Jacey Duncan-Oklahoma Union Schools
Soda & Soybeans! Grow It Now, Drive It Later!
Soybeans in Soda? No way! Soybeans play a role in some soft drinks, including Coca-Cola products! Grow It Now, Drive It Later! Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, made a profound impact on agriculture and soybean production after the Great Depression. Was he Full of Beans because he wanted to drive soybeans? Throughout the project, “Soda & Soybeans: Grow It Now, Drive It Later,” students will identify the variety of soybeans uses in food, fiber, and fuel industries, discover potential careers in agriculture with a focus on the growing field of biofuel development, and create a Solar Soda Car! This unique project will explore the versatility of soybeans in a student favorite – pop!, while commemorating the efforts of Henry Ford and his impact on agriculture and soybean production. Today, more than 32,000 soybeans are used to make some of the 300 pounds of plastic that go into every Ford vehicle.
$500
Kim Hollars-Little Axe Schools
From Farm to Table: The Journey of Pork
This project aims to educate 540 students about the agricultural journey of pork, highlighting its significance in our food system and promoting agricultural literacy. The lesson plan revolves around understanding the role of pigs in agriculture, from breeding to processing, and ultimately to consumption. Agricultural Literacy Goals: The project is designed to promote agricultural literacy by providing a holistic view of pork production, its processes, and its significance within the agricultural framework. By utilizing hands-on activities, students will develop a deeper appreciation for where their food comes from, the efforts involved in its production, and the agricultural practices that support sustainability. Understanding Ag in the Classroom: This lesson exemplifies the importance of integrating agricultural education within the classroom setting. It encourages students to explore and understand their food sources, fostering a connection with agriculture that is critical in today’s society. By teaching students about the journey of pork, we underscore the broader implications of agriculture on health, economy, and sustainability. Through careful planning and thoughtfulness in execution, this project aims to instill a lasting understanding of the role of pigs in agriculture and the essential practices that contribute to a sustainable food system. By engaging students in active learning experiences, we will cultivate a generation that values and appreciates agriculture’s impact on their lives.
$500
Amber Bales-Stillwater Schools
Fri-Yay…It’s Ag Friday!
Fri-Yay…It’s Ag Friday is a special time for Will Rogers 4th graders. I teach Ag Literacy to all 4th graders in two sections. It is my sincere belief that all students need to know where their food, fiber, and fuel comes from. With this grant, I will be able to supplement my Ag Friday lessons and be able to provide new opportunities for hands-on and engaging activities. The four lessons I want to highlight are: 1. Whole Grains Month: Lesson How Wheat Grows. Teaching students about the state of Oklahoma Commodities, including wheat. Baking bread and muffins. 2. Harvest of the Month-Greens: Lesson Oklahoma Roots and Leafy Greens. Planting greens and utilizing Oklahoma My Plate and poster to describe the nutritional value of greens. Baking kale chips. 3. Harvest of the Month-Sweet Potatoes: Utilizing the Oklahoma My Plate and poster to teach students about sweet potatoes. Baking sweet potato bread and sweet potato chips. 4. Tear Sheet-Corn: How Popcorn Is Made and Soybeans: Full of Beans. Teaching students about Oklahoma Commodities and the importance of each in making pig feed. Supplementing: Lesson : All About Christmas Trees (Forestry): I need additional book and cups for STEM activity. Lesson: A Tough Nut to Crack (Pecans): I need a heavy nutcracker and crackers with picks for a more hands-on experience for students. Lesson: Pigs, Pork and Swine: I need additional copies of The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith. This is a great agricultural tie into Social Studies when studying the West Region.
$500
Jeanie Spears-Gore Elementary School
OH, The Plants We Can Grow!
This project’s purpose is to show our students that they can grow their own food. They will learn what plants must have to grow, how to plant seeds and take care of the plants, then be able to harvest the food that comes from the plants that they planted. Using the lesson Get Growing, the younger students will be able to understand the four things plants need to be able to grow. After completing this lesson, they (in partners) will be able to go out into our garden and be able to plant their plant in the soil and water it and then be able to watch it as it grows. Some will also plant seeds in our milk containers in the classroom and watch them grow and water also. The ones in the classroom will be missing one of the four things needed to grow. All students will watch all plants grow. Using the lesson, The Art of Growing Things, the older students will learn about where seeds came from long ago and where they can get them today. After completing this lesson some students will take their seeds out in the garden and be able to plant their seeds into our garden and be able to track the growth of their plants. Some will plant in the room with grow lights in the classroom before going out and planting in the garden. All students will be viewing all the plants, whether in their classroom or in the garden to monitor how plants are growing or not growing, whose plants are growing bigger or faster. They will also, when time, be able to harvest their produce from their crops. That might be later in the summer. They will learn at school that they will be able to go to the store and buy seeds or plants and be able to take them home and plant them and be able to grow it themselves.
$500
Maria Kindel-Mid-Del Schools
Incubator Demonstration of Cycle of Life
Incubating chicken eggs in an Ag in the Classroom setting is a powerful demonstration of the life cycle, allowing students to directly observe the development of a chick from a fertilized egg to hatching. This will provide hands-on learning experience about the stages of life and the needs of a growing organism within the egg. The incubator and brooder will be set-up in the school library (my classroom). Students in grades Pre-K to 5th will be able to observe the developmental stages from fertilized egg, various developmental checks from candling, and experience the excitement of hatching day. We will care for them in the brooder for a week prior to rehoming to a farm after the experiment is complete. State science standards require students have an understanding of life cycles, and scientific inquiry of observing, note taking, predicting, and application of knowledge -this will provide concrete understanding of both. Similarly, the responsibility and care of animals is a wonderful way for students to increase their skillset of empathy, and responsible care of living creatures. I will pair this activity with reading materials, videos, and worksheets that will help them learn grade level appropriate life-cycle content as well.
$500
Rebecca Gordon-Norman Public Schools
Pig Tales: Exploring Agriculture through Literacy, Science, and Nutrition
Pig Tales: Exploring Agriculture Through Literacy, Science, and Nutrition integrates Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons focused on pork production, farm to table learning, and nutrition into early childhood literacy, science, and hands-on STEM activities. Students will explore how pigs are raised, their contributions to agriculture, and the importance of healthy food choice in an engaging, age-appropriate way. A pig and pork kit would also be created to teach about the pork industry. The farm to table celebration would provide students with a taste of a pork product while also teaching them how to make a healthy snack. A top ten agriculture commodities in Oklahoma kit would also be created to show students the importance of the agriculture industry in Oklahoma. Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom lessons would be included in the kit. The farm in the glove kit would help students have a visual representation of the plant life cycle. Overall, the Pig Tales Grant focuses on teaching students about pigs and the pork industry while also highlighting the importance of various agriculture commodities in Oklahoma. Pre-K through second grade students will complete the unit with the knowledge of how agriculture in Oklahoma supports the individual health of Oklahomans while also supporting economic growth.
$500
