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Sugar Changed The World | Marc Aronson & Marina Budhos | Cuba
Clarion Books | 2010 | ISBN: 0618574921
Synopsis
Sugar Changed the World fascinates with a history, geography and economics lesson all wrapped up in a narrative that is easily read and understood. This is not a dry textbook approach to the history of our world. From the sugar cane discoveries of Alexander the Great to the science of saccharine and Splenda™, the authors weave a story that entices the reader and illustrates our dependence not only on the sugar we consume, but on the labor that produces it. The book is filled with images from photo archives, drawings, and maps that support the text and pique interest in the authors’ exploration of the role sugar has played in creating the world we live in. Aronson and Budhos do not shy away from the difficult discussions of slavery, the exploitation of workers, the relationship between producers and consumers, and the bloody roots of freedom and liberty. Framed within an individual tale of each author’s family connection to sugar, the book is completely readable and surprisingly personal.
Rationale for Use in the English Classroom
Haiti’s history in the sugar/slave trade and their continuing repercussions in its current political and economic situation will be particularly interesting for those students motivated towards social justice issues. Other current events topics include the role of Islam in spreading knowledge and scientific investigation, the origins of Caribbean music and Jazz as responses to a life of slavery, the similarities between the plight of sugar laborers to those who labor today in the sweatshops of India, and the difficulties of assimilating the poor immigrant worker into his/her rightful place in society.
Much of the book lends itself well towards strengthening proficiency in summarizing, finding the main idea and discovering cause and effect relationships. The vocabulary, while occasionally challenging, is presented with adequate context and explanation so as to make it accessible to all readers. For example, the Sanskrit word khanda (meaning a piece of sugar) is the origin of the English word “candy”; the authors present this kind of information throughout the text to connect today’s reader with the past. There is also an excellent timeline at the back of the book that could be used for a variety of purposes. Because of the unflinching examination of slavery and other topics, the book is best used with late Middle and High School students who are more capable of examining complex and potentially troubling issues.
Before/During/After Reading Activities
Before reading, have students investigate various websites related to Sugar Changed the World. The authors provide links to relevant material and these are an excellent beginning towards understanding the role of the sugar trade upon our lives and history.
http://sugarchangedtheworld.com/
http://marcaronson.com
http://marinabudhos.com
http://www.sucrose.com
During reading, students will read a section of the text, “The Overseer” (pp. 57-63 in hardback edition), to analyze in detail how the authors’ ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter). This skill fulfills the CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.5 standard for 9th and 10th grades of the Common Core Initiative but the same section of reading could be adapted to examine a only few paragraphs for 8th grade students or for an analysis of the authors’ argument regarding the slave trade for 11th and 12th grade readers.
After reading, students will create a representation of ideas and understanding of specific aspects of the book through digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements). They will make presentations to enhance understanding of the music, the poetry and other literature, the culture, the botany, the economic impact, OR the exchange of scientific ideas, etc that emanated from the sugar trade and industry. To add interest for both the student and audience, allow for choice in deciding what facet of the sugar story the student will investigate; however a clear rubric for the report should be universal.
Connections to Other Content Areas
Sugar Changed the World does not present itself as a textbook yet it could also be used in Social Studies, History, Government and Economics classrooms. Excerpted material would be appropriate in a study of Jazz or Caribbean music.
Submitted by Kathleen Morris
Sugar Changed the World fascinates with a history, geography and economics lesson all wrapped up in a narrative that is easily read and understood. This is not a dry textbook approach to the history of our world. From the sugar cane discoveries of Alexander the Great to the science of saccharine and Splenda™, the authors weave a story that entices the reader and illustrates our dependence not only on the sugar we consume, but on the labor that produces it. The book is filled with images from photo archives, drawings, and maps that support the text and pique interest in the authors’ exploration of the role sugar has played in creating the world we live in. Aronson and Budhos do not shy away from the difficult discussions of slavery, the exploitation of workers, the relationship between producers and consumers, and the bloody roots of freedom and liberty. Framed within an individual tale of each author’s family connection to sugar, the book is completely readable and surprisingly personal.
Rationale for Use in the English Classroom
Haiti’s history in the sugar/slave trade and their continuing repercussions in its current political and economic situation will be particularly interesting for those students motivated towards social justice issues. Other current events topics include the role of Islam in spreading knowledge and scientific investigation, the origins of Caribbean music and Jazz as responses to a life of slavery, the similarities between the plight of sugar laborers to those who labor today in the sweatshops of India, and the difficulties of assimilating the poor immigrant worker into his/her rightful place in society.
Much of the book lends itself well towards strengthening proficiency in summarizing, finding the main idea and discovering cause and effect relationships. The vocabulary, while occasionally challenging, is presented with adequate context and explanation so as to make it accessible to all readers. For example, the Sanskrit word khanda (meaning a piece of sugar) is the origin of the English word “candy”; the authors present this kind of information throughout the text to connect today’s reader with the past. There is also an excellent timeline at the back of the book that could be used for a variety of purposes. Because of the unflinching examination of slavery and other topics, the book is best used with late Middle and High School students who are more capable of examining complex and potentially troubling issues.
Before/During/After Reading Activities
Before reading, have students investigate various websites related to Sugar Changed the World. The authors provide links to relevant material and these are an excellent beginning towards understanding the role of the sugar trade upon our lives and history.
http://sugarchangedtheworld.com/
http://marcaronson.com
http://marinabudhos.com
http://www.sucrose.com
During reading, students will read a section of the text, “The Overseer” (pp. 57-63 in hardback edition), to analyze in detail how the authors’ ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter). This skill fulfills the CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.5 standard for 9th and 10th grades of the Common Core Initiative but the same section of reading could be adapted to examine a only few paragraphs for 8th grade students or for an analysis of the authors’ argument regarding the slave trade for 11th and 12th grade readers.
After reading, students will create a representation of ideas and understanding of specific aspects of the book through digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements). They will make presentations to enhance understanding of the music, the poetry and other literature, the culture, the botany, the economic impact, OR the exchange of scientific ideas, etc that emanated from the sugar trade and industry. To add interest for both the student and audience, allow for choice in deciding what facet of the sugar story the student will investigate; however a clear rubric for the report should be universal.
Connections to Other Content Areas
Sugar Changed the World does not present itself as a textbook yet it could also be used in Social Studies, History, Government and Economics classrooms. Excerpted material would be appropriate in a study of Jazz or Caribbean music.
Submitted by Kathleen Morris
