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2nd Grade  Project 4 weeks

Spud-tacular Classroom Harvest Adventure!

Jess W
Updated
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Content Expertise
Effective Communication
Collaboration
Self Directed Learning
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Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is to immerse students in the life cycle and economic impact of potatoes, fostering a deeper understanding of agriculture and its role in their community. Through hands-on activities, students will develop critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills as they explore farming processes and food sources. The project aims to cultivate students' self-directed learning and content expertise while connecting them with local farmers and community members.

Learning goals

Students will explore the lifecycle of potatoes from planting to harvest, understanding the agricultural processes involved. They will analyze the economic impact of local farming on their community, considering roles of suppliers and consumers. Through collaborative projects, students will practice effective communication, critical thinking, and self-directed learning while developing recipes and presenting their findings.

Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Students will create a potato grower’s journal that documents their observations and reflections throughout the growing process. They will contribute to a class potato cookbook, featuring recipes developed and refined during the project. The final product will be showcased at a potato party, where students present their recipes and share their culinary creations with classmates, families, and community members.

Launch

Begin with "Tater Talk Time," where students gather in a storytelling circle to share their existing knowledge and experiences related to potatoes and farming. Facilitate a collaborative discussion to explore what they hope to learn, encouraging students to brainstorm ideas for their farm simulation project. Introduce the concept of the "potato protector" role, emphasizing its importance in the upcoming activities.

Exhibition

Students will host a potato party where they showcase their recipes and share their potato cookbooks with classmates, families, and community members. The event will include taste testing, allowing guests to sample the dishes prepared by the students. Additionally, students will present their research findings and farming simulations, highlighting their learning journey and the impact of potatoes on their community.