Why Grow Our Own Food?

Why Grow Our Own Food?

Establishing a Personal Connection to the Food We Eat
Lesson: 2.1
Level:
Beginner
Station: Soil Management
Format: Class Discussion
Rating:
Lesson 2.1 Why Grow Your Own Food

Lesson Overview

Edible education belongs not just to the school but students will also take ownership over their program and the plants that they cultivate. This lesson begins that process, encouraging students to define why edible education and learning about food production is important to them.

Goals

  • Identify reasons to grow food themselves
  • Convey the importance of fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables

Outcomes

Students will engage in a discussion with their peers about growing food in order to establish a common purpose for the Edible Learning Lab.

Teaching Primer

homegrown pepper harvest

There is nothing more empowering, more liberating, or more important than growing your own food. Food, water, and shelter are our most pressing needs as a species and being able to provide those for yourself is the foundation of self-reliance.

But there is more to it than just being able to grow food. The joy of eating and the personal connection to what you grow and why you grow it in some substantial way defines who you are. Food is more than just sustenance. It can be a way to express yourself in the kitchen or garden. It can be a therapeutic practice. And it can be a unifying force for friends, neighbors, and family.

Food has the ability to shape our lives in a number of ways so why would we want to universally outsource that to someone else? Why would we not want to understand food on a deeper level and explore the ways that it can teach us about life, nature, and ourselves?

This lesson is intended not to provide the answer or define the future for every Student but rather start the conversation about food. Many children and even young adults are unaware of where their food comes from or how it was raised. This lesson aims to start their conversation about food and perhaps put them on a path of self-discovery.

Growing your own food

Teach the Teacher

Tools & Materials

  • Chalkboard or SMART Board

Vocabulary

  • Locavore
  • Organically-grown
  • Conventionally-grown

Method

Introduction (10 minutes)

Begin the lesson by asking the Class how many of them grow some of their own food. A show of hands will likely result in just a few Students having any experience with the growing process. Then ask the Students to offer up reasons why it might be important to grow some food for themselves.

Activity (20 minutes)

Using the examples from the 10 Reasons to Grow Your Own Food article, create a list as a group of the reasons why it’s important. Explore each one as you go along. The list can be as broad or as specific as the Students can make it.

Discussion (10 minutes)

How will our Edible Learning Lab impact each of you? What impact will this Lab have on our community? How do you think growing food here will change things in your lives?

Assessment (5 minutes)

Use the following questions to assess the Students before and after the lesson. Tally the responses of the group in the Assessment Tracking Log for comparison:

  • By a show of hands, how many of you grow some of your own food at home?
  • Now that you understand the importance of growing some of your own food, how many of you want to grow a garden at home this year?

Related Lessons

Give the Intermediate or Advanced lessons a try now that you’ve completed the Beginner Lesson!

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