Galbo, Joseph, and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. NEISS - Cheese Injuries, 2018. Bethesda, M.D.: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2018-04-16. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2020715116/.
This primary source is valuable in the classroom for its unique combination of data analysis, consumer safety information, and the ability to spark curiosity and critical thinking. Students can explore real-world statistics by examining injury trends, understanding how data is categorized, and practicing skills in interpreting and making inferences from qualitative information. This supports curriculum goals in math, science, and social studies, helping students build essential analytical skills. The image also provides an opportunity to discuss consumer safety, accident prevention, and the role of government regulation in monitoring such issues. The unusual focus on “cheese injuries” also adds a layer of humor, making the topic more accessible and engaging, while still allowing for serious discussions about the importance of tracking injuries in maintaining public safety. Finally, students can evaluate the effectiveness of the accompanying public service campaign. By analyzing how the meme spreads and how it captures attention, they can assess its impact as a form of communication. This encourages students to think critically about the power of media in shaping public awareness and how to effectively use humor and creativity to engage audiences.
The source’s humor, visual design, statistical data, and messaging make it engaging, educational, and rich in opportunities for critical analysis and discussion. The playful design with cheese faces creates a lighthearted, relatable entry point for students, making the lesson more engaging and memorable. The clear and eye-catching layout can be used to teach media literacy and visual communication skills, such as how elements convey tone and emphasis. Teachers can use this as a model for encouraging students to think creatively about serious topics and how to make them accessible to different audiences.
This imagery was created by a social media specialist at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is one of 170 memes and images, grouped into series, that can be found on the Library of Congress database. Memes are images, videos, pieces of text, etc., that are copied and spread rapidly online by Internet users, often with slight variations.
- Why do you think the designer chose to give the cheese faces? How does this affect the tone of the message?
- Why do you think the creators used humor to address this topic? How does that impact the effectiveness of the message?
- What role does this type of messaging play in preventing injuries or accidents?
- How effective do you think this type of public service announcement is? How could its messaging be improved to reach a wider audience or have a stronger impact?
Common Core State Standards for ELA
|
RI.11-12.7: Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text.
|
W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
|
|
SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
|
|
- This photo is part of a collection from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission of memes. While memes are usually considered trivial and unimportant, using this photo as a hook into a lesson about the rhetorical situation and rhetorical appeals would engage students. Using SOAPSTone or SPACECAT, students can first analyze the image for the rhetorical situation. Then, students can identify instances of ethos (coming from the USCPCS), pathos (drawing the faces on the cheese), and logos (“3700 Cheese-related ER visits in 2017. Nearly 9 out of 10 injuries involved lacerations, cuts or avulsions associated with knives, graters, sliders, or scissors when cutting cheese or opening packages of cheese products.”).
- This could also serve as a way to begin to analyze persuasive techniques in advertising, as detailed here.
- Lederle, Cheryl. “Informational Text: Know Your Meme | Teaching with the Library.” The Library of Congress, n.d. https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2024/12/informational-text-know-your-meme/.
- Suggestions for teaching strategies can be found here.
- Lighthearted Tone for Injuries: The humorous design (cheese with faces) and playful message might trivialize the actual injuries people suffer, which could involve severe cuts or even amputations.
- Confusion about Intent: Viewers might misinterpret the image as satire or as not being a legitimate public safety campaign.
- Perception of Importance: The focus on "cheese-related ER visits" may seem trivial compared to other public health issues, such as accidents caused by more dangerous or widespread activities. This could lead to questions about why such a niche issue is being highlighted.
- Any alternative memes can be found here. Teachers and families could choose another from a variety of options.
- CPSC.gov. “United States Consumer Product Safety Commission,” n.d. https://www.cpsc.gov/.
- Blistein, Jon. “How a Government Agency’S Offbeat Twitter Memes Landed in the Library of Congress.” Rolling Stone, October 10, 2019. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/cpsc-twitter-meme-library-of-congress-897096/.