Introduction
Welcome to your mission: to tackle a major drought crisis in the Mediterranean village of Terra Verde. Facing dwindling water resources and poor soil, you will use innovative sustainable practices to help the village thrive. Team up, research solutions and present your ideas to ensure Terra Verde's future.
Task
In this WebQuest you will step into the role of agricultural pioneers, exploring cutting-edge sustainable practices to restore Terra Verde’s environment and ensure its food security. Through temwork, you will work in transnational groups to engage in a real-world problem-solving scenario, encouraging collaboration, critical thinking and application of sustainable agricultural practices.With research and creativity, you will develop solutions that balance productivity with environmental stewardship.
Are you ready to take on this challenge and make a real impact on the future of agriculture?
Process
Step 1: Solving a Sustainable Agriculture Problem
Sustainable agricultural practices focus on balancing productivity with environmental stewardship and social responsibility, making agriculture more resilient, productive and eco-friendly for the future. Mediterranean agriculture can integrate sustainable practices to address specific challenges sush as water scarcity, soil erosion and climate variability.
Through the following collaborative problem-solving activity you wull apply sustainable agricultural practices in a hypothetical scenario of a Mediterranean village facing severe drought.
- Scenario Overview: Drought Crisis in a Mediterranean Village
It's the year 2056 and the small Mediterranean village Terra Verde is experiencing it's worst drought in centuries. Water resources are dwindling. soil quality is deteriorating and crop yields are plummenting. The village's survival depends on adopting sustainable agricultural practices to restore its environment and ensure food security.
The challenges that Terra Verde is facing are severe drought, poor soil health and low crop yields.
Step 2: Group work
- You will divide in 5 transnational groups and work on presentations in Google Slides. Each group will focus on a specific sustainable agricultural practice that can address Terra Verde's challenges and make research:
Group 1: Regenerative Agriculture (Improving soil health and water retention through cover crops and composting).
Group 2: Precision Agriculture (Using technology to optimize water usage and monitor crop health).
Group 3: Agroforestry (Integrating trees to improve soil quality and provide shade).
Group 4: Conservation Tillage (Reducing soil disturbance to maintain moisture).
Group 5: Water-Efficient Practices (Implementing drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting).
Choose your group in the following Google Doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16k1uacndjwWFCqF7SVbdRL2l48jVGWkQGiSPfQ7oSvA/edit?usp=sharing
- Each group creates a presentation as assigned in the above Google Doc with a proposal outlining their sustainable practice and how it can be implemented in Terra Verde. Proposals should include: a) a description of the practice, b) Steps of the village. Group adds the final presentation in the Padlet:
- https://padlet.com/meddiet4health/drought-crisis-in-the-mediterranean-village-terra-verde-sszk2c9lhxzk35wg
Useful links:
https://drawdown.org/solutions/regenerative-annual-cropping
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105962
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/7/1141
Step 3: Reflect and vote
Review all the presentations and reflect by adding a comment on which practice you believe is the most effective for Terra Verde and why. Conduct a quick vote on the same Padlet to determine which proposal the majority supports.
Evaluation
- Webquest evaluation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdB1Qb1V6Cfhd4gtq4qRzz82OzfDGJp-gOWhCRAWUGWoiAMng/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Students will be evaluated according to the following rubric:
|
Criteria |
5 - Excellent |
4 - Proficient |
3 - Satisfactory |
2 - Needs Improvement |
1 - Unsatisfactory |
|
Understanding of Sustainable Practices |
Thorough understanding of the sustainable practice, clearly articulating its benefits and relevance to Terra Verde. |
Good understanding with minor gaps in articulation or relevance. |
Basic understanding but lacks depth in explanation or relevance. |
Limited understanding; significant gaps in explanation or relevance. |
No understanding of sustainable practices; irrelevant information provided. |
|
Research and Evidence |
Extensive research with credible sources supporting the proposal; all claims are well substantiated. |
Good research with some credible sources; most claims are substantiated. |
Basic research with limited sources; some claims are substantiated. |
Minimal research; few claims are substantiated and lack credibility. |
No research provided; claims are unsupported. |
|
Group Collaboration |
Excellent collaboration, roles are well-defined, and all group members contribute equally. |
Good collaboration with minor issues in role distribution or contribution. |
Some collaboration evident, but uneven participation is noticeable. |
Limited collaboration; roles are unclear and participation is uneven. |
No collaboration evident; group members did not contribute to the project. |
|
Presentation Quality |
Presentation is engaging, well-organized, and visually appealing; effectively communicates the proposal. |
Good presentation quality; organized but may lack some engagement or visual appeal. |
Basic presentation quality; some organization but lacks engagement or visual appeal. |
Poor presentation quality; disorganized and lacks clarity. |
No presentation submitted or is completely disorganized. |
|
Reflection and Voting Process |
Thoughtful reflection with clear reasoning for choice; actively participated in voting. |
Good reflection with some reasoning; participated in voting. |
Basic reflection; limited reasoning provided; participated in voting. |
Minimal reflection; little reasoning; voting participation is unclear. |
No reflection or reasoning; did not participate in voting. |
Conclusion
This WebQuest demonstrates the power of sustainable practices in addressing critical agricultural challenges. By examining and presenting various solutions, it is clear how innovative approaches can tackle issues like drought and soil health. This activity underscores the importance of applying sustainable methods to ensure long-term productivity and environmental stewardship in agriculture. The insights gained contribute to a broader understanding of effective strategies for building resilience in agriculture.
Credits
Teacher Page
This WebQuest was edited by a teacher of 2o Esperino EPAL Acharnon (Greece) as part of the activities of the "Mediterranean Diet for Overall Health" (MedDiet4Health) Erasmus+ project (Project number: 2023-2-EL01-KA210-VET-000183592).
In this webquest, students will develop key skills essential for vocational education in food technology. They will enhance research and analytical skills by exploring sustainable agricultural practices and hone critical thinking by solving complex agricultural issues. Collaboration and teamwork will improve through group work, and using digital tools like Google Slides and Padlet will boost digital literacy. Presenting their findings will refine communication skills, while project management skills will be gained by planning and executing tasks. Reflecting on their work will encourage self-assessment and decision-making. Finally, working in diverse groups will enhance cultural competence, preparing them for future careers in agriculture and environmental management.
This WebQuest reflects only the author’s views. The European Commission’s support for the production of this WebQuest does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.