Home
CURRICULUM MODULES
Module 1: Where are we?
Module 2: Who are we?
Module 3: How did we get here?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Essential Questions
Resources
Curriculum Connections
Bibliography
Contact Us
The Harvest of History curriculum consists of 16 interdisciplinary activities in four sequential modules designed for the fourth-grade classroom. Some projects are short-term, while others span the gardening season. Most build on the concepts and skills developed in previous modules to deepen and enhance student learning. Some investigations will be structured with an explicit set of questions to guide research. Others will consist of less structured, research-based questions to trigger problem-solving.

Each module includes:

  • an overview with background information on content
  • an essential question
  • links to the New York State Learning Standards
  • a list of desired outcomes/indicators of success
  • a list of student inquiries
  • a list of resources
  • a guide to the procedures
  • social studies activities
  • a growing activity
  • an assessment activity
  • and extension activities

Image of wheat
LAUNCHING DISCUSSION:
We all need to eat to satisfy our physical, cultural and social needs. Where does our food come from?
Image of wheat
BRAINSTORM:
Create a list of agriculture-related sayings, songs, folk tales and events to get us thinking about farming.

Image of wheat
CREATE:
A K-W-L chart about Farming.

Image of wheat
READ:
A Farm through Time by Angela Wilkes, DK Publishing Inc. 2001. A Farm through Time introduces the themes of change and continuum of agriculture.

Image of wheat
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

What does your family eat?
Where does your food come from?
What is your house made of?
Where do your clothes come from?
Refer to the story and answer these same questions at two of the time periods represented in the story.
Image of a question mark
In the past, much of a family's food, building materials and clothing were grown on the farm.
What are the implications of this?
How were their diet, housing, and clothing impacted by this? How has this changed?
Which do you prefer?
Can you think of three pros and cons of farm-based resources?