Content Objectives
The overarching objective of this unit is to expose students to the different stages of the engineering process, specifically focusing on the issue of food deserts, with a culminating engineering project to design an indoor controlled garden that can be used year-round to produce nutritious crops at an affordable price for the community. There are several smaller objectives to be achieved through complementary lessons and activities to meet this overarching objective. Students will first be introduced to urban agriculture and its importance to the future stability of urban areas. Students will understand that successful urban agriculture practices can solve global agriculture, ecosystems, economy, and energy issues. Students will further understand urban agriculture by learning about vertical farming systems, including hydroponics and aeroponics systems. Finally, students will use their knowledge about these different practices to design an indoor garden for their community. By planning and creating a vertical farm system, students will engage in the engineering design process by solving food security and accessibility in their neighborhoods. In addition to addressing the need for access to better quality foods, other city-wide issues will subsequently be addressed, such as climate change and waste reduction benefitting all of the city.
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