. What do these meals grinding corn in cooking for thousands of years in many parts reflect about when and where they were served, and to of the world. Mesoamerica, whom? (e.g. was a luxury in an era before stewing in , pickling in Korea) See if students can refrigeration; a meal on-the go for an ancient traveler) figure out what the various utensils are used for. • “Future of Food” exhibit: Invite students to explore • Cooking interactive: Invite students to prepare four what the future holds, from eating algae and insects to the virtual dishes — grilled fish from the , role of biotechnology. poached eggs with hollandaise from , ground­ from , and from the Americas — to learn about the science behind different cooking methods. (e.g. , , , , sautéing, stewing, CELEBRATE )

OVERVIEW: Food does so much more than keep us alive. It plays a central role in family tradition, cultural heritage, TASTE and religious ritual.

GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: OVERVIEW: The flavor of food depends on a variety of • “Celebrations” theater factors, including appearance, smell, and familiarity. and objects: Invite GUIDED EXPLORATIONS: students to watch the video and examine • Carts & models: The way we sense food is shaped objects to explore how by both biology and experience. Have students explore food is part of celebra­ how their taste buds work, how appearance can affect tions and rituals around flavor, how culture influences food choices, and the the world, such as evolution of food preferences. China’s Autumn Moon For their harvest , Korean • Tasting experiments: Students can participate in taste Festival and the Day of families make songpyeon: steamed rice dumplings filled with sweet experiments or watch demonstrations. the Dead in Mexico. sesame, , or chestnut paste. ONLINE Resources

Our Global Kitchen Exhibition Website Johns Hopkins: Teaching the Food System amnh.org/our-global-kitchen jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ Access videos, photo galleries, related programs, and more. teaching-the-food-system A cross-disciplinary approach to studying what’s involved Global Grocery in getting food from field to plate. An 11-module curriculum amnh.org/ology/features/globalgrocery/ emphasizes the relationships between food, public health, Find out where in the world many of the foods in your kitch­ equity, and the environment. en come from. OLogy is the Museum’s website for kids. USDA: Choose My Plate Science Bulletins www.choosemyplate.gov amnh.org/sciencebulletins The USDA’s blocks of a , with tools and Videos, essay, and data visualizations about current research. tips to help Americans make good food choices. Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Harvard School of Public Health: montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx The Source Sustainable seafood choices for consumers and businesses. hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource Healthy School Food Clear and thorough information about healthy eating, www.healthyschoolfood.org including a Nutrition A-Z, recipes, studies, and news. Nutrition education, information about plant-based foods, Meatless Monday and programs for the whole school community from the New meatlessmonday.com York Coalition for Healthy School Food. Information and recipes to help reduce consumption Food n’ Me and its toll on the environment. Includes links to other public foodnme.com health initiatives, and activities for kids. A lively interactive site that educates kids and promotes healthy eating. Nourish: Food + Community nourishlife.org NYPL: What’s on the ? Resources designed to encourage meaningful conversations .nypl.org about food and sustainability in schools and communities. Over 15,000 historical menus, dating back hundreds of years and searchable dish by dish. Share Your Best Food Memories! The Kitchen Sisters We invite you and your students to take part in the “What kitchensisters.org Does Food Mean to You?” interactive. The “Hidden Kitchens” radio series explores how communities come together through food. Just post your photo on Instagram with hashtag #CelebrateFoodTX. Windowfarms Include a caption about what makes our.windowfarms.org this moment special. Your photo may Find out why and how to start a farm in your , and be featured in the exhibition. join a global online community of vertical farmers.

CREDITS Photo Credits Our Global Kitchen: Food, , Culture is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org) Essential Questions: kimchi pots, © istockphoto.com. Come Prepared: corn, © istockphoto.com. Teaching in the Exhibition: eggs, © Flickr.com/Pietro Izzo; farm, © Full Belly Farm; Aztec marketplace, © AMNH/ The exclusive corporate sponsor for Our Global Kitchen Education Programs is R.Mickens; French kitchen, © 2012 David Coleman; Songpyeon rice dumplings, © Queenbean/Flickr. Insert: vertical garden and plants in bottle, © Windowfarm. Additional support for Our Global Kitchen and its related educational and online resources has been provided by

XX% © 2012 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. Cert o.n XXX-XXX-XXXX MAP of the Exhibition

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Food is fuel — and so much more. 1 1 exit

Exit Food connects all of us: families, cultures, and the billions of people with whom we share ingredients, cuisines, and the planet itself. Explore how food is grown, how it reaches 55 our markets and kitchens, how cooks and cultures create cuisines, and the role of food in ceremony and celebration.

22 1 GROW

enter

Enter 2 TRADE

3 COOK

4 TASTE

4 4

33 5 EAT

6 CELEBRATE

KEY

Interactive

Video

© 2012 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. Vertical GARDENS

GROW

From lettuces to edible flowers, the living plants on display at the Museum are edible greens. Visit them between the IMAX and Grand (1st ).They grow hydroponically — in nutrient-rich water, instead of in soil. These energy-efficient vertical gardens are developed by a company called Windowfarms and can be installed in small apartments and classrooms. Vertical farming is one of the many creative ways in which people are producing food where space is limited. Home gardeners can support crop diversity by choosing from many heritage .

Grow Your Own Garden A garden in your window can give you fresh produce all year long, reduces your carbon footprint, looks beau­ tiful, and connects you to a worldwide community of vertical farmers.

You and your students can build your own from simple materials. For free instructions, visit: our.windowfarms.org/files/2009/07/ how-to-diy-3-plant.pdf

© 2012 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.