Learn Science Through the Study of Food Systems
- Engage students in science learning through something they know and love – FOOD!
- Written by expert nutrition educators from the Teachers College Columbia University
- Extensively pilot tested and evaluated through a grant from the National Institutes of Health
Growing Food provides experiences for students to learn science through the study of food systems. The module's driving question — How does nature provide us with food? — frames students' investigations as they learn about critical ideas in science: the cycling of matter and the flow of energy. Students engage in hands-on investigations of photosynthesis, explore food webs, discuss and debate managing agricultural systems, and more. They use scientific reasoning to explore and analyze their personal food choices and they apply what they have learned to personal decisions related to food systems, health, and the natural environment.
“My students are thinking deeply about food system issues. They get excited every time we do the lessons. I use LiFE as a replacement unit in our adopted science curriculum.” – Stephen M., sixth-grade teacher.
View a sample lesson plan chapter called Celebrating Plant Parts.
You can purchase a hard copy of this book through the KidsGardening store, or you can download it for free in English or Spanish thanks to a grant from the USDA.
