OAC's Lesson Plans
Check out our free downloadable PDF lesson plans developed by OAC faculty and staff below. Each lesson plan has been aligned to meet Ontario high school curriculum objectives.
Lesson Plan Themes
Animals
Animal Housing- Think Inside the Box
This activity will allow students to use their understanding of the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems of various species in hands on learning. Students will be able to apply their knowledge of these biological systems by creating a theoretical model of an animal facility that suits characteristics of each species. This activity supports critical thinking and puts theoretical learning into a practical scenario.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SBI3C, SBI4U
Cow Digestion
This activity will allow students to use their understanding of the digestive systems and increase their knowledge of digestive function of ruminant species. Students will be able to test their knowledge of these biological systems and basic chemistry in this exciting lesson plan.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SBI3C, SBI4U, SCH4U, SCH4C, SVN3M
Environment
The Buzz on Bees
This activity will allow students to use their understanding of the honey bee and expand their knowledge on the social structure and anatomy of a bee. Students will be able to test their knowledge of these important insects through this interactive lesson plan.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3C, SBI3U
Climate Change: It's not all Doom and Gloom
This lesson plan will introduce students to concepts pertaining to climate change, and allow them to explore the different affects climate change has on the earth and our society. Students will discover the differences between weather and climate, and learn about carbon and its role in climate change.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SNC2D, SBI3U, SBI4U, SVN3M
Why are Bees Struggling? How can we help? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 3
This lesson plan gives students the opportunity to learn about the important role bees play in pollination and providing food. Students will expand their knowledge of established bee species in Canada and the ways in which society can participate in safeguarding the health of overlooked wild bees. Students will work together to better understand the function and importance of bees and other pollinators, and methods of providing bee biodiversity.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SBI3C
Why is it so Hot in the City? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 10
In this lesson, students will explore urban climatology and learn about the various factors that make cities feel hotter. Students will talk about solutions that can help to cool down cities, while participating in engaging discussions that reveal the challenges and opportunities in implementing these solutions. Students are able to actively participate in sharing facts and opinions about urban climatology & how it correlates with climate change.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: CDG3M, CGU4M
Soil: An Essential Resource
Soil connects us. For plants, insects, fungi, and bacteria, soil provides the resources necessary for sustaining life, shelter, food and water. Similarly, for us humans, soil provides essential goods and services such as the food we eat and is the first step in filtering municipal drinking water. This lesson demonstrates different soil management strategies used on farms and the direct impacts they can have on the environment.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3C, SCH3U, SVN3M, SBI4U
Food
Food Sensory Perception
This activity gives students the opportunity to learn how their five senses influence their experience with food. Students will increase their knowledge of how their olfactory and gustatory systems work together. Students are able to apply their creativity and their enhanced knowledge of sensory perception in a culminating sensory perception test.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SNC1D, SNC1P, SNC2D, SNC2P, SBI3C, SBI3U
How Can Food Treat Cancer? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 1
This lesson plan gives students the opportunity to learn about the human cell formation process and understand the link to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Students will expand their knowledge of the role nutraceuticals and functional foods play in preventing and treating diseases. Students can work tegether while applying individual creativity to better understand the human body and investigate the pathways of health improvement through diet.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SNC2P, SNC2D, SBI3U, SBI4U, HFA4U
Interdisciplinary
What's On Your Plate
This activity will allow students to explore the various aspects of food production to gain a better understanding of where their food comes from. Organic food, genetically modified food and food science will be investigated through group discussions and interactive activities!
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SNC1D, SNC1PSNC1D, SNC1P, SNC2D, SNC2D, SNC2PSNC2P, SBI3C, SBI3U, SBI3C, SBI3U, SCH4U, SCH4C
Understanding Active Transport
This activity introduces the concept of Active Transportation, a popular topic in community planning across North American communities. Students will learn about the principles of active transportation through activities, videos, discussions and readings. Several activities are designed for hands-on learning.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: CGF3M, CGR4M, CGG3O
How does Plant-Based "Meat" change the Menu? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 5
This lesson plan presents a fun and engaging opportunity for students to learn about meat simulation products and their nutritional implications. They learn about the factors that processors, reserachers, and other industry stakeholders consider in creating plant-based meat alternatives. Students are encouraged to think critically about nutritional goals of food and will creatively compare meat vs. plant-based sources of protein.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SCH3U, SNC4M, HFN1O/2O
How Can Dairy Genomics Fight Climate Change? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 9
This lesson plan gives students the opportunity to learn about how increased feed efficiency in the dairy industry can facilitate reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Students will explore contemporary research while learning about the economic and environmental implications of selecting and breeding dairy cattle for new traits.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SBI3C
How do Labels and Price affect our Grocery Decisions? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 14
In this lesson plan, students will learn about grocery shopping and how price, nutritional content, convenience and what we value combine to affect out food purchases. Students will explore research which explores how effective nutrition warning labels are influencing consumer behaviour. This podcast also introduces students to a pay-what-you-can pricing scheme and some of the socioeconomic underpinnings of our food choices.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: HFN1O/2O, HIF1O/2O
Feeding 9 Billion: The Card Game
This activity will introduce players to basic concepts pertaining to food security, population growth, and climate change in a fun and engaging way. This card game was developed by the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Feeding 9 Billion is a food security initiative which provides insight, outreach and education around issues of food, agriculture and hunger globally.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: BBB4M, CPC3O, CGW4U
The Fundamentals of Economics: Food and Agricultural Business
This activity will allow students to develop an understanding of basic business and economic principles, including the concept of the diminishing rate of marginal returns, best alternative to no agreement (BATNA) and substitutes versus complements. Students will learn through activities designed for hands-on learning and will utilize critical thinking skills while working in groups.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: BBI1O/2O, BMI3C, BDI3C/3O
Designing Outdoor Spaces: Landscape Architecture
Landscape architecture is a profession that combines art and sciences to design outdoor spaces. Students will have the opportunity to learn more in-depth about what landscape architecture is, and what a Landscape Architect does. They will use critical thinking and creativity to gain a new perspective of landscapes, and how space use is taken into consideration. Students will be able to apply design skills through collaboration on a site plan.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: AVI1O, AVI2O, SNC1D, CGC1D
Plants
Biodiversity of Lawns
There are four different varieties of turfgrass commonly found in lawns in Ontario. While most accounts of turfgrass areas refer to them as monocultures this is generally not true. Lawns consist of many species each with different characteristics that aid in the resiliency, or strength, of the lawn ecosystem. The following activities can be performed with these four species to show the diversity of the species found in lawns, and how those differences can be observed in seed size and germination time.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3C, SBI3U, SVN3M
How can Test Tubes Make 10 Million Trees? The Why & How Podcast, Episode 2
This lesson plan gives students the opportunity to learn about plant tissue culture and how it can be used to propogate crops in abundance. Students will expand their knowledge about the process of micropropogation adn the various plan hormones that react to make this possible. Students are able to work together while applying individual creativity to better understand implications of plant biodiversity loss and sudden declines in yield.
This activity aligns with the following curriculum: SBI3U, SBI4U