Eat the Invaders: (Lesson)
Outdoors; Spring; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Teaching Time: 45-60 minutes
Description: Students harvested garlic mustard and prepared a pesto in an outdoor kitchen while learning about the importance of invasive species removal and the basics of food safety.
Essential Question: How do humans affect plant life in the environment?
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
NGSS
- MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
- DCI: ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
- DCI: ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Harvest of the Month: None
Apple Fractions: (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Teaching Time: 60 minutes
Description: Students prepare a class batch of applesauce to share through this activity. While preparing the apples to cook, students will visualize the apple pieces as parts of a whole and practice writing fractions.
Objective: Students will have a basic understanding of fractions. Students will be able to apply fractions to cooking situations. Students will know how to make applesauce.
Harvest of the Month: Apples (Fall)
Fruits and Vegetables Around the World: (Project)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-60 minutes, depending on independent research time for students
Description: Students investigate the cultural and environmental reasons for the use of specific foods in different cultures around the regions of U.S. and/or world. They may consider taste, seasons, communications technology, transportation, nutrition, and other factors when conducting their research. To demonstrate their new understanding students can create an international “passport” for their fruit or vegetable which may include including a photo or drawing of the food, where it is grown, where it travels (export/import), and additional fun facts.
Essential Question: How do culture and environment affect the foods that people grow and eat?
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
GLCE’s Social Studies
- 6 – W1.2.2 Describe the importance of the natural environment in the development of agricultural settlements in different locations (e.g., available water for irrigation, adequate precipitation, and suitable growing season).
- 6 – G3.2.2 Identify ecosystems and explain why some are more attractive for humans to use than are others (e.g., mid-latitude forest in North America, high latitude of Peru, tropical forests in Honduras, fish or marine vegetation in coastal zones).
- 6 – G4.3.1 Identify places in the Western Hemisphere that have been modified to be suitable for settlement by describing the modifications that were necessary (e.g., Vancouver in Canada; irrigated agriculture; or clearing of forests for farmland).
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: USDA FNS Dig In! “Lesson 6: Global Garden”\
The Impact of Genetically Modified Organisms:
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-45 minutes
Description: This lesson plan utilizes Food, Inc., a documentary that examines food in the United States and the industry that produces it from farming to distributing to consuming. Classrooms can use this lesson to explore the pros and cons of using genetically modified seeds.
Objective: To educate students on the developing industry and science behind genetically modified seeds and the impact they have on the agriculture industries of America.
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
- ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Ancient Egypt and Food Preservation: (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 2-5 hours; Teaching Time: 45 minutes
Description: This lesson relates the Ancient Egyptian practice of mummification to various methods of food preservation. Students learn about the foods eaten by Ancient Egyptians and the methods they used to preserve the foods they ate. Students then relate the methods used back then to the food preservation techniques used today. They are presented with a demonstration on how to make refrigerator pickles and then given samples of the end product. Through the tasting, students are shown that other things can be pickled besides cucumbers. Those students interested are given a recipe to try what they learned at home.
Objective: Students will have an understanding of ancient food preservation techniques and have practical applications for cooking
Curriculum Standards: Can be tailored to fit needs
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: Sophia Gill, FoodCorps Service Member
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Teaching Time: 30 minutes
Description: This lesson plan utilizes a clip from the film Food, Inc., a documentary that examines food in the United States and the industry that produces it. Students can use these materials to explore what consumers should be able to learn about food from Nutrition Facts panels.
Objective: Encourage students to think critically about ingredients in their food and the ethics behind labeling ingredients or not.
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: Cari Ladd M. Ed
Life of a Tomato: (Lesson)
Indoors or outside Fall, Winter, Spring Prep Time: 15 min Teaching Time: 30-45 min
Description: Students will learn about local and non-local food systems through demonstrating the life of a tomato as it journeys through both a local, low processed food system and an international, highly processed food system.
Objective: Students will be able to define a food system and identify at least one difference between local and nonlocal food systems.
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
Curriculum Standards: Can be tailored to fit needs
Harvest of the Month: Tomatoes
Map the Distance: (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-45 minutes
Description: Using paper or online maps, students will calculate the miles from various food-producing locations to their hometown and graph these distances. Finally, your class will discuss the differences in supply chains by examining the advantages and disadvantages of a local supply chain and identifying local food sources in your community.
Essential Question: How does communication and transportation technology affect how our food gets from place to place?
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3 Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
- ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: USDA FNS Dig In! “Lesson 2: Farm to Plate”
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Teaching Time: 30 minutes
Description: Crush iron-rich, fortified cereal to illustrate the presence of minerals in the everyday foods we eat. Educators will have an opportunity to discuss nutrition, science of minerals and vitamins, and why eating foods of high nutrition is important to our health.
Objective: Learn about the Earth’s minerals and metals and how they are vital to our health.
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
Source: Katherine Harmon; Scientific American
My Michigan Plate: (Lesson)
Indoors Fall, Winter, Spring Prep Time: 10 minutes Teaching Time: Two sessions, Part 1: 30 minutes, Part 2: 30 minutes
Description:
Part One: Students learn about agriculture in Michigan, the various crops that are grown here, and how agriculture contributes to Michigan’s economy. Through a class discussion, they decode a legend and create their own MyPlate guide to create a balanced meal made entirely from products grown in Michigan.
Part Two: Students find the most common origins around the world for all of the foods on their Michigan Plate that they created in part 1. Then, they calculate the total food miles (distance traveled to bring food from farm to plate) for this new “World” plate and the Michigan plate and compare the two numbers. Students draw conclusions about the importance of food miles.
Objective: Students will understand how to identify whether food items belong to fruit, vegetable, protein, grain or dairy food group. Students will understand what “agricultural diversity” means and that Michigan is a major agricultural producer within the United States.
Curriculum Connections:
ELA
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
- ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.7 Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
Harvest of the Month: Apples, (Fall), Frozen Fruit, Squash (Winter), Asparagus (Late Spring)
Source: Meghan McDermott, FoodCorps Service Member 2013-15
Rocks to Radish: (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 15 minutes
Description: Students are asked how we get from a rock to a radish, and put in order symbolic objects representing each step in the process, discussing each step along the way
Objective: Make connection between food sources and geology; understand what a “food system” is; understand the important actors and stages involved from seed to fork.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible, just replace “radish” with whatever food is growing
Soil Types Experiment: (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Teaching Time: 45-60 minutes
Description: Students discuss how rock particles are weathered into smaller sizes and compare three particle sizes: sand, silt and clay. They then measure how quickly water drains through the three particle sizes, and discuss what the ideal ratio of particle sizes would be in a garden.
Objective: To learn about soil composition and carry out a scientific experiment.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: inspired by Food, Land and People
Three Sisters (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 30-45 minutes; Teaching Time: 45-60 minutes
Description: This activity explores the foods, the customs, and the stories that evolved from the planting of corn, beans, and squash—the Three Sisters—which is a tradition of several Native American tribes from the northeastern region of North America. The lesson also uses myths/legends and traditional stories to teach about American Indians beliefs and cultures.
Objective: Students will know who the three sisters are (corn, beans and squash) and will be able to explain why Native Americans planted the three plants together. They will be able to make a “Three Sisters” soup.
Harvest of the Month: Dry beans, Squash
Source: Cornell University and Centennial College in Toronto, Canada
U.S. Agricultural Subsidies and Nutrition (Lesson)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: Food, Inc. screening 95 minutes; Teaching Time: 1-2 50 minute sessions
Description: This lesson plan utilizes the film and POV’s website resources for Food, Inc., a documentary that examines food in the United States and the industry that produces it. Classrooms can use these materials to investigate how agricultural subsidies influence food choices, health and the economy.
Objective: Examine the factors that influence their families’ eating habits. Use viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret a film clip. Determine how U.S. agricultural subsidies affect the prices of certain foods and the result this has on nutrition, health and the economy. Use reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret informational text.
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Pressmeister Oils (Special Presentation)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 1 hour coordinating, 20 minutes setup
Description: Christoph Milz demonstrates how to coldpress oils using various nuts and seeds. Students sample oils from various nuts and seeds.
Objective: To learn where oil comes from, and show students a food system career.
Harvest of the Month: Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds
Note: The following lessons reference curriculum developed by Life Lab from their Growing Classroom lesson book. For more information and to purchase a copy of this wonderful resource click here.
Inch By Inch, Row By Row (Project)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Teaching Time: 60-90 minutes
Description: Students plan and map garden beds using information about growth requirements for each plant.
Objective: To combine several skills to create a garden design, including research, mapping and drawing to scale
Harvest of the Month: Flexible
Source: The Growing Classroom
Processed or Not? (Project)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Teaching Time: 90 minutes + 4 hours bread rising time + 1 hour baking time
Description: In this activity, foods are first defined according to the amount of processing. Then wheat is used as an example to demonstrate how processing can affect nutritional value. Finally, students grind flour and bake bread.
Objective: To learn the nutritional value of unprocessed foods compared to processed foods
Harvest of the Month: Flexible, any vegetable that can be processed
Source: The Growing Classroom
Shoebox of Sunshine (Project)
Indoors; Fall, Winter, Spring; Advanced Prep: 1 potted bean or pea plant per pair of students
Prep Time: 30 minutes (5-6) or 60 minutes (K-4) Teaching Time: 60 minutes (5-6) or 30-60 minutes (K-4)
Description: Students construct miniature greenhouses in shoeboxes and observe and measure their effects on plant growth. They relate these experiences to food production methods and to the earth’s greenhouse effect, an important factor in the formation of our climate.
Objective: (Grades 5-6): students will be able to describe how the earth radiates heat from the sun to our atmosphere (Grades K-4): students will get an introductory peek into the effects of the sun on plants and atmosphere
Curriculum Standards:
Science: 3-5.ETS1.3: plan and carry out tests, control variables, consider failure
points to identify model or prototype that can be improved
ELA: 5.SL.1: collaborative discussions
Harvest of the Month: Flexible, beans or peas would go well
Source: The Growing Classroom
Water We Doing (Project)
Indoors, Outdoors; Fall, Spring; Advanced Prep: 1 week prior, plant 1 bean or pea seed per pair
Part 1: Prep Time: 30-45 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-60 minutes
Part 2 (1 week later): Prep Time: 30 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-60 minutes
Part 3 (4 days later): Prep Time: 15 minutes; Teaching Time: 30-60 minutes
Description: In this two-week project, students observe the relationship between watering and plant growth and apply their experimental findings to the garden. The three activities are planned for a Monday/Monday/Friday sequence. For Grades K-1: the teacher should supervise watering closely, rather than assigning students to do the watering individually
Objective: To control the application of water to plants
Harvest of the Month: Flexible, beans or peas work well
Source: The Growing Classroom
