Sugar Changed the World

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Activity

We are about to read a book about how the sugar industry impacted history. What role does sugar play in the world today? Working with a small group, do some research online. Create a brief presentation that uses both text and images to share some sugar facts. You might focus on one of the following sets of research questions or make up your own:

• How much sugar does the average American consume in a year? How has this number changed over time? How does it compare with sugar consumption elsewhere in the world?
• What are the hidden sources of sugar in our diet, and what words are used on food labels to indicate the presence of different forms of sugar? Why is sugar included in so many products?
• What are some unexpected uses for sugar around the house? What about in manufacturing and industry?

Be sure to cite your sources, including the sources of any images that you use.

Teaching Suggestion and Helpful Links: The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate to students that a text about sugar can be both interesting and relevant. Challenge students to create presentations that share surprising and thought-provoking information from reliable sources. Point out to them that effective images will be chosen to accomplish specific goals: to intrigue the audience, to clarify information offered in the text, to compare and contrast, and so on. If time permits, have several groups share their work with the rest of the class.

• The Sugar Association, an industry trade group, offers this page detailing little-known uses for sugar.

Short Answer

1. Make three columns on a sheet of paper. On the far left, list any facts you know for sure about where sugar comes from and the history of sugar plantations. In the center column, list things you think might be true but that you are not sure about. In the far right column, list at least three thoughtful questions about sugar production and the history of sugar.

Teaching Suggestion: The purpose of this activity is to provoke curiosity and make students aware of the gaps in their knowledge before they read to find answers in Sugar Changed the World. As students work on their lists, ask questions to engage their thinking about how sugar is produced and the history of sugar plantations: What plants does sugar come from? Where do these plants grow? Where did they originally come from, and how did they get distributed around the globe? What steps are there in the planting, harvesting, and refining of sugar? How has this process changed over time? Over time, how has the importance of sugar changed? How have its uses changed? How have sugar and the sugar industry impacted people around the world?

2. Think about the brainstorming activity that you just completed. Then, write a paragraph in which you answer the following question: What do you think the average student can gain from reading a book about the history of sugar and its impact on the world?

Teaching Suggestion: If time permits, you might allow students to discuss their lists with one another before completing their paragraphs; this will offer individual students a broader perspective about what most people do and do not know about the subject—and for less curious students, it will offer a chance to see what aspects of this topic intrigue others. As they work on their paragraphs, encourage them to think about how understanding history allows them to operate more effectively in the present. You might point out benefits such as the way studying history sheds light on the experiences of other groups, offers insight into human motivations, and provides examples of how cause and effect operate in the real world.