Gardening and the Science of Food

• This article and corresponding videos highlight communities in Illinois that are using science to grow sustainable foods, creating circular economies, and building stronger communities.
• Students will hear poems about nature, learn about the importance of plants in ecosystems, and learn about Plant Chicago and The Plant, organizations that are using permaculture, aquaponics, and other sustainable methods to grow food in a sustainable way, using renewable energy and sustainable and recycled materials to support a circular economy and provide healthy, local food to a community in need.
  

Positives

• This video features inspiring interviews with individuals who are helping to make a difference in food deserts.
• This resource includes links to more than 10 additional sites that can help provide background knowledge and additional learning on the topics addressed.

Additional Prerequisites

• Some students with limited background knowledge on food deserts might benefit from some pre-teaching using other resources on our site.
• The "What's Good" link is broken, but this PBS series can be found on YouTube or PBS.

Differentiation

• This resource provides links to a number of other resources, so teachers should plan ahead which topics students should research, allowing some learners to focus on food deserts, aquaponics, or a no-waste economy.
• Extension activities might include watching the "Bonus" link at the end and then designing a sustainability project for your school or community.
• Have students connect this video to climate change by investigating the top solutions to climate change from this resource and applying that information to this resource about soil and the climate.
• Ask students to research and report on another inspiring story of community sustainability improvement, such as this video about radical gardeners in New York City or this story of a community activist who started an urban farm in the Bronx.