Students will use light-sensitive beads to observe how sunlight can cause rapid physical and chemical changes in what it strikes. They will calculate the total surface area of leaves exposed to the sun on a saw palmetto plant. They will calculate how many photoelectric cells would equal the solar energy capturing ability of the saw palmetto plant they measure. The students will then design and make a tree using photoelectric cells as leaves.

Pest management is needed in order to have a healthy and productive garden. There are many options for pest control. This lesson will show students the importance of reading a pesticide label and what information they can find. Students will also be exposed to safety equipment that may need to be used when applying a pesticide.

Students, working in groups, will create a small composter, monitor and record the decomposition process, and reflect on the final product of decomposition in their composter.

In this lesson, students will learn about the specific needs of plants, design a rainwater irrigation system and test the effectiveness of the system. A standard plot of garden plants will be exposed to the rain water delivery systems designed by students. Students will then measure the growth of their plants irrigated by different systems.

By 2050, it’s estimated that 80 percent of the world’s 9.2 billion population will live in urban areas. In this lesson students will gain an understanding of what a seed needs in order to grow into a healthy plant, and what a vertical farm is by comparing and contrasting this method of food production with conven-tional farming methods. Students will design their own rubric; research best practices; create blueprints; and modify and build a working model of an indoor vertical hydroponic farm through collaborative efforts using recycled materials. This closed system should last six or more months, which allows students time for reflection, entertainment and a healthy snack.

Students will use a greenhouse to germinate seeds and grow plants to better understand the science and dynamics of a greenhouse. For schools without greenhouses students will research, design and create a cost analysis of building a greenhouse at school.

Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are a very hot topic, but how much do you really know about the science be-hind them? Through science, farmers have been able to reduce the amount of pesticides used, increase yields and improve flavor. This lesson will explore what a GMO is and why we are using them in today’s agriculture.

GMO informational website: www.GMOanswers.com

This lesson and associated experiments will introduce students to the reasons why irrigation is needed to feed the world and the different types of irrigation being used.

In this project-based learning lesson, students will read articles and view digital media to gather information about plant growth. They will learn about the nutrients plants need and the environmental factors that contribute to healthy plant growth. They will explore how people who live in urban areas get their food as well as learn alternative gardening methods including hydroponics, aquaponics, container gardening and vertical gardening. The students will research at least two of the gardening methods that interest them using multiple sourc-es such as interviews, articles and videos. They will compare and contrast the gardening methods they research and then write an opinion essay on the gardening method they prefer, us-ing evidence from their sources to support their position. The students will then work in teams to design and construct an alternative garden using recycled materials. Using the rubric, they will organize their information and use digital resources to prepare a presentation.

The purpose of gardening within an educational setting is to utilize the garden as an educational tool. The garden and skills developed by gardening provide concrete examples of theoretical or abstract concepts or processes. This is critical for some students and will result in both greater understanding of difficult concepts and application of those concepts across diverse topics. Before one can garden well, a great deal of science needs to be understood and applied. The understanding of photosynthesis is the first of those concepts. This lesson is designed to make this relatively abstract process concrete for students and, in particular, young students.