Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Design a plan to solve food program and fit criteria of selected nation.

Objective: To utilize what was learned about variables in agriculture to design a problem solving plan.

Activity: Students are given specifications of three mythical nations with differing climates, geography, agricultural traditions based on history, religious beliefs and political constraints. Students select a nation and work as agricultural companies to design a plan to solve the food problems and fit the criteria of that nation. Students will use data from exploratory phase (step 5). The company delivering the most food in the fewest days wins the contract.

Assessment: Involvement of each student. Quality of plan.