Minds On
Farming indoors
Brainstorm
What do plants need?
Whether they’re growing indoors or outdoors, plants need a few things to grow.
Can you think of what some of these things are?
Record your ideas on the computer, on paper, or share your ideas with a partner, if possible.
Action
Needs of plants
In order to grow, plants need…
- light
- space
- air
- good soil
These needs are important if plants are growing indoors or outdoors.
Growing food is very important because food is an important source of energy for all living things.
It gives energy for living things to move and stay warm.
Plants are an example of food that gives living things energy.
Urban farming
Check out this video to learn about different ways of growing food.
Think about what might be different when growing plants indoors.
What makes urban farming different than other types of farming?
How can Jonah help feed communities that don’t have the space or the proper soil to grow their own food?
Record your answers.
Check your understanding!
Choose the word that completes each sentence
Did You Know?
Science and indoor farming
Plants outside use sunlight to grow, but scientists have learned that plants like only the red and blue wavelengths of light for growing. Indoors, Jonah uses red and blue light.
When growing indoors, we can control many of the things that plants need to grow such as light, soil , temperature, and water.
Innovative solutions in Inuvik
In the far north of Canada, the temperatures are much colder. The growing season is much shorter because of the cold temperatures most of the year.
In the past, fresh vegetables would be flown in from other parts of Canada on small airplanes. This was very expensive.
The Inuvik Community Greenhouse grows food indoors. It also has workshops for the community to come and learn together.
Whether you are growing plants indoors or outdoors, plants have the same needs. But sometimes these needs are met in different ways.
Thinking about how plants grow best
Inside, urban farmers can control some things that can’t be controlled outside. For example, they can make choices about …
- how much water the plants get
- the temperature inside
Urban farmers can’t control how well the plants grow They study the plants that grow well and try to copy those environments.
Pollination problem
One of the challenges to meeting the needs of plants indoors is that the pollinators are all outdoors!
Artificial pollination
Volunteers at the Inuvik Community Garden use a paintbrush with pollen on it to pollinate the flowers of the squash plant. The plants can grow so that the community can eat squash.
This person is using a paintbrush to transfer pollen from one plant to another.
Growing towers in schools
This learning activity connects new and existing approaches for young scientists to create positive changes in their communities.
Some schools are using towers to grow vegetables!
These towers use water and a special mix of nutrients to feed the plants through the middle of the tower, and special lights to help the plants grow.
Many towers would be needed to feed a school of children. However, growing towers are a great way for students to experiment and learn about indoor farming at school.
Interview the innovators
Who are the people in your community who are using science to meet the food needs of the community?
Some of the people who could give you information are…
- a parent or guardian
- a teacher
- a school nurse
Sample questions
Here are some questions you could ask:
- Is there an urban farm or community garden near where you live?
- What foods grow easily where you live?
- Are there community gardens near where you live?
- How can you help?
Make a list of your own questions and record them on paper or as an audio clip. If possible, share your interview questions with a partner or trusted adult so they can give you feedback. After your interview, record your answers on paper or as an audio clip .
Interview checklist
When I prepare questions…
Consolidation
Growing veggies!
Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer’ to see how you did.
You know that whether you grow plants indoors or outdoors, they have the same needs. But sometimes these needs are met in different ways.
Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer’ to see how you did.
Pause and Reflect
I can make a difference
How can you use what you have learned about different gardens to make a difference in your community? Who could help you?
How can creating a community garden help people in a community?
How can creating an indoor garden help people in a community?
Why are community gardens important?
Record your ideas on the computer, on paper, or share your ideas with a partner, if possible.
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
Press ‘Discover More’ to extend your skills.
Discover More
- Many food banks offer a “Grow a Row” program where families can gather some fresh vegetables from the food bank. They also invite people that have access to a school garden, community garden, raised garden boxes, or home garden to grow one row, and give that food to the food bank.
- Is there a local garden near you, at your school, or in your community does this?
- You could also learn more about growing healthy food in gardens so that you could do this when you’re older, or even so that you could teach someone else!