TWO TEACHERS WIN MEATRIX CURRICULA CONTEST
[ New York , NY ] - September 7, 2005 GRACE, the group behind the award-winning Internet flash animation film The Meatrix , was delighted to award two teachers—Melissa Bannister of Downey Elementary School (Harrisburg, PA) and VaReane Heese of Springfield Elementary (Springfield, NE)—for their stellar Meatrix -based lesson plans.
Earlier this year, GRACE invited teachers from grades 5-8 to submit a curriculum based on the farming and health topics covered in The Meatrix , an anti-factory farming spoof of The Matrix. Now, just in time for the start of the new school year, GRACE has announced a first and second place winner who will respectively receive $1000 and $500 for classroom supplies, in addition to Meatrix mugs, t-shirts, magnets, and pins for their classes.
The imaginative lesson plans, which focus on sharpening kids' research, writing, and critical thinking skills, are now posted on GRACE's website, Sustainable Table (http://www.sustainabletable.org/schools/teachers/), for use by any teacher who is interested in educating students about sustainable agriculture. Melissa Bannister received the first place award for developing a lesson plan that allows students to understand what they eat and why by using both scientific and social approaches. VaReane Heese, the second place winner, presented a lesson plan that had students create a brochure and commercial informing people about sustainable agriculture.
Sustainable Table also has a “Teacher Resources” page ( http://www.sustainabletable.org/schools/teachers/), which teachers are encouraged to peruse for fun and useful classroom activities related to farming and food.
Congratulations Melissa and VaReane!
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