Agriculture in the Classroom
"Steer" Toward STEM: Careers in Animal Agriculture
Think like an engineer and an agricultural scientist over the course of 12 lessons in a STEM based unit. Young scientists take on the roles of animal physiologists, animal geneticists, agricultural engineers, animal nutritionists,...
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Agriculture Awareness Through Poetry
Whether you are viewing a landscape painting of a farm, examining a still-life portrait of a bowl of fruit, or reading a descriptive poem about cultivating food, you can't deny that agriculture plays a major role in visual and language...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Farmland: GMOs and Organic Agriculture
Learn more about genetic modification, organic farming, and the role of biotechnology in agriculture by watching a documentary that shows how newly gained knowledge can be applied to specific situations involving farmers and the choices...
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California Crops
Students explore agriculture by researching the native food crops of California. Students define a list of agriculture vocabulary terms and analyze maps of California which explain which foods come from which area. Students write a...
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Children in the Fields: The Life of the Hispanic Child Laborer During California's Agriculture Explosion
Fourth graders examine the agriculture explosion in California in the late 1800's to the early 1930's. They analyze primary source material putting themselves into the shoes of a child laborer. They also gain an understanding of...
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Edible Numbers
Believe it or not, this is a 76-page series of lesson plans published by the California Commission on Agriculture which is designed to teach upper-elementary learners about agricultural practices and products in the state. There are two...
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From Genes to Jeans
This unit of lessons is designed for 7th through 9th graders. They are introduced to the world of agriculture and the genetic research and various technologies that are associated with agriculture. Pupils work together to come up with a...
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High Performance in Agriculture Science: Graduates Outperform Others
Students plan for their future by exploring occupational experience programs.In this career activity students list activities that they will participate in in the future and complete a career exploration project.
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Sustainable Livestock
Learners investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability lesson, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Learners define agricultural...
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The Invasion of the Medfly
Students examine the invasion of the fruit fly in California. In groups, they observe and record the fruit fly's lifecycle and how they affect humans in society. They also discuss the history and geography of the fly and the different...
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It's (Not) Just a Bug: Simulating Invasive Insect Predation on a Plant Population
Students reflect on challenges that face farmers in cultivating crops, including insects. They then simulate how crops are affected by native and non-native insect populations and the options farmers have to protect their crops. Finally,...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Roll of the Genes
Animal reproduction in sheep and cattle is explored with the help of Punnet squares. Scholars employ tools using probability to conclude the color of wool a sheep's offspring will have. Acting as animal geneticists, pupils then take...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Wad-a-Watershed
What kind of impact do humans have on watersheds? Find out in a lesson that defines, explores, and promotes ways to protect our watersheds. The ultimate goal of the lesson is for learners to discover how a watershed is impacted by...
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Major Organic Acids in Fruits
Students investigate the organic acids present in a variety of juices. In this organic acids lesson plan, students read about the effects of organic acids in juices. They use paper chromatography to separate out the acids present in a...
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An Ag Interview
Young scholars examine the role of agriculture in the American economy. They interview a person in the agriculture business and create original questions to ask. They present their findings to the class and write thank you letters to the...
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"Wet" Your Appetite: Conserving Water
Students investigate how water is utilized in producing food. For this agriculture lesson, students examine how much water goes into the creation of their daily menu. Students create a new menu that can conserve water and cut their water...
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The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Wow! Here is a most-impressive series of lessons and activities that revolve around the classic story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The purpose of the lessons are to provide an agricultural theme in the reading, writing, and science...
Agriculture in the Classroom
Design 'Y'er Genes
How do changes in DNA affect an organism? Scholars explore chromosomes, genes, DNA, and mutations by modeling the DNA of a strawberry. They build a DNA model, then manipulate it to show how changing the genes transforms the strawberry...
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Ecology: Why Are Rice Fields Suitable Habitats for Birds?
Fifth graders discover the uses for rice by reading about the habitats of certain birds. In this agriculture lesson, 5th graders research birds from the Gulf Coast and California and their reasons for living in rice fields....
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Where is Rice Grown?
Fifth graders create a timeline of the development of rice as an important crop. For this agricultural history lesson, 5th graders read about the history behind why rice was grown and where it is grown. Students demonstrate their...
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That Was Then, This Is Now
Students examine the price of food over time. They analyze charts, perform math operations and compare and contrast data about the price of food. They complete worksheets while interperting the charts.
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What's Bugging You?
Students examine the effects of pests on other organisms, crops, and the environment. they construct an insect observation chamber and discover how some insects can be pests in some situations and beneficial in others. They write "pest...
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Counting on Cooperatives
Students are introduced to the study of economics, including an introduction to basic business types and systems. They investigate about international, national and California history as they take a historical tour of cooperatives and...
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The Amazing Tomato
Students gain an understanding of where our food comes from. In this plant life lesson, students review what plants need for growth and how long it takes them to grow. Students research which plants it takes to make salsa. Students...