Alternatives to Traditional Gardening

Overview

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.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Learn about the nutrients and environmental factors that contribute to healthy plant growth and what factors prevent some people and communities from gardening.
2. Design and plan an alternative (non-traditional) garden and present their findings to the class.

Duration

• Introduction: one class perio
• Activity 1: 50 minutes to create a survey; one week – daily data collectio
• Activity 2: 50-100 minutes to research information; one week to complete presentation in class or after school