Lessons

The purpose of this lesson is for students to practice making detailed scientific observations as part of the scientific process. Students will compare artistic and scientific drawings, create their own artistic and scientific drawings and models, and label an interactive map of the winter garden.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to investigate changes over time in food growing, farming, and storage technology. They will explore the evolution of technology by using three different tools to make flour, making their own butter, and working with different garden tools to compare efficiency. This lesson supports the DCPS 2nd grade ELA Unit Then and Now.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to study and appreciate food traditions around the world, including their own. Students will investigate foods that are prepared in different ways around the world and choose plants to grow in an international school garden. They will also analyze the different ingredients in a FoodPrints recipe.  This lesson supports the DCPS ELA Unit Exploring Our Neighbors: Canada and Mexico and the Social Studies Unit Salad Bowl or Melting Pot: America’s Story

The purpose of this lesson is for students to practice measuring skills in the garden. Students will estimate the length of the garden beds and use standard and non-standard units of measurement to compare the sizes of different garden beds. Students will then partition beds into square feet to prepare beds for spring planting.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand activism by studying food justice advocates and designing their own food justice campaign. This lesson supports the DCPS 2nd Grade ELA Unit Activism.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to recognize and appreciate the almost magical complexity and beautiful patterns of plant life cycles. They will compare two versions of Jack and the Beanstalk and write their own version of the folktale. Students will engineer a trellis that can successfully support a growing bean plant and observe plants at different stages of growth in the garden. This lesson supports the DCPS 2nd grade ELA Unit Got the Message: Fables and Folktales.