Contour Farming
Overview
This hands-on activity allows students to model and experiment with contour farming, a sustainable technique used on sloped land to prevent erosion, conserve water, and adapt to climate change. Students will observe how water moves over land and learn how farming practices can make a big difference during droughts or heavy rains.
This resource is also available in Spanish. Click here to access.
Activity Type:
Lesson
Target Grade Level:
K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Estimated Duration:
60 min
Topics:
Caribbean
Possible Connections to NGSS |
Performance Expectations K-LS1-1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants, animals and humans need to survive. K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. 2-ESS2-1: Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land. 3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some less well and some not at all. 4-ESS2-1: Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation. 5-ESS3-1: Combine and obtain information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s resources and environment. MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations. K-LS1-1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants, animals and humans need to survive. K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool. 2-ESS2-1: Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land. 3-LS3-2: Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment. 3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some less well and some not at all. 4-ESS2-1: Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation. 5-ESS3-1: Combine and obtain information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s resources and environment. MS-LS1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations. MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment. HS-ESS2-5: Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes. HS-ESS3-1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment. HS-ESS2-5: Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes. HS-ESS3-1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. |
Created by:
Climate Kids
