As part of the projects-bases focus of the Grade 11 Green Industries course, I designed a project that would allow students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in horticulture and organic farming practices, while simultaneously learning about the environmental impact of the agricultural industry, the importance of local food sources and the premise of food security. In the end, students produced 11 working farms where they were able to harvest fresh sprouts and herbs - in the dead of Canadian winter in a classroom with no windows.
Phase One: Introduction to Vertical Farming
The project started with a visit from indoor/vertical farming expert (and a fellow RERC member), Micah Donovan. Micah first presented a lecture on his investigations in indoor farming, followed by an episode of the Food Network Television Show that he hosts, Food Jammers. During his next visit, Micah brought in his indoor farming system, "Grow Tubes". Together with the students, we installed the Grow Tubes in the classroom, and students spent the next several weeks experimenting with growing various types of sprouts and beans. Micah explained the science behind his system - a LED light system that is energy efficient and provides the required light spectrum for plant growth. Around the same time, students learned about factors that affect plant growth through an activity called Listen Right, and also constructed a vermi-composter in the classroom to provide fertilizer for their plants.
Phase Two: Industrial Design 101
Now that students had an understanding of what plants needed to survive indoors, they were almost ready to set about designing their own farms. But first, they needed to learn the basics of design. So, I invited Odin Cappello, an industrial designer and professor in the Industrial Design program at Humber College, to join us in the classroom for a workshop on product design. The workshop included guided practice in drawing, using the principles of design, and designing for a specific end-user in mind.
Phase Three: Research
The next phase of this project was student research. Students were required to conduct research into various plants that they could try to grow, based on the parameters of their initial design. They needed to know how much light, water, and soil would be required to grow a specific type of plant in order to be successful. As students completed their research, they were submitted their findings for assessment. Students who did not show a full understanding of the key concepts were instructed to return to their research before they could move on to phase three, while students who excelled in the research portion were given the option to extend their knowledge through more in-depth articles provided.
Phase Four: Design
Once the students had completed their designs and determined the parameters of their project, they were required to develop blueprints for their farm. Using proper drafting techniques that they learned in phase two, students developed a design. During this time, I emphasized that they would not be graded on the success of their farm so much as their thinking behind their design.
My reasoning behind this emphasis was to take away the fear of failure and allow students to focus on taking risks to come up with innovative ideas. I have been inspired by the writings and lectures of Sir Ken Robinson, who believes that children are naturally curious and creative, and that our education system trains them to always look for the "right" answer, rather than uncover their own unique approaches to problem solving. Further, as noted in the the article "Character as the Aim of Education", David Light Shields notes:
Phase Five: Building
As students completed their designs and had them approved by me, they went about collecting materials and building their farms. At this point, students were at many different phases of the projects, as some progressed more quickly than others. Those who moved ahead quickly were able to move on to the next phase, or work on their Farm Research Papers, which were introduced around the same time as building began on the first farm. This meant that students were able to work at their own pace, and that they were always fully engaged in some activity during class time.
At the end of each class, I would check in with each student, making note of their progress and/or setbacks. I would start the next class by grouping students according to their progress, and providing each table with a to-do list for that class. This allowed me to keep tabs on every student in the class, providing extra help to those who were struggling without holding other students back from continuing their work. This also helped to facilitate the building process, as tools were limited.
Almost every student in the class chose to use some form of LED lights in their farm. In order to create these LED light circuits, students learned how to solder LED light strips to power supplies. In addition, the students were using power tools and sharp knives, so a lesson on safety was conducted prior to building. Students each signed a safety contract and were aware of the consequences (removal from the class) for breaking these contracts.
Phase Six: Marketing Presentation and Reflection
The final phase of this project involved reflection - a key component of the design process - which provided students with the opportunity to explain the successes and failures of their projects and required them to connect back to their original research and designs. Built into the reflection questions were guiding questions to inform their marketing piece for the project. Students were asked to create a tool to sell their farm system to the general public, which could have been in the form of a video, pamphlet, website, facebook page, skit, or song. Within the marketing tool, students had to make connections back to the importance of local farming and the environmental impact of industrial farming - which drew upon their understanding acquired through their research papers.
Micah returned to our class for the final presentations of these products, and was impressed with the creative and innovative ideas that students produced.
For a full documentation of this project, please visit our class blog.
For the full project outline, including a checklist for success, click here.
Phase One: Introduction to Vertical Farming
The project started with a visit from indoor/vertical farming expert (and a fellow RERC member), Micah Donovan. Micah first presented a lecture on his investigations in indoor farming, followed by an episode of the Food Network Television Show that he hosts, Food Jammers. During his next visit, Micah brought in his indoor farming system, "Grow Tubes". Together with the students, we installed the Grow Tubes in the classroom, and students spent the next several weeks experimenting with growing various types of sprouts and beans. Micah explained the science behind his system - a LED light system that is energy efficient and provides the required light spectrum for plant growth. Around the same time, students learned about factors that affect plant growth through an activity called Listen Right, and also constructed a vermi-composter in the classroom to provide fertilizer for their plants.
Phase Two: Industrial Design 101
Now that students had an understanding of what plants needed to survive indoors, they were almost ready to set about designing their own farms. But first, they needed to learn the basics of design. So, I invited Odin Cappello, an industrial designer and professor in the Industrial Design program at Humber College, to join us in the classroom for a workshop on product design. The workshop included guided practice in drawing, using the principles of design, and designing for a specific end-user in mind.
Phase Three: Research
The next phase of this project was student research. Students were required to conduct research into various plants that they could try to grow, based on the parameters of their initial design. They needed to know how much light, water, and soil would be required to grow a specific type of plant in order to be successful. As students completed their research, they were submitted their findings for assessment. Students who did not show a full understanding of the key concepts were instructed to return to their research before they could move on to phase three, while students who excelled in the research portion were given the option to extend their knowledge through more in-depth articles provided.
Phase Four: Design
Once the students had completed their designs and determined the parameters of their project, they were required to develop blueprints for their farm. Using proper drafting techniques that they learned in phase two, students developed a design. During this time, I emphasized that they would not be graded on the success of their farm so much as their thinking behind their design.
My reasoning behind this emphasis was to take away the fear of failure and allow students to focus on taking risks to come up with innovative ideas. I have been inspired by the writings and lectures of Sir Ken Robinson, who believes that children are naturally curious and creative, and that our education system trains them to always look for the "right" answer, rather than uncover their own unique approaches to problem solving. Further, as noted in the the article "Character as the Aim of Education", David Light Shields notes:
In the teaching of every explicit curriculum, there is an implicit curriculum. When teaching is focused on transmitting facts, training in discrete skills, and preparing for tests, students are implicitly taught that the content itself is most important. When the content is taught in a more inductive, open, exploratory manner, when the teacher models and encourages inquiry, open-mindedness, critical thinking, and curiosity, then intellectual character can be developed along with content knowledge (Shields, 50).
By encouraging students to follow their curiosity and take risks, I was hoping to develop their problem solving skills, while also experimenting with various methods for growing plants indoors. I found that those students who were more willing to take risks were much more successful in the end -- to date, the only farm that is still living is also the only farm that attempted to use a hydroponic growing system.Phase Five: Building
As students completed their designs and had them approved by me, they went about collecting materials and building their farms. At this point, students were at many different phases of the projects, as some progressed more quickly than others. Those who moved ahead quickly were able to move on to the next phase, or work on their Farm Research Papers, which were introduced around the same time as building began on the first farm. This meant that students were able to work at their own pace, and that they were always fully engaged in some activity during class time.
At the end of each class, I would check in with each student, making note of their progress and/or setbacks. I would start the next class by grouping students according to their progress, and providing each table with a to-do list for that class. This allowed me to keep tabs on every student in the class, providing extra help to those who were struggling without holding other students back from continuing their work. This also helped to facilitate the building process, as tools were limited.
Almost every student in the class chose to use some form of LED lights in their farm. In order to create these LED light circuits, students learned how to solder LED light strips to power supplies. In addition, the students were using power tools and sharp knives, so a lesson on safety was conducted prior to building. Students each signed a safety contract and were aware of the consequences (removal from the class) for breaking these contracts.
Phase Six: Marketing Presentation and Reflection
The final phase of this project involved reflection - a key component of the design process - which provided students with the opportunity to explain the successes and failures of their projects and required them to connect back to their original research and designs. Built into the reflection questions were guiding questions to inform their marketing piece for the project. Students were asked to create a tool to sell their farm system to the general public, which could have been in the form of a video, pamphlet, website, facebook page, skit, or song. Within the marketing tool, students had to make connections back to the importance of local farming and the environmental impact of industrial farming - which drew upon their understanding acquired through their research papers.
Micah returned to our class for the final presentations of these products, and was impressed with the creative and innovative ideas that students produced.
For a full documentation of this project, please visit our class blog.
For the full project outline, including a checklist for success, click here.
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