Activity 1: ESPeN Impacts

1. Prior to class, print out the ESPeN Impact Circles on separate sheets of paper. 
2. Hang up each of the circles on the board in the following order: Economic, Social, Political, and Environmental (ESPeN). Teach students the ESPeN acronym so they can better remember each impact. 

   Teach with Clarity This lesson uses a teaching strategy that allows learners to investigate economic, social, political, and environmental (ESPeN) impacts concerning innovations or events. This strategy provides learners with an opportunity to evaluate issues and consider different points of view. The ESPeN strategy is a useful strategy for investigating complex and controversial socioscientific topics.

3. Explain to students that when discussing historical events, discoveries, inventions, revolutions, or movements, there are four different impacts to consider. (Economic, Social, Political, and Environmental.) What are the economic impacts of a particular discovery? What social impacts did it have? What political impacts came from this movement? Did a movement positively or negatively impact the environment? 
4. Ask students to consider the following questions: 
   • Is it possible for something to have a positive impact in all four ESPeN categories? 
   • Are there ocassions when an impact can be positive in some areas and negative in others?
   • Can you think of an event in history that has had both positive and negative impacts?  
5. Refer to the early influencers from the Engagement section of the lessons. Draw upon students’ prior knowledge of those discoveries, movements, or historical events and help them practice identifying ESPeN impacts from the discovery of pasteurization, genetics, refrigeration, vehicles, new agriculture practices, and technology advancements. Examples include:
   • (Economic) Refrigeration allows cattle and other livestock to be harvested and processed closer to where they were grown rather than driving cattle to the markets like they did in the 1850s.
   • (Social) Pasteurization of milk nearly eliminates foodborne illness from milk.
   • (Social and Political) The invention of the cotton gin created more demand for cotton which was primarily grown by enslaved African Americans leading to the Civil War.

Activity 2: The Man Who Tried to Feed the World

1. Introduce the film using the title, subtitle, and the descriptive paragraphs on the film webpage. Ask students what questions arise in their minds as they hear/read the introduction to the film. Some questions may include:
   • What are unintended consequences?
   • How did Norman Borlaug solve India's famine problem?
   • Why would Norman Borlaug's achievements come 'under fire'?
2. Introduce a Decision Matrix as a tool designed to help evaluate multiple criteria along with the importance, or weight, of each criteria to ultimately make a decision.
3. Pass out the Green Revolution Decision Matrix handout. Discuss the first page and call out the the ESPeN (economics, social, political, environmental) model that they will be using to evaluate the work of Norman Borlaug who is known as the "father" of the Green Revolution.
4. Prior to watching the film, students should indicate a "weight" for each ESPeN category. They should circle "1" for the factor they feel is most important, "2" for the next factor, and so on.
5. Watch, "The Man Who Tried to Feed the World." Available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime. Instruct students to take notes on their Decision Matrix as they watch the film. 
6. Following the film, instruct students to review their notes and the "weight" they indicated for each ESPeN factor. They should then answer the question, "Were Norman Borlaug's efforts successful? Why or why not?" on a sheet of paper. See the teacher key to help guide discussion.