Milestone Exploration for Teachers
Agriculture & the Environment
Seed Sprout
Seed Sprout Tutorial Video
This tutorial video will walk you through the Seed Sprout activity.
Lesson Plan: Farming in a Glove
Students observe how a seed sprouts and investigate the conditions necessary for germination to occur.
Explain how the interaction of the sun, soil, water, and weather in plant and animal growth impacts agricultural production (T1.3-5.b)
Recognize the natural resources used in agricultural practices to produce food, feed, clothing, landscaping plants, and fuel (e.g., soil, water, air, plants, animals, and minerals) (T1.3-5.e)
3-LS1-1 Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
5-LS1-1 Support and argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
Weather Watch
Lesson Plan: How Weather Impacts Farms
Students explore different types of weather and discover how weather conditions can impact farms.
Explain how the interaction of the sun, soil, water, and weather in plant and animal growth impacts agricultural production (T1.3-5.b)
Provide examples of science being applied in farming for food, clothing, and shelter products (T4.3-5.d)
3-ESS2-1 Represent data in tables and geographical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
3-ESS3-1 Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
Soil Investigation
Soil Investigation Tutorial Video
This tutorial video will walk you through the Soil Investigation activity.
Lesson Plan: Properties of Soil
Students discover that different soils have different characteristics, examine different types of soil, investigate soil components, and observe how air space allows soils to hold and transmit water.
Recognize the natural resources used in agricultural practices to produce food, feed, clothing, landscaping plants, and fuel (e.g., soil, water, air, plants, animals, and minerals) (T1.3-5.e)
Explain how the interaction of the sun, soil, water, and weather in plant and animal growth impacts agricultural production (T1.3-5.b)
Explain how the availability of soil nutrients affects plant growth and development (T2.3-5.c)
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Compost Bottle
Compost Bottle Tutorial Video
This tutorial video will walk you through the Compost Bottle activity.
Lesson Plan: The Rotten Truth
Students observe and explain the decomposition process and identify the methods and ingredients for making compost.
Recognize the natural resources used in agricultural practices to produce food, feed, clothing, landscaping plants, and fuel (e.g., soil, water, air, plants, animals, and minerals) (T1.3-5.e)
Understand the concept of land stewardship and identify ways farmers care for land, plants, and animals (T2.3-5.e)
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Light Investigation
Light Investigation Tutorial Video (Coming Soon)
This tutorial video will walk you through the Light Investigation activity.
Lesson Plan: Desktop Greenhouses
Students investigate the importance of light to plants by creating a desktop greenhouse investigation and exploring the process of photosynthesis.
Explain how the interaction of the sun, soil, water, and weather in plant and animal growth impacts agricultural production (T1.3-5.b)
Provide examples of science being applied in farming for food, clothing, and shelter products (T4.3-5.d)
3-LS4-3 Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.