Food on
the Move!
Food on
the Move!
Lesson Summary
Lesson Summary
Students will learn about horticulture and where their food comes from through a role-playing activity where they move through the steps produce goes through from the farm to their plates.
Students will learn about horticulture and where their food comes from through a role-playing activity where they move through the steps produce goes through from the farm to their plates.
Students will learn about horticulture and where their food comes from through a role-playing activity where they move through the steps produce goes through from the farm to their plates.
Objectives
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Learning Outcome
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Objectives
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Learning Outcome
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Objectives
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have gained awareness of the process of growing, transporting, and preparing food.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Students will have had a role-playing experience to understand the food journey from farm to table.
Learning Outcome
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Food goes through multiple stages – farming, transportation, retail, and preparation — before it reaches their plates.
Station Overview
Station Overview
1. Farm Station
Materials
Action
Plant seeds into a planting tray, then “harvest” crops from a baking tray with soil (bury sheets of paper under a layer of soil).
Tray
Seeds
Potting soil
Baking trays
Printed out ‘crops’
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
“Make a meal” activity. Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
1. Farm Station
Materials
Action
Plant seeds into a planting tray, then “harvest” crops from a baking tray with soil (bury sheets of paper under a layer of soil).
Tray
Seeds
Potting soil
Baking trays
Printed out ‘crops’
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
“Make a meal” activity. Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
1. Farm Station
Materials
Action
Plant seeds into a planting tray, then “harvest” crops from a baking tray with soil (bury sheets of paper under a layer of soil).
Tray
Seeds
Potting soil
Baking trays
Printed out ‘crops’
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
2. Transport Station
Materials
Action
Gather paper cutouts of produce from farm station and pretend to “load” them, drive around the classroom, and “deliver” it to the store.
Simple boxes or crates
Markers or tape
3. Store Station
Materials
Action
Store clerks “stock” the food by placing pictures on shelves or in the baskets, and customers can “buy” the food using play money. students can also pretend to scan items or give change.
Printed pictures of food — just for the first group, the rest will have them delivered by the transport station students
Play money
4. Home Station
Materials
Action
“Make a meal” activity. Kids buy 2-3 food items from the store station, then they have to draw a balanced meal on their paper plate based on the food items they drew.
Paper grocery bag
Paper plate
Colored pencils / crayons
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
est. 2 hours
est. 2 hours
est. 2 hours
Preparation
01
Set up stations.
Use tables, chairs, or floor markers to define each space clearly.
Set up stations using materials listed under “Materials List”.
If you think the props will be distracting to students during pre-activity, this step can be done later.
Ensure students have enough crayons or coloring utensils.
02
03
Move any tripping hazards, ensure there's enough room for students to walk safely.
04
Print and cut.
Worksheets
Play Money
Pictures of Crops
Preparation
Preparation
Introduce the Activity
Introduce the Activity
Introduce the Activity
Station Exercise
Station Exercise
Station Exercise
Cleanup
Cleanup
Cleanup
Discuss and Reflect
Discuss and Reflect
Discuss and Reflect
Long-Term
Long - Term
Long-Term
Materials List
Materials List
Cut-outs of Crops
Cut-outs of Crops
Cut-outs of Crops
Step - Station Exercise
Role playing, used to represent food in the journey.
Role playing, used to represent food.
Print prior to class.
Best to use color printing for this.
Best to use color printing for this.
Online transparent images will work.
Bag of Potting Soil
Bag of Potting Soil
Bag of Potting Soil
Step - Station Exercise: Farm Station
1 small bag
Harvesting activity + planting activity.
Harvesting activity + planting activity.
Pour soil into trays over the food picture papers, and use in the planting tray to grow seeds.
Enough soil to put an inch or two into each baking tray, and fill as many spots in the planting tray as there are students.
Hardware store, or local/community gardens or nurseries might donate.
Enough soil to put an inch or two into each baking tray, and fill as many spots in the planting tray as there are students.
Baking Trays
Baking Trays
Step - Station Exercise: Farm Station
2 - 3 trays
Harvesting activity
Harvesting activity
Place the food picture papers on bottom, and pour soil in over them.
Should be decently large, but don’t need to be very deep.
Should be decently large, but don’t need to be very deep.
Planting Tray
Planting Tray
Planting Tray
Step - Station Exercise: Farm Station
1 tray
Planting activity - Used to plant seeds in.
Planting activity - Used to plant seeds in.
Make sure there are at least as many spots in the tray as there are students.
Hardware store, or local/community gardens or nurseries might donate.
Seeds
Seeds
Step - Station Exercise: Farm Station
1-2 packets, depending on the size
Planting activity
Planting activity
Some crops that would grow in a classroom environment — Lettuce, radishes, herbs (basil, parsely, mint), spinach
Hardware store, or local/community gardens or nurseries might donate.
Some crops that would grow in a classroom environment — Lettuce, radishes, herbs (basil, parsely, mint), spinach
Hardware store, or local/community gardens or nurseries might donate.
Boxes or Crates
Boxes or Crates
Boxes or Crates
Step - Station Exercise: Transport Station
4-6
Putting food cutouts into.
Putting food cutouts into.
Have them open so it is easy to place paper inside.
Could be old shoe boxes, milk cartons, or even large envelopes.
Play Money
Play Money
Step - Station Exercise: Store Station
Pretend transactions.
Pretend transactions.
Print and cut.
Can be printed cutouts or slips of paper with amounts written on them; best to use color printing.
Can be printed cutouts or slips of paper with amounts written on them; best to use color printing.
Print and cut.
Crayons
Crayons
Crayons
Step - Station Exercise: Home Station
Coloring on the paper plates.
Coloring on the paper plates.
n/a
Paper Grocery Bag
Step - Station Exercise: Home Station
1 bag
Drawing food cutouts from.
Drawing food cutouts from.
Recycle or reuse after use.
Recycle or reuse after use.
Paper Plates
Paper Plates
Paper Plates
Step - Station Exercise: Home Station
1 per student
Drawing food cutouts from.
Drawing food cutouts from.
Recycle or reuse after use.
Reflection Worksheet
Step - Discuss and Reflect
1 per student
Comprehension activity.
Print prior to class.
No need for color printing – link to download below.
Pencil
Step - Discuss and Reflect
1 per student
Used to fill out worksheet.
n/a
Indicators of Success
Yes, I love to travel! I am available for destination shoots and events worldwide. Travel fees may apply depending on the location.
Indicators of Success
Yes, I love to travel! I am available for destination shoots and events worldwide. Travel fees may apply depending on the location.
Indicators of Success
Yes, I love to travel! I am available for destination shoots and events worldwide. Travel fees may apply depending on the location.
Notes and Considerations
Notes and Considerations
Notes and Considerations
Download Links
Download Links
Download Links
Background Information
Background Information
Topic Overview and
Explanation Guides
Local Produce
All animals and plants need a home. For example, a fish’s habitat is the water, and a bird’s habitat is in a tree. Every living thing needs a special place to find food, a safe place, and grow.
Local Produce
All animals and plants need a home. For example, a fish’s habitat is the water, and a bird’s habitat is in a tree. Every living thing needs a special place to find food, a safe place, and grow.
Local Produce
All animals and plants need a home. For example, a fish’s habitat is the water, and a bird’s habitat is in a tree. Every living thing needs a special place to find food, a safe place, and grow.
The Food Journey
The food journey begins at the farm, where fruits and vegetables are grown, then moves through transportation, where they are delivered by trucks to the store, where families buy their groceries. Finally, the food arrives at home, where it is stored, cooked, and eaten.
The Food Journey
The food journey begins at the farm, where fruits and vegetables are grown, then moves through transportation, where they are delivered by trucks to the store, where families buy their groceries. Finally, the food arrives at home, where it is stored, cooked, and eaten.
The Food Journey
The food journey begins at the farm, where fruits and vegetables are grown, then moves through transportation, where they are delivered by trucks to the store, where families buy their groceries. Finally, the food arrives at home, where it is stored, cooked, and eaten.
Additional Resources
Local Crops by State
Local Crops by State
Local Crops by State
Seasonal Produce Guide
Seasonal Produce Guide
Seasonal Produce Guide
Bring sustainability to your classroom!
©2025 Csilla Moran
Developed as a sustainable design senior capstone project.
Bring sustainability to your classroom!
©2025 Csilla Moran
Developed as a sustainable design senior capstone project.
Bring sustainability to your classroom!
©2025 Csilla Moran
Developed as a sustainable design senior capstone project.