Students at an Iowa university learn about sustainable agriculture

Topic:

        

This article is about a student-run farm in Iowa.

       

      

Before reading:

         

General Knowledge:

• Look at a map of the US. Can you find the state of Iowa?
• What kinds of tools are used for gardening? What tasks are each of the tools used for?
• What is "sustainable agriculture"?

         

Speculate:

• What might be the effects of giving students the opportunity to learn by working in a garden?    

       

Click on the embedded link below to read the article and see photos on the NPR website. Word count: 655

A Student-Run Farm Cultivates Passion For Sustainable Agriculture

       

After reading:

      

Review and discuss:

• Write a 3-4 sentence summary of this article. Begin your summary with "This article is about…".
• What might these students be learning through hands-on work in the garden that they wouldn't learn in a classroom only?
• Not all of the students who work in this garden will become farmers. Do you think that this class can benefit them even if they choose another type of career? Explain.
• Riley Madole says he'd like to continue this type of work in the future, but only a small number of other people in agronomy are also choosing sustainable farming. Why might more people prefer industrial (non-organic) farming instead?
• In your opinion, what was the most interesting thing mentioned in this article? Why?

        

Reflect and evaluate:

• Would you have been interested in an agronomy class like the one in this article, if it had been available to you? Explain.
• Student Heidi Englehardt says that working in the garden has given her a "passion" for physical work. What experience have you had with physical work? Do you enjoy it? Why or why not?
• Do you have a garden? What do you grow? If you don't have a garden now, what would you like to grow if you had one?
• Is there anything else you'd like to know about this topic? Do you have any questions that weren't answered in the article?
• What vocabulary words were new to you in this article? Make a record of what you have learned.

Beyond the page:

• Want to know more about sustainable agriculture? This page has a lot of information: What is sustainable agriculture?
• Take a look at this infographic on agriculture: The Global State of Agriculture

    
**Make sure to check the Lively Exchanges page again tomorrow for a special announcement!**
       

Join the conversation: add your thoughts about this article in the comments section below. And don't forget to share this post with your friends!

Russia offers free land to citizens

Topic:
        
The Russian government wants to give free land to some of its citizens.
      

Before reading:

       

General Knowledge:

• Can you find Russia on a map? What do you know about the geography of this country?

      

Speculate:

• The Russian government is giving away land in one of its eastern districts. What might be the purpose of this plan? Why might the land be available?

        
Click on the embedded link below to read the article and see photos on the PRI website. Word count: 558

         

Russia is literally giving away land for free  

After reading:

           

Review and discuss:

• Write a 3-4 sentence summary of this article. Begin your summary with "This article is about…".
• What problems might the Russian government be attempting to solve by implementing this program?
• Aleksandr Galushka said this plan will offer young people "a real chance for self-realization". What do you think he means? How might the plan accomplish this?
• What might be the pros and cons of participating in the government's plan? What are the advantages of this program for the Russian government?
• What are some strategies that the Russian government might use to promote this program and to encourage people to participate?
• In your opinion, what was the most interesting thing mentioned in this article? Why?

       

Reflect and evaluate:

• What kind of person do you think is best suited to participate in the government's plan? What kind of people do you think would be successful in a venture like this? (Hint: you might want to consider things like personality or skills.)
• Which areas of your country are the least populated? Do you think a plan like this would help to revitalize those regions? Why or why not?
• In many countries, the percentage of people working in agriculture has decreased significantly. What are some factors that have contributed to this trend?
• Is there anything else you'd like to know about this topic? Do you have any questions that weren't answered in the article?
• What vocabulary words were new to you in this article? Make a record of what you have learned.

            

Beyond the page:

• Do an online search to find out more about Russia's Far Eastern Federal District. Look for pictures of the landscape. Does this change how you feel about the government's plan?

           

Join the conversation: add your thoughts about this article in the comments section below. And don't forget to share this post with your friends!