Food, Water & Agriculture
How and where we obtain our food from has a direct impact on the health of our planet. It is essential that we understand what we are eating, not only its source, but how is it produced and processed and the effect that this has on the environment. You will be examining your own diet and make inferences to the potential impact you are having to the planet.
This topic will be explored through the discipline of Geography which effectively looks at the social, economical and environmental impacts of agriculture and food production around the world. You will also be investigating the issue through a Design lens whereby you will explore how information is communicated through a variety of mediums (written and graphically) and how design skills can aid the persuasiveness of an argument.
This topic will be explored through the discipline of Geography which effectively looks at the social, economical and environmental impacts of agriculture and food production around the world. You will also be investigating the issue through a Design lens whereby you will explore how information is communicated through a variety of mediums (written and graphically) and how design skills can aid the persuasiveness of an argument.
Key Concept: |
Related Concepts: |
Global Context: |
Global Interactions |
Causality (Geography), Adaption (Design) |
Globalisation and Sustainability (Human impact on the environment) |
Statement of Inquiry:
Global food production can have adverse impacts on the environment, the effects of which can be illustrated by adapting data
Global food production can have adverse impacts on the environment, the effects of which can be illustrated by adapting data
Lesson 1: Where does our food come from?
Download student lesson PPT here
Task 1: In pairs you have each been given a food item. You have 10 minutes to try and identify the top 3 locations around the world where these items originate from. Cut the food item cards up and stick each on the countries you have identified on the world map. Task 2: Building on the first activity identify 5 raw ingredients you had in your dinner last night. Identify the source country of each of the food items (only one country needed). Calculate your ‘food miles’ for the five main ingredients from the meal you had last night using ruler tool in Google My Maps. Calculate the total food miles and then write your name and the total distance in kms on a post it note and put it on the board. Now calculate the amount of carbon that is produced if all your food was transported by plane using this food miles calculator. Task 3: Watch the short film ‘The journey of the banana’. As you watch this, note down any concerns that you have regarding the production of bananas. Now consider your 5 ingredients. Can you find any environmental or social issues associated with the production of them? Task 4: Why does Hong Kong not produce much of its own food? With 90% of all food that HK uses is imported, how are global events linked to Hong Kong’s food supply? Read this Govt. FAQ document. As you read the FAQs you should make notes of things that you find interesting, important, or insightful. When you finish, you should choose 3 of these items that most stand out for them.
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Lesson 2: Why has there been such a growth in food production?
Download Student lesson PPT here
Task 1: Causes and Consequences
Individually, you must each come up 3 causes (actions) that are linked to your everyday life and write them on paper provided. Be creative! Now give your causes to your partner, they must now write a consequence of these actions on another card.
Task 1: Causes and Consequences
Individually, you must each come up 3 causes (actions) that are linked to your everyday life and write them on paper provided. Be creative! Now give your causes to your partner, they must now write a consequence of these actions on another card.
Sometimes causes and consequences can be complex with one event having multiple causes and consequences. Causes & consequences can be:
Station Rotation Activities INDIVIDUAL: Why has food production increased so greatly? Tasks: Watch each of the video clips below and answer carry out the tasks below. Film 1 (Global): Identify the two causes of food production growth. Pause and screen capture what you feel is the most effective infographic used in the clip and explain your reasoning. Film 2 (National): Why has caused meat consumption in China grown so rapidly? Film 3 (Local): Use this worksheet to draw two pie charts showing the different in types of foods consumed between China and Hong Kong’s. Why do you think there is a difference? |
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GROUP COLLABORATION: Food and Agriculture by numbers
In groups of 3/4 you each have a pack of cards made from the infographic - ‘Our food & agriculture in numbers’.
Task 1: Read all the facts on all the cards. Each identify 3 statistical facts that you feel are most shocking. Note these down in your journal. Now compare these with your group members, and explain why you feel they are so shocking.
Task 2: Based on discussions above rank the cards in order of how concerned you are about their impact on the planet (social or environmental consequence). Ensure you can justify your reasoning. Take a photograph of your top ten and add it to your journal. Give it a title ‘Major impacts of food production’.
Task 3: From the cards identify which ones are short term consequences of food production and which are long term. Remember, not all the cards are consequences, many are just facts so be careful! Note these down in your journal under the headings of ‘Short and Long Term Consequences’. Ensure you highlight which point is which!
In groups of 3/4 you each have a pack of cards made from the infographic - ‘Our food & agriculture in numbers’.
Task 1: Read all the facts on all the cards. Each identify 3 statistical facts that you feel are most shocking. Note these down in your journal. Now compare these with your group members, and explain why you feel they are so shocking.
Task 2: Based on discussions above rank the cards in order of how concerned you are about their impact on the planet (social or environmental consequence). Ensure you can justify your reasoning. Take a photograph of your top ten and add it to your journal. Give it a title ‘Major impacts of food production’.
Task 3: From the cards identify which ones are short term consequences of food production and which are long term. Remember, not all the cards are consequences, many are just facts so be careful! Note these down in your journal under the headings of ‘Short and Long Term Consequences’. Ensure you highlight which point is which!
Task 4: Review all the cards together.
Extension: As a group you now have to collaboratively make your own cards for the 3 facts below.
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TEACHER LED: Causes for Increased Food Production
Your teacher will guide you through this presentation on the ‘causes for increased food production’. You must listen carefully as you will be playing bingo using this worksheet as you go. Cross each word off as you hear it until there is none left then shout ‘BINGO!!!’ However, in order to win you must be able to give the definition of each word, so make notes of their meaning as you go.
Your teacher will guide you through this presentation on the ‘causes for increased food production’. You must listen carefully as you will be playing bingo using this worksheet as you go. Cross each word off as you hear it until there is none left then shout ‘BINGO!!!’ However, in order to win you must be able to give the definition of each word, so make notes of their meaning as you go.
Lesson 3: The Role of Science & Technology in Food Production
Download lesson PPT here.
Task 1: Use this worksheet to match the science and technology method, definition and explanation of how it increases productivity with the images provided. All the information in given in a separate table below - copy and paste this information into the correct box. Task 2: Watch the short video below and note down some of the benefits of modern science and technology in farming. |
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Task 3: Choose one of the areas in which science and technology has increased food production that you looked at in task 1. Now you need to find two pieces of evidence that show the advantages of this method of farming and two that show disadvantages. Complete this in the table in the worksheet above. For each piece of evidence you must try and use a separate source and you must record the URL. This will be used for an activity later in the lesson.
Task 4: Watch the video below on source reliability and note down ways in which we can identify if a source is reliable. This follows into reviewing the CRAAP method for testing source reliability. |
Task 5: In pairs you will review review the two below articles on factory farming. Using the CRAAP test, you need to identify whether you feel the sources are reliable or not? You should complete the table in the worksheet above as you review these. You will need to feedback to the class why one is more reliable than the other. Task 6/homework: Earlier in the lesson you found evidence for the advantages and disadvantages of a modern farming method. You will now review each source to see how reliable it is. You should complete the table in the worksheet and determine how reliable the sources are using the CRAAP Test. For the overall usefulness of the source a score of 5 would be for a very reliable and useful source, a score of 1 would be very unreliable. |
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