SUPER SIZE ME - ACTIVITIES

DOCUMENTARY SUPER SIZE ME

Task 1

Read the text and fill in the gaps after watching the first five minutes of the documentary

1. America is the _________________ nation in the world.
2. More than _______ % of adults in the US are obese.
3. _______________________ is the fattest state in the US.
4. The two main causes for deaths in America are ___________ and ______________.
5. McDonald’s is spread over the world and feeds more than __________ million people worldwide a day.
6. McDonald’s accounts for _______ % of the fast food market in the US.
7. In the US you can find McDonald’s everywhere: ______________, ___________________, ______________________.

Task 2

In groups (4 students) discuss the following questions. Support your opinion and make notes.

1. Are  Spanish heavier than they used to be? Why or why not?
2. What influence does McDonald’s have in Spain? Is it very popular? Does it influence our diet?
3. In America some people are suing fast food restaurants. Where does personal responsibility start and corporate responsibility stop?
4. The title of the film is Super Size Me. What does it refer to?
5. What will the specific topic of the film be?

After a short while, when the teacher notices that the groups are done with their work, the students report and a lively discussion will likely evolve.

3) The teacher introduces the students with Task 3. They should be given a brief amount of time to read through the instructions and the task. Then the teacher shows the second section of the documentary (minutes 51 to 57).

Task 3

Watch minutes 51 to 57 of the documentary. Answer the questions. Use short answers only.

State School

1. What do American students eat in school?
________________________________________________________________________
2. Which food company caters most schools and prisons in the USA?
________________________________________________________________________
3. How is food prepared in schools?
________________________________________________________________________
4. Why don’t they prepare meals from scratch in schools?
________________________________________________________________________
5. How many meals a month are actually cooked at the school mentioned?
________________________________________________________________________

Task 4

In groups discuss the following questions. Support your opinion and make notes.

1. Discuss your eating habits. 
• How many times a day do you eat? 
• When do you eat? 
• What do you eat? 
• Who prepares your meals?
2. In your opinion, what is a healthy way of eating ? (consider the type of food, frequency of eating, time of eating, variety of food, etc.)
3. Are the eating habits of Slovenians changing? In what way?
4. Is fast food going to influence our eating habits the same way as it has many Americans?

Students report after discussing the questions in groups.

Post-listening Activities

At home students write responses to the following:

• How is the issue of providing food for high school students taken care of in your country? 
• In the next lesson, the students freely report on what they have written. 

KEY ANSWERS

Task 1

Key: 1) fattest, 2) 60, 3) Mississippi, 4) smoking, obesity, 5) 46, 6) 43, 7) Walmart outlets, airport, hospitals.

Students report their answers, the teacher writes on the board words that might present difficulties for the students. While the students report, the answers can be commented on.

Task 3

Key: 1) cookies, fries, ketchup 2) Sodexho, 3) it is reheated, 4) it is inconvenient, 5) 6 out of 36.