This is an activity where students will watch a video about the sources of food waste, work in groups to complete a brainstorming activity, and come up with realistic solutions to address food waste.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The lesson plan is easy to implement and it challenges students to think critically and find realistic solutions to a real-world problem.
Encourage students to think about beneficial changes that could be made to the entire food system and the impacts of consumer demand for specific products.
Civics and government classes could discuss the role of regulations, laws, and government funding to support a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable food system.
The activity demonstrates the impact of food waste on the environment and explores options for net-zero food waste. It will motivate students to brainstorm and develop a zero food-waste strategy in their homes, communities, and society. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.12.6-8 Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.
Dimension 2: Economics
D2.Eco.1.6-8 Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Writing (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
