Lesson

Digging Into Nutrients

In this lesson, students will gain background knowledge of the nutrient requirements of plants, how those nutrients are obtained by the plant, what farmers must do if the nutrients are not available in soils, and current issues related to agricultural production.

Grades
6 – 8
NE: Grades 6 – 7
Estimated Time
Two, 40-minute sessions
Updated
February 2, 2024
Tags
plants growing in soil with with mineral nutrients from soil
Image: Galeanu Mihai/iStock

Background

Lesson Activities

Recommended Companion Resources

Credits

Author

Pamela Emery | California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

Acknowledgements

This lesson was updated in 2013 with funding from California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program. The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) funds and facilitates research to advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizer materials. FREP serves growers, agricultural supply and service professionals, extension personnel, public agencies, consultants, and other interested parties. FREP is a part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Division of Inspections Services.

Editor: Shaney Emerson
Executive Director: Judy Culbertson
Illustrator: Toni Smith
Layout and Design: Nina Danner
Copy Editor: Leah Rosasco

Standards

Nebraska Content Area Standards

  • Science 7.7 - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

    • SC.7.7.3.D: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and increasing positive human impact on the environment.

  • Science 6.6 - Structure and Function and Information Processing

    • SC.6.6.2.A: Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.

  • Science 7.8 - Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

    • SC.7.8.4.A: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
    • SC.7.8.4.D: Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
    • SC.7.8.4.E (modified): Construct an argument supported by evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.