Instructional Materials

Milkweed in the Classroom logo in front of photo of milkweed plants

Milkweed in the Classroom - Lesson Set

The Milkweed in the Classroom lessons are designed to help students investigate a real-world phenomenon that is connected with students’ interests and experiences. In this unit, the monarch migration will act as the anchoring phenomenon and students will investigate the guiding question, “How has the monarch migration has changed over time and why?”

Elementary
Classroom Instruction
Engineering
Lesson
Systems Thinking
Informed Decision Making
Food
Community Science
Science Standard:
Prairie Protector logo

Prairie Protector - Video Game

Middle School
High School
Classroom Instruction
After-School Instruction
At-Home Instruction
Life Sciences
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Engineering
Game
Systems Thinking
Informed Decision Making
Food
Prairie Protector logo

Prairie Protector - Video Tutorial

Need a quick start guide before playing the Prairie Protector digital game? Watch the video below to see a quick walk-through tutorial to learn a bit about the game and some useful tips.

Middle School
High School
Classroom Instruction
After-School Instruction
At-Home Instruction
Life Sciences
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Engineering
Video
Systems Thinking
Informed Decision Making
Food
GMO and Food Security storyline graphic

Feeding a Growing Population - GMOs and Food Security Storyline

Feeding a Growing Population: GMOs and Food Security is a standards-aligned life science unit to help students understand GMOs and their benefits in feeding the future.

Middle School
High School
Classroom Instruction
Life Sciences
Technology
Engineering
Lesson
Phenomena
Systems Thinking
Informed Decision Making
Food
Nutrition storyline graphic

How Do Athletes Fuel Their Body? - Nutrition Storyline

How do Athletes Fuel Their Body? - Nutrition Storyline is a standards-aligned science unit that helps students understand how food (inputs) going into the athlete’s body affect their performance (output).

High School
Classroom Instruction
Life Sciences
Lesson
Phenomena
Food
Science Standard:
Food Waste storyline graphic

How Can We Reduce Food Waste? – Food Waste Storyline

How Can We Reduce Food Waste is a standards-aligned science unit that helps students understand how environmental conditions affect the growth of organisms, which can then lead to food spoilage and waste.

Middle School
High School
Classroom Instruction
Life Sciences
Lesson
Phenomena
Systems Thinking
Informed Decision Making
Food
Science Standard:
Loopy graphic logo

Nicky Case

LOOPY - Video Tutorial

This 6-minute video tutorial introduces the basics of getting started with the LOOPY tool for modeling systems. This tutorial is targeted at students in grades 6 and up and can be used with undergraduate students or the general public.

Middle School
High School
Post-Secondary
General Public
Classroom Instruction
After-School Instruction
At-Home Instruction
Video
Systems Thinking
LOOPY model of the impact Covid-19 has had on a person

Systems Thinking for Resilience - Digital Lesson

Looking for a way to get started with the LOOPY tool? The Systems Thinking for Resilience learning module will provide a short video introduction to systems thinking and a quick LOOPY tutorial to help you start modeling a system that is personally meaningful to you. Participants will be asked to engage in reflective practice as they create a system model that answers the question, "How might a big change send ripple effects through your life and what actions can you take to build or maintain resilience during uncertain times?".

Middle School
High School
Post-Secondary
Classroom Instruction
After-School Instruction
At-Home Instruction
Lesson
Video
Systems Thinking
Illustration of 14 habits of a system thinker cards

Waters Center for Systems Thinking

14 Habits of a Systems Thinker - Card Set

Practicing systems thinking habits can change the way you see the world and influence the actions or decisions you make. This card set from the Water Center for Systems Thinking introduces 14 habits of a systems thinker that you can start practicing today!

Elementary
Middle School
High School
Post-Secondary
General Public
Classroom Instruction
After-School Instruction
At-Home Instruction
Tool
Systems Thinking

Garden TOOLS - Professional Development

Our online professional development modules are intended to provide participants with on-demand and easy-to-understand training to help you start using the Garden TOOLS lessons and resources with students in grades 3-5.

High School
Post-Secondary
General Public
Professional Development
Life Sciences
Technology
Engineering
Informed Decision Making
Food
Water