Teachers'
Study
Guide
(To be
used in conjunction with the reading of the book, Herb, The Vegetarian
Dragon.)
Explore
the effects of peer pressure on children who are being brought up
as vegetarians.
-Points
for the teacher to consider:
1. Parents
who are too strict, without regard to the child's need for social acceptance,
may inadvertently discourage their child from healthy eating attitudes
as he or she becomes more independent.
2. Vegetarianism
is much more than not eating meat. It can be explored to greater
depths depending upon a parent's (teacher's) time, inclination, and resources.
A child is sure to be asked: "Why are you a vegetarian?" and will
surely ask that same question of him or her self.
3. When
children enter school they are inundated with cultural attitudes toward
food. The school child quickly learns that certain foods and/or combinations
of foods are considered strange.
4. Under
peer pressure a child may reject foods that seem unusual.
-Here
are some possibilities for class discussion:
1. Let's
make a list of "strange" foods. Ask for suggestions.
2. Make
another list of foods you (class) like. Explore why?
3. A list
of foods students don't like. Explore why?
4. Make
a list of foods class thinks are "good" for you
5. Make
a list of foods you think are "bad" for you
6. Explore
lists. Why good? Why bad?
7. Who
knows what the word nutrition means?
8. Definition
of words: Herbavore and Carnivore.
Book
analogies:
-When class
has read the book, ask: What they learned?
Query individual
students: "Can you think of someone you don't like because they are different
from yourself?"
Lecture
focus:
Accepting
other people means walking a fine line between appreciating them for who
they are and being open to new ideas - while still standing up for your
own values.
-Ask:
How does Herb stand up for his own values?
Herb, The
Vegetarian Dragon stands up for his own values by refusing to accept Meathook's
offer of freedom in exchange for becoming carnivorous (a meat eater) like
all the other dragons. While Herb is willing to be friendly with
the others and considerate of their ways they are not willing to
let him be "different."
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from the book:
chapter
1 and chapter
2.
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