Exploring Food Systems

Unit: Exploring Farming Systems

Lesson 7 of 16: Understanding Food Systems

Grade Levels: 2-5 (Multi-age classroom)
Class Size: 13 students
Duration: 60 minutes
IB Phase: 2-3 (aligning with learner profiles and inquiry-based approaches)

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Learning Objectives

Aligned with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Phase 2-3 standards:

• Conceptual Understanding:
  • Understand the concept of food systems as interconnected networks involving farming, processing, transportation, and consumption (PYP Key Concept: Connection).
• Approaches to Learning:
  • Enhance collaboration skills through group work (Social skills).
  • Develop communication skills by presenting visual representations (Communication).
• Transdisciplinary Theme:
  • Sharing the Planet — understanding the relationship between humans and their environment through food production and distribution.
• Learner Profile Attributes:
  • Cultivate open-mindedness and caring attitudes towards food growers and consumers.
• Subject Focus:
  • Science and Social Studies integration via systems thinking about farming and food.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Explain what a food system is and how farming fits into it.
• Identify at least 3 different parts of a food system (e.g., farming, transporting, selling, eating).
• Collaboratively design and present a simple visual model of a food system.
• Demonstrate respectful listening and peer collaboration during group work.

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Materials Needed

• Large poster paper or chart paper (1 per group)
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils
• Printed picture cards depicting: farmers, crops, trucks, supermarkets, families eating, composting, etc. (dyslexia-friendly fonts and high-contrast images)
• Sticky notes
• Clipboards with dyslexia-friendly informational text about food systems (short, simple sentences, bullet points, and images)
• Whiteboard and markers

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Lesson Flow

1. Invitation to Inquiry (10 minutes)

• Engage with an open-ended provocation: “Where does the food on your plate come from?”
• Show simple visual examples (picture cards), ask students to share what they know about food and farming.
• Facilitate a brief classroom discussion to activate prior knowledge and spark curiosity.
• Use a concept map on the board to collectively brainstorm “Food System” components from the student’s ideas.

Differentiation: Use visuals and keywords on sticky notes for students with language or reading challenges. Give sentence starters for discussion (“I think food comes from...”) for those needing speech support.

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2. Exploration & Collaborative Activity (30 minutes)

• Explain: Briefly define a food system as all the steps food travels from farm to table and beyond (recycling, composting).

• Divide students into 3 groups of 4-5. Each group receives:

  • A set of picture cards representing parts of the food system (farming, transport, market, consumption, waste).
  • Chart paper and art materials.

• Inquiry Task:

  • Groups collaboratively sort the cards and create a visual map or flowchart of the food system.
  • Label parts, draw arrows to show connections, and add student-generated ideas.
  • Encourage students to include farming within the larger system and think about how different parts depend on each other.

Differentiation: Assign roles such as illustrator, writer, organizer to support different learner strengths and needs. Provide extra scaffolding through guided questions for groups that need support.

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3. Sharing & Reflection (15 minutes)

• Groups present their visual food systems to the class.
• Peer listeners are encouraged to ask questions or share connections they noticed.
• Reflect on the importance of each part and the impact humans have on the system.

Assessment: Use a simple checklist based on success criteria for each group’s presentation and collaboration. Observe peer interactions for evidence of communication skills.

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4. Extension Option for Advanced Learners

• Introduce the concept of sustainability in food systems.
• Challenge them to add ideas or symbols representing sustainable practices (e.g., organic farming, reducing waste) to their posters and explain their choices.
• Or research one local farm and present how it fits into the bigger food system.

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5. Closure & Connection (5 minutes)

• Recap key points about food systems and how farming is connected to other roles.
• Prompt student reflections: “How will knowing about food systems help us care for our planet?”
• Explain that in the next lesson, they will explore specific farming methods within these systems.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide dyslexia-friendly text with clear fonts, short sentences, and visual aids.
• Use multi-sensory learning: visual cards, drawing, oral discussion.
• Allow silencing options for speaking and alternative ways to share ideas such as drawing or writing.
• Scaffold vocabulary with word walls and sentence frames.
• Structure cooperative roles that match student strengths (e.g., artist, reader, speaker).

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Assessment & Reflection

• Formative assessment via observation of group work, engagement, and presentations.
• Checklist based on:
  • Identification of food system parts
  • Understanding of connections
  • Collaboration and communication skills
• Self-assessment: Students circle one thing they learned and one question they still have, helping guide inquiry forward.

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Link to Reggio Emilia Philosophy

• Emphasizes collaborative, inquiry-driven learning through visual and tactile experiences.
• The teacher acts as partner and facilitator, encouraging student voice.
• Learning environment supports multi-age interactions, peer teaching, and holistic exploration of real-world systems.

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This lesson invites young learners to feel connected to their food’s journey, inspiring open-minded, caring attitudes essential to the IB learner profile, while nurturing deep conceptual understanding through authentic, student-driven inquiry.