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What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Lesson 4

Secondary, Middle

Description

In this lesson, students will learn the key concepts involved in regenerative agriculture and construct an argument demonstrating how these concepts work together to support soil health, a sustainable agricultural economy, and the potential to reverse the impact of climate change.

Students will:

  • read the quote from “Drawdown Food” and examine the greenhouse gases chart to connect industrial agriculture to climate change
  • view the introduction to the film Common Ground to learn about regenerative agriculture and discuss
  • research regenerative agriculture and collect evidence to create an argument to inspire a conventional farmer to transition from industrial to regenerative agriculture
  • watch a video about one family’s experience converting from industrial to regenerative agriculture
  • generate economic arguments in support of regenerative agriculture
  • work individually or in small groups to create a presentation to encourage farmers to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture

Teacher have access to order the educational version of both films needed for this lesson plan. Links to the free download are provided on the website.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

Students gather evidence and create arguments, helping develop research and communication skills.

Strengths

  • The lesson is flexible and can be adapted so that the depth of research, discussion, and presentation aligns with the students’ grade level and skill set
  • The topic is current and has real-world relevance
  • The lesson has a strong inquiry component

Weaknesses

  • No outdoor activity or action project is suggested
  • Opportunities for action, such as presenting to farmers, depends on the teachers organizing them
  • No assessment tools or rubrics are provided

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This lesson supports curriculum outcomes for students in grades six to twelve in science, environmental science and agriculture studies.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
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        • Interactions and Ecosystems
        • Plants for Food and Fibre
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    • Grade 11
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      • Environmental Science
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        • Environmental Science 11: Human practices affect the sustainability of ecosystems
        • Environmental Science 11:Humans can play a role in stewardship and restoration of ecosystems
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        • Science for Citizenship 11: Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adapt to changes locally and globally
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        • Geographic Issues of the 21 st Century: Food from the Land
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        • Senior 2 Science: Dynamics of Ecosystems
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        • World Geography: A Human Perspective - World Food Supply: Production and Distribution
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        • Science 9 Ecosystem Dynamics: Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Science 2200: Ecosytems
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        • Environmental Science 3205: Land Use & the Environment
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    • Grade 11
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        • Environmental Science 11: Human practices affect the sustainability of ecosystems
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        • Science for Citizenship 11: Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adapt to changes locally and globally
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      • Environmental Science
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        • Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population
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        • Science 7: Environmental Action
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      • Geography
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        • AP Human Geography: Agricultural and Rural Land - Use Patterns and Processes
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        • Interactions and Ecosystems
        • Plants for Food and Fibre
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        • Geography 621A Global Issues : Inquiry- What are the issues?
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        • Agriscience 801A: Crop Production
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    • Grade 11
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      • Environmental Science
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        • Environmental Science 11: Human practices affect the sustainability of ecosystems
        • Environmental Science 11:Humans can play a role in stewardship and restoration of ecosystems
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science for Citizenship 11: Scientific understanding enables humans to respond and adapt to changes locally and globally
    • Grade 12
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Environmental Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Environmental Science 12: Sustainable land use is essential to meet the needs of a growing population

Themes Addressed

Air, Atmosphere & Climate (1)

  • Climate Change

Food & Agriculture (3)

  • Conventional Farming
  • Local Food
  • Organic Farming

Land Use & Natural Resources (1)

  • Rural Issues

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

This lesson provides different points of view about farming. Students learn about industrial agriculture and its impacts, and about regenerative agriculture through videos, research, and real farmer stories. They compare the two approaches and think about the benefits and challenges, helping them understand multiple perspectives on farming and climate.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Very Good

This lesson guides students to examine the environmental impacts of farming practices, such as soil health, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions. It encourages analysis of the economic implications for farmers and the broader agricultural system. Students address social issues when they analyze how agriculture affects farmers, communities, and food systems as part of their research, discussions, and presentations.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Very Good

By comparing industrial and regenerative agriculture, analyzing real-world case studies, and building evidence-based arguments, students see that agricultural practices are not just a simple “good vs. bad” choice. They must weigh trade-offs, benefits, and challenges across multiple systems, reflecting how complex the issue really is.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Good

Students research regenerative agriculture, analyze real-world case studies, develop evidence-based arguments, and create presentations to persuade farmers to adopt regenerative practices.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

Students will work individually or in small groups to synthesize information from the videos and their own research, to create a presentation to encourage farmers to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture. 

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

Not considered in this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Good

There is no outdoor component for this lesson plan, but through videos and case studies, students learn how regenerative farming restores ecosystems, protects wildlife habitats, and improves environmental health.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

Students examine real-world issues like climate change, food production, and soil health, which affect everyone’s food and environment. They explore case studies of real farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture, connecting abstract concepts to real people and communities.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Good

Students learn how farming in the past has affected the environment, explore what is happening in agriculture today, and imagine ways to make farming better for the future. They see how regenerative practices can protect soil, help communities, and reduce climate change, giving them a positive vision of what’s possible.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

Students will construct an argument demonstrating how these concepts work together to support soil health, a sustainable agricultural economy, and potentially reverse the impact of climate change. They are not steered towards one answer.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good
  • Science
  • Environmental Science
  • World Issues
  • Agriculture Studies
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Very Good

Students are encouraged to ask questions about industrial and regenerative agriculture, climate impacts, and soil health. They research regenerative practices and collect evidence from articles, charts, and video clips. They analyze real-world case studies, such as a family transitioning from conventional to regenerative farming, to investigate outcomes and challenges.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

Students research regenerative agriculture and collect evidence to create an argument to inspire a conventional farmer to transition from industrial to regenerative agriculture. They watch a video about one family’s experience converting from industrial to regenerative agriculture. They work individually or in small groups to create a presentation to encourage farmers to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Poor/Not considered

No outdoor experience or activity provided in this lesson plan.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students can work in small groups to create a presentation to encourage farmers to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture. 

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory

The lesson provides a list of questions students should address within their argument. No rubrics or assessment tools are provided.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Good

Students create a presentation aimed at encouraging farmers to transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture. It is up to the teacher to provide opportunities to actively share their research and arguments, whether in class, with peers, or with actual farmers.

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Very Good

Students view the Bock family from North Dakota, a case study of one's family's experience converting from industrial to regenerative agriculture.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Satisfactory

The resource provides website links to suggested extensions and resources to enhance the learning.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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