This interactive, culinary experience will connect students to both the science and the flavors of sustainable farming.
What’s Covered
Students will start by visiting the hydroponic garden, where they’ll pick fresh produce such as tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs. Afterward, students will engage in the cooking process, preparing dishes like tomato soup, tomato cake, fresh salads, and bread using the vegetables they just harvested. Along the way, they will learn about hydroponics and its benefits, as well as how these farming techniques can produce food efficiently.
Educational Standards
Applicable Standards:
- MS-LS1-5: Growth and Development of Organisms Genetic factors as well as local conditions affect the growth of the adult plant. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
- Examples of local environmental conditions could include availability of food, light, space, and water. Examples of genetic factors could include large breed cattle and species of grass affecting growth of organisms. Examples of evidence could include drought decreasing plant growth, fertilizer increasing plant growth, different varieties of plant seeds growing at different rates in different conditions, and fish growing larger in large ponds than they do in small ponds.
- MS-LS1-7: Students to develop a model that explains how food is chemically rearranged to create new molecules. These molecules support growth and release energy as food moves through an organism.