Our World: Where Do Crops Grow?

Have you ever wondered where food comes from? Learn how Dr. Catherine Nakalembe uses NASA satellite data to show the health and location of crops around Our World. Maps created from these data help people become more food secure. You can help, too. Using the GLOBE Observer App, you can help scientists validate satellite data by describing land covering through the Adopt a Pixel program.

Discussion and Writing Prompts

1. Plants need many things to survive whether on Earth or in space. Why is it important to think of a plant-growing system as a group of connected parts instead of focusing on just one part? What might happen if one part of the system stopped working and how would that affect the entire system?

2. Imagine you are part of a team preparing for a long mission to Mars. Why do you think growing plants on the spacecraft or on Mars is important for the astronauts' health and success? Write a journal entry from the perspective of an astronaut describing how caring for plants helps you live and work in space, including both practical and emotional benefits.

3. Growing plants in space is more challenging than growing them on Earth. What do you think is the biggest challenge astronauts face when growing food in space, and how could engineers design a solution to overcome it? Use evidence from the video and your own ideas to explain why the solution would be effective.

Background Information

Grades 3 through 8

• NASA Space PlaceTelling a Pine from a Maple (webpage)

Grades 3 through 12

• NASA eClips Ask SME: Remote Sensing Scientist Dr. Catherine Nakalembe (video)
• NASA eClips Ask SME: Program Director Dr. Inbal Becker-Reshef (video)
• NASA eClips Ask SME: U.S. Domestic Co-Lead & AI Lead Dr. Hannah Kerner (video)
• STEM Connector Food and Agriculture is STEM (e-book)

Grades 4 through 12

• NASA Why Does NASA Care About Food?) (webpage)

Grades 5 through 12

• NASA From Seed to Market: NASA Brings Food to the Table (website)
• NASA Landsat Science -- Landsat 9 (website)
• NASA NASA At Your Table: The Space Agency's Surprising Role in Agriculture (website/video)
• NASA NASA Harvest (website)
• NASA Earth Science Applied Sciences Ensuring Food Security (website)

Grades 6 through 12

• NASA eClips Real World: Food Security – Monitoring Crops From Space (video)

Activities

Grades K through 5

• NASA Water for Wheaties? Freshwater Resources for Agriculture (webiste)

Grades K through 8

• The STEMAZING Project Bring on the Food: STEM, Agriculture and You (website)

Grades K through 12

• Agriculture in the Classroom (website)
• Your Name in LandSat (interactive)

Grades 3 through 12

• GLOBE Observer - Land Cover (app)
• GLOBE Land Cover Classification Protocol) (website)
• MY NASA Data Observing Annual Vegetation Changes Mini Lesson/Activity (website)
• My NASA Data Computing Vegetation Health Mini Lesson/Activity (webpage)