Week 3: What is Happening on my Wheat Farm?
Overview
Groups of students will receive farming scenarios and analyze data to discover what is happening on their farm. The class will then spend the week learning about potential solutions to the problems they are facing. The three scenarios are:
--Scenario #1: Aphids on a wheat farm in Moscow, Idaho
--Scenario #2: Hotter, drier summers on a wheat farm in Pendleton, Oregon
--Scenario #3: Wetter, warmer winters on a wheat farm in Walla Walla, Washington
Day 1: Real World Scenarios: What's happening on my wheat farm?
Student groups analyze text and data to gain initial understanding of a real-world agriculture scenario.
Day 2: Poster Presentations of Real-World Scenarios
Builds on previous day by engaging students in poster presentations of their group’s scenario.
Day 3: Gathering and Evaluating Evidence
Students work primarily independently to gather and evaluate evidence for their final essays. The teacher uses a gradual release instructional model to scaffold literacy skills around acquiring, evaluating, and citing textual evidence.
Days 4-5: Gathering and Evaluating Evidence
Two-day opportunity for students to independently gather, evaluate, and cite textual evidence from resources provided with this curriculum and other digital or teacher-recommended resources.
