Besides milk, dairy farms are large producers of energy. This lesson reinforces how important our environment is, while showing students how farmers take natural resources and turn them into capital resources while caring for the environment.

Essential Learning Questions

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to answer the following:
  • How does a dairy farm influence our environment?
  • What sources of energy exist on a dairy farm?

Career Spotlight

This lesson has two parts. Teacher can choose to teach one part or both parts of lesson and labs. Each part should take about 60–70 minutes of class time, with these segments:

  • Lesson Overview: 5 min.
  • Reading Passage: 10 min.
  • Classroom Discussion: 10 min.
  • Lab Exercise: 20 min.
  • Lesson Review: 10 min.
  • Lesson Evaluation: 10 min.

Materials Needed

For Students:
One copy of the Discover Dairy in the Environment Reading Passage
One copy of the Discover Dairy in the Environment Labs
For Instructors:
Environmental Answer Key
Discover Dairy in the Environment Teaching Graphics
Part I Lab (Completed in groups of four):
Plastic 1-liter bottle (empty)
Bowl of hot (not boiling) water
Freezer to cool bottle and balloon

Educational Standards

Science
Reading
Math
(PA Standards) S8.B.2.1, S8.B.2.1.4, S8.B.2.2, S8.B.1.1; (Common CORE): MS-LS1-5, MS-LS4-4, MS-LS4-5, MS-LS1-5, MS-LS4-4, MS-LS4-5, MS-LS1-5, MS-LS4-4, MS-LA4-5.
(PA Standards) R8 1.1.8. A, R8 1.6.8. A, R8 1.8.8. A; (Common CORE): CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.10, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.10, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.D, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.10, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.8.6.
(Common CORE): CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.RP.6.1.