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Learn, Garden & Reflect with Cornell Garden-Based Learning

Ways to Grow Food- Exploring Soilless Alternatives: Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics

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Overview

Your group practice different methods of growing plants without soil, with a focus on food crops, then work in small groups to develop a plan for a simple, sustainable, soilless food garden to use in a school or community setting. Introduction to this activity will be though hands-on discovery of how these systems work.

Skill Level

Beginner, Intermediate

Learner Outcomes, Youth will:
  • Observe and reflect on how changing climate conditions affect how plants grow in the garden
  • Explore alternative methods of growing plants and food in a controlled environment
  • Practice growing plants hydroponically or by other soilless methods
  • Become familiar with alternative methods farmers use to address climate change issues, and how to adopt such changes within the food system
Education Standards
  • NS.K-4.3 Life Science: Characteristics and Life Cycles of organisms, Organisms and environments
  • NS.5-8.3 Life Science: Diversity and adaptations of organisms
  • T4.3-5.b: Describe how technology helps farmers/ranchers increase their outputs (crop and livestock yields) with fewer inputs (less water, fertilizer, and land) while using the same amount of space
  • T4.3-5.d: Provide examples of science being applied in farming for food, clothing, and shelter products
Success Indicators

Youth understand there are alternatives to traditional agricultural methods to grow food crops.

Life Skills

Healthy lifestyle choices, goal setting, planning, wise use of resources, resiliency

Time Needed/Materials/Space

Varies depending upon activity choice, introductory Reference: Growing Food in Changing Climate Conditions FAQ’s

Suggested Group Size

12-15 or more

Acknowledgments

Cornell Garden-Based Learning Library:  Growing Vegetables, authored by Cornell Cooperative Extension County Horticulture Educators.

Introduction

Climate change and a warming world has a direct consequence on our gardening and farming practices. Farmers, gardeners, schools, and large companies have looked to growing food indoors in controlled conditions for greater results. There are many methods of growing food without soil, using hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics and youth will explore how groups and organizations grow and harvest food using these methods to feed large and small groups of people. Your group will do hands-on practice of different methods of growing plants without soil, with a focus on food crops, then work in small groups to develop a plan for a simple, sustainable, soilless food garden to use in a school or community setting. Introduction to this activity will be though hands-on discovery of how these systems work. Choose one or more of the recommended 4-H, National AG in the Classroom, or other curricula in the suggested activities, Variations or Learn More sections that are appropriate for your group’s skill level.

Opening Questions: In what ways have you seen changing climate conditions affect how food grows in our garden? What ways have you seen farmers grow food without soil? What did they grow? For whom who was the food harvested? Have you grown plants without soil? Were they healthy and if not, what do you think you could do differently?

Background Information

Before the Activity: Leaders will research the different curriculum listed here and select one or more activities for your group to do before following the next steps of the activity. Purchase and prepare all the materials needed for the activities you choose. Refer to the accompanying Growing Food in Changing Climate Conditions FAQ’s to open the discussion on how we need to modify existing gardening practices and adopt and modify  alternative methods and to address changing climate conditions. Adapted from Cornell Garden-Based Learning Library:  Growing Vegetables, authored by CCE County Horticulture Educators.

Suggested Activities

4-H Stem Lab Bean in the Bottle: Exploration of plant lifecycles, indoor gardens and what plants need to survive

National Agriculture in the Classroom:
  • Test Tube Hydroponics is an investigation of the importance of nutrients for plant growth and discover soilless growing by growing and observing plants in a test tube hydroponic system.
  • Exploring Aquaponics: Youth identify the basic needs of plants and fish and engineer, assemble, maintain, and observe a small-scale aquaponics system that meets plant and fish needs.
  • National Agriculture in the Classroom: “What? No Soil? After learning the five basic requirements of plant growth, youth build and maintain hydroponic units from soda bottles.

 Let’s Do It! 

  • Ask opening questions. Use the Growing Food in Changing Climate Conditions FAQ’s to lead further discussion on how traditional growing methods may be difficult due to climate change.
  • Continue the conversation with: “Imagine growing food on a large or small scale, for the lunch program at your school or for a local food pantry”.
  • Explain that you will be exploring different soilless methods of growing food, and how groups and organizations are feeding people
  • Follow the procedures of one or more of the suggested activities.

Talk It Over 

Reflect

Use a plant journal to keep track of progress and observations while growing plants in alternative ways. What examples of science are being applied in farming for food, clothing, and shelter products?

Apply

How do you see farmers/ranchers using these technologies to increase their crop and livestock yields)with less water, fertilizer, and land while using the same amount of space? How does this address the issues we face due to climate change?

Variation

National Agriculture in the Classroom: Simplified Floating Hydroponics: a long-term project demonstrating soilless growing methods

References

  • “Growing Food in Changing Climate Conditions Q & A’s” adapted from Cornell Garden-Based Learning Library:  Growing Vegetables, authored by CCE County Horticulture Educators.
  • National Agriculture in the Classroom

Learn More

Living with the Land at Walt Disney World, EPCOT

Vertical farming using aeroponics at Living with the Land at Walt Disney World, EPCOT. Photo by Donna Alese Cooke

 

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Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer.

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