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6th Grade

Food Systems

How does climate change impact food supply?

This unit begins by engaging students with the phenomenon of food shortages. Students figure out what plants need to grow well and how environmental conditions affect food growth, leading to wonders around food and food shortages. Students investigate who is affected by changes in food availability, with opportunities to share and explore their own food traditions.

These wonders lead to investigation into our food system. Students learn about the people and processes involved in growing and making food. They also investigate how the food system is affected by and contributes to climate change. Students explore solutions to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released by the food system, including what growers, school communities, and individuals can do. The unit culminates with students developing an action plan to address one or more aspects of our food system.

Lesson Overview

Anchor Lesson
  1. How does climate change impact food supply?
  1. How is climate changing? How does this affect how food grows?
  2. What is causing climate patterns to change?
  3. How do the processes involved in growing and supplying food contribute to climate change?
  4. How can people be impacted by changes in food supply due to climate change?
  5. What are people already doing that might be helpful to address challenges related to climate change and food supply?
  1. How does climate change impact food supply?
  1. What actions can we take to help address the changes in food supply caused by climate change?
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Unit Standards

California Environmental Principles & Concepts
  • Principle 1
History-Social Science
  • Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills
Science
  • NGSS MS-LS1-5, MS-ESS3-5
  • NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
  • NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas LS1.B, ESS3.D
  • NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
  • NGSS Nature of Science
  • NGSS Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Drop-In Office Hours Available

Need support customizing a unit for your classroom? Visit drop-in office hours on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month from 4:00-5:00pm PT for free support from Holly or another Seeds to Solutions team member.

What Teachers Are Saying

Watch the video on YouTube
Hear from three California teachers about their experiences

"From my students: 'Thank you for teaching us this lesson because if you didn't it would be bad for our environment.' 'This was awesome! Can you do more? Thank you!' 'Thank you for helping us in taking care of the environment.'"

Teacher · Elementary School

"For my students who may not engage with abstract concepts, the real-life relevance of turning waste into soil for growing plants offers a clear, meaningful goal that they can understand and feel proud to participate in."

Teacher · Elementary School

"My students often refer to the experience and knowledge gained. I plan to use Seeds to Solutions lessons in the future."

Teacher · Elementary School

"There is something for all different kinds of learners. We are moving spaces, drawing, talking in big and small groups, writing. Some of my kiddos who would have been disengaged quite possibly the entire time were engaged in at least two or more parts of this lesson."

Teacher · Elementary School

"I truly enjoyed teaching this. It has been heartwarming to see them care about other living things and the environment."

Teacher · Elementary School

"My kids have said, 'Oh good, I like doing this,' when we were starting the lesson each day. It's a great topic. I also think it has made them more curious and do their own research."

Teacher · Elementary School

"This did a great job of piquing students' interest and sparking opposing points of view, which created lively discussions on the topic."

Teacher · Elementary School

"The message that there are solutions to help us combat climate change and that people are working together to solve problems helped students stay in a place of curiosity; they didn't show anxiety over the content."

Teacher · Elementary School

"Students were curious and continue to be curious. They are more aware of their surroundings than before and continue to point out observations daily."

Teacher · Elementary School

"WOW! What incredible and engaging lessons to do with my students. They loved this opportunity to be scientists, explore and think about the food they eat, and I loved the ways that they began to model. I am so excited about these lessons and cannot wait to share them with my coworkers."

Teacher · Elementary School
Watch the video on YouTube
Hear from three California teachers about their experiences

"Students really wanted to share their food traditions and look into how climate change might affect their food traditions."

Teacher · Middle School

"What I find interesting is that students are discussing the material outside of class time. I heard students discussing the ideas before class in the hallways and even during lunch periods."

Teacher · Middle School

"This lesson brought in cultural stories from the original people who inhabited California. This is a perspective that is not often taught in science. I think that the kids liked having science be a little less facts and figures and more story."

Teacher · Middle School

"This is engaging because it uses real data about the state students live in and shows changes within their lifetime, like the rise of warehouses and trucking during the pandemic."

Teacher · Middle School

"Students really enjoyed the hands-on activity. They were very interested to learn about the different pollutants that they've never heard of. It also developed their curiosity about air quality and pollution. It was an eye-opener for some that they are able to see what is mostly 'unseen' by everyone."

Teacher · Middle School

"I heard comments like, 'I didn't realize how much climate change affects my community,' and, 'This project made me think about what I can do to help.'"

Teacher · Middle School

"I love how the data was more interactive and chunked into smaller pieces. I also like how there was a way to bring all the knowledge and wondering back to come up with a conclusion to the problem."

Teacher · Middle School

"I have learned ways to improve my teaching, and I have been at this for 38 years. The students are gaining a deeper understanding of what climate change is: what causes climate change, and the impact of climate change on crop yield."

Teacher · Middle School
Watch the video on YouTube
Hear from three California teachers about their experiences

“The kids become more engaged because now they are actually actively doing things. They're really having to look for themselves. It's not given to them on a platter, but all the resources are right there.”

Teacher · High School

"Using the maps and seeing things like schools and how close they are to hazards is really cool. They may not be super connected personally, but they can put themselves in the shoes of other kids and try to relate. I know it's working because I have a kid that just watches Netflix all day, every day and he pulled out his earbud and participated!"

Teacher · High School

"They've never thought about stuff like this before, and now they're sharing it. One girl said this was the only class that she went home and talked to her parents about."

Teacher · High School

"Every lesson was so thoroughly designed, the case study design book was beautifully organized, and it helped to give my class a real-life understanding of how college/graduate-level academic research works. Being able to connect their research back to environmental issues they actually experience was simply icing on the cake. Well done!"

Teacher · High School

"I am so amazed and impressed by the depth of resources that you embedded in the teacher guide. This is really well put together."

Teacher · High School

"When you're out in the workforce, you're trying to solve problems that don't have a clear, immediate answer. So doing stuff like this helps give students practice."

Teacher · High School

Inside Each Unit

  • Teacher Guides Detailed, customizable lesson plans
  • Support Materials Visual aids, audio/video content for lessons, and more
  • Student Materials Worksheets, readings, and handouts — NEW: also available in Spanish
  • Standards Alignment Guidance on specific standards and frameworks being met
  • Professional Learning Handbooks for facilitation and culminating engagements

Acknowledgments

Unit Development Team

Margo Crabtree, Center for Ecoliteracy
Molly Rose Williams, Center for Ecoliteracy
Alexa Norstad, Center for Ecoliteracy
Karen Brown, Center for Ecoliteracy

Global Nomads Youth Design Team

Reviewers

Anna Babarinde, Sonoma COE
Chris Griesemer, California Science Project
Craig Strang, UC Berkeley

Consultants

Ladie Malek, Development Editor
Matt Ellinger, Designer
Stacey Lane, Illustrator
Darin Newton, Curriculum Developer
Kim Parfitt, Science Educator
Michael Washburn, Seed Savers
Helena Sakiestewa Gonzales, Native Seeds/SEARCH

Pilot and Field Test Teachers

Jacqueline Elbing-Omania, Berkeley USD
Kristina Hemenover, Los Angeles USD
Renay Hill, French Gulch-Whiskeytown School
Chris Kyaw, Los Angeles USD
Vanessa Manzano, Redesigning Learning
Diane Renteria, Redesigning Learning
Fidela Robertson, Norwalk-La Mirada USD
Augustin Rodriguez, Dos Palos-Oro Loma JUSD
Veronica Serna, Los Angeles USD
Mike Watt, Petaluma City Schools

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