New Jersey is a small state with a big population. Agriculture and truck farms are an important part of New Jersey’s economy, and it’s perfectly placed between New York and Philadelphia’s huge markets for produce. Blueberries, cranberries, peaches, and asparagus are important crops in the state, but even more important are plants for nurseries and greenhouses.
You can use the connection between New Jersey, plants, and produce as a means of accessing the state science requirements. Encourage your students to think about how food plants like blueberries or peaches help people meet their needs. Extend that conversation to discuss the plants’ needs, their habitats, and how they thrive in New Jersey.
Scientists are in demand in New Jersey because the state’s largest industry lies in chemicals. These range from pharmaceuticals to toiletries to commercial chemicals. You can help your students make real life connections with what they’re learning by helping them understand that the scientific processes and tools that scientists in chemical companies use are the same as those they use in the classroom. Professional scientists observe, measure, and record data in many of the same ways that student scientists do. Help your students understand that as they work in the classroom, they're doing the very same type of scientific work in much the same way. They’re also meeting state science standards for science practices.