This video and article investigates the sustainable farming practices of a Hopi dryland farmer.
Students will learn how corn can grow in the Arizona desert using only rainfall.
Dr. Johnson explains howHopi traditional farming practices that are passed down from generation to generation can improve current agricultural practices throughout the United States.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource is a great way for students to learn more about the culture of the Hopi people.
It shows how traditional farming practices can provide sustainable food, even in deserts.
Additional Prerequisites
The link for Dr. Michael Kotuwa Johnson is broken.
Differentiation
After watching, consider comparing Dr. Johnson's culturally-based farming practices with the practices of industrial farmers. Help students identify what makes them different and why Dr. Johnson's methods may be more sustainable and beneficial.
History classes could use this resource as part of a unit investigating the history of Indigenous people and the importance of cultural knowledge.
Use this video to introduce topics such as droughts, the effects of climate change on plants, sustainability, and regenerative agriculture in science classes.
Other related resources include this video about the sustainable forestry practices of the Menominee people, this video about Indigenous communities and climate change, and this lesson plan about Indigenous communities and the environment.
Scientist Notes
Monoculture and industrialized agriculture have been both beneficial and harmful to humans. This video showcases the Hopi principle of culturally-based agriculture, which is better for the planet, environment, and people. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science and Engineering
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
MS-LS2-5 Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Social Studies
History
History 2: Students understand historical aspects of unity and diversity in the community, the state, Maine Native American communities, and the United States by describing various cultural traditions and contributions of Maine Native Americans and various historical and recent immigrant groups in the community and the state.
