Standards Aligned

• LS1.A: Structure and Function: Plants and animals have external parts that can be seen.
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Plants depend on water and light to grow.
• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Human activities can affect the Earth’s systems.
• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems: A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering.
• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems: Students can define problems related to the harvesting of corn and identify criteria for successful solutions (e.g., how their model vehicles will function).
• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions: Students brainstorm and plan their designs for the model vehicles based on the functions they need to perform, considering constraints and materials available.
• ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution: Students can test their models and make improvements based on performance, discussing what works and what does not.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally.
• CCSS.1.MD.A: Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
• CCSS.1.MD.C: Represent and interpret data.
• SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to propose answers to the question, “Why do we need farmers to grow corn?” and provide evidence that many everyday products are made from corn.
• Students will be able to answer the question, “How does corn get from plant to product?”
• Students will plant their corn kernel and make observations over the course of its growth.
• Students will collect data and create a simple data visualization.

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Lesson Google Slides
• Data and Observation worksheet
• Corn Steps Maze worksheet
• “What do farmers use to harvest their corn?” video
• Paper clips or another small classroom item to be used for measuring plants
• STEM building materials for stations (keva planks, play doh, plus plus blocks, etc.)
• Building materials (such as recycled cardboard, toilet paper tubes, scissors, glue, string, etc.)
• Corn kernels
• Measuring spoons
• Small cups or egg cartons for planting kernels
• Soil

*Items will be included in the free teacher kit.  Request materials.

Lesson 1

Overview

This lesson introduces students to the wide range of food and non food products that are made from corn. Through a hands-on STEM activity and class discussions, students will explore the importance of corn and how corn is used in a variety of ways. Students will show their understanding of the lesson through a STEM activity to show what all they have learned.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to propose answers to the question, “Why do we need farmers to grow corn?” and provide evidence that many everyday products are made from corn.

Standards Aligned

• LS1.A: Structure and Function “Plants and animals have external parts that can be seen.”
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems: Plants depend on water and light to grow.
• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems: Human activities can affect the Earth’s systems.
• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems: A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering

Materials

• “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Lesson 1 Google Slides
• STEM building materials for stations (keva planks, play doh, plus plus blocks, etc.

Assessments

• Formative assessment through class discussions and responses during the product game.
• Informal summative assessment based on verbal responses in the final discussion regarding the importance of corn

Key Points

• Corn is a vital crop grown by farmers that is used in many everyday products.
• Many products contain corn, including food items and non-food items.
• Understanding where food comes from helps us appreciate farming and agriculture.

Teacher Guide
Opening: See, Think, Wonder

• Show students pictures of items that are derived from corn.
• Ask students to respond to the following questions:
  • “What do you see?”
  • “What do you think about that picture?”
  • “What do you wonder about that picture?”
• After receiving a few responses ask if the items in the pictures are related in any way.
• Show a picture of corn kernels. Ask the same questions above guiding them to understand that corn kernels may be the connection to all the items.

Introduction to New Materials

• Picture walk through, “We Grow Corn: Raising Corn on a Kansas Family Farm” by Sharon Thielen, Ph.D
• Ask questions to develop connections while using slide deck:
  • “Where do we find corn?” (urban vs rural; map of US Corn Belt, compare to your state)
  • Pick a state to compare to the amount of corn grown in Kansas. (Use Kansas as a reference point after reading the book. Use World of Corn resource to compare real data.)
  • “How do you know it’s corn?” (visual characteristics)
  • “Why do farmers grow corn?” (refer to items in See, Think, Wonder)
• Discuss the significance of corn and ask students what products they think are made from corn.
  • Write down their ideas on butcher paper and revisit as students learn more about products that use corn. Remind them of what they may have learned from the book (feed, fuel, soda, etc.)
• Anticipate the misconception that corn is only food; explain that it is also used in many non-food products. Call attention to page 16 of the book where it talked about the difference between sweet corn and dent corn.
• Refer to google slides with photos of corn byproducts.
• Play the “Farm to Plate” video.

Guided Practice

• Create STEM stations with building materials such as keva planks, play doh, legos, plus plus blocks, etc.
• Have students rotate after each round. Repeat as often as time allows.
  • Round 1 “Create an item that is made from corn”
  • Round 2 “Create an item that is NOT made from corn”
• Monitor student performance by moving between the stations and asking guiding questions, such as “Why do you think this product contains corn?”

Closing

• Conclude with a discussion, asking students to share their findings about corn in products and reflect on why corn is important.
• Look over the students’ predictions that were written on the butcher paper from the beginning of the lesson. Circle correct predictions and X off incorrect predictions. Discussion can take place as you circle and X off items.
• Reinforce the idea that farming is essential for growing food and products we use every day.

Extension

Prompt students to imagine a world without corn and what products they would lose without that critical ingredient. Give students time to brainstorm ways in which their lives or products they use would be different without corn, then choose one to share with the class. Give groups time to create a simple presentation (drawing, building, skit, etc.) to share how their lives would be different without corn and the product they chose.

Lesson 2

Overview

This lesson introduces students to the harvesting process for corn. Through the use of google slides and class discussion, students will learn about the process of harvesting corn, what machinery is used and where the kernels are stored. Through a hands-on STEM activity at the end of the lesson the class will display their knowledge of what they have learned.

Learning Objectives

• Students will be able to answer the question, “How does corn get from plant to product?”

Standards Aligned

• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems: Students can define problems related to the harvesting of corn and identify criteria for successful solutions (e.g., how their model vehicles will function).
• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions: Students brainstorm and plan their designs for the model vehicles based on the functions they need to perform, considering constraints and materials available.
• ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution: Students can test their models and make improvements based on performance, discussing what works and what does not.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally.

Materials

• Lesson 2 Google Slides
• Corn Steps Maze worksheet
• Design Planning worksheet
• “What do farmers use to harvest their corn?” video
• Building materials (such as recycled cardboard, toilet paper tubes, scissors, glue, string, etc.)
• Corn kernels

Assessments

• Formative assessment through class discussions and responses during the Corn Steps Maze worksheet.
• Formative assessment through their hands-on STEM activity.
• Informal summative assessment based on verbal responses in the final discussion regarding the harvesting process.

Key Points

• Corn goes through many steps in order to be used in various products.
• Corn is harvested on the farm and then sent to different locations to be used for feed, fuel or processing for various corn products.
• Corn will go through different steps depending on what it will become.

Teacher Guide
Opening: Think, Pair, Share

• Remind students that in the previous lesson they learned about how corn is used in different products.
• Guide students through the Think, Pair, Share routine to answer the following questions:
  • What kinds of products is corn used in?
  • Why is corn important?

Introduction to New Material

• Tell students that today they are going to learn how corn gets to be in the products they learned about in lesson 1.
• Start by reading from the book, “We Grow Corn!”, pages 12-15, to introduce the students to the harvest process.
• Show the video: “What do farmers use to harvest their corn?”
• After the video, guide students through a brief discussion with the following questions
  • “What stood out to you in that video?”
  • “Did anything surprise you about the journey corn takes?”
• Prepare students to watch the video again, this time looking and listening for specific information. Hand out a copy of the Corn Steps Maze to each student. Go through the instructions on the handout together as a class.
• Play the video again, pause throughout to discuss each step of the harvesting process that was mentioned. Have students find their way through the maze based on the step they heard. Additional photos will be on the maze to help match the discussion in the video.
• After the video, have students number the images at the bottom of the page to match the harvesting steps. Review the correct order together.

Guided Practice

• Divide students into 4 groups, one for each step of the harvesting and/or final use of corn.
  • Group 1: Combine
  • Group 2: Grain Cart
  • Group 3: Grain Truck
  • Group 4: Grain Bin
• Tell students that each group will design their own model of equipment used to harvest corn. Print off the slides of the equipment used.
• Give each group a copy of their Design Planning worksheet
  • Groups discuss what step they were assigned. What does the model equipment need to be able to do? Why is this important?
  • Groups come up with a design for their model.
  • Groups draw the plan for the model and check off what materials they need.
  • Groups use class time to build their model.
• Students can use their corn kernels to help show the function of their model.
• Monitor student performance by moving between the stations and asking guiding questions, such as “How will your design do the same job as the real piece of equipment?”

Closing

• Give students as much or as little time as you would like for students to design and create their model piece of equipment. Use materials you have readily available in class, or collect recycled materials ahead of time to prepare.
• If you have access to robotics kits (Sphero, Ozobot, LittleBits, etc.) consider incorporating them into the design process.
• Have each group share and demonstrate their model piece of equipment. They should explain what it is and why it is an important step getting corn from the field to a project we use.

Lesson 3

Overview

This lesson shows the students how a corn kernel becomes a living plant. Through a hands-on STEM activity and classroom discussion, students will be able to plant their own corn kernels and be a part of a multiple day growing process where they will write down their observations and do measurements to monitor their plant’s growth.

Learning Objective

• Students will plant their corn kernels and make observations over the course of its growth.
• Students will collect data and create a simple data visualization.

Standards Aligned

• CCSS.1.MD.A: Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
• CCSS.1.MD.C: Represent and interpret data.
• SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Materials

• Lesson Google Slides
• Data and Observation worksheet
• Corn kernels
• Paper clips or another small classroom item to be used for measuring plants
• Measuring spoons
• Small cups or egg cartons for planting kernels
• Soil

Assessments

• Completed Data and Observation worksheet
• Anecdotal evidence from discussions

Key Points

• Students will make observations of their plants and collect measurable data.

Teacher Guide
Opening: Think, Pair, Share

• Review previous learning using the Think, Pair, Share routine. Give students time to think to themselves what they learned from the last two lessons. Next, share their ideas with a partner, then invite students to share to the full group.
• Connect previous learning to the current lesson.
• “We learned what corn is used for and how it gets there. Now we are going to see how corn grows.”

Introduction of new Material

• Plant the corn kernels:
  • Distribute planting containers with soil and have students plant the corn kernels in the container.
  • Each student will plant three kernels.
  • Be sure to label each container with the student’s name.
  • Water the containers using the provided measuring spoon. Keep the containers in sunlight.
    • Note: Optimum planting depth of corn kernels is 1-2 inches deep. The emergence of leaves above the soil will take approximately 5-7 days.
• Set up data and observation journal:
  • Introduce the Data and Observation worksheet to students. Explain that over the next 5-10 days they will observe when their plant sprouts (first appearance of plant above the soil), from there they will measure their plants’ growth, and make predictions.
  • Demonstrate how to fill out the first box of the worksheet. Students will measure the height of their corn in relation to a paperclip. Fill in the sentence and make a prediction for the height of corn at the next observation.
•  Note: From when the plant sprouts (5-7 days) you will want to keep watering for another two weeks. Watering for another two weeks will show students the growth of a corn plant, taking students through the sprouting stage to the leaf stage of the plant. It will also show how tall a corn plant can get in those two weeks.
  • Another important piece is seeing what happens to the seed when it is under the soil. This can be done by putting the seed in a baggie with a wet paper towel taped to the window. Students can visually see what is happening in the soil.

Guided Practice

• Observe and record results over 7-14 days.
• Have students water the soil so they stay damp but not too damp. Should be slightly moist to the touch. If dry, add one tablespoon of water. Prior to a weekend, have students water once in the morning on Friday and once before school is out.
• Collect data at regular intervals, such as each morning, or every other day, when they enter the classroom.
  • Gently hold up a paperclip(s) next to the plant to measure its height. Record their findings on the worksheet.
  • Make a prediction of how tall they think the plant will be at the next check in. Lead a discussion about reasonable predictions and adjusting predictions as they get new data.
  • In the boxes provided on the worksheet students will draw a picture of their corn plant. Encourage students to include the paperclips for scale in their drawings.

Closing

• Lead students in a discussion of their observations and findings.
  • Did your corn grow as you predicted? How was it different from your predictions?
  • How tall did your corn grow? How tall is the tallest corn plant?
  • A common saying is “Knee high by the 4th of July.” How long do you think it will take your corn plant to grow that tall?
• Consider doing a gallery walk with the students in your class or inviting other classes and community members to view students’ data collection. Students should stand with their observation journal and plant and explain their findings.
  • “Let’s do a recap on what we have learned since the start of learning about corn”

Extension

• Work together as a class, or individually, to create a graph or visual representation of the data. Discuss how the visual representation helps better understand the growth of the corn over time.
  • How many total data points are there?
  • How many plants are larger than __ paper clips? How many are smaller?
  • A small paperclip is about 1 inch. If your corn plant is 3 small paper clips long that is 3 inches tall. How tall is your plant?
• See what your students learned by challenging them to an online breakout box activity called Farmer Nicole. This can be done as a large group, individually or in small groups.