My Food Journey: Farm to Table Adventure
Created byAlly M
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My Food Journey: Farm to Table Adventure

Grade 1Social Studies4 days
★★★★★
4.0 (1 rating)
In this project, first-grade students explore the journey of their food from farm to table. Through activities like a Food Source Scavenger Hunt, creating a visual timeline of an apple's journey, and learning about farmers, students identify food origins, describe the steps involved in the food supply chain, and recognize the people who grow our food. They also conduct a taste test to understand how distance affects freshness, ultimately appreciating the importance of knowing where their food comes from to make healthier choices.
Food OriginsFood JourneyFood Supply ChainFarmersHealthy ChoicesLocal Food
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How does knowing the journey of our food help us make healthy choices and appreciate the people who bring it to our tables?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • Where does our food come from?
  • What are the steps involved in getting food from its source to our tables?
  • Who are the people involved in the process of bringing food to us?
  • How does the distance food travels affect its freshness and taste?
  • Why is it important to know where our food comes from?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to identify the origins of common food items.
  • Students will be able to describe the steps involved in bringing food from its source to their plate.
  • Students will be able to recognize the people involved in the food supply chain.
  • Students will be able to explain how the distance food travels affects its freshness and taste.
  • Students will be able to justify the importance of knowing where our food comes from.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Mystery Box Challenge: Food Origins

Students receive a box filled with unfamiliar food items or ingredients. Their task is to investigate and hypothesize the origins of each item, sparking curiosity about the journey of food from farm to table.

Food Chain Expedition

Transform the classroom into a 'food chain expedition' with stations representing different stages of a food item's journey (farm, factory, market, home). Students explore each station, collecting clues about the processes and people involved.

A Day Without...

Begin the day by announcing that a common food item (e.g., bread, milk, fruit) is unavailable. Guide students to discuss the impact, leading to questions about where it comes from and the process involved in getting it to them.

Local Farmer Skype/Video Call

Arrange a live video call with a local farmer. Students can ask questions about their daily work, the crops they grow, and the journey of their produce to local markets, creating a direct connection to the source.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Food Source Scavenger Hunt

Students embark on a scavenger hunt to discover the origins of different food items they commonly eat. This activity introduces them to the concept that food comes from various places, not just the grocery store.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Create a list of 5-7 common food items (e.g., apple, milk, bread, egg, carrot).
2. For each food item, research or provide clues about its origin (e.g., apple - orchard, milk - dairy farm, bread - wheat field, egg - chicken farm, carrot - vegetable garden).
3. Students draw a picture of each food item and label its origin, using the clues provided.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA visually appealing poster or booklet showcasing the food items and their origins.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to identify the origins of common food items.
Activity 2

The Journey of My Apple

Students create a simple visual representation of the journey an apple takes from the farm to their lunchbox. This helps them understand the steps involved in the food supply chain.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Discuss the different stages of an apple's journey: growing on a tree, picking, transporting, selling at a store, and finally, eating.
2. Provide students with pre-cut images or have them draw pictures representing each stage.
3. Students arrange the pictures in the correct order on a strip of paper and label each stage.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA visual timeline or flipbook illustrating the apple's journey from farm to table.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to describe the steps involved in bringing food from its source to their plate.
Activity 3

Food Heroes: Meet the Farmers

Students learn about the people involved in growing and providing our food, fostering an appreciation for their hard work.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Read a book or watch a short video about farmers and their daily tasks.
2. Discuss the roles and responsibilities of farmers.
3. Each student draws a picture of a farmer at work and writes one sentence describing what the farmer does.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA class display or booklet featuring the student drawings and sentences about farmers.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to recognize the people involved in the food supply chain.
Activity 4

Taste Test Time!

This activity explores how the distance food travels can affect its taste and freshness. (Note: This may be hard to do, depending on your location. If you have access to local food, that would be ideal)

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. If available, compare two similar food items (e.g., tomatoes, apples) - one locally sourced and one from a distant location (check the labels at the grocery store).
2. Conduct a blind taste test. Have students sample both items and record their observations about the taste, texture, and appearance.
3. Discuss the differences and similarities between the two samples. Talk about how travel time might affect freshness and taste.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA chart or graph summarizing the taste test results and observations.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal: Students will be able to explain how the distance food travels affects its freshness and taste.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

My Food Journey Portfolio Rubric

Category 1

Understanding Food Origins

Demonstrates the ability to identify the sources of common food items.
Criterion 1

Accuracy of Food Source Identification

How accurately the student identifies the origin of different food items.

Exemplary
4 Points

Accurately identifies the origin of all food items with detailed explanations.

Proficient
3 Points

Accurately identifies the origin of most food items.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies the origin of some food items, but with some inaccuracies.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify the origin of most food items.

Criterion 2

Visual Representation and Labeling

Clarity and accuracy of the visual representation of food origins.

Exemplary
4 Points

Creates clear, detailed visuals with accurate labels demonstrating a deep understanding of food origins.

Proficient
3 Points

Creates clear visuals with accurate labels.

Developing
2 Points

Creates visuals with labels, but some may be unclear or inaccurate.

Beginning
1 Points

Visuals are incomplete or unclear, with missing or inaccurate labels.

Category 2

Describing the Food Journey

Demonstrates the ability to describe the steps involved in bringing food from its source to the plate.
Criterion 1

Completeness of Journey Description

How thoroughly the student describes the steps in a food item's journey.

Exemplary
4 Points

Describes all stages of the food journey in detail, including relevant information about each stage.

Proficient
3 Points

Describes most stages of the food journey accurately.

Developing
2 Points

Describes some stages of the food journey, but with gaps or inaccuracies.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to describe the stages of the food journey.

Criterion 2

Organization and Clarity of Timeline

How well the timeline or flipbook is organized and how clearly it illustrates the food's journey.

Exemplary
4 Points

Presents a well-organized and clear timeline or flipbook that effectively illustrates the food's journey with detailed labels and descriptions.

Proficient
3 Points

Presents a clear timeline or flipbook that illustrates the food's journey.

Developing
2 Points

Timeline or flipbook is somewhat disorganized or unclear, with some missing labels or descriptions.

Beginning
1 Points

Timeline or flipbook is disorganized and difficult to understand.

Category 3

Recognizing Food Heroes

Demonstrates the ability to recognize the people involved in the food supply chain.
Criterion 1

Understanding Farmer's Role

Demonstrates an understanding of the role and responsibilities of farmers.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a deep understanding of the farmer's role with detailed descriptions of their tasks and importance.

Proficient
3 Points

Demonstrates a good understanding of the farmer's role and responsibilities.

Developing
2 Points

Demonstrates a basic understanding of the farmer's role, but with some limitations.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to understand the role and responsibilities of farmers.

Criterion 2

Clarity and Detail in Depiction

Clarity and detail in the student's drawing and written description of a farmer.

Exemplary
4 Points

Creates a detailed and accurate drawing of a farmer at work, accompanied by a clear and informative sentence.

Proficient
3 Points

Creates a clear drawing of a farmer at work, accompanied by a descriptive sentence.

Developing
2 Points

Drawing and sentence are present, but lack detail or clarity.

Beginning
1 Points

Drawing is incomplete or unclear, and the sentence is missing or irrelevant.

Category 4

Understanding Food Miles

Demonstrates the ability to explain how the distance food travels affects its freshness and taste.
Criterion 1

Observation and Comparison Skills

Effectiveness of the student's observation and comparison of locally sourced and distant food items.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides detailed observations and insightful comparisons between the taste, texture, and appearance of locally sourced and distant food items.

Proficient
3 Points

Provides clear observations and comparisons between locally sourced and distant food items.

Developing
2 Points

Provides some observations and comparisons, but with limited detail or accuracy.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to observe or compare locally sourced and distant food items.

Criterion 2

Understanding of Travel Time Impact

Demonstrates an understanding of how travel time affects the freshness and taste of food.

Exemplary
4 Points

Clearly explains how travel time affects the freshness and taste of food, providing specific examples and reasoning.

Proficient
3 Points

Explains how travel time affects the freshness and taste of food.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to explain the impact of travel time, but with limited understanding or accuracy.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to explain how travel time affects the freshness and taste of food.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

What was the most surprising thing you learned about where your food comes from?

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Question 2

Draw a picture of your favorite food's journey from its origin to your plate. Write a sentence about each step.

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Question 3

How does knowing where your food comes from help you make healthier choices?

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Question 4

After learning about the people who grow our food, how do you feel about farmers?

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Question 5

On a scale of 1 to 5, how much more do you appreciate your food now that you know where it comes from? (1 = Not at all, 5 = A lot)

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