Day 1: Plant Science + Environmental Pathway Hats
Lesson Overview
| Time | 50 minutes |
| Objectives | Explore the Plant Science and Environmental & Natural Resources pathways in H&L; identify at least 4 plant/environmental careers; take notes on 2 careers using the Hat Finder |
| TEKS | d(1)(B), d(1)(C) |
| Deliverable | Hat notes for 2 plant science or environmental careers (career name, education, salary, daily task) |
| Materials | Chromebooks, H&L accounts, H&L Workbook Ch 2, projector |
Warm-Up (5 min)
WARM-UP: Trace one meal you ate yesterday back to the farm. What plants were in it? Where did they grow? Who harvested them?
Take 3-4 student responses. Use this to bridge from last week's Animal Systems focus to this week's Plant Systems focus. Both are part of agriculture; today the spotlight is on plants and the environment that grows them.
Activity 1: Plant Science Pathway Tour (15 min)
Source: H&L Workbook Ch 2: Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, p. 17, Pathway list
Direct students to open H&L and navigate back to the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources cluster page. Today they zoom in on two specific pathways inside the cluster:
- Plant Science: "Advances crop growth, production, and agricultural research"
- Environmental and Natural Resources: "Conserves and manages natural resources like water and forests"
Project the Plant Science pathway page. Walk through 2-3 example careers from the H&L Hat Finder:
- Botanist: studies plants and how they grow
- Horticulturist: grows and breeds plants for specific purposes (food, ornamental, landscaping)
- Soil Scientist: studies soil composition and how it affects what can grow
- Agricultural Engineer: designs farming equipment and systems
Then switch to the Environmental and Natural Resources pathway and show:
- Park Ranger: manages parks and protects natural areas
- Forester: manages forests for timber, recreation, and ecosystem health
- Environmental Scientist: studies pollution and how human activity affects ecosystems
[H&L PLATFORM] The workbook (Ch 2) directs students: "Go to the Hats & Ladders app and click on the Hat Finder. Explore Hats in the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster." Filter the Hat Finder by Plant Science and then by Environmental and Natural Resources to see all the Hats in each pathway.
Facilitation Tip
Many students assume "Park Ranger" is the only outdoor career. Surface 3-4 less obvious careers (Soil Scientist, Sustainability Consultant, Water Treatment Specialist) so they see how broad the field is.
Activity 2: Hat Notes — Choose 2 Careers (25 min)
Each student picks 2 careers from the Plant Science or Environmental pathways and takes notes on a half-sheet template. The template has 4 fields per career:
| Field | Career 1 | Career 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Career Name | ||
| Education/Training | ||
| Average Salary | ||
| One Daily Task |
[H&L PLATFORM] Students click on each Hat in the Hat Finder and find the Education, Salary, and Daily Tasks sections of the Hat profile. They copy the data into their note template.
After collecting the data, students compare their two careers in a 2-sentence write-up:
- Sentence 1: "Both _ and ___ are part of the [pathway name] pathway."
- Sentence 2: "The biggest difference between them is _____."
DOK 2: How would you describe the difference between a Horticulturist (Plant Science) and an Environmental Scientist (Environmental & Natural Resources)? Use specific data from your notes.
Exit Ticket (5 min)
EXIT TICKET (Comparison Matrix) · Printable PDF:
Use your Hat Notes to fill in the matrix.
| Career 1: ___ | Career 2: ___ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway (Plant Science OR Environmental & Natural Resources) | ||
| Training time (rough years) | ||
| One daily task |
Bottom line: Which pathway does EACH career belong to, and which career would be a better fit for someone who wants to work OUTDOORS most days? Use one cell from the matrix to back your pick. (d(1)(B), d(1)(C))
Differentiation
- Support: Pre-fill the Hat Notes template with 2 specific careers (e.g., Botanist and Park Ranger) so students don't have to choose.
- Extension: Research a third career from the Agriculture Business, Leadership, and Communications pathway (e.g., Agricultural Lawyer, Farm Marketing Manager). How does it differ from the science-based careers?
- ELL: Pre-teach: Plant = Planta, Soil = Suelo, Forest = Bosque, Water = Agua. Bilingual Hat Notes template with Spanish field labels.