Food and Climate Change
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Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative|Published on: December 9, 2022
Lesson PlansScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This lesson teaches students about the causes and impacts of food waste, plant-based diets, and crop varieties.
- The resource includes a teacher's guide with additional differentiation tips and a rubric, worksheets, readings, a podcast, and activities about how food relates to climate.
Subjects: Biology, Health, Engineering
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Bonus activities, discussion questions, and background information are available in the teacher's guide.
- Each activity presents both the problem and solutions.
- The podcast discusses all three topics (food waste, plant-based diets, and crop varieties).
Additional Prerequisites
- Before engaging in the lesson, students should know that there are many steps in the process that bring food from the farm to our plates.
- Since food choices are personal or cultural, be prepared to support student conversations and feelings about differing views and perspectives.
- Each activity should take a similar amount of time to complete and can be used independently.
- The final activity requires access to the Internet for research.
Differentiation
- Social studies classes can connect this lesson to topics such as the different diets of various cultures, why individuals may choose to be vegetarian or vegan, or the barriers to accessing certain foods in some parts of the world.
- The lesson plan will allow teachers to differentiate and support students as they learn about food waste, plant-based eating, and crop varieties. One suggested way to do so is to divide students into groups and then allow them to choose which of these topics they explore.
- As an extension, have students watch this video to learn more about food waste and use this online course to learn more about the impacts of agriculture on the planet.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Founded in 2014, the Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) is MIT’s institute-wide effort to mobilize the substantial scientific, engineering, policy, and design capacity of the MIT community to contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental challenges of global import. ESI pursues multidisciplinary research, education, events, and partnerships to help move society toward an environmentally and socially sustainable future. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts on MIT’s main campus, ESI is powered by a lean staff working closely with students and faculty across the full spectrum of disciplines. Led by architecture professor John E. Fernandez, a leading scholar in the emerging field of urban metabolism, ESI is advised by students, faculty, alumni, and thought leaders from many sectors of society.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
