Education Outside
Grains and Food
Gather up a variety of foods made from grains. Cereal, oats, pasta, rice, breads, cookies, crackers, to name a few. Put them in plastic containers or plastic bags. Then do a show-and-tell type demonstration and present all the types of...
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Farming in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Ancient Civil Engineering Problem
Sixth graders identify the major obstacles in farming in Mesopotamia. They work together to design and build a model that solves these problems. They write a short essay that describes the problems and their possible solutions.
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Power to the Peanut
Learners locate information about the life and research of African American botanist George Washington Carver. They identify how Carver's knowledge of botany contributed to improvement of farming practices and introduction of new...
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On Aztec Terraces
Students investigate the development and use of Aztec terraces while farming. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information for the context of class discussion and then create a diorama to represent the...
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Fruitful Bounty
Students engage in a lesson plan that is concerned with the holiday of Thanksgiving and they work in small groups to find out what kinds of foods are grown and harvested during that time of the year. The information is used to create the...
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Ancient Egyptian Farming Seasons
There were three seasons related to farming according to the ancient Egyptians. Kids learn about the first, second, and third farming season by reading informational text. By the end of the slide show, they'll know about the flood...
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Organic Matter
Written for an agriculture curriculum, this presentation on organic matter is also informative for gardening or horticulture classes. It details the chemical makeup, affecting factors, functions, maintenance, and composting to create a...
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Sunburns and Sore Muscles: Working to Save the Farm During the Great Depression
Fifth through eighth graders engage in a lesson in which they study working class people during the Great Depression. They work to develop an understanding of the economic developments in Arkansas during the 1930's. Learners access...
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First You Take an Ecumene
Although this was written regarding Canadian agriculture, it can be used in any agriculture or environmental science class. Learners evaluate agricultural and economic activity maps and consider land use competition. Activities that get...
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Little Bees, Big Potential
After reading an article on the alfalfa leafcutting bee, learners chart its characteristics alongside those of the honeybee. Then they draw the leafcutter lifecycle. The article provides fascinating reading when studying the role of...
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The Pumpkin Patch - A Venture in Agritourism
After reading an article about how agritourism is helping boost the financial stability of local farms, middle schoolers answer comprehension questions. This is a case-study of Canadian pumpkin producers. It could be useful as a...
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Harvest!
A visually entertaining PowerPoint on farming is here for you. Specifically, the presentation takes you and your pupils through the harvest of corn and soybeans. All of the machinery used in harvesting, storing, and sending the products...
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Mayan Farming Practices
The introduction of this lesson plan requires reading a from The Maya by Jaqueline Dembar Greene. Learners sketch a Mayan during the reading. Teaching strategies include direct instruction, grouping the students for discussions,...
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Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Your class considers a case study of a sustainable agro-ecosystem and view a PowerPoint presentation about a sustainable farm. They complete a case study worksheet. Extension activities are included.
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Taming Wild Land
Third graders consider the habitat needs of living things and how extensive farming in an area can affect the plants and animals of a region. They participate in a simulation to show how changing the habitat in one area can greatly...
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Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Read about sustainable agriculture and complete related Internet activities. After reading background information about the economics of sustainable agriculture and the problems with the industrial food system, your students click on...
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Farmers Dilemma
Students investigate the "futures" market and how it affects farmers by completing a prediction activity utilizing bags of M&Ms. While completing this activity, students practice basic mathematics skills and reinforce economic terms.
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Goods for You!
Have your class learn about Wisconsin and farming. Learners begin by listening to stories that describe farming and engage in a discussion of goods and services. They could also compare the goods and services provided in different states.
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Biotechnology in Livestock Production
Genetic engineering as a solution to disease tendencies and growth is presented. Examples are given of its use to research micro-organisms that help or hinder farming. There are many slides with details of the process in a lab, as well...
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Native American Three Sisters Gardens
Students investigate companion planting. For this communtiy gardening lesson students explore the tradition of the Native American Three Sisters gardening approach. Students act as botanists, anthropologists, folklorists, and curators.
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Where Does Food Come From?
Young scholars recognize that food we eat comes from farms. In this where does food come from lesson plan, students discuss planting crops and how they grow. Young scholars plant seeds for edible crops and eat them when are ripe....
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Packaging and Transport
Students examine the methods by which food is packaged and transported to their dinner tables. In this packaging and transporting lesson plan, students explore how machines help people grow food. Students also obtain knowledge about how...
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From Foraging to Farming
Young scholars experience the difficulty that goes along with foraging for food. In this lesson on the importance of modern agriculture, students simulate how there simply is not enough food and water for everyone when agricultural means...
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Finding Your Way On the Farm
Third graders explore the food industry by viewing a presentation about farming. In this farming geography activity, 3rd graders view globes and maps while identifying the prime geographical locations for fertile land. Students view a...