Food and Agriculture Issues in Ecology Fall 2011 Project Guidelines and Requirements

Presentation Sections *The only words that may appear on slides or visuals are to be in the titles. 1.What is food? 2.How does Mother Nature make food (in other words, how do ecosystems work)? 3.How do human societies make food? 4.Book Review(s) 5.Identify an issue with the modern food and fiber system and offer suggestions to remedy that problem. 6.What is health? 7.Other* *Other is not required

Requirements and Expectations Defining food. Each group, at some point in the presentation, will offer a definition of ‘food’ that captures the broad meaning necessary in an ecological perspective.

Requirements and Expectations How do ecosystems work? I will provide two slides to be inserted into your presentation that model ecosystem structure. Groups are responsible for explaining every aspect of these models accurately at the GSHS Biology 1 level of understanding. Follow-up questions on any portion of these slides are fair game and will impact overall project grade.

Cell Physiology & The Six Kingdoms

PSN, CR and Food Chains PSN CR

Requirements and Expectations How do human societies make food? The spirit of the project is to compare the way we do things to the way nature does things. I will provide you with a structural model ( a flowchart) that depicts the linear production of our food and fiber system. You must use this model in your presentation. Additional resources for discussing this aspect of the presentation include science texts, films we watch in class, additional research and activities, guest speakers (if you arrange for them), etc.

Requirements and Expectations Book Reviews. Each student in the class is expected to read a trade book in its entirety. This includes members of groups who are reading the same book reading circle-style. Each group member will participate in the discussion of the book equally. There will be an independent image in the presentation for each chapter of each book. Each student will submit a completed reading journal on the day of their group’s presentation that includes a written summary of each chapter of the book. No two people think exactly alike, and no two people bring the same background knowledge to or take the same thing away from a reading. Your chapter reflections should be as different as you are—even if you’re reading the same book. I will not accept submissions that appear to have been done together. The spirit of this part of the assignment is that each student read and reflect on an entire book.

Requirements and Expectations Issues and Suggestions: We are operating under the assumption that modern industrial agriculture is not sustainable. Because the vast majority of most people’s food comes from this system it is an incomplete presentation that does not discuss it at an informed level of knowledge. (This includes the fiber aspect of modern agriculture, as well.) The issues are tremendous, huge. And because we all play a role in the system and because we are all presently (or are becoming) informed on the issues, we are all obliged to try to change it to the best of our abilities. Suggestions must be practical for the average citizen to understand and implement, and compelling enough to want to implement into her or his life immediately.

Requirements and Expectations Defining health. Each group, at some point in the presentation, will offer a definition of ‘health’ that captures the broad meaning necessary in an ecological perspective.

Not required, but maybe expected Other