Aquaponics and Plants Lesson

Positives

• This lesson creates a collaborative learning environment as students engage with a variety of science and engineering practices.

• Connections are made between the school garden in NJ and other locations where gardening may be difficult for a variety of environmental reasons.

• Project-based learning and hands-on activities promote engagement and participation from all learners.

• This lesson features vocabulary development which broadens student understanding of the concept of aquaponics.

Additional Prerequisites

• The lesson takes ~60 minutes, but students will continue 10-15 minutes one day a week for recording observations in their digital or paper journals.

• Students will need a basic understanding of what seeds and plants need to grow and produce food.

• Additionally, students would benefit from an opportunity to plant seeds in soil and observe the life cycle from seed germination to food production prior to this lesson.

Differentiation

• If teaching remotely, students can have access to teacher slides and digital resources, including journals to participate from home.

• This lesson provides opportunities for students to learn about the topic using different modalities including visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile.

• Groups of students with mixed abilities can collaborate on their journal definitions, predictions, and observations.

• Teachers can structure the learning around explaining or solving a social or community-based issue.

• An extension activity can be a salad party. After lettuce grows, students will have the opportunity to pick, wash, and taste their own lettuce.