Increasing Our Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Teacher Guide

Lesson Introduction:
This Challenge Based Learning Project focuses on our access to fresh fruit and
vegetables through sustainable agriculture. Currently, our agriculture comes from
either the west of the Appalachian Mountains or from outside of the United States.
With the rise in food prices and the overall increase in cost of living, most families
are moving towards canned food products or are no longer purchasing fresh fruits
and vegetables.
In this project, students will investigate the price comparisons for fruits and
vegetables that were store purchased (starting with growing the items and then
shipping them to the store, and then purchasing them and preparing them at home)
to the price of purchasing them locally. Then students will investigate ways to grow
fresh produce year around in an urban environment. There are several ways of
growing things year around here in Maryland. Some examples are hydroponics,
aquaponics, vertical growing, or even roof-top farming. Next students will design
and possibly build a model of how they could increase their access to fresh produce.
Finally, students will research and develop a short marketing campaign to market
their product to people living in an urban setting, such the one that we live in.
Duration:
This project/lesson will take about 4 weeks to complete
Standards Addressed:
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ESS3-4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in
human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources
impact Earth's systems.
MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient
precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant
scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural
environment that may limit possible solutions.
MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to
determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the
problem.
Common Core State Standards:
English Language Arts/Literacy:
RST.68.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts.
RST.6-8.9
Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments,
simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from
reading a text on the same topic.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline content.
WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of
exploration.

WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources,
using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of
each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of
others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research
Mathematics:
MP.2
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
6.RP.A.
Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a
1
ratio relationship between two quantities.
7.RP.A.
Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities
2
6.EE.B.
Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when
6
solving a real-world or mathematical problem; understand that a
variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending on the
purpose at hand, any number in a specified set.
7.EE.B.
Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world or mathematical
4
problem, and construct simple equations and inequalities to solve
problems by reasoning about the quantities.
7.EE.3
Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with
positive and negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers,
fractions, and decimals), using tools strategically. Apply properties of
operations to calculate with numbers in any form; convert between
forms as appropriate; and assess the reasonableness of answers using
mental computation and estimation strategies.
Essential Question:
How can we increase our access to fresh produce while living in an urban
environment?
Guiding Questions:
1.
What is the farm to store to table price of the vegetables that you eat
compared to the price of produce that are farm to table?
2.
What are current methods to grow fresh produce in an urban setting using a
small amount of space?
3.
How can current methodologies be adapted for small scale use in
communities with no green space?
4.
What effective marketing campaigns have been used to get communities to
do something?
5.
Does having community grown agriculture increase access to fresh produce?
Guiding Activities:

Research the total price of growing produce and then shipping them to the
store and then people buying the items

Research current methods of growing agriculture in an urban community

setting

Design either a community based or individual agricultural system used to

grow produce

Research effective marketing campaigns that involve a community centered

idea
Develop an effective marketing campaign to be used to promote community
agriculture

How Should Students Tackle This Project?

Students should work through this in the following manner:
1. Research cost from farm to store to table and also from farm to table
a. Farm-Store-Table
i. Locate cost to grow produce
ii. Locate cost to ship produce cross county
iii. Locate cost at grocery store
iv. Determine profit from selling produce
v. Find sum of all cost minus profit
b. Farm to table
i. Locate cost to grow produce locally
ii. Determine cost to sell produce
2. Research current methods for growing produce in urban environments
a. Include:
i. Strengths
ii. Limitations
3. Construct/design a method to grow produce year-around
4. Research effective marketing strategies/campaigns that worked
5. Design a way to market the method to people living in an urban setting
What should students turn in to me?
Students should turn in the following documents to you for grading:
1. Background research on urban agriculture
2. Design or model of a way to grow produce in an urban setting
3. Marketing strategy to get people to buy into urban growing
How should students be graded?
See the rubric on the following page.
CATEGOR 4-Exceeded the S 3-Met the St 2-Below the St 1-Far Below the S
Y
tandard
andard
andard
tandard
Background
research was
evident and
Backgrou
thorough. You
nd
demonstrated a
Research
need for an
alternative
solution.

You conducted
research and
understood a
need for an
alternative
solution.

You conducted
research, but
there was
information
missing and you
showed some
understanding.

You did some

research, but not
enough to
demonstrate the
need for an
alternative
solution.

A strong and
convincing
marketing
campaign was
Marketing
created. You
Campaign
produced materials
to be used and
researched
effective ways.
The solution
effectively solves
the problem. It is
apparent that you
Alternativ
understand the
e Solution
problem and how
to solve it fully.

A convincing
campaign was
developed
with research
on effective
campaigns.

A campaign was
developed that
was not
convincing and
included some
research on
effective
campaigns.

The solution
An attempt was
solves the
made to solve
problem. It is the problem, but
apparent that it does not do so
you
completely. It is
understand
unclear that you
the problem
fully understand
and how to
the problem or
solve it.
how to solve it.
Frequently listened, Often listened, Sometimes
asked questions,
asked
listened, asked
contributed to
questions,
questions,
Collabora
discussion, and
contributed to contributed to
tion
completed tasks.
discussion,
discussion, and
and completed completed
tasks.
tasks.
Frequently stayed Often stayed Sometimes
on task, did not
on task, did
stayed on task,
distract other
not distract
did not distract
Behavior group members,
other group
other group
and was respectful members, and members, and
to others.
was respectful was respectful
to others.
to others.

You did little to no

research on
effective
campaigns and
there was no clear
marketing
campaign
developed.
No attempt (or a
very weak attempt)
was made to solve
the problem. It is
unclear if you
understand the
problem or how to
solve it.
Seldom listened,
asked questions,
contributed to
discussion, and
completed tasks.

Seldom stayed on
task, did not
distract other group
members, and was
respectful to
others.