Paired Texts > Farms of the Future

by Tracy Vonder Brink 2022

We've identified these texts as great options for text pairings based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. To assign a paired text, click on the text to go to its page and click the "Assign Text" button there.

Farming in Space
Farming in Space
Amy Hansen

In the informational text "Farming in Space," Amy Hansen discusses how scientists are growing plants in space and what it means for the future of space travel.

Pair “Farming in Space” with “Farms of the Future” and ask students to discuss how both texts describe various methods for growing plants. What methods did Dr. Musgrave use to grow plants in space in “Farming in Space”? What methods does Tracy Vonder Brink describe in “Farms of the Future”? How could scientists and farmers use Dr. Musgrave’s methods to come up with a new way to grow plants on Earth?

5th Grade Informational Text 830L
Working the Farms
Working the Farms
Mike Weinstein

In "Working on the Farm: Children on the Move," Mike Weinstein discusses the migrant children who work on farms in the United States.

Pair “Working the Farms” with “Farms of the Future” and ask students how future farms could affect the lives of migrant workers. What is life like for migrant workers working on a traditional farm according to “Working the Farms”? Based on what you learned from “Farms of the Future,” how would future farms affect migrant farm workers? How would this affect the children of migrant farm workers? Would future farms have more of a positive or negative impact on migrant farm workers?

6th Grade Informational Text 880L
Eat Bugs, Save the Planet?
Eat Bugs, Save the Planet?
Tracy Vonder Brink

In "Eat Bugs, Save the Planet?," Tracy Vonder Brink describes how eating insects could help people and the planet.

Pair “Eat Bugs, Save the Planet?” with “Farms of the Future” and have students discuss how both texts emphasize the need to protect our planet. How does the author propose that we can help our planet in “Eat Bugs, Save the Planet?”? How is this different from the solutions that she describes in “Farms of the Future”? How are these solutions similar?

5th Grade Informational Text 970L
Turning the Tide
Turning the Tide
Shay Maunz

In "Turning the Tide," Shay Maunz explains how scientists are using artificial reefs to help rebuild and protect the ocean's ecosystems.

Pair “Farms of the Future” with “Turning the Tide” and have students discuss how both texts emphasize the need to protect our planet. How does the author propose that we can help our planet in “Farms of the Future”? How is this similar to and different from the solutions described in “Turning the Tide”? How do both texts explore how innovative solutions can be used to help protect the future of our planet?

6th Grade Informational Text 940L