weekly

or for 10 classes

Sustainable Agriculture: Principles and Practices

Ages 14-18

Live Group Course

In this 10-week course students interested in farming, environmental science, permaculture, or sustainability will learn the basics of regenerative and ecological food production, from global to garden scale.

Devon Viola

Live video meetings

1x per week, 10 weeks

3-12 learners per class

60 min

About Learning Overview Teacher Reviews

What's included

10 live meetings

10 in-class hours

Assignments

1 hour per week. Students will complete brief in-class activities, as well as one final homework project that demonstrates their analysis and creative synthesis of the course material.

Progress Report

included

Class Experience

US Grade 9 - 12

Beginner - Advanced Level

This class takes the format of a weekly lecture followed by open-ended questions and guided in-class activities. We will cover the various ways that farmers interact with the natural environment to produce food, with each week's lecture focusing on a specific aspect of agriculture or sustainability. Students will be prompted to exercise critical thinking and creativity while engaging with the material.

Learning Goals

1.	Understand the basics of sustainable agriculture and its importance.
2.	Learn practical techniques for sustainable soil, water, and crop management.
3.	Gain the skills and knowledge to independently assess the sustainability of any agricultural system.

Syllabus

10 Lessons

over 10 Weeks

Lesson 1:

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

 An introduction to concepts of sustainability, agriculture, and the synthesis of the two. We will touch on the various types of farming that are carried out today, and agriculture's influence on the world. We will begin to examine what makes a method or system "sustainable."

60 mins online live lesson

Lesson 2:

Systems Thinking in Farming

 We will discuss inputs and outputs in farming, and how resources including nutrients, water, and energy move in cycles. We will create a diagram of the various inputs and outputs of an example farm.

60 mins online live lesson

Lesson 3:

Biology of Plants and Animals on the Farm

 The plants and animals grown on farms have basic necessities just like we do. This week we will cover what plants and animals need to grow, and how farmers provide for those needs in order to produce a harvest.

60 mins online live lesson

Lesson 4:

Soil Health

 Soil is the base of the food chain, and we all rely upon healthy soil to produce food. In this lesson we will cover the basics of soil science, and how farmers can maintain and even improve soil health. Together we will make a plan to build and troubleshoot a compost pile.

60 mins online live lesson

Other Details

Parental Guidance

This class will include references to climate change and pollution and how they impact agriculture and the environment. Animal agriculture, for meat and other animal products, will be discussed.

Pre-Requisites

It is recommended that students have already learned 6th-8th grade level biology, including photosynthesis, before taking this course. No other experience required.

External Resources

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Meet the teacher

Devon Viola

Joined January, 2025

Profile

Teacher expertise and credentials

I have worked in organic farming for 7 years and earned a B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture. Across my work experiences I have enjoyed teaching young interns, volunteers, and aspiring farmers about agriculture, ecology, and sustainability.