Garden Lesson Plan: Food and Carbon
Provided by: The Nature Conservancy|Published on: June 15, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Social Studies, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics
Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy
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 →
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 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.
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.
The resource is logical, valid, and recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
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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