Should People Become Vegetarian? Prepare to Review the Issue and Write an Argumentative Essay

Should People Become Vegetarian? By Dean Berry, Ed. D. This PowerPoint represents the first half of the lesson. Use the video version to view the complete lesson.

Evaluating Pro and Con Arguments for an Issue Prepare to Write an Argumentative Essay

Evaluating Pro and Con Arguments A Common Core Lesson By Dean Berry, Ed. D. Gregg Berry, B. A. Common Core Curriculum Solutions

Common Core Reading Standards Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

Writing Standards Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented

Evaluating Pro and Con Arguments Prepare to Review the Issue and Write an Argumentative Essay

Eating healthy is a serious issue: Should people become vegetarian?

Should people become vegetarians? Let’s Think About the Issue Will longevity be increased by eating a vegetarian diet? Can other sources of protein adequately replace the minerals, vitamins and proteins provided by meat? Does our typical meat based diet create animal abuse?

Is a vegetarian diet healthier than a meat based diet? Is it more efficient and less costly to feed people with a plant based diet rather than a meat based diet? Is eating meat an important part of the evolution and history of mankind? What minerals and vitamins are more efficiently provided by eating animal based diets? Is it easier to lose weight on a meat based diet? What food value is provided by fish based diets?

Should people become vegetarian?

What Do You Think?

What Do You Think? Raise Your Red or Green Card People should not feel the need to become vegetarians.

Essential Questions to Guide our Review of the Issue 1. What does the research data say about the issue? 2. How do you know the research is reliable? 3. Are the arguments supported by logical reasoning? 4. Is each argument supported by specific facts and examples? 5. Which side of the issue is supported by a preponderance of the evidence?

Evaluating Evidence Now that we have shared opinions, let’s examine the evidence. Analyze the pro and con arguments on the following frames and determine which position presents the strongest case.

Should People Become Vegetarian? Background Information In 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that Americans ate an average of 52.3 pounds of beef, 57.4 pounds of chicken, and 43.5 pounds of pork, per person. Vegetarians, about 5% of the US population, do not eat meat (including poultry and seafood). The USDA includes meat as part of a balanced diet, but it also states that a vegetarian diet can meet "the recommended dietary allowances for nutrients."

Many proponents of vegetarianism say that eating meat harms health, wastes resources, causes deforestation, and creates pollution. They often argue that killing animals for food is cruel and unethical since non-animal food sources are plentiful. Many opponents of a vegetarian diet say that meat consumption is healthful and humane, and that producing vegetables causes many of the same environmental problems as producing meat. They also argue that humans have been eating and enjoying meat for 2.3 million years.

Review the Evidence and Arguments The Pro Position

Read each argument closely to see if it passes the smell test? The Pro Position Take careful notes as you read the following arguments.

Reason # 1 PRO Vegetarian It is cruel and unethical to kill animals for food when vegetarian options are available. Animals are sentient beings that have emotions and social connections. Scientific studies show that cattle, pigs, chickens, and all warm-blooded animals can experience stress, pain, and fear.

In the United States about 35 million cows, 115 million pigs, and 9 billion birds are killed for food each year. These animals should not have to die to satisfy an unnecessary dietary preference.

Reason # 2 Human anatomy has evolved to support a primarily vegetarian diet. Humans do not have the large mouth or long, pointed teeth of carnivores. Human teeth are short and flat for chewing fibrous food. Carnivores have short intestines (3-6 times body length) while human intestines are long (10-11 times body length) to allow slower digestion of plant foods. The liver of a carnivore can detoxify the excess vitamin A absorbed from a meat-based diet. The human liver cannot detoxify excess vitamin A.

Reason # 3 A vegetarian diet delivers complete nutrition and can provide health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association, a vegetarian diet can meet protein requirements, provide all the essential amino-acids (the building blocks of protein), and improve health. It can also provide all the necessary vitamins, fats, and minerals, and can improve one’s health. According to the USDA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, meat is not an essential part of a healthy diet.

Reason # 4 A vegetarian diet can help alleviate world hunger. Over 10 pounds of plant protein are used to produce one pound of beef protein. If these grains were fed to humans instead of animals, more food would be available for the 925 million people in chronic hunger worldwide. Research from Cornell University found that the grain used to feed US livestock alone could feed 800 million people.

Reason # 5 A vegetarian diet helps build healthy bones because vegetarians absorb more calcium than meat eaters. Meat has high renal acid levels which the body must neutralize by leaching calcium from the bones, which is then passed into urine and lost. There are many sources of healthy vegetarian calcium including tofu, dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens, as well as fortified cereals.

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