Between the Rows is a monthly newsletter for participating teachers, volunteers, and friends of Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom. |
|
Fourteen years ago, Diane Starns received information from Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) and decided AITC might be fun for her classroom! Today, she participates in many AITC activities. Read more about her experience and how you can do the same!
What is your favorite AITC program/resource/event and why?
I’ve participated in many of the AITC activities. My most favorite has been the Ag Pen Pal Program. I was matched with a fabulous farm/ranch family for 13 years and, through the years, my students gained knowledge of a working farm and what happens on a farm throughout the entire year. She sends pictures of the fields, animals, the farm, equipment, and machinery. Her letters are perfect for kindergarten students to learn when crops get planted, when calves are born, what products are made from the crops that we grow here in Nebraska, and what the different pieces of machinery ae used on the farm.
Describe an agriculture-based project you have led in your classroom.
We love having the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation education specialists come out to the school and lead the Classroom Visit the Seasons of the Apple, and even the virtual lessons were fun for us last year! One of my favorite lessons to do with kindergarten is the “Farming in the Glove.” We shorten this lesson for kindergarten. The students love the process of putting the seeds in the glove with the cotton ball, and then we hang these in the window for two weeks! The kids get to watch and observe the changes in the seed! We collect data after week one and draw the changes. After two weeks, the kids take these home! Last year, I had two students plant their sprouts in a pot, and they sent me a picture of their plant over the summer! I was thrilled -- the learning continued even in the summer!
What advice would you give other teachers to use agriculture in their classroom?
I would take advantage of everything AITC has to offer. I love the Classroom Visit lessons that are available for all grade levels, and, if necessary, virtual lessons are a great option. These lessons are hands-on, and the kids are active learners. The Ag Pen Pal Program is a must. My students are so excited when we receive a letter or even a package from our pen pal! They learn so much about life on the farm and or ranch! AITC also offers opportunities to apply for grants and scholarships for field trips and other activities. There are so many resources available to enhance the learning in your classroom! Check out the AITC website today!
|
|
|
|
Kindergarten – fifth grade classrooms are invited to participate in lessons with an education specialist to learn more about Nebraska agriculture! Lessons are:
- Grade-Specific
- Standard-Aligned
- Hands-On
Explore multiple lesson opportunities and schedule your visit today!
|
|
|
|
Explore the products that come from the amazing corn seed, beef cow, pig, and soybean seed on these 24” x 36” posters. They will surprise you! |
|
|
|
Start the year off with a challenge! 9th-12th grade students can explore the year 2050 as a key moment in time and learn to balance social, economic, and environmental factors to grow food. Journey 2050 is a FREE program that challenges participants to answer the question, “How will we sustainably feed 9 billion people by the year 2050?”
|
|
Upcoming Tasks
-
Meet with your County Farm Bureau. Deadline: February 28
-
Plan and lead an AITC activity Deadline: April 30
-
Submit a video of your Connecting Chapters experience. Deadline: May 30
|
|
Ag Pen Pal Program Schedule |
|
-
January 30 – Second letter sent by famer/rancher
-
February 28 – Second letter sent by classroom
If you have not heard from your assigned Ag Pen Pal, please contact Ashley at agpenpal@nefb.org or (402) 421-4747. Reporting a non-responding party at the end of the year does not allow us to help make the connection now.
|
|
|
|
Railways, Seaports, and Soybean Production |
Students will use maps to discover the relationship between where soybeans are grown, what railroad lines they travel, and out of which ports they are shipped. This lesson aligns to Nebraska Social Studies Standards adopted in November 2019.
|
|
|
|
Agriculture Reading Hour - Volunteers Needed |
In celebration of agriculture in Nebraska, you can read and donate an agriculture themed book to elementary students in Nebraska. Books are provided at no cost to volunteers.
Volunteers will:
-
Read the book, Barn at Night, to a classroom of their choice.
- Donate the book to the school library or classroom.
- Submit a photo of the book reading experience to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.
|
|
Do you know someone who would enjoy our newsletter? Share this link encourage them subscribe today! |
|
Agriculture in the Classroom® is a program coordinated by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization and supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Nebraska, the Agriculture in the Classroom program is managed by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, whose mission is to engage youth, educators, and the general public to promote an understanding of the vital importance of agriculture in the lives of all Nebraskans.
(402) 421-4747 | 5225 South 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68512
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
