Garden Lesson Plan: Food and Carbon

Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: June 15, 2021

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

This two-part unit plan by Nature Lab uses the 5-E model to teach students about the carbon cycle, climate change, and sourcing food locally.
Students will evaluate how locally grown food may have a smaller carbon footprint than grocery store food, grow food to measure their own garden's CO2 offset, and measure the amount of food grown to evaluate the effectiveness of their local garden.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Social Studies, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics

Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy

Region: North America, United States

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

There is a clear guide for teachers that outlines the steps and resources required to undertake the lessons.
Vocabulary terms are included, which can be pre-taught to students.

Additional Prerequisites

Students need to have computer and Internet access for each group.
A school garden or local community garden is required for this lesson.
Students should have a basic understanding of the carbon cycle and greenhouse gases.

Differentiation

Student questions and resources can be displayed using a variety of formats to support different student abilities or learning styles.
The Extend section in the lesson provides multiple avenues for students to further research and extend their own knowledge and learning.
This is a great opportunity to take a field trip to a local garden or sustainable/regenerative/organic farm in your area to expand the lesson. If you do not have a garden at your school, students could use this lesson as inspiration to propose a school garden to their principal or student government representatives.

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About the Partner Provider

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.

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.

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