Introduction
“It is one of the great ironies that this industry, so protective of its prerogatives and so aggressive in defense of its secrets, would be so publicly exposed that we now know more about the history of the tobacco industry than any other business in the history of business.”1
The compelling story reveals a controversy created out of lies and brilliantly designed to steer public policy in the industry’s direction. The truth is unraveled by stolen documents, whistleblowers, and a mysterious package addressed to Mr. Butts. Fast-forward almost seventy years and this curriculum unit will examine the history of the tobacco industry to shed light on the current storm that is brewing around e-cigarettes.
This cross-curricular unit will use the context of the tobacco industry to learn about public policy, media messages, various types of writing, and different viewpoints. It is written for my fourth grade students who live in a city with a storied history rooted in tobacco.
My school, Mary Munford Elementary School, is located in the west end of the city of Richmond, Virginia. It is a part of Richmond Public Schools. The students mostly come from middle class homes with a lot of parental support, but there are also immigrants, students from low-income homes and a few homeless families. My school also serves low-incidence autistic students. The range of skill level in fourth grade is huge. A few students barely speak English, some perform two years below grade-level, and other students perform in the 99th percentile on norm-referenced tests for reading and math. My students’ general knowledge also varies greatly. Some students read constantly and have the opportunity to travel around the country and to other countries, while others rarely leave Richmond.
Comments: