Intermediate Lessons

There are countless issues that can derail an entire harvest including developmental challenges and disease. In this lesson, students explore the plant problems as they arise and document them in a resource guide for future reference.

Pollination is an essential process for many plant varieties that set fruit. In this lesson, students will explore the importance of pollination and perform pollination on cukes to calculate a germination rate.

Pruning can have a dramatic effect on the total production of certain plant varieties. Basil is a great example. In this lesson, students will compare the yield of pruned and unpruned basil plants to see just how effective the process can be.

Harvesting is a timing issue more than a physical act. Taste is at its peak in a short window so farmers are focused on identifying that moment before they take action. In this lesson, students will taste the varieties in the Lab to determine the days from transplant to peak harvest.

Nutrient depletion is a constant threat in any garden. In this lesson, students will learn to test the soil to identify which nutrients need to be replenished and learn how to achieve the results they need with amendments.

Worms provide a critical function in the food production process. So in this lesson you will design a bigger better worm farm to supercharge your vermicomposting process.

Composting requires oxygen, not just hungry worms and microorganisms. This lesson explores the role oxygen plays in the process.

There is no better way to explore the anatomy of a worm than to see it up close. This lesson uses a dissection to examine the various internal systems of a worm's anatomy.

It's always helpful to have a solid reference guide to turn to when an unknown critter arrives on the scene. This lesson is the start to an ongoing project that will result in a catalog of microorganisms that call the worm bin home.

Taking care of a pet can be a real chore for kids and a composting bin with a few thousand worms is no exception. This lesson has students experiment to determine the best method for preserving bulk meals for the worms.