Look carefully at the material on pesticides at the website of the Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/pesticides. html). Does the government's attitude toward these products seem different today than it was in 1962, as described in Silent Spring? Report your findings in a one-page summary.

Imagine that it is 1962. Write a one- or two-page letter using what you learned from the book to persuade your state representative or senator to do something about the problem Carson describes. Be sure to tell your representative specifically what you would like him or her to do.

Identify three passages in Silent Spring that seem particularly compelling. Does Carson's language (word choice, tone, images, etc.) contribute something to the force of these excerpts? How? Summarize your observations in a brief essay.

Examine the labels of some pesticide products around the house, taking note of their active ingredients. At http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ info.htm, see what you can find out about the health hazards of these products. Report your findings in a one-page summary.