Description
Explore how food travels from farm to table in this printable Thanksgiving science activity! Students analyze graphs, interpret data, and crack the code as they learn about crops, weather, and sustainability. Perfect as a November science lesson.
Students rotate through 8 printable stations focused on farm-to-table topics, including crop growth, weather, soil nutrients, and reducing food waste. At each station, they interpret graphs or short passages, answer questions, and collect code numbers that reveal a hidden harvest-themed word when decoded at the end! Bring a little fall fun into your classroom with this Thanksgiving Fall Harvest Crack the Code Science Activity!
This engaging, print-and-go activity builds data interpretation, critical thinking, and science literacy while keeping students moving, thinking, and collaborating.
🌾 What’s Included
✔ 8 printable stations (graphs + reading passages)
✔ Student recording sheet
✔ Polybius code chart
✔ Teacher answer key with full solution
✔ Lesson plan with objectives, pacing, and standards alignment
✔ Optional reflection and discussion questions
🧠 Science & Literacy Skills Covered
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Understanding farm-to-table systems
- Recognizing how weather, nutrients, and pollinators affect crops
- Applying cause-and-effect reasoning
- Practicing real-world sustainability concepts
Topics by Station
- Crop Growth Over Time
- Farm to Table Pathway
- Weather and Plant Growth
- Soil Nutrients and Plant Health
- Harvest by Crop Type
- Local vs. Imported Food
- Pollinators and Food Production
- Reducing Food Waste
Crosscutting Concepts
- Cause and Effect
- Systems and System Models
- Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation
- Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Timing
Approximately 40–45 minutes
(5–10 minutes intro + 30 minutes rotation + 5 minutes decoding)
Perfect For
- Fall or November science lessons
- Farm to Table Lesson
- Harvest and sustainability units
- NGSS or state-specific environmental literacy standards
- Sub plans or early-release days
- Engaging review before Thanksgiving break
