UNIT D SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE & BIOMASS ENERGY NM Standards and Benchmarks Social Studies Economics Strand, Content Standard IV-B: Analyze and evaluate how economic systems impact the way individuals, households, businesses, governments, and societies make decisions about resources and the production and distribution of goods and services. Performance Standard #8: Evaluate economic systems by their ability to achieve broad societal goals (e.g., efficiency, equity, security, employment, stability, economic growth). Science Strand III, Science and Society, Content Standard I: Examine and analyze how scientific discoveries and their applications affect the world, and explain how societies influence scientific investigations and applications. Performance Standard #4: Understand the scientific foundations of common technologies (e.g., kitchen appliances, radio, television, aircraft, rockets, computers, medical X-rays, selective breeding, fertilizers and pesticides, agricultural equipment). Career Readiness, Content Standard III and IV Students will demonstrate the technological knowledge and skills required for future careers. Students will develop and demonstrate responsible and ethical workplace behaviors. 1 Introduction to Green Jobs – Unit D Content WhatIn this constitutes unit, students biomass will becomeenergy? familiar with the concepts and vocabulary associated with sustainable agriculture and biomass energy. Organic food and fiber production without the use of synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers is the fastest-growing sector of the agricultural industry, fueled by consumer demand in both North America and Europe. Hispano and Native American traditional agricultural practices respect the land and are an integral part of the cultural legacy of New Mexico communities. Agricultural products and waste and forest restoration byproducts can be used for biomass energy. Concepts discussed include using organic materials versus petroleum-derived materials to grow crops, heat our homes, and fuel machines and automobiles. The applied science will be instructed and demonstrated to inform the following: carbon and nitrogen cycles in agriculture, carbon footprints of organic fertilizers versus petroleum-based fertilizers, biomass energy, the variety of ways in which we use biopower, biofuels production, and the use of biofuels for transportation. Students will engage in an experiential activity in an effort to raise awareness of the variety of employment opportunities available in these fields. Students will receive information on training programs in these fields. Vocabulary Essential Questions organic production In sustainable agriculture and biomass energy, sustainable agriculture what careers are emerging in the effort to food shed reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, to food miles reduce the advance of rapid climate change, permaculture and to make responsible use of our natural green manure resources? compost food security/insecurity In sustainable agriculture and biomass energy, what career paths interest me and suit my biomass talents? biopower biofuels What are the skill sets needed to be successful biodiesel in these career pathways? landfill gas How and where can I learn the necessary skills woody biomass to land a good green job in a field that interests biomass farming me? forest restoration renewable resources Focus Questions algae What is organic vs. sustainable? What is food security and how can sustainable agriculture help? Time Allocation What constitutes biomass energy? 2 weeks 2 Introduction to Green Jobs – Unit D Introduction (1 - 3 classes) Objective: Students will demonstrate understanding of the environmental, social, and economic implications of sustainable agriculture and using biomass energy. Activities: 1. Unit Overview Breaking petroleum dependency, petroleum-based vs. organic-based agriculture and their relative impacts, green manure, composting, making food systems less energy-dependent, permaculture, sustainable vs. organic, utilizing agricultural products and waste for biofuel, biofuel as a transitional solution, forest restoration, forest biomass, and creating biofuel from algae. Materials: projector and screen, laptop, speakers, Portland’s Curbside Food and Yard Waste Collection for Community Composting (appendix B.1), DVD—―The Power of Community: How Cuba Faced Peak Oil,‖ laptop with available links mentioned below. Resources: ―Implications of Fossil Fuel Dependence for the Food System,‖ www.energybulletin.net Plan for Portland, OR Curbside Food and Yard Waste Collection for Community Composting http://www.wmnorthwest.com/portland/yardwaste.html Biomass Energy Basics http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biomass.html Legal Definition of Sustainable Agriculture http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/sustain_ag_if_legal.html Definition of organic production http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml Cooperative Extension Service NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences – organic farming principles and sustainable practices http://extension.nmsu.edu Short films: o Video segment on petroleum-based agriculture from film, ―The Power of Community: How Cuba Faced Peak Oil‖ (2004). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSYHU4FXRtg o ―Permaculture Water Harvesting,‖ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJL1yZ4N6fs o ―How to Compost‖, National Geographic http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/going-green- environment/green-home-makeover/compost-gg.html o New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute http://www.nmfwri.org/ 3 Introduction to Green Jobs – Unit D 2. New Mexico Farming Heritage Invite guest presenter from Seeds of Change Farm, Native Seeds/SEARCH, or Heritage Seeds to give history and to share information. Miguel Santistevan of Sol Feliz Farm ([email protected]) is happy to Skype with your class regarding New Mexico’s heritage of agriculture, acequia systems, and seed saving. Santistevan relates well to the students and inspires pride in our native culture while sharing valuable information. Materials: laptop, screen, speakers, links below. Resources: Dreaming New Mexico at www.dreamingnewmexico.org Local Foodshed and Local Value Chains http://www.dreamingnewmexico.org/food/ff- local-foodshed Center for Southwest Culture – future of organic agriculture in NM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSqdQlWC0E&feature=BF&list=ULlncsJXvA4mI &index=6 The Age of Local Foodsheds and a Fair Trade State http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFUxgVXytuA&feature=related Cultural traditions are not separated from food in indigenous culture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kugIh-XH-WQ&list=ULlncsJXvA4mI&playnext=1 Local foods and New Mexico Pueblos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA49j0_dUM4&list=ULlncsJXvA4mI&playnext=1 Youth farmers in Albuquerque http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL8HZe0Rpis&feature=related Homework: Preparation for ―A Realistic Feast‖ - Assign some students to bring ramen noodles (33%), others boxes of macaroni and cheese (12%), some canned peas (13%), and still others a box of saltine crackers (14%). Teacher gets P.O. to nice restaurant to buy one carry-out of a mid-scale balanced meal, which will be served on nice pottery plate the next day. Also buy cans of soda for 50% of the class. Assessment: Vocabulary quiz, 70% or better competency. 3. A Realistic Feast This activity demonstrates the extent of food insecurity in the world (See Appendix D.1). Before class or during the first 10 minutes, assign certain students to cook the macaroni and cheese and warm the peas, others cook/microwave ramen noodles. Bring to classroom. In the classroom, have a table set up to accommodate the entire class. Have one fancy placemat, cloth napkin, wine glass, nice plate and flatware. (0.7 % of class will be served a carry-out meal at the fancy place setting – ―High Food Security‖) A third of the table should have a plastic tablecloth, paper napkins, every day flatware and plates (33% of the class will be served macaroni and cheese and peas at the plastic table cloth – ―Marginal Food Security‖) One-half of the table will be bare with paper plates available. (50% of the class will be served ramen noodles on paper plates – ―Low Food Security‖) The remaining portion of the table will be bare. (14% of the class will receive a stack of saltine crackers at the bare table – ―Very Low Food Security‖) Tell the class that this ―feast‖ represents food insecurity throughout the world. 4 Introduction to Green Jobs – Unit D Resources: Food Insecurity Activity (see Appendix D.1) Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/publications/sofi/en/ Newsweek, ―Food Insecurity Rising in America‖ Claudia Kalb, August 10, 2010 http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/10/food-insecurity-rising-in-america.html Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture (1 – 2 classes) Objective: Student will demonstrate basic competency in the applied science involved in sustainable agriculture. Activities: What makes it organic? Conceptual Science Application 1. Understanding the carbon and nitrogen cycles. How can soil fertility be improved through application of green manure and compost? Play the Traveling Nitrogen game from National Earth Science Teachers Association at: http://www.windows2universe.org/teacher_resources/nitrogen_main.html . Resources: Carbon Cycle - National Earth Sciences Teachers Association http://windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html Nitrogen Cycle – National Earth Sciences Teachers Association http://windows2universe.org/earth/Life/nitrogen_cycle.html