Students learn about the five food groups and what Oregon grown foods fit into each group. This lesson makes a local connection to good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.

Students will learn how to determine reliable information sources on the internet to develop fact-based writing about agricultural topics.

Explore the production of apples and the process of grafting. Students will be introduced to several varieties of apples and learn that each apple was grafted specifically for its genetic traits and resulting characteristics.

Find virtual learning versions of this lesson here.

Students grow mold on apple slices to simulate fungus diseases that attack apple trees. Students apply various “treatments” to apple slices, hypothesize which places and treatments are ideal for growing molds, and observe and name the molds like a plant pathologist

Gyotaku (pronounced GEE–OH–TAH–KOO) is the traditional Japanese art of fish printing on rice paper. The word gyotaku comes from gyo = fish and taku = stone monument rubbing. Gyotaku dates back to the mid-1800s. The fish prints were a way fishermen could record the size and type of their catches. In this lesson students make their own fish prints.

Students learn about a day in the life of a farmer and grain practice in reading, writing and telling time.

Google Slides Student Worksheets Available for elearning purposes.

Students will explore nutritional habits of families from different countries. In this activity, students will recognize agriculture’s influence on food systems across the globe.

Students will discover that plants, like humans, need an adequate amount of nutrients to grow and stay healthy. Plants require 16 chemical elements for growth and development. Some nutrients come from the air while others are taken from the soil. It’s important to test soil regularly to determine if there are enough nutrients to support plant growth. The soil test kit will help students identify whether the soil sample is fertile or deficient in nutrients. Keep in mind that all plants need nutrients, but requirements vary depending on the type of crop, shrub, tree, etc.

Check out our Testing Soil Nutrients N-P-K Lesson for math applications associated with this topic!

This lesson is a fun and tasty way to introduce students to dichotomous keys and how to create their own keys using snack packs of nuts, dried fruit, or chips. Non-food items like pens/pencils work well, and avoid allergens.

Use this virtual version featuring mint candies to learn about dichotomous keys.

Here is a new twist on planting seeds. Students make a “living necklace” they can wear home or display in various places around the classroom. It is ideal for kicking off a plant unit or introducing the stages of plant growth and development.