How to Analyze Sustainability Problems: Food Deserts
Provided by: ASU Global Futures|Published on: January 20, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Science, Economics, Civics, Geography
Authors: ASU Global Futures
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this lesson, students practice analyzing a sustainability problem with the concept of food deserts.
- After reading an article about food deserts, groups of students discuss the article and build a fishbone diagram to highlight the central problem and contributing factors. Then, groups consider possible food desert solutions and incorporate them into their diagrams.
- Students will need to use this article and these solution cards for the lesson.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This lesson is relevant and the topic of food deserts will likely engage young learners.
- This lesson puts students in the position of problem solvers and administrators of a solution.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should already have a working knowledge of environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
- The link to Chain Reaction Magazine does not work, but you can still access the article, Cultivating the Food Desert.
Differentiation
- This activity could be extended by debating the possible solutions and building cost-benefit analyses or arguments for which is the most viable.
- The resource includes five additional extension activities for students to repeat the solution analysis process using different sustainability topics.
- For learners that need additional support in a group discussion or analyzing the food desert solutions, the teacher could provide the following prompting questions:
- What parts of the problem will this solution do the best job of fixing?
- Are there any parts of the problem that will remain even after the solution has been implemented?
The resource explores various environmental, societal, health, and economic problems associated with food deserts. Students can engage and design plans to mitigate the impact in a sustainable fashion. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
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