This video by Ecosia showcases an almond farmer in Spain that converted to ecological or regenerative farming practices to improve soil quality and plant health.
It highlights the reasons why conventional farming practices are not sustainable and why more ecologically conscious farming is needed.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The video gives a first-person account of the benefits of ecological farming.
Additional Prerequisites
The farmers speak in Spanish during the video. You may need to pause the video periodically to ensure students have time to read the subtitles when the farmers are speaking.
There may be an ad before the video.
Differentiation
Social studies and economics classes could discuss the benefits of using fewer chemicals and providing more jobs to local communities.
Biology courses could use this video when discussing photosynthesis, limiting nutrients, or the carbon cycle.
This resource is a 6-minute video consisting primarily of an interview with a father and son pair of Spanish almond farmers (in Spanish with English subtitles). They discuss the conventional farming methods used by the father and the ecological and restorative farming methods the son learned at university. The son was eventually able to convince the father to adopt the more sustainable methods. This is an inspirational video showing the power of multi-generational agriculture. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (ACTFL)
Cultures: Interact with cultural competence and understanding.
2.1 Relating Cultural Practices to Perspectives: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the practices and perspectives of the cultures studied.
2.2 Relating Cultural Products to Perspectives: Learners use the language to investigate, explain, and reflect on the relationship between the products and perspectives of the cultures studied.
