Summer Ag Institute 2024!
Summer Ag Institute 2024!
The Fulton County Farm Bureau® would love to bring agricultural education to your classroom. We have a large variety of resources on multiple agricultural subjects that we will bring to your classroom; we’ll even teach the lesson!
The Fulton County Farm Bureau® Ag in the Classroom program provides these wonderful materials for area teachers at no cost! Each presentation includes information linked to the following Illinois Standards: Common Core Standards, Next Genertation Science Standards and Illinois Social Studies Standards.
To place a request for your classroom, please select one or more topics below.
Questions? Email the Ag Literacy Coordinator, Julie Werland (fultoncountyaitc@gmail.com)
Don’t forget to ask about our Lessons in a Bucket program!
Thanks for your interest in Ag in the Classroom!!
All materials on the Illinois Ag in the Classorom website are filled locally; please contact the Fulton County Farm Bureau® for resources
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2023-2024 Monthly Presentations
Aug/Sept – WHEAT
What is wheat and who grew it first? What products are made from wheat and is wheat grown in Illinois? Children will learn the different parts of the plant and its nutrients. They will watch how threshing and winnowing were and are complet-ed. Students will also thresh their own wheat and grind it into flour. Older students will discuss gluten and discover why Norman Borlaug was important to wheat and world hunger.
December – EVERGREEN TREE FARMS
Students will discuss tree fars and focus on Christmas Tree farms and discover the farms in their area. We will find out how tree farmers make a living and what jobs are entailed in owning a tree farm. They will also participate in experiment to compare conifer hardiness.
March – CHICKENS
March is all about Chickens! Incubators will be available for classrooms interested in hatching eggs. Different breeds of chickens will be discussed as well as their different colored eggs. Live baby chickens will be brought in for the students to pet and hold. Scratch painting will be accomplished at some grades.
October – CATTLE BRANDING & TAGS
Students will learn the breeds of cattle locally and where each out of meat they enjoy comes from as well as the nutrient value of beef. They will explore tags and branding how and why it is done and how cattle rustlers changed, brands to steal cattle and what part Illinois had in changing livestock farms. They will also create their own brand for their ranch and discuss why cattle is so important to football.
January – PIZZA
Pizza starts on the farm…Wheat, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Pepperoni, Sausage, Cheese, Onions, Olives, …just to name a few. Where are these products grown and what in the world is a Pizza Farm? Younger students will make a spinner showing pizza ingredients and the plants they come from. Older children will participate in a pizza riddle game and higher grades will answer questions and devise a plan to some the puzzle with a Pizza Escape Box.
April – THE DIRT ON SOIL
Essentially all life depends upon the soil. Students will study how rich and valuable the soil is in our area and what exactly it is made up of. They will see examples of our “Soil Your Undies” experiments. what are the different types of soil and how does it affect plants and water? We will discuss the job of earthworms. Students will play games showing the difference good nutrients, water and type of soil makes when growing plants and older kids will become Soil Sleuths and help solve the mystery of the Grieving Gardeners.
November – POTATOES
How and where are potatoes grown in Illinois? What are the different types of potatoes? Where locally can we get fresh potatoes? Whatare the nutrients found in this delicious food we all will be eating for the holidays? What other resources comes from potatoes? Then taking a different turn, the students will learn how to construct a potato flashlight.
February – SUSTAINABILITY
How do we continue to grow enough food for everyone and have all the items we use everyday? By focusing on SUSTAINABILITY- how do Farmers sustain their land and livestock? We will study some ideas like manure management, till or not till, crop rotation, integrated pest management and rotational grazing, bioplastics, biofuels and what the 3 legged stool idea is. Students will also make a craft showing them what goes into making ethanol for cars or younger children will make an earth bracelet.
May – FARMERS MARKETS
What are Farmers Markets? What can you buy there? How do they help our communities and economy? What is the difference between vegetables at Market and vegetables in Grocery stores? Students will have an opportunity to taste fresh vegetables and herbs. They will also plant herbs to grow over the summer athome and design their own Farmers Market.
