Journey 2050 Lesson 5: Land Use (Grades 6-8)

Students will recognize that arable land (ideal land for growing crops) is a limited resource, identify best management practices that can be applied to every stakeholder’s land-use decisions; and analyze and discuss the impacts of food waste on our environment.

Grades
6 – 8
TX: Grades 6 – 12
Estimated Time
30-45 minutes
Updated
September 24, 2024
Journey 2050 Level 5a and 5b
Image: Journey 2050, Nutrien

Background

Lesson Activities

Credits

Author

Lindsey Verhaeghe, Andrea Gardner, Debra Spielmaker, and Sara Hunt | National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL) and Nutrien

Acknowledgements

The Journey 2050 program was originally developed by Nutrien in collaboration with Calgary Stampede, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Nutrients for Life Foundation, and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada. Authors and contributors were drawn from each of these organizations under the direction of Lindsey Verhaeghe (Nutrien) and Robyn Kurbel (Calgary Stampede.) The lessons were updated and revised in 2017 with contributions from the original J2050 Steering Committee, the National Center for Agricultural Literacy, and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization.  

Standards

Texas Content Area Standards

  • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.1

    The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to:

    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.1.B: apply competencies related to resources, information, interpersonal skills, problem solving, critical thinking, and systems of operation in agriculture, food, and natural resources.
  • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.4

    The student explains the historical, current, and future significance of the agriculture, food, and natural resources industry. The student is expected to:

    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.4.B: analyze the scope of agriculture, food, and natural resources and its effect upon society.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.4.C: evaluate significant historical and current agriculture, food, and natural resources developments.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.4.F: compare and contrast issues impacting agriculture, food, and natural resources such as biotechnology, employment, safety, environment, and animal welfare issues.
    • Principles, of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.4.D: identify potential future scenarios for agriculture, food, and natural resources systems, including global impacts.
  • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.6

    The student demonstrates appropriate personal and communication skills. The student is expected to:

    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.6.A: demonstrate written and oral communication skills appropriate for formal and informal situations such as prepared and extemporaneous presentations.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.6.B: demonstrate effective listening skills appropriate for formal and informal situations.
  • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15

    The student explains the relationship between agriculture, food, and natural resources and the environment. The student is expected to:

    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15.A: determine the effects of agriculture, food, and natural resources upon safety, health, and the environment.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15.B: identify regulations relating to safety, health, and environmental systems in agriculture, food, and natural resources.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15.C: identify and design methods to maintain and improve safety, health, and environmental systems in agriculture, food, and natural resources.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15.D: research and analyze alternative energy sources that stem from or impact agriculture, food, and natural resources.
    • Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 130.2.c.15.E: evaluate energy and water conservation methods.
  • ELA: 7.110.23.b.5

    Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts.

    • ELA: 7.110.23.b.5.H: synthesize information to create new understanding
  • Social Studies: 6.113.18.c.19

    Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including technology. The student is expected to:

    • Social Studies: 6.113.18.c.19.C: organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps
  • Social Studies: 6.113.18.c.21

    Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:

    • Social Studies: 6.113.18.c.21.C: express ideas orally based on research and experiences
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.1

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.3

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories;
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.5

    Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.5.A: identify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;
  • Social Studies: 7.113.19.c.20

    Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including technology. The student is expected to:

    • Social Studies: 7.113.19.c.20.C: organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps
    • Social Studies: 7.113.19.c.20.E: formulate and communicate visually, orally, or in writing a claim supported by evidence and reasoning related to a social studies topic
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.10

    Earth and space. The student understands the rock cycle and the structure of Earth. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.10.A: differentiate between the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere and identify components of each system;
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.11

    Earth and space. The student understands how resources are managed. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.11.B: explain how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology can help manage air, water, soil, and energy resources.
  • Science: 6.112.26.b.12

    Organisms and environments. The student knows that interdependence occurs between living systems and the environment. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 6.112.26.b.12.A: investigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic factors such as food and abiotic factors such as availability of light and water, range of temperatures, or soil composition;
  • Social Studies: 8.113.20.c.29

    Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including technology. The student is expected to:

    • Social Studies: 8.113.20.c.29.C: organize and interpret information from outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps
    • Social Studies: 8.113.20.c.29.E: formulate and communicate visually, orally, or in writing a claim supported by evidence and reasoning related to a social studies topic
  • Science: 7.112.27.b.1

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 7.112.27.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;
  • Science: 7.112.27.b.3

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 7.112.27.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories;
  • Science: 7.112.27.b.5

    Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 7.112.27.b.5.A: identify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;
  • Science: 8.112.28.b.1

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 8.112.28.b.1.A: ask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;
  • Science: 8.112.28.b.3

    Scientific and engineering practices. The student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 8.112.28.b.3.A: develop explanations and propose solutions supported by data and models and consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories;
  • Science: 8.112.28.b.5

    Recurring themes and concepts. The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 8.112.28.b.5.A: identify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;
  • Science: 8.112.28.b.12

    Organisms and environments. The student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystems. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 8.112.28.b.12.A: explain how disruptions such as population changes, natural disasters, and human intervention impact the transfer of energy in food webs in ecosystems;
    • Science: 8.112.28.b.12.B: describe how primary and secondary ecological succession affect populations and species diversity after ecosystems are disrupted by natural events or human activity; and
    • Science: 8.112.28.b.12.C: describe how biodiversity contributes to the stability and sustainability of an ecosystem and the health of the organisms within the ecosystem.
  • Science: 7.112.27.b.11

    Earth and space. The student understands how human activity can impact the hydrosphere. The student is expected to:

    • Science: 7.112.27.b.11.A: analyze the beneficial and harmful influences of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed; and
  • ELA: 6.110.22.b.5

    Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts. The student is expected to:

    • ELA: 6.110.22.b.5.H: synthesize information to create new understanding
  • ELA: 8.110.24.b.5

    Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts. The student is expected to:

    • ELA: 8.110.24.b.5.H: synthesize information to create new understanding
  • Math: 6.111.26.b.1

    Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding. The student is expected to:

    • Math: 6.111.26.b.1.A: apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace
    • Math: 6.111.26.b.1.D: communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate
  • Math: 6.111.26.b.4

    Proportionality. The student applies mathematical process standards to develop an understanding of proportional relationships in problem situations. The student is expected to:

    • Math: 6.111.26.b.4.E: represent ratios and percents with concrete models, fractions, and decimals
  • Math: 7.111.27.b.1

    Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding. The student is expected to:

    • Math: 7.111.27.b.1.A: apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace
  • Math: 8.111.28.b.1

    Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding. The student is expected to:

    • Math: 8.111.28.b.1.A: apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace