Students observe soil ecosystems to investigate how human impact affects the biodiversity of soils using the Simpson's Index of Diversity. Then, students conduct an investigation using field corn to determine how the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers impact soil microorganisms and biodiversity.
Students explore the benefits and functions of different types of barns and use problem-solving skills to build a model of a hay barn that meets specific requirements.
Students investigate rangelands by growing their own grass to represent a beef or sheep ranch.
Students explore the sources of a variety of agricultural products and discover that farms can be diverse in size and in products that are grown and raised.
Students explore pecan production from farm to fork, simulate the process of grafting, and create a nutritious snack.
Evaluate the agricultural advances of the Green Revolution, discover the contributions of Norman Borlaug, and discuss the impacts of this era from an economic, social, political, and environmental perspective by watching the 2020 PBS film, The Man Who Tried to Feed the World.
Identify common Thanksgiving foods and their farm source, determine if those foods can be produced locally, and locate the common origins of their Thanksgiving day dinner.
Students investigate US crop and livestock production and analyze the relevance of land use models in contemporary agricultural production.
Students will determine the presence of DNA in their food by extracting it from a strawberry. Then, students will compare and contrast GMOs and organic foods in order to evaluate the nutrition, safety, economic, geographic, and environmental impacts of these agricultural production practices.
Students recognize how geography and climate allow for the growth of maple trees and the process of making syrup, identify the characteristics of maple trees that produce the best sap for making maple syrup, and name the steps in the process of creating syrup from sap.
Students examine the basic geography of a watershed, how water flows through the system, and how people can impact the quality of our water.
Students discover the geographic regions where basil, oregano, and cilantro have cultural significance, understand the role of evaporation in herb drying, and recognize the different properties of dried and fresh herbs.