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Sustainable Pest-free Vegetable Garden Inquiry Power-point

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Sustainable Pest-free Vegetable Garden Inquiry Power-point

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Lesson Explanation and Curriculum Justification Video

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Lesson Explanation and Curriculum Justification Video

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EHT4100 - Assignment Two - Lesson Explanation and Curriculum Justification

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Lesson Explanation and Curriculum Justification Video Powerpoint Slides

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Lesson Explanation and Curriculum Justification Video Powerpoint Slides

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I believe that throughout this assignment we as a group have worked together to develop an appropriate design brief, problem and unit plan to ensure that students gain substantial understanding from this topic. This came from collaborating different perspectives and working individually and as a group to ensure the best for students. All team members participated and contributed in various communication methods such as padlet, zoom, GoogleDocs, GoogleSlides and Facebook. Having various communication methods meant that communication was easy and that we could share different ideas and understandings quickly instead of waiting until our weekly zoom meetings.

I believe that I have successfully participated and contributed to the group. Having various different communication methods made it easier for me to share ideas and to collaborate with other team members.

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I believe our assignment has benefited vastly from the inclusion of multiple perspectives and personalities. I have learned valuable lessons related to the assignment tasks, processes and expectations, and I have also learned new and exciting skills and concepts outside of the project content through collaborating with my team.

We managed our time exceedingly well, and all members ensured that they had participated and contributed through our many communication tools i.e. Zoom, Padlet, GoogleDocs, GoogleSlides and Facebook. We also shared in the documentation process, with each of us contributing to and uploading the related documentation, as well as recording our individual contributions to meetings and collaborations.

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Throughout this assignment, our team has collaborated effectively and successfully. We have all individually contributed with each process of the assignment. Each team member has participated in a weekly meeting through zoom, and through completing individual activities for part of the assignment. We have successfully organised our meetings around each team member to ensure that each person was able to attend, and if needed we were able to change the day or the time of the meeting to ensure that each person was accounted for. Our team has extensively researched sustainable farming methods; past and current to create and guide the creation of our design brief solution.

I believe that I have participated successfully in ongoing involvement and contribution to the group as I have contributed to each requirement of the assignment and through constant collaboration and communication with the other team members.

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They do guided tours and could be a good excursion for the children to learn more about sustainable farming?

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The History of The Freeman Farm

A Family Farm since 1915, Arthur Freeman is regarded as the pioneer of the banana industry in Australia and he began growing bananas in the Currumbin Valley, after leaving his banana plantations in Fiji. The farm was established in 1915, and in the 1920's became the largest commercial banana farm in Australia, with over 100 acres of bananas (100,000 banana trees) and 40 full-time employees. This same family farm from 1915 is now the only continuous commercial fruit and vegetable farm in Currumbin Valley that remains today. In honour of Arthur Freeman, the Albert Shire Council and Gold Coast City Council erected the 'Arthur Freeman Lookout'.

Freeman's Organic Farm has been run by four generations of Freeman's. Today Bill Freeman, in partnership with his wife Lesley, and their son David Freeman run the farm, and will continue in the Freeman family. As too will the presence of the renowned 1972 yellow truck - a Jeep Gladiator J300 4WD, having done 40 years of hard farm work.

Traditionally Freeman's Organic Farm grew high quality tropical fruits such as avocados, custard apples, mangoes, paw paws, and of course award winning bananas. Today, however Freeman's Organic Farm have expanded their produce and grow a large range of organic fruits, vegetable and herbs. Thanks to the fertile volcanic basalt soils and the warm north-easterly aspect of the property, the quality, flavour, texture and nutrient density of the fruit grown here is second to none, and Freeman's bananas have taken out first prize at the RNA Show.

We ask the local community to support this genuine farming family enterprise so we can deliver high quality fruit and vegetables grown on organic principles to the communities of Tomewin, Currumbin Valley and the southern Gold Coast.

Contact Famer David for a guided tour where he can tell you all about the farms history and the future prospects while being surrounded by bliss.

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The History of The Freeman Farm A Family Farm since 1915, Arthur Freeman is regarded as the pioneer of the banana industry in Australia and he began growing bananas in the Currumbin Valley, after leaving his banana plantations in Fiji.

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Nerelle Happ - Indigenous Gardening Workshop

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Nerelle Happ - Indigenous Gardening Workshop

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Narelle offers workshops and presentations on garden layouts and specific Indigenous foods. Could be useful in case we wanted to add some traditional Indigenous plants/foods to the garden.

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Narelle gives some examples of plants to illustrate how they can be readily used: The little known Indigenous plant, Lemon Aspen, for example, bears a tart fruit that can be dried and used in a similar way to citric acid or where lemon flavours are needed.

Lemon Myrtle, a beautiful shrub that grows in the coastal regions of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, is a versatile herb that adds a citrus flavour to fish and dessert recipes. The leaves can also be infused in boiling water to make a highly aromatic tea.

The seeds of the ubiquitous wattle are likewise an all-round kitchen ingredient that can be used to season meat, thicken sauces and lend a nutty coffee-like taste to cakes and desserts. Not all wattle species, however, have edible seeds.

A recent trip to one of her workshops attracted a number of keen beginner gardeners. Said Gillian Duggin, an attendee: "I was surprised to learn that it is actually possible to grow native plants for food on a balcony. I live in an apartment so I don't have that much space." Gillian was one of several participants at Narelle Happ's Bush Tucker Garden workshop at Pocket City Farms in Camperdown Commons. The workshop is one of several events that Sydney's first urban farm hosts on Saturday mornings. "I always assumed the plants wouldn't thrive," said Gillian, "but Narelle has told me that they will do pretty well."

Narelle Happ, who is also a native landscape specialist, travels around Australia running educational sessions and advising homeowners on garden designs.

To attend the Pocket City Farm event in August this year, Jenni Harding and Sue Tait made the trip to Sydney from Parkes in Central West NSW. They are setting up a bush tucker garden in the childcare centre where they work.

"We got some information today on where we can actually go, (and) the nurseries available that will send the plants to us," says Jenni.

Sue looks forward to making pesto from the plants that they will grow in their bush tucker garden. Warrigal Greens, one of the first Australian native plants to be cultivated by the European settlers, is great for making pesto. It is typically found in coastal areas but can also flourish in the Brigalow Belt.

Narelle's workshop has taught Jenni and Sue how to identify edible species as well as how to grow, harvest and cook the plants.

"We needed to gain knowledge of what foods are edible and what's available because we're very limited where we live to get information," says Sue. "We'll go back and we'll have our meeting with our director and she'll be asking us questions on how we can establish [the garden]."

For more information on Pocket City Farms: http://www.pocketcityfarms.com.au

BUSH TUCKER PLANTS TO TRY

Most native plants are easy to grow because they are well suited to the local climate. To establish a low-maintenance bush tucker garden, find out what species grow in your area. Narelle Happ, a trained horticulturalist and permaculture designer, says that these plants do well in Sydney:

1. Midyim Berries (Austromyrtus dulcius). Plant them in the sun or shade. The small growing edible berries will thrive either way.

2. Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora). Who would have thought that this large tree could also be grown in a pot?

3. Warrigal Greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides). Nothing beats a plant that grows under any conditions.

4. Muntries (Kunzea pomifera). This small shrub bears sweet berries in summer.

5. Finger Lime (Citrus australasica) This has a delicious flavour that goes well with fish and desserts.

TIPS FOR GROWING BUSH TUCKER IN A SMALL SPACE

Did you know that you can grow bush food plants even if you live in an apartment?

According to Narelle Happ "you can actually produce a whole food forest on your balcony". She says that growing native plants in pots is actually very simple. Here are some key hints for cultivating a thriving garden in a small space:

Work out your balcony's aspect. Some plants need plenty of sunlight while others prefer the shade. A lot of native bush foods love the shade which is great for balcony gardens that don't get full sun.

Use high quality native soil and potting mix in the pots.

Mulch the top of the pots. Keeping the soil well drained and mulching the plants are a must in our variable climate.

Consider the wind. You may have to create a wind-break and put some plants behind it if you live in a windy area.

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Narelle gives some examples of plants to illustrate how they can be readily used: The little known Indigenous plant, Lemon Aspen, for example, bears a tart fruit that can be dried and used in a similar way to citric acid or where lemon flavours are needed.

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A company that does incursions regarding the importance of Farm bio-security (food security) and food sustainability. This could be a good introduction (Lesson 1?) as the students can be introduced to the importance of sustainable farming and the impacts of non-sustainable farming.

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We will come to you with a variety of animals and conduct classrooms learning sessions while we are there

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I have visited this place a few times, it is in the Redlands. They offer free guided tours with various walking trails that display native plants and animals. They also provide opportunities during the tour to plant native plants to make a personal contribution to the local environment. They also have workshops for the natural environment and waste and recycling.

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Environmental Education School Programs | Redland City Council

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Redlands youth and community education information

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Sustainable Farming Resource: Promoting methods and practices which protect public health. Provides information on benefits of sustainable farming and sustainable farming methods of practices including natural pest eliminators.

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Sustainable farming or, in a broader term, Sustainable agriculture is using farming practices considering the ecological cycles. It is also sensitive towards the microorganisms and their equations with the environment at large. In simpler terms, sustainable farming is farming ecologically by promoting methods and practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and protect public health.

It does not only concentrate on the economic aspect of farming, but also on the use of non-renewable factors in the process thoughtfully and effectively. This contributes to the growth of nutritious and healthy food as well as brings up the standard of living of the farmer.

Our environment, and subsequently, our ecology have become an area of concern for us over the last few decades. This has increasingly led us to contemplate, innovate and employ alternate methods or smaller initiatives to save our ecology.

One such initiative is sustainable farming. It simply means the production of food, plants and animal products using farming techniques that prove to be beneficial for public health and promote economic profitability. It draws and learns from organic farming.

Sustainable farming or Sustainable agriculture helps the farmers innovate and employ recycling methods, apart from the conventional perks of farming. A very good example of recycling in sustainable farming would be crop waste or animal manure. The same can be transformed into fertilizers that can help enrich the soil.

Another method that can be employed is crop rotation. This helps the soil maintain its nutrients and keeps the soil rich and potent. Collection of rainwater via channeling and then its utilization for irrigation is also a good example of sustainable farming practices.

Benefits of Sustainable Farming
1. Environment Preservation 2. Economic Profitability 3. Most efficient use of non-renewable resources 4. Protection of Public Health 5. Social and Economic Equity
Sustainable Farming Methods or Practices

Let us see various methods or practices of Sustainable Farming in detail:

1. Make use of Renewable Energy Sources

The first and most important practice is the use of alternate sources of energy. The use of solar, hydro-power or wind-farms is ecology friendly. Farmers can use solar panels to store solar energy and use it for electrical fencing and running of pumps and heaters.

Running river water can be a source of hydroelectric power and can be used to run various machines on farms. Similarly, farmers can use geothermal heat pumps to dig beneath the earth and can take advantage of earth's heat.

2. Integrated pest management

Integrated pest management is a combination of pest control techniques for identifying and observing pests in the initial stages. One also needs to realize that not all pests are harmful, and therefore it makes more sense to let them co-exist with the crop than spend money eliminating them.

Targeted spraying works best when one need to remove specific pests only. This not only helps you to spray pest on the selected areas but will also protect wildlife from getting affected.

3. Hydroponics and Aquaponics

In these innovative farming techniques, plants grow without soil and get nourished through specialized nutrients that are added to water.

In hydroponic systems, crops are grown with the roots directly in a mineral solution or with the roots in an inert medium like gravel or perlite. Aquaponics combines the raising of aquatic animals (such as fish) with the growing of hydroponic crops.

The water containing nutrients resulting from the mineralization of the waste material from the aquaculture fish is used to nourish the hydroponic plants. After the plants use the water, the water gets purified and then re-circulated back into the system to be reused by the fish.

Both hydroponic and aquaponic systems are available in a variety of scales, from small home-scale systems to commercial-scale systems.

4. Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is a tried and tested method used since ancient farming practices proven to keep the soil healthy and nutritious. Crop rotation has a logical explanation to it - the crops are picked in a pattern so that the crops planted this season replenish the nutrients and salts from the soil that were absorbed by the previous crop cycle. For example, row crops are planted after grains to balance the used nutrients.

5. Polyculture Farming

It involves growing multiple crop species in one area. These species often complement each other, and greater diversity of products can be produced at one plot while fully utilizing available resources. High biodiversity makes the system more resilient to weather fluctuations, promotes a balanced diet and applies natural mechanisms for preservation of soil fertility.

6. Permaculture

Permaculture is a food production system with intention, design, and smart farming to reduce waste of resources and create increased production efficiency. The focus is on the use of perennial crops such as fruit trees, nut trees, and shrubs that all function together in a designed system that mimics how plants in a natural ecosystem would function.

Permaculture design techniques include growing grain without tillage, herb and plant spirals, hugelkultur garden beds, keyhole and mandala gardens, sheet mulching, each plant serving multiple purposes, and creating swales on contour to hold water high on the landscape.

7. Avoid Soil Erosion

Healthy soil is key to a good crop. Age-old techniques like tilling the land, plowing etc. still work wonders. Manure, fertilizers, cover crops etc. also help improve soil quality. Crop rotations prevent the occurrence of diseases in crops, as per studies conducted.

Diseases such as crown rot and tan spot can be controlled. Also, pests like septoria, phoma, etc. can be eliminated by crop rotation techniques. Since diseases are crop-specific, crop rotation can work wonders.

8. Crop Diversity

Farmers can grow varieties of the same crop yielding small but substantial differences among the plants. This eases financial burdening. This process is called crop diversity, and its practical use is on a downslide.

9. Agroforestry

Agroforestry has become one of the powerful tools of farmers in dry regions with soils susceptible to desertification. It involves the growth of trees and shrubs amongst crops or grazing land, combining both agriculture and forestry practices for long-lasting, productive, and diverse land use when approached sustainably.

Trees here create a favorable microclimate that maintains the favorable temperature and soil humidity while protecting crops from wind or heavy rain. Trees have another important role. They stabilize soils, minimize nutrient runoff and improve soil structure.

Trees in this farming system also provide wood and fruits as an additional source of income for farmers with the possibilities for product diversification. Farmers can go even as far as growing a whole edible forest.

10. Food Forests

Food forests (also known as "forest gardens") are based on natural forest ecosystems and designed permaculture systems that consist of a multilayered edible "forest." These food forests are composed almost entirely of perennial food plants, including a canopy of tall and dwarf fruit and nut trees, a fruit shrub layer, layers of perennial herbs, mushrooms and vegetables at the ground level, climbing plants, and root vegetables underground.

Food forest systems are very productive because of both the diversity of plants that are growing there and all the plants are take advantage of each existing niche within the system.

11. Natural Pest Eliminators

Bats, birds, insects etc. work as natural pest eliminators. Farmers build a shelter to keep these eliminators close. Ladybugs, beetles, green lacewing larvae, and fly parasites all feed on pests, including aphids, mites and pest flies.

These pest eliminators are available in bulk from pest control stores or farming supply shops. Farmers can buy and release them on or around the crops and let them make the farm as their home.

12. Biodynamic Farming

Biodynamics incorporates ecological and holistic growing practices based on the philosophy of "anthroposophy." Biodynamic practices can be applied to farms that grow a variety of produce, gardens, vineyards, and other forms of agriculture.

In biodynamic farming, the high biodiversity of plants, animals and beneficial insects help replenish soil fertility and enhance plant growth to create a resilient ecosystem and support each other's health.

Biodynamics focus on generating the necessary health and soil fertility for food production onsite through the implementation of practices such as composting, application of animal manure from farmed animals, cover cropping or rotating complementary crops.

Working with the natural phenomenon of the cosmos also given much importance that influences upon the heath of the soil, plants, and animals during different moon and sun cycles.

13. Managed Grazing

A periodic shift of the grazing lands for cattle should be maintained. Moving livestock offers them a variety of grazing pastures. This means they will receive various nutrients, which are good for them. The excreta of these animals serve as a natural fertilizer for the land.

Change of location also prevents soil erosion as the same patch of land is not trampled upon constantly. Also, by grazing in time and mowing the weeds can be gotten rid off before they produce more seeds and multiply.

14. Save Transportation Costs

Targeting the sales of the production in the local market saves transportation and packaging hassles. It also eliminates the need for storage space. Therefore when stuff is grown and sold in local markets, it makes a community self-sufficient, economically sound, saves energy and doesn't harm the environment in any way.

15. Better Water Management

The first step in water management is the selection of the right crops. One must choose the local crops as they are more adaptable to the weather conditions of the region. Crops that do not demand too much water must be chosen for dry areas. Irrigation systems need to be well planned otherwise, they lead to other issues like river depletion, dry land and soil degradation.

One can also build rainwater harvesting systems to store rainwater and use them in drought prevailing conditions. Apart from that, municipal wastewater can be used for irrigation after recycling.

16. Removal of Weeds Manually

Farmers having small farms can use their hands to remove weeds from crops where machines can't reach or where crops are too fragile. This is quite a labor-intensive task and is not suitable for large farms.

Besides, a farmer also has the option to burn the old crops so that weeds do not produce seeds and destroy the rest of the crops. However, that will cause pollution in the air, and can also affect the soil quality.

17. Growing Heirloom and Older Varieties

The world has lost almost 90 percent of the fruit and vegetable seed varieties over the last 100 years that have provided the most nutritious and flavored food to generations of our ancestors. The industrialization of the global food system causes only a few varieties of our food plants to be grown commercially.

The gardeners and farmers need to grow heirloom and older varieties of crops to preserve the biodiversity of seeds and save the seeds that will nourish our children before the world lose them and many other remaining varieties of our food plants forever.

18. Urban Agriculture

Since most of the global population is predicted to live in cities in the future, there is tremendous scope for urban agriculture to make a significant positive impact on how we produce our food around the world.

The recent requirement to localize our food system requires that we grow food much closer to home, including in cities. Therefore, today, many innovative and sustainable growing techniques are already in the application in cities, including backyard farms and gardens, community gardens, rooftop farms, growing crops in urban greenhouses, indoor hydroponic farms, and perhaps even growing food inside urban farm towers.

Sustainable farming is not only economical, but it also helps in the conservation of our natural resources. Sustainable farming also helps reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This makes the process more organic and clean.

About Rinkesh

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What is Sustainable Farming and Best Sustainable Farming Practices? - Conserve Energy Future

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Sustainable farming or, in a broader term, Sustainable agriculture is using farming practices considering the ecological cycles. It is also sensitive towards the microorganisms and their equations with the environment at large. In simpler terms, sustainable farming is farming ecologically by promoting methods and practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and protect public health.

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Thought that this was a cool resource about sustainable farming !

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- By the Veggie Fairy Team

That's Farmer Charlie of Victory Farms in Henrico County, Va., in the photo. He clearly loves his compost, but why should you care about sustainable farming if you're not a farmer? There are four good reasons why, and they all make our lives better. But first...

What is sustainable farming?

The USDA defines sustainable agriculture as "the production of plant or animal products using techniques that protect the environment and the welfare of humans and animals."

Sustainable agriculture is focused on finding the right balance between our need to produce food and our need to preserve the environmental ecosystems that sustain our one-and-only planet.

One thing sustainable farming is NOT, is industrial. Industrial agriculture uses industrial techniques, including a heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. That's how they churn out huge volumes of crops and livestock. Industrial farming operations often treat the plants, animals, and humans involved like inanimate parts on a factory assembly line instead of like living things.

And what are sustainable farming methods?

To grow our food, farmers need clean water and good soil, and they have to be able to keep certain pests from eating up their crops before we can even take a bite. Sustainable methods make all that happen with a minimum of toxic chemicals.

CROP ROTATION avoids the problems that build up when you plant the same crops in the same soil year after year. Many pests prefer specific crops and are happy to settle in, gorge on the steady food supply, and boost their numbers. Rotation breaks the pests' reproduction cycle. Changing up the crops also changes what the plants take out of the soil and put back into it, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Farmers with pasture-raised cattle and chickens rotate them, too, fertilizing each field they pass through.

COVER CROPS are also used in the rotation process. In between the main crops, farmers plant cover crops like clover or oats. The cover crops prevent soil erosion, suppress weeds, and improve the soil quality without chemical fertilizers or herbicides.

SOIL ENRICHMENT produces good, healthy soil that's full of life, which increases crop yield. In addition to cover crops, other sustainable methods of enrichment include leaving stalks and leaves to compost in the field after harvest, and using other composted plant material or animal manure. Some farmers rotate their cattle through harvested fields to graze on the leavings. They can be followed by chickens that eat the bugs in the cow manure, while adding their own rich manure to the mix - making them an all-natural source of fertilizer and pest management!

NATURAL PEST PREDATORS like pasture-raised chickens are an integral part of a farm that's treated as an ecosystem instead of a factory. In addition to predator birds, there are predator insects like ladybugs and certain wasps that eat crop-eating insects. But when pesticides are used indiscriminately, the good insects get killed along with the pests. So integrated pest management relies on pest predators, crop rotation, and special techniques like introducing sterile male pests. Chemical solutions are only used as a last resort.

WATER & FUEL CONSERVATION includes drip irrigation instead of overhead spraying, so water isn't wasted through evaporation. Many sustainable farmers also use solar or wind energy to power water pumps and electrical fencing.

And now... here are four reasons why all these methods make our lives better!

REASON #1: MORE NUTRITIOUS FOOD

Sustainable food is grown with fewer toxic chemicals in naturally enriched soil. Sustainably grown crops and animals absorb or eat those nutrients, producing food that's more nutritious and less toxic.

REASON #2: SAFER ENVIRONMENT

Reducing pollution, chemical use, and soil erosion improves air and water quality for all of us. Fewer asthma triggers and carcinogens are good our health. And by working with nature instead of fighting it, sustainable farmers maintain bio-diversity and functioning eco-systems that the environment needs to stay healthy, too. Sustainable farmers continuously replenish the land so it will be there for future generations.

REASON #3: HAPPIER ANIMALS

Pasture-raised animals can engage in their natural behaviors and eat their natural diet. Not only are the animals happier and healthier, they produce food for us that's richer in nutrients and healthy fats. And knowing that the animals are being treated humanely just feels good, too.

REASON #4: HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

Sustainable farmers are exposed to fewer toxins, reduce their costs, and boost their crop yields. So they're better able to make a living while simultaneously feeding the rest of us and reducing pollution. That contributes to a community with a stronger economy and a healthier environment, the kind of place we all want to live.

So how can you tell if your food was grown sustainably?

It can be hard for the average person to figure out whether each item they eat was produced using sustainable methods. There's no "sustainable" label at the grocery store. The best solution is to go local and get to know all the farmers who grow your food. Yet that would be seriously time-consuming.

Fortunately, here at Seasonal Roots we check out the local farmers for you. So all you have to do is enjoy the food!

Read about the sustainable practices of these typical Seasonal Roots farmers:
Appalachian Harvest
Keenbell Farm
Saddle Ridge Farm
Victory Farms

For a deeper dive into the health benefits of eating sustainably, read the research collected by the GRACE Communications Foundation, a private foundation that advocates for sustainable alternatives.

ABOUT SEASONAL ROOTS

Since 2011, Seasonal Roots' online farmers market has connected Virginia families with local family farmers who use sustainable, humane practices. Our veggie fairies - mostly moms who believe in living better through scrumptious, healthy eating, being kind to animals, protecting the environment, and spreading joy - home-deliver freshly harvested produce, eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, plus artisan fare. We empower our members to eat better and live better with more nutritious, flavorful food that's good for us and good for the planet. More info at seasonalroots.com.

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4 reasons to support sustainable farming - Seasonal Roots

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By the Veggie Fairy Team That's Farmer Charlie of Victory Farms in Henrico County, Va., in the photo. He clearly loves his compost, but why should you care about sustainable farming if you're not a farmer? There are four good reasons why, and they all make our lives better. But first...

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This could be an effective way to bring in the community, using their knowledge of sustainability and gardening to assist in the design of our garden

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I have found this and it discusses various sustainable farming methods, such as crop rotation and inter-cropping. There are also techniques that can be used as alternatives to pesticides. It looks child friendly and a great resource that students could use to understand some basic terms as it defines them really well.

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How Are Sustainable Crops Grown?

Sustainable crops are grown in a different manner from industrial crops. Sustainable crop farmers focus on ensuring that their farming practices can be sustained over time and do not cause undue damage to the environment. A number of different principles are involved in sustainable crop production, including:

Multicropping

Multicropping is an agricultural method of planting multiple species on one piece of land, either during the same growing season or in successive growing seasons. Multicropping can involve:

Multicropping is in direct contrast to monocropping, in which large tracts of land are planted with a single crop. Multicropping has a number of environmental benefits, including:

Increased yields. Monocropping has been shown to decrease yields over time, while multiculture practices such as crop rotation and the use of cover crops can increase yields by reducing pests, improving soil health, and increasing water retention.

Increased biodiversity. Multicropped farms have a number of species that may interact in a meaningful way, such as providing shade for other crops, providing nitrogen fixation for the soil, or repelling pests.

Minimal to No Pesticide Use

Pesticides are substances that destroy various agricultural pests, including weeds (herbicides), insects (insecticides), bacteria (microbicides), and fungi (fungicides). Industrial crop production relies heavily upon pesticides, in part because the practice of monocropping increases vulnerability to pests. Unfortunately, pesticides can cause health problems in farm workers who apply the chemicals and who harvest the crops, and in consumers who eat foods with pesticide residues. Various pesticides have been linked to certain types of cancer, to neurological problems, and to other health problems. Pesticides also cause environmental damage such as water pollution and soil contamination. The use of pesticides can also make pest control more difficult; as in the case of insect control, insecticide use can have the unintended consequence of eliminating insect predators that prey upon pest insects, and can also increase pesticide-resistance in pest insects. In addition, pesticides have been shown to cause declines in pollinators and other beneficial insects that are critical to the health of agricultural systems.

Sustainable crop production greatly reduces pesticide use; in fact, many sustainable farmers do not use commercial pesticides at all. A number of alternatives to commercial pesticides can be used to protect crops from damage by pests such as weeds and insects, including:

Integrated pest management: Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a pest-management system that integrates several pest-management approaches. Principles of IMP include monitoring and identifying pests before they become a threat; intercropping and crop rotation to reduce buildup of pests; preventing pests before they reach damaging levels; use of plants that are natural insect repellants; and managing pests using a tiered system of control, including manual removal (e.g., weeding or trapping). Pesticides are generally used sparingly and only when other methods fail.

Focus on Soil Health

Soil health is a critical component of sustainable agriculture and comprises a number of different growing practices and principles. There is also some evidence that sustainably grown plants may be higher in vital macro- and micronutrients, resulting from increased soil health as a direct consequence of organic growing methods and sustainable practices. Some of these practices are outlined below:

Organic Fertilizer Use

Inorganic (commercial) fertilizers are synthetically created (or mined) for the purpose of adding nutrients plants need to grow to the soil. The practice of monocropping and the lack of crop rotation on industrial farms result in the greater need for soil augmentation with synthetic fertilizers. Commercial fertilizer use can impair soil health over time, resulting in the need for additional application of inorganic fertilizers. It may also cause soil acidification and soil contamination with heavy metals. In addition, commercial fertilizers are a primary source of water pollution, causing algal blooms and dead zones in bodies of water throughout the US. The production of inorganic fertilizers also requires large quantities of fossil fuels.

Crop Rotation, Intercropping, & Mulching

Less to No Tilling of Soil and Reduction of Heavy Machinery Use

Industrial agricultural operations use tilling (plowing) to create rows, loosen soil, and to remove weeds. Sustainable farms use no-till methods or minimize tilling in order to protect the soil. No-to-minimal till methods can reduce soil erosion and compaction, increase aeration (critical for root growth and function), and reduce loss of water and critical nutrients.

Large industrial operations also use heavy machinery to till the soil, to plant, and to harvest. Sustainable producers limit (or eliminate) use of heavy machinery, which conserves non-renewable resources (e.g., oil) and can decrease soil compaction and erosion.

Choosing Sustainable Seeds and Plant Varieties

Finally, in industrial crop production operations, genetically engineered (GE ) crop varieties may be grown to control pests, to allow greater application of herbicides, or to conform to perceived consumer demand (e.g., an apple variety that does not brown when cut). Sustainable agriculture rejects GE varietals due to their potential adverse environmental impacts, the uncertainty of their healthfulness, and the large amount of inputs required for their production (e.g., commercial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.).

Practicing Water Conservation and Sustainable Irrigation

Sustainable crop production practices include methods of water conservation and sustainable irrigation. Over-irrigation causes the salinization of soil, which can lead to declines in yield. Additionally, in many agricultural areas, aquifers used for irrigation are depleting rapidly. Sustainable agriculture water conservation practices include low volume irrigation, rainwater catchment, and the planting of drought-resistant crops or crops that have been bred for a particular environment.

Other Methods of Sustainable Crop Production

In addition to traditional farm planting, there are a number of sustainable agricultural practices that focus on growing food sustainably in ways best suited to a particular location or environment, including:

Aquaponics: Raising aquatic animals such as fish in a symbiotic environment with hydroponically grown plants.

Agroforestry: A type of intercropping that involves growing trees and shrubs alongside crops to the mutual benefit of both.

Permaculture: An agricultural philosophy that combines several agricultural principals, including agroforestry, intercropping, mulching, and rainwater catchment.

Rooftop farms and other methods of urban agriculture:Bringing food production closer to communities by growing on city rooftops, in small backyard plots, and in vacant lots.

Read more about innovative agriculture

Socioeconomic Factors in Sustainable Crop Production

Sustainable crop production entails not only environmental responsibility, but also socioeconomic responsibility, which involves ensuring fair treatment of workers, supporting farm communities, and sustaining local food systems.

In many industrial operations, farm workers are subjected to harsh conditions, including toxic exposure to pesticides and other chemical inputs, dismal living conditions, and extremely low pay. They also frequently lack legal protections provided to workers in other sectors. Sustainable farm managers strive to treat workers justly, including paying a fair wage for work.

Monoculture farms and their surrounding communities are also economically vulnerable to crop loss (e.g., by drought, flooding, or pest damage) and fluctuations in supply and demand. Diversifying farms through sustainable multiculture practices can help reduce this economic vulnerability.

Finally, sustainable crop production aims to support local communities through the protection and maintenance of farmland, by ensuring that money spent for farm inputs is distributed throughout the local community, and by serving as an integral component of local food systems.

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Sustainable crop production is a way of growing or raising food in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner. This includes adhering to agricultural and food production practices that do not harm the environment, that provide fair treatment to workers, and that support and sustain local communities.

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I found this resource, it is based around cattle and sheep, however it focuses on how the farmers have needed to adapt to climate change to develop sustainable practices. I found it really interesting, it is quite a long read but also discusses managing resources for the future.

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Target 100 : Food for the Future, Page 1

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It seems that crop rotation was a common practice by Indigenous Australians!
"By moving around their territory on a regular basis they allowed each part of their range to recover before returning" (para. 10)
It also includes broader farming strategies such as the community's consumption of a wide variety of food to accommodate foods that were in low supply.
"Studies of Aboriginal People in their environment showed that when one usual food supply wasn't available at a particular time, such as a drought, they shifted their foraging to other plants and animals" (para. 8)
They also took only what they needed of plants, leaving the rest to re-grow.
"the Anbara of Arnhem Land dug the yam tubers out but left the top of the tuber attached to the plant, and the tubers subsequently regrew" (para. 18

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Agricultural practices of Australian Aborigines in pre-contact Australia

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Indigenous Australian techniques for Sustainable Farming?

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Indigenous Australian techniques for Sustainable Farming?

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I had a thought while perusing our curriculum links, particularly Emma's suggestion regarding the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Cross Curriculum Priority. We could include Indigenous techniques into our garden development, even creating an Indigenous sustainable garden. I found this article that discovered the Indigenous people's cultivation of the land, and not just a hunter/gatherer approach to survival. "When explorer and surveyor Major Thomas Mitchell ventured into Australia’s inland in the early 1800s, he recorded in his journals his impressions of the landscape. Around him he noted expanses of bright yellow herbs, nine miles of grain-like grass, cut and stooped, and earthen clods that had been turned up, resembling ‘ground broken by the hoe."
This could give it a great cultural influence, and could provide more opportunities for excursions/guest speakers etc. Just a thought!

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It has long been thought that prior to white settlement, Indigenous Australians lived a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Now some scholars argue that the first Australians practised forms of agriculture and aquaculture, writes Cathy Pryor.
When explorer and surveyor Major Thomas Mitchell ventured into Australia's inland in the early 1800s, he recorded in his journals his impressions of the landscape. Around him he noted expanses of bright yellow herbs, nine miles of grain-like grass, cut and stooped, and earthen clods that had been turned up, resembling 'ground broken by the hoe'.

Mitchell, like other early explorers, noted what many white Australians would later overlook: there was evidence everywhere on this vast continent that Aboriginal Australians managed the land.

As I read these early journals, I came across repeated references to people building dams and wells, planting, irrigating and harvesting seed, preserving the surplus and storing it in houses, sheds or secure vessels ... and manipulating the landscape.

Historians, writers and academics are now rethinking Australia's perception of Indigenous land management. They argue that the first Australians had complex systems of agriculture that went far beyond the hunter-gatherer tag. They were, in fact, our first farmers, whose intimate knowledge of managing native plants and animals sustained them for thousands of years.

Indigenous writer Bruce Pascoe has recently published a book called Dark Emu: Black seeds, agriculture or accident? that challenges the popular perception of our Indigenous past.

He argues that the economy and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people has been 'grossly undervalued' for the past 200 hundred years. The early writings of white explorers and settlers are central to his argument; they described the cultivated way Indigenous people managed the land.

'Hunter-gatherer societies forage and hunt for food and do not employ agricultural methods or build permanent dwellings,' he writes.

'But as I read these early journals, I came across repeated references to people building dams and wells, planting, irrigating and harvesting seed, preserving the surplus and storing it in houses, sheds or secure vessels ... and manipulating the landscape.'

echoes historian Bill Gammage's The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines made Australia, published in 2011.

Gammage argues that early Australia was 'a farm without fences', and he too points to myriad early journal entries that reflect the fact that Indigenous Australians did cultivate the land.

'I think the skill in which Aboriginal people gathered food and resources is very well known. The key point is that they actually organized the landscape so as to make those resources predictable,' he says.

'The gathering is really the end point of a very sophisticated farming process.'

Gammage argues that early landscape paintings give an accurate picture of what Australia looked like prior to white settlement. Contrary to the popular opinion that the early painters simply romanticised the landscape to make it look more British or European, Gammage argues what they painted was actually much closer to reality: the trees weren't dense, the land was not completely forested and some areas did, in fact, look like the parks that early explorers described.

The view differs to what we might now think of as wilderness because Indigenous Australians had changed the landscape by clearing out undergrowth, thinning trees and opening up clearings through the clever use of fire.

'Aboriginal people used fire to distribute plant communities, like grass or open forest, across the country and the reason for doing that was to associate food for animals with shelter for animals,' he says.

'The most common example is you create grass, which is food for grazing animals like kangaroos, you put next to that an open forest which is their shelter and that encourages the kangaroos or the grazers to come from the shelter onto the grass.'

'Then you burn the grass and a fortnight later you get this sweet, fresh growth, that lures the kangaroos to that particular spot ... and they can be harvested more easily.'

Some scholars also believe that aquaculture was also an integral part of the pre-settlement Indigenous economy.

Heather Builth is a consultant archaeologist whose work in the 1990s recognised the ingenuity of the Budj Bim eel traps that were used in the Lake Condah district of western Victoria.

The stones and foundations that remain today have been dated to more than 6000 years old, and are just a fraction of an enormous system that weaved its way from the ocean to inland areas of the district.

Similar fish trap structures can be found on the Barwon Darling River in western New South Wales.

At Lake Condah, evidence remains of the stone foundations of wooden and thatched domed homes where Indigenous people once congregated.

Local man Jimmy Onus says his grandfather still used the eel traps when he was growing up and he remembers being told stories of how they were used.

'He told us we used to get the eels and how important they were to our diet and way of living,' he says. 'It wasn't just food. We also used the oil to keep warm and even to keep insects away.'

Eels were smoked in the hollows of trees, stored for lean times or traded with other Indigenous clans in the district. Builth says this was 'a marvelous system' that sustained a village of thousands three seasons out of four.
Related: Fish traps and tree guards Listen: Budj Bim eels
'I have mapped 100 square kilometres of man-made, constructed, modified land which ended up resulting in a network of channels and connected wetlands,' says Builth.

'The connected wetlands themselves are all in a mosaic, but they were not natural. The wetlands had been dammed up to ensure the water stayed in them in times of drought.'

There is hope that this kind of ancient knowledge could one day restart industries such as eel aquaculture and wild rice agriculture to provide employment and income for Indigenous communities.

Around Mallacoota in eastern Victoria, a group is propagating wild yam daisies in their backyards to see if it would be one day possible to grow them on a larger scale.

Central to the future, however, is the protection of the sites that still exist. Builth believes there could be more sites in Australia that are just as significant as the eel traps at Lake Condah. In north-western Victoria, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority is working with farmers and other landholders to educate them on how to look out for signs of Aboriginal agriculture, such as living sites and artefacts, to protect Indigenous history on their land.

Bruce Pascoe says he would like far more archaeological work done in Australia to document and protect our Indigenous past and recognise what was lost when Europeans arrived.

'The gathering stories have taken over somewhat from the farming stories because gathering was all that was left for people once the land was taken away,' he says.

'You couldn't do broad acre agricultural activities once the land had been taken from you.'

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It has long been thought that prior to white settlement, Indigenous Australians lived a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Now some scholars argue that the first Australians practised forms of agriculture and aquaculture, writes Cathy Pryor. When explorer and surveyor Major Thomas Mitchell ventured into Australia's inland in the early 1800s, he recorded in his journals his impressions of the landscape.

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This is a year 5/6 unit based on sustainability and Indigenous practices!
"Will continuining the practices of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people allow us to have a sustainable future?"

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people see themselves as part creation. They believe they were created them from the land by the Creator Spirit who provided for them through the gifts of nature provided from the earth, that which they call Mother. They had a scared responsibility to care for the earth.

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This could be an effective video for actually explaining the process of a sustainable school garden.

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Resources for Primary and Secondary Students - ABC Education

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4000+ educational games, videos and teaching resources for schools and students. Free Primary and Secondary resources covering history, science, English, maths and more

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OMG I just found this awesome app! I'm a bit excited about it because it allows gardeners to choose from 400 plants, 16 different garden styles and 40 native ecosystems (the children enter their suburb/postcode and it produces a planting palette that encourages year round colour and wildlife that is naturally adapted to your area!)

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On the 6/5/2018 I went to Bunnings to have a look at the Common Plants that we can consider for the design product. The plants that I have photographed are between the price range of $2.99 and $3.99, they do not require a large amount of space to grow

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This website provides students with a go to for pest control methods (eg. caterpillars hate chilli soap), a sustainability checklist and much more.
It also talks about soil health etc. It relates specifically to vegetable gardens rather than large crops.

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I have been using the app to create posters/glogs for my assignments this semester - I was thinking maybe the students can use this platform to create their farmer blog, it allows you to post pictures/videos/voice audios as well as by creating textboxes to type in information - super easy to use. It incorporates digital technologies!

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Services provided by Glogster.com have been temporarily disabled for operational reasons. We are in the process of disabling all recurring payments, but we do recommend that you contact your bank or credit card company directly to halt them.

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This could be a good way for us to present our lessons, and its linked to google docs! We could create a presentation and then open it and explain it via Zoom? We could add some pictures of the experiences and curriculum links. It might be a more appealing way to present the information instead of just 15 lesson plans (which we will be loading to the paddle anyway).

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Google Slides: Online Slideshow Maker | Google Workspace

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Use Google Slides to create online slideshows. Make beautiful presentations together with secure sharing in real-time and from any device.

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You can actually order the predatory insects and release them into your garden.
https://www.buglogical.com/index.php?p=home

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This is a website the common team students could use to research plants (as the native team can explore the bush foods one).

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Growing Guides for Youth and School Gardens - KidsGardening

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Learn to grow plants for your indoor or outdoor garden. Growing guides show how to plant, how to harvest, and how to care for what you grow.

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This is an app that could compliment the native one, as it specialises in common produce foods. The common team could use this one, and the native team could use the other one in the early stages of their garden planning

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Native predators to feed on pest insects

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Native predators to feed on pest insects

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This could tie in with the Indigenous method of attracting the animals they needed to a specific area

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Posted June 29, 2017 17:56:50

Farmers in Darwin are using native bugs as a way to reduce pests as part of a new program that is showing promising results.

At a field day at the Coastal Plains Research Farm, roughly 60 kilometres south-east of Darwin, growers showed off demonstration crops that use predator insects to deal with pests like aphids and two-spotted mites.

"The idea of the demonstration plot is to show growers the [predatory insects] they can identify on their own properties and try and use techniques where they build them up rather than taking them out," NT Farmers CEO Greg Owens said.

Mr Owens said while it was a change from traditional pest-control methods, it was an environmentally friendly option and meant farmers were not becoming completely dependent on insecticides.

"Using the native predators that will attack our pest insects is one method of controlling the pests on the crop other than using broad spectrum insecticide sprays," he said.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies pest control method aims to minimise the use of chemicals in an effort to reduce environmental impacts and costs to farmers.

Mr Owens said his program was different to other approaches to pest management, like the cane toad, which have wreaked havoc on some Australian crops.

"The good thing about IPM is that they [the predators] will move out into their native food sources which are in the bush anyway," he said.

"These are native animals, they increase in numbers and decrease as the food supply changes."

Farmer Simon Smith said the program had radically changed the way he managed pests at his commercial nursery in Howard Springs.

"We haven't used a chemical in seven years on any of the plants we grow," he said.

IPM CEO Paul Horne said his company promoted natural pest control alongside the use of insecticides.

"There becomes a problem when the pests become tolerant or resistant to pesticides," he said.

"If those products that are being used also kill the natural enemies of the pest, the situation that the farmer encounters is that they're planting a crop that the pest can feed on, but there's no natural enemies and the chemicals don't kill them ... the pests just reproduce very rapidly and problems get out of control."

Mr Horne said some farmers in the Territory have already started using his method, and he hoped to work with them to maximise the result.

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Growers using native predators to eat bugs causing havoc on crops

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Posted June 29, 2017 17:56:50 Farmers in Darwin are using native bugs as a way to reduce pests as part of a new program that is showing promising results. At a field day at the Coastal Plains Research Farm, roughly 60 kilometres south-east of Darwin, growers showed off demonstration crops that use predator insects to deal with pests like aphids and two-spotted mites.

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An Indigenous Australian inspired Bush Foods Garden?

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An Indigenous Australian inspired Bush Foods Garden?

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I found this page that lists some native fruit/food trees, and highlights their hardiness and adaptability to the Australian climate "No garden could require less maintenance but give more rewards than an Australian native bushfood garden. Often referred to in Australian slang as Bush Tucker, the plants are well adapted to our harsh climate and their hardiness sees little use for fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides." (dales, n.d. para. 1).
We could approach the task through a health and environment standpoint, listing the advantages of native flora for both the environment and people's health?

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Description
No garden could require less maintenance but give more rewards than an Australian native bushfood garden. Often referred to in Australian slang as Bush Tucker, the plants are well adapted to our harsh climate and their hardiness sees little use for fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides. Most bush foods are small due to the small amount of water they contain however they are packed with plenty of goodness and flavour.
The bushfood industry is a growing one, however as a very new industry it has had to tackle species research, toxicology, cultivation practices, harvesting methods, market potential, consumer education and distribution networks all at once so many commercial growers are required to find their own markets. For the home grower there is nothing quite as Australian as growing our native bush foods and using them to create a truly unique and fascinating Australian cuisine.

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Description No garden could require less maintenance but give more rewards than an Australian native bushfood garden. Often referred to in Australian slang as Bush Tucker, the plants are well adapted to our harsh climate and their hardiness sees little use for fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides.

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This is a child friendly online program that teaches children to blog! It could be a resource for the farmers blog!

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The Botanic Gardens at Mount Cootha, provide opportunities for children and students to participate in excursions that investigate and explore plants that are used in Aboriginal Communities for food, consider the diverse role of plants in Aboriginal Culture. This can be used as a resource if we incorporate indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Cross Curriculum Priority.

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I have found this to use as an example not so much for information. I thought maybe the students could create a blog to use to share ideas that work and don't work. Or ideas that they have come up with.

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Eco-Friendly Ways to Get Rid of Garden Pests | Maid Brigade Blog

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Marie Stegner, Consumer Health Advocate and contributing blogger for Maid Brigade, is a nationally recognized healthy living and green cleaning expert. She writes for this blog so that consumers can understand how harsh chemicals and unhealthy practices can negatively affect them physically and mentally, with the hope that they will be able to make informed decisions and pursue a more green and healthy lifestyle.

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Found this great resource that has a brochure/fact sheet of different pests in the garden, what plants they affect and different chemical-free and sustainable control methods. Could be a great resource to facilitate learning and guide inquiry based learning.

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An excellent research tool for the children to use

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From the time they were very young, Indigenous peoples were taught to respect their local environment. They learned to maintain the land to ensure that the resources would continue to be available for generations to come. They believed that in order to do that, they could take or use only what was needed and that they should not waste anything. They would also stay in an area for only a certain time to make sure...

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indigenous australians and the environment

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Indigenous Australians and the Environment

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From the time they were very young, Indigenous peoples were taught to respect their local environment. They learned to maintain the land to ensure that the resources would continue to be available for generations to come. They believed that in order to do that, they could take or use only what was needed and that they should not waste anything.

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This is a good little video that outlines the 6 steps of the research process; this could be a great clip to explain the purpose of research and how it relates to the task.

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This is an app that could remind students when to water/fertilise/harvest the plants while caring for the garden. This could be included in the lessons that feature garden management and could also be a connection to digital technologies

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Plantbook - Gardening companion for your plants on the App Store

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Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Plantbook - Gardening companion for your plants. Download Plantbook - Gardening companion for your plants and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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This is a clip that could show sustainability in action in a real world scenario, this could be effective to show once the students have developed their student problem and are researching solutions,  particularly if there will be a connection to the school canteen - "Discover a community garden and a local restaurant working together to grow fresh produce and create fabulous meals - sustainably. View this clip created by young reporters from Presbyterian Ladies College in Armidale, New South Wales."

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Resources for Primary and Secondary Students - ABC Education

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4000+ educational games, videos and teaching resources for schools and students. Free Primary and Secondary resources covering history, science, English, maths and more

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I think this is the template we need to use...

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world.

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After research I found that a lot of sustainable farming has a lot to do with soil and I stumbled across this great resource for composting. Composting is great for students to have a hands-on approach to creating a sustainable way to care for their gardens.

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Just a small resource to demonstrate and state the importance of composting to create a sustainable environment

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Found a another resource that demonstrates and illustrates the importance of compost bins in gardens to promote sustainability!

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This is a good source for supporting the Indigenous' lack of organic waste as "everything was returned to the Earth" (p.2). This could support the use of composting in both gardens

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Istumbled across this, found this quite interesting and started to think about the soil that we should use when creating the garden as this plays a major role is sustainable farming.

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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Soil: An essential ingredient to healthy food and nutrition

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it finally worked ! let me know if it doesn't make sense !

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Hi guys! I've attached my rough draft, I do wish to fix up my curriculum links but let me know what you think ! (i'm having difficulty uploading the file- ill try add it again tomorrow, I've sent it to our group chat for now !)

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Hi guys,
I have edited these and added in some more curriculum information. Hope it is okay.

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Inquiry Stage: Investigating and Defining 

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Inquiry Stage: Investigating and Defining 

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To begin the inquiry process we began by investigating various areas of sustainability and sustainable farming. We also looked at ways in which students could present their findings when they complete the investigation themselves. We worked as a group to find resources that we thought would benefit both the student’s investigation and our own. We then discussed these through zoom meetings and presented most on this padlet or throughout our unit and lesson plans. Some of the more interesting and relatable websites and documents which we found are on this padlet and titled: Sustainable Gardening Australia, Narelle Happ- Indigenous Gardening Workshop and Pests in the Garden. There are also a variety of other resources that focus on both Indigenous and Western Farming methods which are areas which the design brief can branch into. Other resources were also used as research points and areas which we found interesting, or we used within our lessons such as the Hahndorf Barn experience.

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Hey girls, I've started the powerpoint that Chris suggested we do on the Zoom chat, I've followed the template of the Above Satisfactory Design and Technologies Examples. Let me know what you think.

UPDATED WITH WEEK1 MEASUREMENTS

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Students are introduced to the negative national health and environmental impacts of unsustainable farming, through a sustainable farming incursion - Hahndorf Farm Barn.

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Here is our one minute video that explains our selected curriculum outcomes.

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Current unsustainable farming methods, particularly pest control, are having negative impacts on the environment and people’s health. Students are to investigate and compare different sustainable pest control methods that have a positive impact on human health and how unsustainable practices affect the environment. They will need to provide a solution that utilises sustainable gardening/farming methods (Indigenous and western inspired approaches), considering things like, soil type and waste management, pest control, plants/foods to use, budgets and student groupings.

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Lessons 5-10
Completed with my curriculum links. Hope it is okay :)

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Hi guys, this is a rough draft of my lesson sequence. I intend to tidy up the links to curriculum and the group strategies (in the Frankenheim book) but this is a general layout of what I intended to do.
I've fixed it up so now I think its pretty much done!