Education Standards
The Impact of Diversified Agriculture: Livestock and Soybean Production
Overview
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of raising livestock and cultivating soybeans in diversified agricultural systems.
MEASURABLE ACHIEVEMENT GOAL: Students will create a comparative brochure that illustrates the impacts of livestock raising and soybean cultivation on the environment, economy, and society. The brochure should include at least three impacts for each category (environmental, economic, social) for both livestock and soybeans, supported by relevant data or examples.
STANDARD(S) ADDRESSED:
1. Nebraska AFNR Standard: AFNR.HS.2.1 - Analyze how issues, trends, technologies, and public policies impact systems in the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources career cluster.
2. Nebraska AFNR Standard: AFNR.HS.5.2 - Evaluate the impacts of agricultural practices on natural resources.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Students will be able to analyze the environmental, economic, and social impacts of raising livestock and cultivating soybeans in diversified agricultural systems.
MEASURABLE ACHIEVEMENT GOAL: Students will create a comparative brochure that illustrates the impacts of livestock raising and soybean cultivation on the environment, economy, and society. The brochure should include at least three impacts for each category (environmental, economic, social) for both livestock and soybeans, supported by relevant data or examples.
PROCEDURE:
1. Lesson Introduction:
- Begin the class by displaying images of various agricultural landscapes, including livestock farms and soybean fields.
- Ask students: "What do you see in these images, and how do you think these agricultural practices might affect our world?"
- Conduct a quick think-pair-share activity where students discuss their initial thoughts with a partner and then share with the class.
2. Guided Lesson:
- Present a brief overview of diversified agriculture, emphasizing its role in sustainable farming practices.
- Introduce the concept of livestock raising in diversified systems, highlighting common practices and species.
- Discuss soybean cultivation, its global importance, and its role in both human and animal nutrition.
- Connect the dots between livestock and soybean production in modern agriculture.
- Use visual aids such as charts and graphs to illustrate key statistics related to livestock and soybean production.
- Common misconception to address: "Livestock production is always detrimental to the environment." Explain that while there are significant environmental concerns, proper management in diversified systems can mitigate some impacts and provide benefits like soil fertility improvement.
3. Independent Practice:
- Explain the brochure assignment, emphasizing the need for balanced representation of both livestock and soybean impacts.
- Provide a rubric that outlines expectations for content, visual appeal, and use of data. o Allow students to work independently on their brochures, using classroom computers or tablets for research and design.
- Encourage students to use online design tools like Canva or Piktochart for creating their brochures.
- Circulate to provide individual support and feedback as needed.
4. Partnered Practice:
- Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students.
- Provide each group with a set of case studies showcasing different diversified agricultural systems that include livestock and soybean production.
- Ask groups to identify and list potential environmental, economic, and social impacts for each case study.
- Circulate among groups, offering guidance and asking probing questions to deepen their analysis.
- Have groups share their findings with the class, encouraging discussion and comparison of different perspectives.
- Introduce and model the use of reliable sources for agricultural data and statistics.
5. Closing the Lesson:
- Conduct a gallery walk where students display their infographics and peers provide feedback using post-it notes.
- Lead a whole-class discussion on the most surprising or impactful findings from the brochures.
- Ask students to reflect on how diversified agriculture might shape the future of food production and environmental sustainability.
ASSESSMENT: Ask students to write a reflective essay (3-4 paragraphs) on how their personal food choices might be influenced by what they've learned about livestock and soybean production in diversified agricultural systems. Encourage them to consider potential changes they might make in their diet or purchasing habits based on this new knowledge.