Learning Goals (3-5 for the unit):
- Students will be able to have a peer discussion on why it is important to reduce food
waste.
- Students can explain ways food waste can be reduced.
- Students can use futures and strategic thinking to create a plan on how to reduce
food waste.
Assessment Task (Create the summative assessment that will measure the learning
goal. This could be a writing task, quiz, performance task, etc.)
- Students will journal everyday what foods they throw away.
- Students will be in groups of 3-4 and create a powerpoint presentation where they
will share their journal reflections, why food waste is a problem and create a plan
on how to reduce food waste in their home, community or school. Students will then
reflect on how their plan will meet the SDG’s.
- Students will create an informational letter on food waste.
2. Instructional sequence:
Day 1: The topic “Food Waste” will be introduced starting with the history and types of food
waste. We will read the book “What a Waste? Where Does Garbage Go?” and create a class
bubble map on important ideas from the book. I will then introduce students to journaling and
instruct them to log and journal their food waste journey for the next 5 days.
Day 2: Students will look into why food waste is a problem and how it affects the environment,
economy and society. We will start the lesson with watching a video on the effects of food waste
and how it becomes a problem (Food waste is the world's dumbest problem - YouTube). We will
then discuss what ways food waste may be a problem in our community. We will also look into
data of 2018 food waste and students will discuss in partners what was most wasted, and what
institutions wasted the most. (2018 Wasted Food Report (epa.gov)) We will discuss as a class
how the data may have affected the economy, environment, and society.
Day 3: Students will look into how food waste can be reduced by looking into tips, steps and
other strategies. Students will spend time on the website ‘I Value Food’ where they will read at
least 3 articles to gather information on how to reduce food waste. Students then will create a
brochure where they will inform the community on food waste and how to reduce it using what
they collected from the articles. (I Value Food).
Day 4: Students will be introduced to the group project, they will be in groups of 3-4 and be
given time to begin their powerpoint project. Students will begin to create a strategic plan for the
community, their home, or school with their group. Students will then play the food truck game
to follow the journey of food scraps where they will have a better understanding of what happens
when they throw away a banana peel (https://www.biocycle.net/food-scrap-recycling-truck-game-
app/.
Day 5: Students will be given time to complete their powerpoint presentation, after groups have
finished we will have a gallery walk. We will then look over two organizations that are reducing
food waste. To wrap up the lesson, students will use the information collected from the lesson,
presentations, and videos to write a letter to a loved one persuading them to become involved in
an organization or simply become more informed on food waste.
