English Music RE Food Technology Citizenship Suitable for pupils aged 11 to 16 Vegetarianism Through Music Introduction Start the lesson by asking the class what a vegan is. Why might a person be vegan? What foods does a vegan eat? What foods won t a vegan eat? Are there any religions which advocate a vegan or vegetarian diet? Write the ideas on the board for later comparison. Activity 1: The Song Tell the class that it is going to listen to a song called Wha Me Eat. Ask the pupils to guess the style of the song. Why might the title be Wha Me Eat and not What I Eat? Write the following questions on the board: n Why is the singer vegan? n Can you name 10 foods that he eats? Play the song (found at PETAF.org.uk) and ask the pupils to listen carefully. Get class feedback. You may need to play the song more than once. n Why is the singer vegan? Possible answers: He doesn t want to eat animals; he doesn t like how farmed animals are treated; he feels that veganism is healthy and that he can get all the nutrients he needs from vegan foods. n Can you name five foods he eats? See lyrics. Did the pupils like the song? Did it get the singer s message across? Activity 2: Consumption of Animals The singer makes the following points about animals: n He doesn t feel that it s right to eat animals and feels that most people wouldn t eat animals if they had to kill them themselves (intro and verse 4). n He feels the conditions in which animals are kept are poor (verse 4). n He doesn t think it s natural for humans to eat animals (verse 4). meat-free Monday Background This lesson teaches children about a vegan diet through a lively, catchy song. Many people go vegetarian or vegan for ethical reasons or because they want to be healthier. Learning Objectives Pupils should learn the following: n To assess the ways in which beliefs affect people s actions n To explore the health benefits of a meat-free diet n To reflect on their own attitude towards eating animals and animal products Resources n Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart (this reproducible blank chart should be photocopied onto an A3 sheet) n Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart with answers n Meat-Free Monday nutrition cut-out sheet Useful Links n Go Veg: GoVeg.com n The Vegan Society: vegansociety.com n Compassion in World Farming: ciwf.org.uk n National Farmers Union: nfuonline.com n Farm Animal Welfare Council: fawc.org.uk n British Meat Processors Association: bmpa.uk.com Divide the pupils into three groups and ask them to consult the internet, library materials, leaflets and interviews with vegetarians and meat-eaters to explore these different issues. Ask the groups to report back to the rest of the class with the results of their research and their conclusions. You may wish to specify a subject area for each group to investigate.
Role-Playing Vegan and Meat-Eater Vegan: You have been vegan for five years and find it quite easy to stick to the diet, but everyone keeps asking you what you can eat. They just don t get it! Meat-Eater: One of your friends is vegan, and you can t imagine how this person survives! You would hate to stop eating hamburgers and cheese pizzas! Don t vegans miss meat and dairy products? Teenager and Parent Teenager: You want to go vegetarian or vegan, but your parents are concerned that you won t get a healthy, balanced diet. How can you convince them that going vegetarian or vegan is a good decision? Activity 3: Vegan Nutrition Listen to the song again and ask the pupils to find all the nutrients the singer says he gets from a vegan diet. They should list calcium, sodium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, protein, minerals, calories, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin F, vitamin G, omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and carbohydrates. What other nutrients are important? Do the pupils know why it is important to get these nutrients? You may want to point out that vitamin B12 is found in fortified plant products (eg, cereals, soya milk and yeast extract). The School Food Trust, the Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Society have lots of useful information on their websites about different nutrients. The website nutritiondata.com also analyzes most fruits and vegetables and allows you to compare the nutritional value of cooked fruits and vegetables with that of raw varieties. Photocopy the accompanying Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart and hand it out to the class. Have the pupils cut out the names of the different nutrients and match them with their functions. (You may wish to use a partly filled-in version, as appropriate, in order to accommodate pupils of different ages and abilities.) Next, instruct the pupils to cut out and place the different foods mentioned in the song into the correct nutrient groups. Alternatively, pupils can simply write the words. Because many of the foods fit into more than one group, pupils can choose just one category to place them in or can write down any repeats in the boxes. Where appropriate, pupils can add additional plant-based food items which are not mentioned in the song. Pupils don t have to use all the foods, but they should place at least two foods in each category. You may wish to divide pupils into groups for this task or make enough materials available for them to work on it individually. Pupils can do illustrations of the different foods in order to make the chart as visually pleasing as possible. You could play the song again while they have the list of foods in front of them. They can take the nutritional food chart home to hang on the kitchen wall. Were the pupils surprised at how varied and healthy a vegan diet is? Parent: Your son or daughter has told you he or she wants to go vegetarian or vegan. How will this affect things at home? You were raised to be a meat-eater surely there s nothing wrong with eating meat! Essay Questions n Some people argue that it s natural for humans to eat meat, yet humans have to cook their meat unlike other animals, who eat meat raw. Discuss. (Pupils may find Bruce Friedrich s talk Vegetarianism in a Nutshell useful. It can be downloaded at GoVeg.com/veganism.asp.) n Paul McCartney said, If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian. Discuss. Extension Ideas n Help pupils compose and perform a song about something they feel strongly about. n Explore Rastafarianism and look more closely at the Rastafarian dialect. Pupils could research the following words and phrases which are used in the song: selamta, me (used instead of I ), nyam, I and I and Ital. n Write a profile about a famous vegetarian or vegan such as Mahatma Gandhi, Carl Lewis, Albert Einstein or Leona Lewis.
Wha Me Eat By Macka B (Courtesy of Humal Records) Selamta Ital we Ital and we vegan we vegan I and I eat from the earth and leave the animals to give birth No deaders, no fur, no feathers When I tell people I don t eat meat, fish or dairy they look pon me strangely They don t realise I eat a very wide variety Listen to Macka B Yo! Wha me eat them a wonder wha me eat When me tell them seh me eat no fish nor no meat no Wha me eat them a wonder wha me nyam When me tell them that I m a vegan Verse 1 Well me no eat no meat no fish no cheese nor no egg Nothing with no foot no eye no wing nor no head Nothing with no lip no ears no toe nor no leg Prefer fruit and vegetables instead Me careful and me choosy bout what I m eating Me medicine s my food, my food is my medicine When I tell people that me nu eat dem deh things Dem look pon me and scratch dem chin and start wondering Ya wanna know what me eat? Verse 2 Yo! I eat Callaloo, ackee, sweet potato Yam, banana and tomato Cabbage, spinach, avocado Cho-cho, butter beans and cocoa Courgettes, millet, plantain Rice and peas and pumpkin Mango, dates and guava Chickpeas and cassava Brussels sprouts and cauliflower Onion, fennel and cucumber Plum, pear and papaya Aubergine and soya Lime, lentils and quinoa, Wholemeal bread and wholemeal flour Watercress and okra Tofu and sweet pepper Couscous and carrots Broccoli and coconut Peaches, apples, apricot Breadfruit, jackfruit, soursop Pistachios, cashews and almonds Walnuts, peanuts also pecan Sesame seeds, sunflower, lemon Orange, pineapple and melon Bulgur wheat and garlic Kiwi, corn and turnip Pak choi and pomegranate Hijiki and rocket Berries, cherries and strawberries Beetroot, grapefruit and celeries You see the meat s not necessary We tell dem seh Verse 3 Look how me big and me say look how me strong Some people can t believe that me a vegetarian If you want a healthy body check the real Rastaman Cause Rastaman will tell you about the right nutrition Me get my calcium, my sodium me get potassium Me get my zinc, me get my iron and my magnesium Instead of nyam the fish I nyam what the fish nyam Like the kelp and Irish moss that grow in the ocean Me get me proteins and me minerals, me get me calories The vitamins A the B the C the D the E the F the G Essential fatty acids like the omega-3 Me get me fibre and me carbohydrates in my body Don t forget your water, drink a few glasses a day The toxins in your body, just flush them away Some of the things you eat stop inna your body and decay When it comes to food I don t play We tell them seh Verse 4 A lot of people woulda stop eat the meat If they had to kill the animals before they could eat Look at the way the animals dem get treat Unsanitary conditions where some of them keep If we supposed to eat the meat we would have sharp teeth You wouldn t need a knife and fork you nu see it Can t eat it raw you have to cook it complete And put a vegetable seasoning to make it taste sweet meat-free Monday Verse 5 It s up to you You can eat what you want to You can be a vegetarian and be healthy too There s a lot of choice around many foods are on view I just remember some more I forgot to tell you The nectarines and tangerines and clementines and guanabana Lychee, oats and ginger, Kale and spirulina, Mung beans, wholemeal pasta, etc
Vegetarianism Through Music # callaloo Brussels sprouts peaches Cut out, illustrate and stick these meat-free foods onto the Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart. (Try to find at least two foods to put into each category.) You will find that some foods fit into more than one category. pak choi ackees cauliflower apples pomegranates sweet potatoes onions apricots hijiki yams fennel breadfruit rocket bananas cucumbers jackfruit berries tomatoes plums soursop cherries cabbage pears pistachios strawberries spinach papayas cashews beetroot avocados aubergines almonds grapefruit cho-cho soya walnuts celery butter beans limes peanuts kelp cocoa lentils pecans Irish moss courgettes quinoa sesame seeds nectarines millet wholemeal bread sunflower seeds tangerines plantains wholemeal flour lemons clementines rice watercress oranges guanabana peas okra pineapples lychees pumpkins tofu melons oats mangoes sweet peppers bulgur wheat ginger dates couscous garlic kale guava carrots kiwi spirulina chickpeas broccoli corn mung beans cassava coconuts turnips wholemeal pasta Important for healthy bones and teeth (also for hormones and blood clotting) Important for good eyesight, growth, tissue repair and a healthy immune system Important for brain and nerve function Vital to the production of red blood cells (also transports oxygen throughout the body) Help the body absorb energy, protein and fats (also necessary for nervous system function and cell growth) Important for the growth, development and repair of body tissues (also helps hormones and enzymes function) Used to heal wounds and fight infection (also aids in the absorption of iron) # Essential for a healthy digestive system (also aids bowel function and prevents constipation) Important for growth and tissue repair, a healthy immune system and the healing of wounds For energy
Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart (Answers) Nutrition Group Detail Function Sources Minerals Iron Vital to the production of red blood kale, apricots, dates, quinoa, cocoa, beetroot, cells (also transports oxygen bulgur wheat, rocket, baked beans throughout the body) Calcium Important for healthy bones and almonds, broccoli, pak choi, hijiki, teeth (also for hormones and fortified cereals, figs blood clotting) Iodine Important for healthy metabolism kelp, Irish moss and a healthy thyroid Magnesium Important to the nervous system, millet, cashews, apples, celery muscles, DNA and metabolism and aids in skeletal formation Selenium Assists the body s immune system chickpeas, couscous, Brazil nuts Phosphorous Important for the development of watercress bones and teeth Potassium Important to the nervous system bananas, yams, peaches, turnips, jackfruit and muscles and helps maintain healthy blood pressure Zinc Important for growth and tissue lentils, sesame seeds, ginger, ackees repair, a healthy immune system and the healing of wounds Vitamins A Important for good eyesight, carrots, sweet peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, growth, tissue repair and a healthy courgettes, plums, callaloo immune system B-Complex Help the body absorb energy, protein walnuts, oranges, plantains, guava, onions, B1 (Thiamine), B2 and fats (also necessary for nervous aubergines, pineapples, garlic, cho-cho, (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), system function and cell growth) mushrooms B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyroxidine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic Acid) B12 Important for nerve formation and soya (fortified), yeast extract, fortified cereals cell production C Used to heal wounds and fight nectarines, tangerines, clementines, berries, infection (also aids in the mangoes, cauliflower, lychees, grapefruit, limes, absorption of iron) pears, papayas, lemons, melons, kiwis, strawberries D Helps bones and teeth sunlight on the skin, fortified soya milk, absorb calcium fortified cereals, dairy-free margarine E Protects the body against tissue sunflower seeds, asparagus damage and disease K Important for healthy skin and spinach, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, okra, bones (also fights infection and cucumbers, cherries, pomegranates aids in blood clotting) Carbohydrates For energy sweet potatoes, rice, wholemeal pasta, oats, cassavas Fats (Including Omega-3 Fatty Acids) Important for brain and nerve function avocados, coconuts, olive oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, hempseed oil Protein Important for the growth, butter beans, peas, tofu, mung beans, development and repair of body spirulina, pistachios tissues (also helps hormones and enzymes function) Fibre Essential for a healthy digestive wholemeal bread, wholemeal flour, pecans, peanuts, system (also aids bowel function fennel, corn, breadfruit, soursop, guanabana and prevents constipation)
Meat-Free Monday Nutrition Chart Nutrition Group Detail Function Sources Minerals Iron Calcium Iodine Magnesium Selenium Important for healthy metabolism and a healthy thyroid Important to the nervous system, muscles, DNA and metabolism and aids in skeletal formation Assists the body s immune system Phosphorous Potassium Zinc Important for the development of bones and teeth Important to the nervous system and muscles and helps maintain healthy blood pressure Vitamins A B-Complex B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyroxidine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic Acid) B12 Important for nerve formation and cell production C Carbohydrates D E K Helps bones and teeth absorb calcium Protects the body against tissue damage and disease Important for healthy skin and bones (also fights infection and aids in blood clotting) Fats (Including Omega-3 Fatty Acids) Protein Fibre