Photo illustration by Sarah White; Shutterstock.com (nuts)

Delicious or Deadly?

The true story of a boy, contaminated peanut butter, and a food safety crisis that helped change the way Americans eat

By Lauren Tarshis

From the March 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: to identify key ideas and details in a narrative nonfiction article

Lexiles: 960L, 740L

Featured Skill: Key Ideas and Details,

Other Key Skills: text structure, inference, summarizing, problem and solution, critical thinking

Listen to this story read aloud.

AS YOU READ

Think about what causes food poisoning and what can be done to prevent it.

Courtesy of the Meunier family

Christopher Meunier

Christopher Meunier was one of those kids who never got sick. That is, until November 2008, when he came down with a nasty stomach bug. His doctor was sure Christopher would recover quickly. But the 7-year-old didn’t get better. He got worse—much worse.

The day after Thanksgiving, Christopher’s fever spiked to 103 degrees. He began vomiting black sludge. His bowel movements were watery and full of blood. “It hurts so bad I want to die!” he screamed.

Christopher’s parents rushed him to Vermont Children’s Hospital, where doctors scrambled to try to help. “He had blood and mucus pouring out of his body,” his mom, Gabrielle, later recalled.

Nobody could give him an accurate diagnosis. Did he have a terrible strain of flu? A rare disease? For three days, Christopher’s illness showed no sign of subsiding. His doctors were mystified as to what was wrong. Finally, the answer came. Lab tests showed Christopher had food poisoning. His digestive system was infected with a type of bacteria called Salmonella.

Roughly 2,500 strains of Salmonella exist, and every year, the bacteria sickens an estimated 1.4 million Americans. Most people recover within a week, but some, like Christopher, become gravely ill. In the United States, more than 400 individuals die each year after being infected by Salmonella.

As Christopher’s doctors struggled to save his life, people all over the country were being infected with the same type of Salmonella that was poisoning Christopher.

Clearly, deadly germs were lurking somewhere in our nation’s food supply—but where? And how on Earth did they get there?

Christopher Meunier never got sick. But in November 2008, he got a nasty stomach bug. His doctor said he would get better. But the 7-year-old didn’t get better. He got worse.

The day after Thanksgiving, Christopher’s fever spiked to 103 degrees. He began vomiting black sludge. His bowel movements were watery and bloody. “It hurts so bad I want to die!” he screamed.

Christopher’s parents rushed him to Vermont Children’s Hospital. “He had blood and mucus pouring out of his body,” his mom, Gabrielle, later recalled.

Did he have a terrible strain of flu? A rare disease? His doctors were mystified. But after three days, the answer finally came. Christopher had food poisoning. He was infected with Salmonella. It’s a type of bacteria.

About 2,500 strains of Salmonella exist. Every year, about 1.4 million Americans get sick from the bacteria. Most people recover within a week. But some, like Christopher, become very ill. In the United States, more than 400 people die each year after being infected by Salmonella.

Christopher’s doctors struggled to save his life. Meanwhile, people all over the country were being poisoned with the same type of Salmonella.

The deadly germs were in our nation’s food supply. But where? And how did they get there?

Killer Bacteria

Shutterstock.com

Food poisoning has been a problem for humans since our Ice Age ancestors were roasting woolly mammoth chops for dinner. The earliest documented fatality due to foodborne illness is believed to be that of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Evidence suggests the ancient Greek ruler died of typhoid fever, which is caused by a type of Salmonella. During the American Revolution, hundreds of soldiers died after eating spoiled food.

It wasn’t until 1993, however, that the public became aware of the true dangers of food poisoning. That January, dozens of kids in Washington State were rushed to emergency rooms with severe stomach and kidney problems. Within a week, scientists had traced the outbreak to hamburgers from the fast-food chain Jack in the Box. The burgers were contaminated with the bacteria E. coli, which can be even more toxic than Salmonella. More than 600 people, mainly kids, became seriously ill during the Jack in the Box outbreak. Four died.

The crisis transformed the fast-food business. Jack in the Box, whose executives were horrified by the tragedy, helped lead an effort to make the nation’s beef supply safer.

The government also took notice, tightening food safety laws and setting up a system for tracking outbreaks. In fact, for two weeks before Christopher got sick in 2008, scientists had already been tracing the Salmonella outbreak. They knew a dangerous strain of the bacteria was spreading—they just didn’t know where it was coming from.

Food poisoning has been a problem for humans for thousands of years. The earliest known human to die from a foodborne illness is Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. He was an ancient Greek ruler. Evidence suggests that he died of typhoid fever. It is caused by a type of Salmonella. During the American Revolution, hundreds of soldiers died after eating spoiled food.

But in 1993, the public became aware of the true dangers of food poisoning. That January, dozens of kids in Washington State were rushed to emergency rooms. The kids had stomach and kidney problems. Within a week, scientists had traced the outbreak to hamburgers from Jack in the Box. It’s a fast-food chain. The burgers were contaminated with the bacteria E. coli. It can be more toxic than Salmonella. More than 600 people, mainly kids, became seriously ill during this outbreak. Four died.

The crisis changed the fast-food business. Executives at Jack in the Box were horrified by the tragedy. They helped make the nation’s beef supply safer.

The government also took notice. It tightened food safety laws. It set up a system for tracking outbreaks. In fact, for two weeks before Christopher got sick, scientists had already been tracing the Salmonella outbreak. They knew a dangerous strain of the bacteria was spreading. They just didn’t know where it was coming from.

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

Roger Harris/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Salmonella

Of all foodborne illnesses, the leading cause of hospitalization in the U.S. is Salmonella. And when it comes to sources of Salmonella outbreaks, poultry is the biggest culprit. Many Americans might be shocked to know it’s legal for raw chicken and turkey sold at the grocery store to be contaminated with Salmonella. (That’s why before eating poultry, it’s essential to cook it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, which kills the bacteria.) Encouragingly, in 2024, a government agency proposed a rule that would ban producers from selling raw chicken and turkey containing certain types of Salmonella. Experts say that if the rule goes into effect, it could reduce outbreaks.

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

Roger Harris/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Salmonella

Complex Food System

Salmonella is a bacteria that grows on feces. It can contaminate all sorts of foods—anything from chicken to ice cream. In 2024, for example, there were Salmonella outbreaks across the U.S. caused by a number of foods, including tainted eggs, cucumbers, and basil.

You might be wondering how bacteria that grows on feces could end up in your food. Quite easily, it turns out. On a farm, rain might spread cow manure containing Salmonella through a field, contaminating the crops growing there. At a restaurant, a chef with unwashed hands might spread Salmonella to your food.

Because of the complexity of our food system, once a Salmonella outbreak occurs, identifying its source can be dizzyingly difficult. Your dinner last night probably contained ingredients from many different places: ground turkey from California, cheese from Wisconsin, spinach from Mexico. And some of your favorite foods—from snack bars to donuts—have a long list of ingredients that each originate in a different place. If you get food poisoning, it can be tough to find the cause.

That was certainly the case during the 2008 outbreak. Weeks ticked by and more people got sick, yet the source of the Salmonella remained unknown.

In Vermont, Christopher’s mom, Gabrielle, grew increasingly frustrated. She was interviewed by government health agencies. She told each one everything she could recall about what her son had eaten in the days before his illness, but so much time had passed, it was hard to remember. One official hinted that there might be some kind of outbreak, but he couldn’t tell her anything concrete.

No one, it seemed, had answers.

Salmonella is a bacteria. It grows on feces. It can contaminate chicken, ice cream, and many other foods. In 2024, there were Salmonella outbreaks across the U.S. caused by tainted eggs, cucumbers, basil, and other foods.

How does bacteria that grows on feces end up in your food? It can happen in many ways. On a farm, cow manure can contain Salmonella. Rain can spread the manure through a field. It contaminates the crops. At a restaurant, a chef with unwashed hands can spread Salmonella to your food.

Our food system is complex. Identifying the source of a Salmonella outbreak can be difficult. One meal can contain ingredients from many different places: turkey from California, cheese from Wisconsin, spinach from Mexico. And some of your favorite foods—from snack bars to donuts—have ingredients from different places. If you get food poisoning, it can be tough to find the cause.

That was true for the 2008 outbreak. Weeks ticked by. More people got sick. Yet the source of the Salmonella remained unknown.

In Vermont, Christopher’s mom, Gabrielle, grew frustrated. Government health agencies interviewed her. She told each one what her son had eaten in the days before his illness. But it was hard to remember everything he had eaten. One official hinted that it might be an outbreak. But he couldn’t tell her more.

No one, it seemed, had answers.

Team Diarrhea

What Gabrielle didn’t know was that 1,000 miles away, in Minnesota, a group of young investigators was on the case. The Salmonella outbreak had spread to their state, and as members of the Minnesota Department of Health, they were determined to solve the mystery. The name of their group? “Team Diarrhea” (or “Team D” for short).

The investigators fanned out across Minnesota, searching for clues. They interviewed victims, asking, “What did you eat? Where did you eat it? Where have you traveled?” Team D worked around the clock, brainstorming theories and sharing results of laboratory tests of suspect foods.

Soon the team discovered an important piece of evidence. Using a process called DNA fingerprinting, a lab determined the poisonings had all been caused by the same type of Salmonella. This meant the victims had likely been infected by the same food. But what was it?

Finally, Team D made a major breakthrough. Thirty victims had been at one of three places. Two of those places were nursing homes. One was a school. And all three had something in common: They served the same brand of peanut butter, King Nut.

A representative from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture was able to secure a jar of King Nut from one of the nursing homes so the peanut butter could be tested for Salmonella. The results came back positive for the bacteria. But there were still questions.

The jar had been partially used before testing, so it was possible a worker at the nursing home had contaminated it. Also, King Nut was sold in only seven states. Like many of the sick people, Christopher had never even tasted it.

So what did King Nut peanut butter have to do with his illness?

But there was something Gabrielle didn’t know. Far from Vermont, in Minnesota, a group of young investigators was on the case. They were Members of the Minnesota Department of Health. The Salmonella outbreak had spread to their state. The group was determined to solve the mystery. They called themselves “Team Diarrhea” or “Team D” for short.

The investigators searched for clues across Minnesota. They interviewed victims. They asked, “What did you eat? Where did you eat it? Where have you traveled?” They worked around the clock. They brainstormed theories. They shared results of laboratory tests.

Soon the team made an important discovery. They used a process called DNA fingerprinting. They learned that the poisonings had all been caused by the same type of Salmonella. So the same food had likely infected all the victims. But what food was it?

Finally, Team D made a major breakthrough. Thirty victims had been at one of three places. Two of those places were nursing homes. One was a school. All three places served King Nut peanut butter.

A representative from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture got a jar of King Nut from one of the nursing homes. The peanut butter was tested for Salmonella. The results came back positive for the bacteria. But there were still questions.

The jar had been opened and used before testing. So it was possible a worker at the nursing home had contaminated it. Also, King Nut was sold in only seven states. Many of the sick people, including Christopher, had not eaten it.

So how was the peanut butter connected to his illness?

Thousands of Foods

Shutterstock.com

The answer would soon emerge.

The investigation eventually led experts to the tiny town of Blakely, Georgia, home of a processing plant owned by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). This is where King Nut peanut butter was made. At the plant, investigators found Salmonella in peanut samples. They also found dead insects near food, leaks in the roof, toxic mold, and other unclean working conditions.

Government officials were horrified to learn that this plant supplied peanut butter and peanut paste to 85 companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Over the next two months, about 4,000 products containing PCA ingredients were removed from store shelves. It was one of the biggest food recalls in U.S. history. The list seemed endless: cookies, brownies, donuts, salad dressings, cereals, pet treats. Americans were urged to clear their kitchens of peanuts.

Each week, it seemed, more products were put on the danger list. One of those products was Keebler peanut butter crackers—the same crackers Christopher had eaten the day before he got sick.

By the time the epidemic ended, thousands of Americans had likely been sickened by peanuts processed at that one factory. Nine people died. Christopher was lucky, however. After six days in the hospital, he returned home. Yet his recovery was far from complete. For years, he suffered from debilitating joint pain called reactive arthritis, a side effect of Salmonella poisoning, and his immune system had been severely weakened.

Soon, the answer would be clear.

The investigation led experts to a processing plant in Blakely, Georgia. The plant is owned by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA). It is where King Nut peanut butter is made. At the plant, investigators found Salmonella in peanut samples. They also found dead insects, leaks in the roof, toxic mold, and other unclean working conditions.

This plant had supplied peanut butter and peanut paste to 85 companies in the U.S. and Canada. Government officials were horrified.

Over the next two months, about 4,000 products containing PCA ingredients were removed from store shelves. It was one of the biggest food recalls in U.S. history. The list included cookies, brownies, doughnuts, salad dressings, cereals, pet treats, and peanuts.

Each week, it seemed, more products were added to the list. One of those products was Keebler peanut butter crackers. Christopher had eaten some the day before he got sick.

By the time the epidemic ended, thousands of Americans had likely been sickened by peanuts processed at that one factory. Nine people died. Christopher was lucky. After six days in the hospital, he returned home. But for years, he suffered from debilitating joint pain called reactive arthritis. It’s a side effect of Salmonella poisoning. Also, his immune system had been severely weakened.

Fierce Advocates

Christopher’s story didn’t end there though. After the outbreak, his mom became a fierce advocate for stronger food safety laws. She testified before Congress about what had happened to her son. She pointed out that emergency rooms were not prepared to diagnose and treat foodborne illnesses. She condemned government agencies that didn’t share information or coordinate efforts.

Thanks to her testimony and the hard work of other victims and health experts, lawmakers took action. In December 2010, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, the first major food safety legislation since the 1930s. It was intended to completely overhaul the system that protects us from dangerous food.

The legislation required more frequent inspections of factories and farms and that foods be labeled so consumers know exactly where ingredients come from. It also mandated that government agencies make it easier to alert people about contaminations and that doctors share information more efficiently.

After the outbreak, Christopher’s mom became an advocate for stronger food safety laws. She testified before Congress. She said that emergency rooms were not prepared to diagnose and treat foodborne illnesses. She condemned government agencies that didn’t share information or coordinate efforts.

Thanks to her testimony and the hard work of other victims and health experts, lawmakers took action. In December 2010, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act. It was the first major food safety legislation since the 1930s. It was intended to strengthen the system that protects us from dangerous food.

The legislation put several changes in place. Factories and farms had to be inspected more often. Labels on food needed to say where the ingredients came from. Government agencies had to make it easier to alert people about contaminations. Doctors had to share information more efficiently.

Increasingly Common

Courtesy of the Meunier family

The Survivor

Now in his 20s, Christopher Meunier is working to one day become a lawmaker.

It’s been nearly a decade and a half since the law was passed. Unfortunately, food safety experts say it has not been as effective as they had hoped. In part because of funding shortages, the law was slow to take effect and some standards it set have not been enforced. Meanwhile, germs that can cause deadly food poisoning have become increasingly common in our environment. This is partly the result of certain farming practices that are popular in the U.S. As a result, foodborne illness has become more difficult—and expensive—to prevent.

And so, outbreaks of Salmonella and other foodborne illness keep occurring. Just last year, 10 people died and 59 were hospitalized after consuming Boar’s Head deli meat contaminated with a bacteria called Listeria. It was the nation’s deadliest Listeria outbreak in nearly 15 years.

As for Christopher?

Now 24, he recently graduated from college and, inspired by his family’s positive experience advocating for legal change, he is applying to law school. He hopes to one day work in government. “Seeing how the legal process can be used to help people lit a passion in me,” he says. “Politicians can do good.”

To this day, he has a weakened immune system, but he is living life to the fullest. He doesn’t worry much about what he eats. Still, there is one ingredient he has avoided since his life-threatening Salmonella infection: peanut butter.

“I have not eaten it since,” he says.

The law was passed about 15 years ago. But food safety experts say it has not been as effective as they had hoped. There were funding shortages. So the law was slow to take effect. Some standards it set have not been enforced. Meanwhile, germs that can cause deadly food poisoning have become more common. This is partly because of certain farming practices that are popular in the U.S. As a result, foodborne illness has become more difficult—and expensive—to prevent.

So outbreaks of Salmonella and other foodborne illness keep occurring. Just last year, 10 people died and 59 were hospitalized after consuming Boar’s Head deli meat. It was contaminated with a bacteria called Listeria. It was the nation’s deadliest Listeria outbreak in nearly 15 years.

As for Christopher?

He is now 24. He has graduated from college and has applied to law school. He hopes to work in the government. “Seeing how the legal process can be used to help people is a passion in me,” he says. “Politicians can do good.”

He still has a weakened immune system. But he lives life to the fullest. He doesn’t worry much about what he eats. But there is one food he avoids since his Salmonella infection: peanut butter.

“I have not eaten it since,” he says.

Writing Prompt

Imagine there was a Salmonella outbreak that sickened customers of a local pizza place. Health officials tracked down the source: spinach served at the restaurant. Write an article for your school paper about the outbreak. Be sure to include information about foodborne illness as well as details about the outbreak.

Writing Prompt

^{This article was originally published in the March 2025 issue.}

Audio ()

Activities (9)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

Audio ()

Activities (9)

Quizzes (1)

Answer Key (1)

Essential Questions: How does food become contaminated? What is the government’s role in regulating food safety? How does food production affect our food supply?

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: advocate, condemned, contaminated, debilitating, DNA, epidemic, strain. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

Project the Google Slides version of Vocabulary: Definitions and Practice on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. Highlighted words: advocate, condemned, contaminated, debilitating, DNA, epidemic,strain. Audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Optionally, print the PDF version or share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently before class.

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 5 or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 4 or at the top of the digital story page.

Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to author Talia Cowen read the article aloud while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.

Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Discussion Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

1. What is the main purpose of the section “Killer Bacteria”? (text structure) The main purpose of the section “Killer Bacteria” is to explain how our knowledge of foodborne illness, as well as our response to it, have changed over time.

2. The sidebar “The Salmonella Crisis” explains that Salmonella causes the most hospitalizations of any foodborne illness. According to information in the sidebar and the main article, why are Salmonella infections so common? (inference) Salmonella infections are common for a few reasons. First, Salmonella spreads easily. In the article, the author explains that, on farms, rain can spread cow manure containing Salmonella throughout an entire field of crops. Salmonella can also be spread by unwashed hands. Additionally, as the sidebar explains, it’s legal for raw chicken and turkey sold at the grocery store to contain Salmonella. So, if you don’t cook your poultry properly, you could become infected.

3. Why did it take so long to identify the source of the 2008 Salmonella outbreak? (key ideas and details, summarizing) Our food system is very complex, so it can be difficult to trace the sources of ingredients. Just one meal can have ingredients that come from many different places. And many processed foods have long lists of ingredients that each originate in a different place. This means that identifying the particular food or ingredient that caused an outbreak of food poisoning can be very difficult.

4. What steps have been taken to improve food safety? What obstacles still exist? (problem and solution) Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act in 2010. This was the first major food safety legislation since the 1930s. As the author explains, this act “required more frequent inspections of factories and farms and that foods be labeled so consumers know where ingredients come from. It also mandated that government agencies make it easier to alert people about contaminations and that doctors share information more efficiently.” But experts say the law has not been very effective. Funding shortages slowed the law from taking effect, and not all standards are enforced. These are some of the obstacles we still face in the fight against foodborne illness. Additionally, germs that cause food poisoning have become more common, partially because of certain farming practices that are common in the U.S.

5. How did having food poisoning change Christopher Meunier’s life? (critical thinking) Christopher Meunier recovered from his life-threatening infection but still has a weakened immune system. He and his mom have both become fierce advocates for stronger food safety laws. Christopher’s experience also inspired him to apply to law school, and he hopes to work in government as a lawmaker.

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Key Ideas and Details. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 8 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

Imagine there was a Salmonella outbreak that sickened customers of a local pizza place. Health officials tracked down the source: spinach served at the restaurant. Write an article for your school paper about the outbreak. Be sure to include information about foodborne illness as well as details about the outbreak.

Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Did Christopher Meunier have food poisoning? Yes, he did.

2. Does Salmonella make people sick? Yes, it does.

3. Does Salmonella spread easily? Yes, it does.

4. Did Christopher eat King Nut peanut butter? No, he didn’t.

5. Did Christopher get better? Yes, he did.

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

1. Did Christopher Meunier have food poisoning? Yes, he did.

2. Does Salmonella make people sick? Yes, it does.

3. Does Salmonella spread easily? Yes, it does.

4. Did Christopher eat King Nut peanut butter? No, he didn’t.

5. Did Christopher get better? Yes, he did.

Either/Or Questions

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Was Christopher sick from the flu or a type of bacteria? Christopher was sick from a type of bacteria.

2. Has food poisoning been a problem for humans for a long time or a short time? Food poisoning has been a problem for a long time.

3. Was Christopher infected by food from Jack in the Box or food from the Peanut Corporation of America? Christopher was infected by food from the Peanut Corporation of America.

4. Is it usually easy or hard to find the cause of food poisoning? It is usually hard to find the cause of food poisoning.

5. Has food poisoning become more or less common in the U.S.? Food poisoning has become more common in the U.S.

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

1. Was Christopher sick from the flu or a type of bacteria? Christopher was sick from a type of bacteria.

2. Has food poisoning been a problem for humans for a long time or a short time? Food poisoning has been a problem for a long time.

3. Was Christopher infected by food from Jack in the Box or food from the Peanut Corporation of America? Christopher was infected by food from the Peanut Corporation of America.

4. Is it usually easy or hard to find the cause of food poisoning? It is usually hard to find the cause of food poisoning.

5. Has food poisoning become more or less common in the U.S.? Food poisoning has become more common in the U.S.

Short-Answer Questions

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

1. What happens when a person is infected with Salmonella? Salmonella makes people sick. It can cause a fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Most people get better after a week, but some people can become extremely sick and even die from a Salmonella infection.

2. How did Team D help solve the mystery? They asked questions, shared ideas, and looked at the results of lab tests.

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

2. How did Team D help solve the mystery? They asked questions, shared ideas, and looked at the results of lab tests.

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Christopher Meunier

What? (What event does this article describe?) a food poisoning outbreak

When? (At what time did this event occur?) November 2008

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) Vermont and many states across the U.S.

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Salmonella was contaminating products made at a food processing plant in Georgia.

Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Christopher Meunier

What? (What event does this article describe?) a food poisoning outbreak

When? (At what time did this event occur?) November 2008

Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) Vermont and many states across the U.S.

Why? (What was the cause of this event?) Salmonella was contaminating products made at a food processing plant in Georgia.

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Connected reading in this issue, a historical fiction story about New York City’s swill milk scandal in the 1850s:

Fiction: “How I Became Stink Daley”

Connected reading in this issue, a historical fiction story about New York City’s swill milk scandal in the 1850s:

Fiction: “How I Became Stink Daley”

Text-to-Speech

Delicious or Deadly?

Killer Bacteria

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

Complex Food System

Team Diarrhea

Thousands of Foods

Fierce Advocates

Increasingly Common

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Delicious or Deadly?

Killer Bacteria

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

What to Know: The Salmonella Crisis

Complex Food System

Team Diarrhea

Thousands of Foods

Fierce Advocates

Increasingly Common

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

1. Prepare to Read

(10 minutes)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

2. Read and Discuss

(45 minutes)

Discussion Questions (30 minutes)

3. Write About It: Key Ideas and Details

(45 minutes)

Support for Multilingual Learners

These questions are designed to help students respond to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Either/Or Questions

Short-Answer Questions

Language Acquisition Springboard:

Connected readings from the Scope archives

Help/Support

Help/Support

About Us

Subscriber Information

Connect with Us

These questions are designed to help students respond
to the text at a level that’s right for them.