Food Lesson: Food Insecurity
Lesson Plan
1 hour 15 minutesGrades6, 7, 8Civics
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Written by Kate Strangfeld, Ben Charles
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn about food insecurity and analyze potential solutions for their own community.
Inquire: Students learn the causes and consequences of food insecurity and ask questions they have about it.
Investigate: Students investigate food deserts and existing solutions.
Inspire: Students think about their community and analyze solutions to food insecurity that could be applied to their neighborhood.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- Students learn about difficult issues like food insecurity and food deserts but in the context of solution-based thinking.
- Students think about and analyze their community and think of ways they can make a tangible difference.
- A glossary is included at the end of the Teacher Slideshow. Teachers can review or introduce vocabulary words into the lesson and activities.
- Students and classes can explore solutions to food insecurity from around the world. A starting resource can include Tolou Keurs, Senegal's Drought-Resistant Circular Gardens.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 5 of 6 in our 6th-8th grade Food & Climate Change Unit.
- Students should understand food insecurity isn’t just about access to food and hunger, but also malnutrition.
- Students should understand that food insecurity is an issue for many people for a variety of different reasons, but there are potential solutions.
- Teachers can prepare vocabulary words using the glossary at the end of the Teacher Slideshow. Words include accessible, food desert, implementation, and initiative.
Differentiation
- Teachers can assign the Teacher Slideshow on Google Classroom and students can submit their work independently.
- Teachers can group students and assign them level-appropriate resources.
- Teachers can eliminate options in the guided research section if the options are overwhelming.
- Teachers can review the teacher slideshow as a class and answer the questions as a whole group assignment.
- Students can research other solutions, compare and contrast current solutions, and evaluate which would address food insecurity in their community or region. Some starting resources include but are not limited to
From the scientist review
This lesson introduces students to what food insecurity and food deserts entail, how it adversely impacts vulnerable populations, low-income communities, and the world at large. It offers them the opportunity to brainstorm on ideas to address food insecurity in their communities and across different geographies. All materials in the lesson have been reviewed, and there is a high confidence in using this lesson in the classroom.
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About the teacher writers
Kate Strangfeld
6-12 Chemistry Teacher
I'm a current student at Harvard Graduate School of Education and previously taught middle school science and high school chemistry for 8 years in Washington, DC. I also love to cook and be active. I focus on designing lessons that are hands-on and use real-world scenarios to make science engaging and approachable to students. I'm also currently exploring how we can use cooking and food to teach chemistry in a more interesting & relatable way.
Ben Charles
Chief of Partnerships and Communication
Ben Charles holds a Master's Degree in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. He has nine years of experience teaching grades 3–7 across multiple subject areas. His expertise includes interdisciplinary instruction designed to support diverse learners and foster meaningful student engagement
