Created byPhillip Charles Alcock

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Illuminating Urban Farms

Grade 6Science5 days

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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we use our understanding of the effects of light levels on plant growth to design and build a thriving urban farm in a limited-light environment?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.

How do different light levels affect the growth of plants?
What are the optimal light conditions for different plant species in an urban environment?
How can we use our experimental findings to design effective urban farms in areas with limited sunlight?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:

Students will be able to design and conduct an experiment to investigate the impact of different light levels on plant growth.
Students will be able to analyze and interpret data to draw conclusions about the relationship between light levels and plant growth.
Students will be able to apply their understanding of plant growth needs to propose solutions for urban farming in limited-light environments.

NGSS

MS-LS2-1

Primary

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on cause and effect relationships between resources and growth of individual organisms and the numbers of organisms in ecosystems during periods of abundant and scarce resources.]Reason: This standard directly aligns with the project's focus on investigating the effects of light (a resource) on plant growth.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The Blackout Challenge

Imagine stepping into a futuristic city where vertical farms tower above, but a sudden energy crisis plunges them into darkness. Your mission: to develop innovative lighting solutions to keep the city fed.

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Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.

Activity 1

Illuminating Predictions

Students will predict how different light levels will affect plant growth. They will consider factors like plant type, light intensity, and duration of exposure.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Research different types of plants and their light requirements.

2. Formulate a hypothesis about how varying light levels (low, medium, high) will affect the growth of chosen plant species.

3. Write a detailed prediction outlining the expected growth of each plant group under different light conditions. Include a rationale for your predictions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA written prediction outlining expected plant growth outcomes under different light conditions, including a rationale based on prior knowledge or research.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-LS2-1 by focusing on the effects of light (a resource) on plant growth.

Activity 2

The Light Architects

Students design a controlled experiment to test their predictions about light's effect on plant growth.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Select the plant species for the experiment.

2. Gather materials, including light sources, containers, soil, and measuring tools.

3. Develop a step-by-step procedure for setting up different light level conditions (low, medium, high) and controlling other variables.

4. Design a data collection table to record observations about plant growth (height, leaf size, color, etc.) over time.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed experimental design plan, including materials list, procedure, variables, and data collection methods.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-LS2-1 through the design and implementation of an experiment to investigate resource availability (light).

Activity 3

Growth Journal Chronicles

Students conduct their experiment, meticulously collecting data on plant growth under varying light conditions.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Set up the experiment according to the designed plan.

2. Regularly observe and measure plant growth (height, leaf size, color) for each group.

3. Record all data accurately in the data table, noting any unexpected observations.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA completed data table showing plant growth measurements over time for each light level group.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-LS2-1 by requiring students to collect and record data on plant growth under different resource (light) conditions.

Activity 4

Data Detectives

Students analyze their collected data to draw conclusions about the relationship between light levels and plant growth.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Organize the collected data into tables and graphs to visualize growth patterns.

2. Analyze the graphs and charts to identify trends and patterns in plant growth under different light conditions.

3. Draw conclusions about the relationship between light levels and plant growth, referencing specific data points.

4. Discuss any discrepancies between the observed results and initial predictions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA written analysis of the data, including graphs, charts, and explanations of the observed trends.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-LS2-1 by having students analyze and interpret collected data to determine the effects of resource availability.

Activity 5

Urban Farm Innovators

Students apply their findings to propose solutions for urban farming in limited-light environments.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Brainstorm potential solutions for growing plants in urban settings with limited sunlight.

2. Based on the experimental findings, recommend specific lighting strategies (e.g., LED grow lights, reflective surfaces) for urban farms.

3. Suggest suitable plant species for urban farming based on their light needs.

4. Design a model or blueprint of an urban farm incorporating the proposed solutions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA presentation outlining proposed solutions for urban farms, including specific lighting strategies, plant selection, and farm design.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses MS-LS2-1 by requiring students to apply their understanding of resource impact to propose real-world solutions.

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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Urban Farming in Limited Light Rubric

Category 1

Scientific Research and Hypothesis

Evaluates students' ability to research plant light needs and formulate hypotheses based on this data.

Criterion 1

Research Quality

Quality and depth of research on plant light requirements.

Exemplary

4 Points

Conducts thorough, well-documented research on a wide range of plant types and their light needs.

Proficient

3 Points

Conducts thorough research on several plant types and their light needs, with adequate documentation.

Developing

2 Points

Conducts limited research on plant light needs with some gaps in knowledge and documentation.

Beginning

1 Points

Conducts minimal research with significant gaps and poor documentation.

Criterion 2

Hypothesis Formulation

Ability to generate a testable prediction based on research data.

Exemplary

4 Points

Develops a clear, insightful hypothesis that is well-supported by research data.

Proficient

3 Points

Creates a clear hypothesis supported by research data, though with minor lapses in insight.

Developing

2 Points

Generates a vague or partially supported hypothesis with some reliance on assumptions.

Beginning

1 Points

Develops an unclear or unsupported hypothesis, often reliant on assumption.

Category 2

Experimental Design and Execution

Assesses the planning and conducting of an experiment to test light levels impact on plant growth.

Criterion 1

Experimental Plan

The completeness and clarity of the experimental setup plan.

Exemplary

4 Points

Designs a comprehensive, clear experimental plan that controls variables effectively.

Proficient

3 Points

Creates a well-structured plan with mostly clear procedures and variable controls.

Developing

2 Points

Drafts a basic plan with some clear steps but inconsistent variable controls.

Beginning

1 Points

Presents an unclear or incomplete plan, with significant gaps in variable control.

Criterion 2

Data Collection Precision

Accuracy and detail in data collection and recording throughout the experiment.

Exemplary

4 Points

Consistently collects and meticulously records comprehensive data, with high accuracy.

Proficient

3 Points

Accurately collects adequate data, recording it clearly in most instances.

Developing

2 Points

Collects basic data with occasional inaccuracies or omissions.

Beginning

1 Points

Collects minimal data with frequent inaccuracies or gaps in records.

Category 3

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Evaluates students' ability to interpret data and draw conclusions about light impact on growth.

Criterion 1

Data Visualization

Effectiveness in organizing data into tables and graphs for analysis.

Exemplary

4 Points

Creates precise, clear graphs and tables that effectively illustrate data trends.

Proficient

3 Points

Forms clear and mostly accurate graphs and tables to represent data.

Developing

2 Points

Produces basic graphs and tables with some clarity and accuracy issues.

Beginning

1 Points

Develops unclear or inaccurate graphs and tables, lacking detail.

Criterion 2

Conclusion and Reflection

Ability to draw well-supported conclusions and reflect on the hypothesis vs. results.

Exemplary

4 Points

Draws insightful conclusions that are comprehensively supported by precise data analysis.

Proficient

3 Points

Reaches logical conclusions supported by clear analysis of most data points.

Developing

2 Points

Draws basic conclusions with partial support, missing some data connections.

Beginning

1 Points

Produces vague or unsupported conclusions, lacking data correlation.

Category 4

Application and Innovation

Measures students' ability to apply experimental findings creatively to real-world urban farming.

Criterion 1

Solution Proposal

Creativity and practicality in suggesting urban farm solutions based on findings.

Exemplary

4 Points

Proposes innovative, practical solutions directly informed by experiment data.

Proficient

3 Points

Offers practical solutions supported by experimental data, though less original.

Developing

2 Points

Suggests basic, somewhat feasible solutions with limited data linkage.

Beginning

1 Points

Provides unclear solutions with minimal relation to data findings.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning

Question 1

Reflect on your initial predictions about plant growth under different light levels. How did your actual results compare to your predictions? What surprised you?

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Question 2

How did the data you collected support or refute your hypothesis about the relationship between light levels and plant growth?

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Question 3

What challenges did you encounter during the experiment, and how did you overcome them?

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Question 4

How can the findings from this experiment be applied to real-world scenarios, such as urban farming in limited-light environments?

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Question 5

On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident are you in your ability to design and conduct scientific experiments?

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Question 6

What did you learn about the importance of light as a resource for plant growth?

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Question 7

How effective were your proposed solutions for urban farming in limited-light conditions? What modifications or improvements could be made?

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