Farm to Table and Food Security
What farm to table factors affect the cost of food production, and how do choices in food production and distribution affect food security in the U.S.?
Photo Credit: Produce! by Ryan Wiedmaier is licensed under CC by 2.0
Students become aware of the complexity of the issue of hunger in the U.S. as they use research, critical thinking, and problem solving to explore, communicate, and draw conclusions about an issue around food production and distribution. The unit uses the service-learning process, includes philanthropy education components (such as the roles of the different sectors in the issue of addressing hunger), and empowers students to take action to address the issue of hunger in the U.S. (may be in the form of advocacy, direct service, indirect service, or original research).
Learners define philanthropy and explore why it is important for citizens (including middle schoolers) to take action to improve the community. In this first lesson introducing the Project Based Learning process, learners investigate the concept of food security in the U.S. and start asking questions about factors related to food production costs. The teacher presents the challenge that determines the direction of the students' projects.
Focus Question: What farm to table factors affect the cost of food production, and how do choices in food production and distribution affect food security in the U.S.?
In this lesson, students form groups that have similar interests/issues.Together they evaluate possible solutions based on their research to determine the pros and cons of each solution. Working collaboratively and using a decision-making matrix, they pick one solution as a group to create, run, rework, and present in Lesson Five.
In this lesson students collaborate within their groups to bring their project and solution to fruition. This solution will be revised and practiced several times before it is presented and implemented.