Lessons

Students explore the benefits and functions of different types of barns and use problem-solving skills to build a model of a hay barn that meets specific requirements.

Students read How to Grow a Monster, describe the needs of a zucchini plant, identify the structure and function of zucchini plant parts, grow classroom zucchini plants, and experiment with different environments and growing conditions.

Students investigate how and where sorghum is grown and discover its health benefits.

Students explore the sources of a variety of agricultural products and discover that farms can be diverse in size and in products that are grown and raised.

Students identify the differences between beef and dairy cattle and determine the commodities produced by each type of cattle.

Students read Right This Very Minute—a table-to-farm book about food production and farming—and diagram the path of production for a processed product, study a map to discover where different commodities are grown, and write a thank-you letter to farmers in their local community.

Students investigate the transfer of energy in the process of making milk, discover that there are different forms of energy, determine that living things need energy to survive, and identify the sun as the primary source of energy.

Students explore the journey of milk from cow to ice cream, make ice cream in a bag, and discover how food engineers have developed many different processes for making ice cream.

Students explore the complexity of heredity by studying horses and creating a horse’s family tree.