Our Carbon Foodprint
Provided by: Educated Choices Program|Published on: October 31, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, English Language Arts
Authors: Educated Choices Program
Location: Earth
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 video-based lesson encourages students to consider how their food choices affect the environment, as well as how their decisions fit into the food production process.
- The video examines each step of the food production process in detail, and students will learn about deforestation, fertilizer concerns, gas emissions, animal waste runoff, water scarcity, transportation issues, and excessive landfill waste.
- Solutions are provided on an individual basis, providing students with ways they can contribute to solutions at the local level.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- As students are viewing the video, there are formative assessments embedded in the form of multiple-choice and open-ended questions.
- There are clickable icons that provide PDFs of guided notes, discussion topics, a quiz, lesson plans, and more, or one click will download the entire educational package.
- A brief introductory video is embedded without the need to submit a questionnaire.
Additional Prerequisites
- Video language choices include English, Spanish, or German.
- The resource provides academic standards arranged by state and divided by middle and high school levels.
- Teachers must click through a questionnaire to receive access to the video.
- Animal slaughter is mentioned, so teachers may wish to use caution when showing the video to younger or sensitive students.
- Animal waste runoff is shown, which might upset younger or sensitive students.
- Students should know what climate change is and how greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change.
- The answer keys for the quiz and homework are not accessible with the password provided.
Differentiation
- Students in Math classes can pause the video at several places showing graphs and then create word problems based on the data displayed.
- Students are encouraged to use a QR code at the end of the video to share their thoughts via a survey, so English classes could extend that activity to write a personal narrative about food choices.
- This video is an excellent starting place for science teachers to assign research projects to small groups, emphasizing the food production process and how to modify each step to reduce negative environmental impacts.
This 19-minute video highlights how greenhouse gas emissions from food production and their supply chains increase global warming. It also underscores solutions to food waste and ways to reduce your carbon footprint from food choices. This resource is 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.
Learn about our review process →
