Mr.

Ethan Silvius

Course: Wisconsin History
Lesson Topic: Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin
Grade Level: 8
th

Duration: One 52 minute class period

Goals
Students will be able to critically analyze a rising issue in Wisconsin agriculture
Students will acquire new knowledge of a real-life situation
Objectives
Students will be able to list 3 pros and 3 cons of organic farming. D.8.8
Students will be able to write a journal as an everyday person effected (positively or
negatively) by organic farming A.8.11
Students will be able to establish a new understanding of the history of organic farming.
A.8.7, B.8.2
Through the use of specific questions, students will express the impacts of certain
people dealing with organic farming B.8.7
Materials
Writing utensils (we will have extra if needed)
Paper for writing (we will have extra if needed)
Story impression vocabulary list
Pros and cons of organic farming article
Organic farming history article
Pros and cons T chart
4-Note taking chart

Pre-Reading (Preparation)
1. We will begin the lesson by presenting a list of terms from the article on pros and cons
of organic farming. Students will create a story using these words and their prior
knowledge of them.
2. Once the stories have been completed, students will be placed into groups of four. In
their groups, they will share their stories with their group members.
3. After this, the students will go back to their seats and we will hand out the 4-note taking
worksheet. We will provide them with the article about organic farming history and
have them fill out the prediction section of the worksheet.
During Reading (Assistance)
1. We will then hand out the pros and cons article and have the students read it. Through
the use of context clues, they will find the meaning of the words used in the story
impression activity.
2. Now that they have established a new understanding of these words, they will critically
re-read the article. They will fill in 3 items on each side of the pros and cons worksheet.
The class will have a discussion, with volunteers providing answers they have
established.
3. We will ask if there are any questions about the article or the terms remaining. If there
are, we will address them by helping them reconstruct their ideas. If not, we will move
on.
4. Next we will have the students critically read the article about organic farming history.
After they have read this, they will fill in the next two boxes of their worksheet (revision,
problem). In these boxes, they will write revisions they have made to their prediction
and any problems, questions, or concerns they still have about the article.
5. We will put the students into groups to have them discuss their revisions and problems.
While they are doing that, we will go around to the groups and help them re-construct
their ideas that they have in the problem section.
6. Once all of the problems have been addressed, the students will put in new
understandings they have constructed in the new understanding box.
7. At the bottom of the worksheet, the students will write a short 3-4 sentence summary
of the activity they have just completed.
Focus questions:
What is the main point of organic farming? Dont use chemicals or synthetics, produce
crops with highest nutritional values and low impact on nature, and be very proactive
towards the environment
How can organic farming help our heatlth? Enhances fertility of the soil, protects us
from chemicals. (leading to what can be harms of chemicals)
Is organic farming an original idea for these times? No because it was the first type of
farming ever. It is just a special name for this type of farming now because it is different
than the norm.
What are some major contributors to the rise of organic farming? Private funding in
the U.S helped launch Green Revolution in Mexico, JJ Rodale helped popularize the
term, Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, International Federation of Organic
Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) helped spread information,

Post-Reading (Reflection)
1. For reflection, students will complete a simulated journal worksheet we have prepared
for them.
2. They will write the journal from the viewpoint of their choosing. We will give examples
for them to choose from. They will use their new knowledge of historical organic
farming and pros and cons of organic farming to write the journal describing everyday
life for them.
Exploring/Application
Students will use this lesson to become more familiarized with a controversial issue that is
in their current lives. With the articles, they will learn about the growth of the issue and
also its pros and cons. They will write a simulated journal to help them state how they feel
about the situation.

Assessment/Evaluation
Formative assessment will take place through the use of the story impression and 4-
note taking worksheet. The story impression will show us if the students
comprehend the vocabulary of the pros and cons article. The 4-note taking
worksheet will assess the students new understanding of the history of agriculture
article.
Summative assessment will be presented through the use of the simulated journal.
Students will use their newly gained knowledge to write a real-life journal entry, as if
they were an organic farmer in a certain time period.
Evaluating the formative and summative assessments will give us an idea if the
students gained and properly used the knowledge we were providing them.
Standards
A.8.11 Give examples of the causes and consequences of current global issues, such as
the expansion of global markets, the urbanization of the developing world, the
consumption of natural resources, and the extinction of species, and suggest possible
responses by various individuals, groups, and nation
A.8.7 Describe the movement of people, ideas, diseases, and products throughout the
world.
B.8.2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have
influenced the past and the present in United States and world history.
B.8.7 Identify significant events and people in the major eras of United States and world
history
D.8.8 Explain how and why people who start new businesses take risks to provide goods
and services, considering profits as an incentive

Story Impression Words
Organic Farming
Proactive ecology management strategy
Water pollution
Micro-nutrients
Cultivation (cultivated)
Productivity
Artificially



Pros Cons















Prediction Revision Problem New Understanding



Summary: