Unit 1: Meet the Food System

This unit introduces students to the food system and provides an important overview of the topics covered in Units 2 and 3. Students will map out all of the food system's interconnected parts, consider their own relationship to the food system, and explore how it developed into the industrialized model we know today.

Download the entire curriculum lesson plans, lesson plans with handouts, and lesson plans with handouts and slides.

Lesson A: Exploring Our Food System

The food system is a complex network that is deeply connected to health, society, and the environment. This lesson lays the groundwork for understanding food through an integrated, systems-thinking lens. Even if teachers only cover a few FoodSpan lessons, we recommend they first teach this lesson to give students a foundation.

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Lesson B: Industrialization of Agriculture

Agriculture has dramatically transformed over the last century. Using a timeline and short readings, students will explore key milestones in the history of agriculture, with a focus on industrialization and the reasons behind it.