CFAITC: Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans - All

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Agricultural Awareness Through Poetry: Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated October, 2002; Grade: 9-10; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts; In this lesson, students will see how poets have used farming as an interesting and important topic and then will write a poem on how and why agriculture is important in his or her life.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (156 KB)

An Ag Interview: Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated August, 2002; Grade: 9-10; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts; In this lesson, students will gain a greater awareness of the role agriculture plays in the American economy, practice oral and written communication skills, and learn about numerous agricultural careers.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (156 KB)

Edible Numbers: By Pamela Emery and Gina Hieb; Updated September, 2003; Grade: 3-6; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts, Science, Mathematics; Through a series of activities, students analyze, using mathematical and scientific processes, the food they buy at the grocery store and understand that it ultimately comes from plants or animals. Includes grocery ad scavenger hunts.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (882 KB); Introduction (64.8 KB); Unit Overview (79.8 KB); Lessons - Grades 3-4 (195 KB); Lessons - Grades 5-6 (191 KB); Teacher Resources and References (644 KB); Related Web Sites (64.6 KB); Student Literature (84.5 KB); Content Standards (115 KB); Glossary (69.5 KB)

Food Safety: From Farm to Fork: Updated October, 2004; Grade: 5-7; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts, Science, Mathematics; This unit provides fifth through seventh graders a better understanding of food safety through real-life examples and enjoyable activities. They learn that everyone has a responsibility in minimizing foodborne illnesses -- farmers, transporters, restaurants, grocery stores... and the consumer! Through reading, games, puzzles, math problems and science investigations, participants identify the roles each one of us plays to ensure the food we enjoy is safe to eat.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety

From Genes to Jeans: By John Vogt and Mary Yale; Updated February, 2001; Grade: 7-9; Subjects: Science/Environmental, English/Language Arts, Visual/Performing Arts; Students are introduced to the genetic research and technologies associated with agriculture. Students are provided with the scientific principles and tools associated with genetics and are encouraged to use their knowledge to think critically, creatively and freely about the viability and ethics associated with genetic engineering and agriculture. Careers related to science and agriculture are also introduced.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (480 KB); Unit Overview (117 KB); Background Info on Biotechnology (159 KB); Just Like Me (371 KB); Let's Get Square (112 KB); Blue Genes Challenge (172 KB); Bird Land (334 KB); Design Yer Genes (473 KB); Snappy Products (339 KB); Teacher Resources and References (142 KB)

Fruits and Vegetables for Health: By Pricilla Naworski, MS and Brenda Byers, MS; Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated January, 2003; Grade: 4-6; Subjects: Science, Language/Reading Arts, Mathematics; The comprehensive unit teaches students about the production, distribution, and nutritional value of California fresh produce. Geography, language arts, mathematics, science, health, and nutrition concepts are incorporated. Aligned to the Content Standards for California Public Schools.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (461 KB); Unit Overview (91.2 KB); Climbing a Pyramid to Good Health (136 KB); California Crops: From the Farm to the Table (155 KB); Nutritional Value of Fresh Produce (142 KB); The Chemistry of Fruits and Vegetables (121 KB); My Life as a Fruit or Vegetable (132 KB); Answers to Commonly Asked Questions (67.1 KB); Agricultural Organizations (90.4 KB); Teacher Resources and References (115 KB); Related Web Sites (59.8 KB); Student Literature (67.7 KB); Content Standard Details (102 KB); Glossary (57.2 KB)

Garden Plot The Tale of Peter Rabbit, A: By Donica O'Laughlin; Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated September, 2003; Grade: K-1; Subjects: Science, Reading/Language Arts; This unit uses The Tale of Peter Rabbit and other stories by Beatrix Potter as a vehicle to teach reading, writing, and science concepts. This unit encourages students to think about where their food comes from, distinguish between fact and fiction, observe roots and soil, and write about personal experiences they have while caring for the personal gardens they create.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (249 KB)

Red Imported Fire Ants: Grade: 2-3; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics; This 16-page booklet provides facts and activities for teaching children about the Red Imported Fire Ant, a potentially dangerous and destructive insect to the people, animals, and plants of California. Includes student activities, safety tips and lesson ideas.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety

Science Fair and Lesson Ideas: By Pamela Emery; Updated August, 2003; Grade: 3-12; Subjects: Science; Includes stimulating questions that teachers can use when teaching a specific scientific topic, science fair ideas, in the form of questions, that relate to agriculture, and Web sites that educators and students may find useful when preparing a science lesson or a science fair project.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (124 KB)

Simple and Complex Machines Used in Agriculture: By Tonya Cargill and Pamela Emery; Updated July, 2002; Grade: 2-4; Subjects: Science/Environmental, Mathematics, English/Language Arts, Visual/Performing Arts; This unit incorporates many science and math concepts as students learn about farm machinery and the use of machines in agricultural practices. Concepts focus on simple machines such as inclined planes, levers and pulleys and show how these simple machines are combined to form complex agricultural equipment.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (1.22 MB); Table of Contents (154 KB); Machines and People (314 KB); Six Kinds Do It All (476 KB); Made to Move (314 KB); Machines In Agriculture (318 KB); Resources (334 KB)

Sour Subject, A: Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated July, 2002; Grade: 5-6; Subjects: Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics; Students reinforce their skills of reading, observation, mathematical computation, and written expression by comparing a grapefruit to a lemon. A fun lesson on percentages!; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (450 KB)

That was Then, This is Now: Edited by Pamela Emery; Updated August, 2002; Grade: 3-6; Subjects: Mathematics; Students will learn about food prices, and how they have changed over time, as they perform mathematical computations, analyze date charts, and compare and contrast statistical information.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (83.9 KB)

What's Bugging You?: By Pamela Emery and Ethan Heifetz; Updated July, 2001; Grade: 4-6; Subjects: Science/Environmental, English/Language Arts; Through a variety of activities, students reinforce their skills of reading, writing, designing, investigating, and problem-solving while learning about a current issue--pest management. The students develop a definition for the word "pest," learn about agricultural pests in a cooperative setting, observe insects in student-made insect observation chambers, learn about the life cycles of certain pests, and create individual and class poems. In a concluding activity, students create an imaginary pest and discuss its hypothetical habitat.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (1.27 MB); Introduction (60.6 KB); Unit Overview (158 KB); What a Pest! (192 KB); Quit Pestering Us! (435 KB); Pest Poetry (221 KB); A New Pest is Discovered! (222 KB); Answers to Commonly Asked Questions (178 KB); Teacher Resources and References (139 KB); Pest Management and Related Web Sites (80.4 KB); Related Literature (151 KB); Clip Art (74.0 KB); Content Standard Details (171 KB); Glossary (80.3 KB)

Where'd You Get Those Genes?: By Beth Brookhart and Pam Schallock; Updated September, 2001; Grade: 5-7; Subjects: Science, Language/Reading Arts, Mathematics; The students participate in a variety of lessons that examine the basic principles of heredity, as well as learn some specifics about genetics and how they are incorporated into today's agricultural industry. After reading an interview with a horse breeder, students will understand that certain traits are carried from one generation to the next. The Rock, Paper, Scissors activity helps students understand that some traits are dominant and others are recessive. Students are then asked to create a new produce item by combining existing traits with desirable traits. By reading biographies of scientists who have contributed to the study of genetics and biotechnology, students gain a better understanding of the history of genetic research. Finally, using tomatoes as an example, students learn how technological advances have affected tomato production.; Availability: Download PDFs, below.; Entirety (582 KB); Unit Overview (118 KB); Junior's Family Tree (386 KB); Rock, Paper, Scissors (189 KB); Peanut Butter Broccoli (190 KB); The Geniacs (317 KB); Catch Up on Tomato Technology (506 KB); Background on Biotechnology (151 KB); Teacher Resources and References (97.4 KB); Related Web sites (70.2 KB); Related Literature (99.8 KB); Content Standards (180 KB); Glossary (66.4 KB)