Growing Food in a Changing Climate
Articles/Websites
Grades6, 7, 8Biology, Geography
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by University of California - Davis
What it is
- In this 9-page article from the University of California - Davis, students will read about the problems climate change will cause for California's agriculture and agriculture worldwide by impacting water availability, pollinator populations, and the prevalence of invasive species.
- Students will also understand how people will be impacted differently, depending on where they live, and some solutions to make agriculture more resilient.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Learning about the solutions in the same article as the problems will keep students from feeling despair and hopelessness over the gravity of the situation.
- The article does a great job of defining unknown terms within the text.
Prerequisites
- Students should understand climate change and the greenhouse gas effect.
- Students should also understand the role pollinators play in crop production.
- Teachers in farming communities should be sensitive to the impact that learning about agricultural problems may have on students whose families are farmers.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can use the discussion questions as an assessment to determine students' understanding of the reading.
- This resource allows for many paths for further exploration. Teachers can use this resource to introduce impacts like invasive species, droughts, animal migrations, or extreme weather.
- Alternatively, teachers can look at agriculture solutions like regenerative agriculture. The video Less Harm on the Farm: Regenerative Ag can help students take a closer look at agricultural solutions.
- This resource may also pair well with the Food and Climate Change Unit Plan.
- Students in urban areas looking for more California-specific agricultural information can check out the Urban Farmers' Almanac for Angelenos.
From the scientist review
This resource explores agriculture in a changing climate. Threats to food production from climate change are addressed, and many solutions are discussed. This resource is well-sourced, with links in the text that include several peer-reviewed sources and primary data from the UN. In addition, California-specific solutions are outlined. This resource is clear, well-organized, and recommended for teaching.
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