In this Flipside Science unit, designed for a middle school audience, we'll explore environmental issues related to the food we grow and eat. On this page you'll find nine short videos and five associated lesson plans connected to the Next Generation Science Standards with an emphasis on engineering and design thinking.

Videos in this Unit

Urban Farming

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Did you know that 23 million Americans currently don't have access to grocery stores?

Think Before You Eat

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​What's the environmental impact of that cheeseburger you just ate?

Reducing Food Waste

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Did you know that the average American creates 20 lbs of food waste per month?

Why Protect Pollinators?

Flowering plants depend on pollinators

Pollinators contribute to the biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems and benefit people. Let's protect them!

Bugs for Breakfast

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Flipside Science explores why eating insects is better for our planet than other sources of protein, like beef.

Un Chapulín Crujiente

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¿Podría comer insectos mejor para el medio ambiente que comer otras fuentes de proteínas?

Return to Homepage

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Flipside Science Wordmark

All units in this series focus on human impacts on Earth's systems.

Unit Lessons in Sequence

View Unit Summary

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View unit summary-Food

Download an overview of the course, complete with connections to the NGSS.

Associated Resources

Cornucopia

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Cornucopia game

In this game, students level up the farm with green technology to meet the space and water needs of their crops.

About Cornucopia

Darah Playing Cornucopia

In this free browser-based game, you'll plant crops and earn technology updates to make your farm successful!

Science Texts for Close Reading

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Reading for Students

Your students can evaluate some of the innovative solutions introduced in this unit, like reducing food waste.

Impressions from Educators

Hear what teachers have to say about Academy professional development and our educational products.

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